EP0068726A1 - Anzeigetafel - Google Patents

Anzeigetafel Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0068726A1
EP0068726A1 EP82303133A EP82303133A EP0068726A1 EP 0068726 A1 EP0068726 A1 EP 0068726A1 EP 82303133 A EP82303133 A EP 82303133A EP 82303133 A EP82303133 A EP 82303133A EP 0068726 A1 EP0068726 A1 EP 0068726A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
display panel
flap
display
panel according
flaps
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP82303133A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Barrie Alan Hart
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ww Electronics Ltd
Original Assignee
Ww Electronics Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ww Electronics Ltd filed Critical Ww Electronics Ltd
Publication of EP0068726A1 publication Critical patent/EP0068726A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F9/00—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements
    • G09F9/30—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements
    • G09F9/37—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements being movable elements
    • G09F9/375—Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements being movable elements the position of the elements being controlled by the application of a magnetic field
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
    • G09F13/00—Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising
    • G09F13/04—Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
    • G09F13/0418—Constructional details
    • G09F13/0472—Traffic signs

Definitions

  • This present invention relates to a visual display panel.
  • a visual display panel During recent years there has been increasing resort to the use of public display panels which generate and utilise moving or changing images.
  • Such display systems can be found at airport enclosures, railway stations, motorways and traffic routes, petrol stations, sports stadia, supermarkets and at many other localities where it is necessary to transmit and display information and data to a number of people at some distance.
  • Typical of such display systems are digital clocks, data indicators, timetable boards, scoreboards, traffic flow indicators, hazard warnings and price and cost indicators.
  • Certain of these displays are fully automatic, such as digital clocks which do not require an externally generated signal to change or update the displayed image. It is of benefit, however, for other types of public display systems, such as scoreboards, to be changed remotely and quickly as and when required by an operator or as automatically selected by a previously programmed controller which may be linked to a transducer or similar sensor.
  • Electromechanical drive systems are usually coupled to rotating, multi-facetted drums or continuous flexible rolls storing a flange of fixed images which are individually selected.
  • the electromechanical drive system may be in the form of a series of reflective shutters located in a position spaced behind a suitably silhouetted board thus building up a composite image or line display to be presented to the observer.
  • a display panel for displaying any one of a group of characters by selective illumination of segments of a multi-segment array, comprising an opaque sheet having apertures to be selectively occluded or opened to constitute the said segments, in which each aperture is adapted to be occluded by a respective substantially opaque flap fitting snugly in the aperture in a substantially light-tight manner and having means for pivoting the flap clear of the aperture to an open position wherein it is normally concealed behind the opaque sheet.
  • Such a panel may for instance be in the form of a seven segment set for numerical display, but it may also be used for a sixteen segment set for full alpha numeric display.
  • the flaps are black and the apertures are backlit from a diffused light source so that the open apertures are illuminated, and the closed ones effectively form part of the black background.
  • the front faces of the flaps may be reflective, eg. by paint or other applied reflective material, possibly coloured, so that when front-lit either by natural or artificial light, the closed apertures form the display.
  • the logic is thus reversed as compared with the backlit form. but this can be easily accommodated by reversing the direction of operation of the flaps for a given control signal.
  • the opaque sheet carry printed circuitry for control of the flap actuating mechanisms.
  • the display panels according to the invention are modular and may be built up into a multiple display arrangement, eg. of one or more rows of characters.
  • the panels in a row (or column) may if required he illuminated by a common light source and the same light source may illuminate display panels on each side of a complete display arrangement whereby information may be read from either side.
  • FIG. 1 shows a housing 1 for a display arrangement in which are mounted a plurality of lighting tubes 2, eg. fluorescent which together constitute a light source.
  • Diffusers 3 are arranged on each side of the tubes 2 so as to constitute a single light source of substantially uniform intensity over the whole area of display panels illustrated, generally indicated by 4.
  • the display panels 4 are shown as being mounted in frames 5 set in the housing 1.
  • each modular display board mounted within an individual or common light cabinet fitted with electrically powered lamp(s) or fluorescent tube(s) of a fixed or changing light intensity to suit the particular application and, in particular, the local ambient lighting conditions where the display is to be used.
  • the illumination intensity of the light source may be controlled, that is it may be dimmed or intensified to suit visual conditions.
  • FIG 2 shows a typical display panel 4 in the form of a sheet of opaque material having apertures 6 forming a seven segment array for numeric display.
  • Each aperture is provided with an obturating flap 7, although only two such flaps are illustrated, namely on the uppermost and lowermost apertures 6, with that in the uppermost position in the closed position and that in the lowermost position in the open position.
  • the other flaps are omitted for clarity of illustration.
  • Each flap has a stub shaft 8 mounted in a bearing or trunnion 9 mounted on the panel 4 and a stub shaft 11 which carries an annular magnet .12 (see Figures 6 and 7 in particular) cooperating with an actuating mechanism 13.
