Illuminated Information Display Apparatus

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to illuminated information displaying apparatus and more particularly to illuminated signs having changeable panels bearing numbers and letters with the source of illumination automatically activated and deactivated by a photoelectric cell preset to turn on the illumination source upon reaching normal dusk conditions and preset to turn such source off upon reaching normal sunrise conditions.

2. General Background

Different patents directed to illuminated signs for displaying changeable numbers and letters are known in the art.

In some illuminated signs such as neon signs, the light source is carried in and made a part of the letters, numbers or other characters forming the message. The letters, numbers and other characters are generally exposed and not readily changeable.

The second type of illuminated sign is comprised of a translucent front face having letters or numbers or other characters painted thereon with opaque paint and has a light source behind the face so that the entire face of the sign, with the exception of the opaque portion, is illuminated, thus providing a visible message during the day and night. The message on this type of sign is not easily changeable.

The third type of illuminated sign is comprised of a translucent face having a light source therebehind and generally having some type of track means on the exterior of the face such that the numbers, letters and other indicia characters can be retained in a desired sequence in front of the translucent face so as to spell out the message and be visible at night. The letters, numerals and other indicia are changeable in this type of sign. A prior art search of this type of illuminated sign that provides means for a changeable display message reveals that different patents directed to such structure have been issued.

U.S Pat. No. 4,373,284 entitled "Illuminated House Number Sign" issued to D. L. Crane and discloses an illuminated sign having a frame enclosed by a transparent cover. Grooved tracks are utilized to receive and retain display plates which have light transmitting portions therein in the shape of letters or numbers. A central light source provides illumination and the translucent sheet diffuses the light so that a uniformly bright message appears when the light source is energized and selected plates are abutted end to end in the tracks.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,414,999 entitled "Illuminated Sign" issued to L. Mason and discloses an illuminated sign having removable indicia illuminated from within.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,893,148 entitled "Illuminating Fluorescent House Number Fixture" issued to M. Figman and discloses a fluorescent house number fixture having removable indicia members mounted along the length of a fluorescent tube.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,831,181 entitled "House Numbering Device" issued to C. M. Koster and discloses an illuminated sign having removable and interchangeable numbers.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,081,646 issued to R. K. Witz and discloses an illuminated display sign having removable transparent plates bearing letters or other characters.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,208,870 entitled "Combined Light and Illuminated Sign" issued to E. H. Whitlock and discloses an illuminated sign.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,448,881 entitled, "Combination Number Reflector And Hall Light" issued to J. P. Theis and discloses an illuminated sign for displaying numbers or letters having a housing with a set of grooves therein for inserting panels bearing numbers or letters therein for illumination by an electric light.

The Applicant has provided an improved illuminated display apparatus in which the panels displaying the information interlock with each other, and, in which the illumination source is automatically activated and deactivated by a photoelectric cell preset to turn the source of light on upon reaching normal dusk conditions and turn such source off upon reaching normal sunrise conditions.

The present invention provides for an illuminated information display apparatus comprising a rectangular elongated housing having top, bottom and side walls and at least one open face, the apparatus having grooves provided in opposing marginal edges of the top and bottom walls and extending the length thereof for slidably receiving a plurality of interlocking plate members forming a continuous rigid wall assembly having opaque and light transmitting portions, a light source mounted within the housing and a photoelectric cell exposed to ambient light conditions through a transparent end plate of the wall assembly for selectively activating and deactivating the light source upon reaching predetermined states of ambient light. The opaque and light transmitting portions of the plates positioned in the grooves out a message such as name or street address or the like. The photoelectric cell is designed to turn on to illuminate the display apparatus at normal dusk (and other dark ambient conditions) and turn off at normal sunrise (and other bright ambient conditions).

For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should he had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are given like reference numerals and, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing details of construction;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial top view of the interlocking side edges of the indicia bearing plate members of the present invention taken along Line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of one of the side walls of the apparatus of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a partial enlarged perspective view of the deflector means of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIGS. 1 and 2 best illustrate the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 10. Apparatus 10 comprises an elongated rectangular frame or housing 12 having a top wall 14, bottom wall 16 and side walls 18a, 18b. Thus housing 12 has at least one (1) open face. In the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, apparatus 10 is provided with a forward open face and enclosed rearward portion defined by wall 19, although in an alternate embodiment (not shown) wall 19 can be removed so that two (2) open faces can be provided to apparatus 10. Also in the preferred embodiment, one side wall (18a in FIGS. 1 and 5) is provided with a plurality of horizontally disposed louvred 20 vents (louvred vent 20a of side wall 18a), the louvres depending exteriorally of housing 12, and a bug screen 21 (screen 21a of side wall 18a) of medium to fine mesh provided on the inside surface of the side wall 21 so as to cover all of the louvred vents 20 as best illustrated in FIG. 5 having bug screen 21a on the interior surface of side wall 18a so as to cover louvred vents 20a exteriorally depending from side wall 18a. Side wall 18a is removably affixed to housing 12 at the edges of top and bottom walls 14, 16 in a conventional manner such as by threaded screws 78 or the like. FIG. 2 in cut-away view illustrates a bug screen 21b provided on the interior surface of side wall 18b should both side walls 18a, 18b be provided with louvred vents 20a, 20b.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, top wall 14 and bottom wall 16 have provided in interiorly opposing marginal edges thereof grooves or tracks 24, 26 respectively which extend the length thereof thus defining overhanging lip portions 25, 27 in top and bottom walls 14, 16 respectively.

