Light display - Patent Review 5136492

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to lights, signs, and other visual display apparatus, and more specifically to an improved light display for words, designs or other images.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Numerous signs and related displays utilize a light source to illuminate their design or message. In some cases, as with neon tubing, the light source itself may be bent or otherwise formed to define the desired characters or shape. For example, the neon tubing may be bent to form the spelling of words in a message, or to create a desired artistic shape. Typically, though, the resultant image is two-dimensional, and the display does not create any "depth" to the image.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The light display of this invention provides a neon or other light source situated between two panels of semi-reflective, semi-transparent material supported in a box-like frame. When the light source is activated, the visual effect of viewing the light source from outside the frame yields a plurality of successively smaller images of the light source, giving depth to the perceived image, and analogous to seeing the shape or form of the light source being reflected and repeated into infinity.

In order to achieve this visual effect, each of the panels must have some inherent reflectivity, or may be coated or otherwise treated to act as a partial (see-through) mirror, transmitting some portion of the light reaching it (e.g., fifty percent), and reflecting the remainder. By appropriate selection of different ratios of transmission/reflectivity of the respective panels, a greater or lesser intensity of depth and resultant reflected images may be achieved. Indeed, only the front panel must have some degree of transparency; the rear panel (behind the light source) may be entirely reflective, and still yield the desired repetitive reflections towards the front of the display. Otherwise, if both panels are semi-reflective (and semi-transparent), the series of repetitive reflections may be viewed from either side of the display.

In addition, by appropriate selection of the separation distance between the panels, and proper positioning of the light source between the panels, further control of the resultant reflected images can be achieved. For example, a greater separation distance between the panels yields a correspondingly greater distance between the reflected images. Also, placement of the light source closer to one panel than the other yields a staggered "paired" effect to the reflected images.

Finally, the panels need not necessarily be planar, or even parallel with one another. For example, a non-parallel front panel would yield a series of successively smaller images that tend toward the direction of the front panel orientation. Also, a non-planar front panel would yield correspondingly distorted reflected images.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the functional optical components of a light display of this invention, including a free-form light source situated between two panels of optically semi-reflective material;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the functional optical components of the light display of FIG. 1, illustrating a typical separation distance between the two semi-reflective panels;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an assembled and operating light display of this invention, illustrating a plurality of successfully smaller reflected images of the light source, as perceived from the outside of the display; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a clock or watch embodiment of the light display of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the functional optical components of a light display of this invention, including a free-form light source 10 situated between two panels of optically semi-reflective material 20, 30. Light source 10 comprises a shaped neon tube or similar light-emitting structure, which may or may not be planar in configuration. Front panel 20 must be semi-reflective, that is, able to transmit at least some portion of the incident light from the light source, while reflecting the remaining portion of the incident light towards back panel 30. Back panel 30 may be semi-reflective, like front panel 20, or may be entirely reflective. The overall dimensions of the light source and panels can of course vary by design.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the functional optical components of the light display of FIG. 1, illustrating a typical separation distance D between the two semi-reflective panels 20, 30. Variation of separation distance D affects the "depth" of the perceived reflections.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an assembled and operating light display 40 of this invention, illustrating a plurality of successfully smaller reflected images 10a, 10b, 10c etc. of the light source 10, as perceived from the outside of the display. Display 40 includes a frame 42 to position and secure panels 20, 30 adjacent light source 10, and a base 44 to support the frame and house any necessary light generation components, such as a transformer and switch.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a clock or watch embodiment 50 of the light display of this invention. Clock 50 may include clockworks 52 within case 54, with a plurality of light sources 56 (such a miniature bulbs) disposed around the inner periphery of the case. A mirrored disk 58 positioned beneath the light sources acts as the back panel of the display, to reflect light back towards reflective clock hands 60. A transparent ring 62 may be used to better distribute the light from the light sources within the case. Crystal or cover 64 acts as the front panel, which is rendered semi-reflective by an appropriate coating or other means.

While this invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments thereof, it is obvious that modifications and changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art to which it pertains without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.

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