Grooves 24, 26 afford guidance and support means for a plurality of plate or panel members 30 (30a-30e for example), preferably of plexiglass construction. In the preferred embodiment, plexiglass plate members 30 being transparent have white translucent indicia such as numbers 31, figures or designs and an opaque background thereon. Plate members 30 being rigid because of the plexiglass construction are sized to be slidably received in opposing grooves 24, 26 in top and bottom walls 14, 16 respectively.

As best seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, means 40 are provided on each plate member 30 for interlocking adjacent plate members 30. Interlocking laterally depending means 40 is best seen in FIG. 4 and comprises laterally depending overhanging lip portion 35 on the trailing edge of one plate member 30 mating with laterally depending overhanging lip portion 33 (the inverted mirror image of lip portion 35) on the leading edge of the adjacent plate member 30. Thus as seen in FIG. 4, any two individual plate members such as 30a, 30b are slidably received in grooves 24, 26 and moved longitudinally thereof in the direction of ARROW A, and as these adjacent plate members 30a, 30b approach each other the trailing edge of the lead plate member 30a having overhanging lip portion 35a and it corresponding indented surface 43a snugly engages the indented surface 43b and overhanging lip portion 33b of the leading edge of the trailing plate member 30b. Thus plate member 30b is snugly mated with plate member 30a interconnecting the leading and trailing plate members 30a, 30b. Thus it can be readily understood that any number of consecutive plate members 30 (30a-30e) can be serially interlocked to form a continuous wall assembly as shown in FIG. 1 by means 40 comprised of corresponding overlapping edge formations including lip portions 33, 35 (33a-e and 35a-e) mating with corresponding indented surfaces 43 (43a-e).

Returning now to FIG. 2, distal side wall 18b of housing 12 is provided with a groove 37 interiorly thereof so as to mate with grooves 24, 26 of top and bottom walls 14, 16 respectively so that the leading plate member 30a can have its leading edge 33a snugly accepted therein. Plate members 30 can be selectively removed from or inserted into grooves 24, 26 of apparatus 10 (after the removal of side wall 18a) by movement in the direction opposite ARROW A. The assembly of plate members 30 and 32 are accordingly retained in place by the side wall 18a as shown in FIG. 1.

Apparatus 10 is further provided with a source of illumination 50 mounted therein. As best seen in FIGURE 2, source of illumination 50 is mounted interiorly of housing 12 and to bottom wall 16 by mounting bracket 54. Provided on mounting bracket 54 and spaced a vertical distance from bottom wall 16 is a conventional electrical socket 56 adapted to accept a conventional bulb 58 such as a 130-Volt, 40 Watt incadescent bulb which is connected via socket 56 to wire 60 which passes through aperture 61 in wall 16 and has at its distal end exterior of housing 12 a conventional electrical plug 62 which can be inserted in a conventional 110-Volt electrical outlet to provide a source of electrical energy to activate light 58. To prevent bright spots on plate member 30 with light 58 activated, a transparent deflector means or plate 80, best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6, is provided in housing 12 intermediate light 58 and plate members 30. Deflector 80 is vertically slidably inserted into and mounted in channel 84 of support 82 which is fixedly mounted to bottom wall 16 of housing 12 as best seen in FIG. 2. To prevent overheating within the chamber formed by housing 12 when the front and rear faces are closed by plate members 30 and a rear wall 19 and bulb 58 is activated, louvred air vents 20a are provided in side walls 18a (louvred vents 20b can be provided in side wall 18b). A bug screen 21 is also provided as discussed above. Further apparatus 10 is provided in its bottom wall 16 with an elongated glass pane 28 so that light can be emitted from the bottom of apparatus 10 for purposes to be described further herein.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, apparatus 10 is further provided with a means 36 for selectively activating and deactivating light source 58 at predetermined states of ambient light. In the preferred embodiment means 36 is a photoelectric cell which is mounted in aperture 34 provided in end plate member 32 (similar to plate members 30 except for width) so that photoelectric cell 36 is continuously exposed to ambient light conditions. Photoelectric cell 36 would be connected in the conventional electrical manner to light source 58 via socket 56. Photoelectric cell 36 would be preset to activate light source 58 when the ambient light reaches a certain minimum brightness (as at dusk) and to deactivate light source 58 when the ambient light condition reaches a certain maximum brightness (as at sunrise). In this way apparatus 10 is automatically illuminated by photoelectric cell 36 at dusk and the illumination terminates at sunrise when photoelectric cell 36 deactivates light source 58 and indicia displayed on plate members 30 can be read without the assistance of illumination.

As aforementioned apparatus 10 has provided in bottom wall 16 an elongated glass pane 28 which, when photoelectric cell 36 activates light source 58, will pass light below apparatus 10 to provide an additional source of illumination. With apparatus 10 installed on the front porch of a home and light source 58 activated, not only would the indicia on plates 30 be visible to a viewer but an additional source of light provided through pane 28 would provide the viewer an additional margin of safety for climbing up the porch and the like.

Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concept herein taught, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirement of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The invention is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.