  • the stub shaft 11 is also mounted in a bearing mounted on the panel.
  • the panel 4 includes printed circuitry, illustrated at 14, to carry control signals to the actuating mechanism 13, and the panel further includes an edge connector 15 for rapid connection of the printed circuitry 14 into an appropriate control circuit.
  • the display board 4 comprises a substrate overprinted with a conductive material suitably etched and channeled so as to distribute and transmit electrical power or signal to the flapper drives in any desired order depending on the complexity and number of cut-outs required to generate the particular range of displayed images.
  • a further substrate is superimposed onto the outer face of the circuit board to form an opaque facing through which light from the illumination source within the light enclosure cannot readily pass.
  • Figure 3 shows part of a frame 5 as being adapted to hold a display panel 4 and slightly displaced outwardly thereof, an outer glass or transparent plastics covering 16, which may have some play in relation to the panel 4 in order to allow for differential thermal expansion and contraction.
  • the glass or other transparent covering 16 may be provided with a fine pattern of embossing, eg. a pin spot pattern to enhance the aesthetic effect of the display panel. Also, it may be coloured if desired.
  • the purpose of such a covering is two-fold. Firstly, it serves to diffuse the harsh edges and shadows of the flap and, secondly, it may serve to polarise the emitted light.
  • Figure 4 shows how, in addition, the individual apertures 6, in the display panel 4 may be provided with individual lenses 18.
  • each flap 7 is a thin moulding which is dished as shown at 7a so as to enter the corresponding aperture and is provided with a flange 7b which completes the occlusion of the aperture.
  • the light-tightness may be augmented if required by inclusion of a suitable rubber or synthetic gasket layer on the flange 7b.
  • each flap may have a counterbalance weight 21 associated with it.
  • This counterbalance may be obtained by moulding a piece of heavy material, such as metal, into the plastics material of the flap so as to restrict its dimensions and ensure that it is not obtrude across the aperture 6 when the flap is in the open position shown in Figure 7. It will be seen that in the open position the flap is concealed behind the opaque shutter.
  • the stub shaft 11 carries the annular magnet 12 and this is located between pole pieces 22 and 23 of an electromagnet 24.
  • the coil of the electromagnet 24 is bifilar wound and centre tapped so that the electromagnet may be magnetised strongly in one direction or the other to cause the permanent magnet 12 to rotate between two extreme positions which are controlled by mechanical stops built into the mechanism. Cushioning or damping of the movement may be provided.
  • the arrangement is such that the position of the flap is bistable, being held by the remanent magnetism in either position and readily shifted by the electromagnet when the pole is reversed.
  • the display plane formed by the faces of the reflective sides of the movable elements, equivalent to the flaps 7, is substantially parallel with or tangential to the motion of the reflective sides at the instant of leaving or entering the display plane.
  • Such an arrangement' is not appropriate for forming a light-tight closure of an aperture 6 in the panel 4. It will be seen especially from Figures 4, 6 and 7, that in the present arrangement, on entering or leaving the aperture 6, the flap 6 is moving substantially normal to the plane of the panel 4 and the apertures 6.
  • Figure 3 shows how the flap 7 and the part carrying the counterbalance weight 21, which part is integral with the stub shafts 8 and 11, may be separately moulded portions which are snap fitted together.
  • the material of which the flap 7 is made has to stand up to exacting conditions since it may be subjected to quite extreme temperature and other climatic conditions and needs to maintain the light type fitting in the apertures 6.
  • the material also needs to be opaque and non-reflective.
  • a material has been found suitable to meet these requirements and is the thermoplastic polyester material which is sold under the registered trade mark Pocan B1505. This material is a partially crystalline thermoplastic polyester based on polybutylene terephthalate.
  • Figure 9 shows somewhat an enlarged view of an electromagnet arrangement and shows how between the pole pieces 22 and 23 there extends a piece of nonmagnetic material, preferably plastics, forming part of the flapper bearing moulding, and in this there is embedded a switch 31 which is actuated by the rotation of the magnet 12.
  • This can provide means of positive error detection, in that when the poles of the magnet 12 are aligned with the switch 31, the switch will be held closed by the magnetic field.
  • a pulse is fed to the coil 24 the position of the flap changes and the poles of the magnet 12 move such that the switch 31 can poles of the magnet 12 move such that the switch 31 can then open.
  • the position of the switch 31 can be fed back to a micro-processor or other logic checking the operation.
  • Figure 10 shows diagramatically an arrangement of apertures 6 in a sixteen segment array which can be used to give full alpha numeric display. It has been found possible to arrange similar flaps ? to such apertures 6 to provide this arrangement.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)
EP82303133A 1981-06-19 1982-06-16 Anzeigetafel Withdrawn EP0068726A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8119058 1981-06-19
GB8119058 1981-06-19

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0068726A1 true EP0068726A1 (de) 1983-01-05

Family

ID=10522684

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP82303133A Withdrawn EP0068726A1 (de) 1981-06-19 1982-06-16 Anzeigetafel

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0068726A1 (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2141858A (en) * 1983-06-13 1985-01-03 Nei Canada Ltd Display devices
DE4400004A1 (de) * 1994-01-03 1995-07-06 Hunnekuhl Franz Josef Vorrichtung zur Anzeige alpha- und/oder numerischer Zeichen
AU2020101575B4 (en) * 2019-06-12 2021-01-28 AFS Business Group Pty Ltd Sign Module

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3947984A (en) * 1975-05-07 1976-04-06 Ferranti-Packard Limited Support for display elements
US4070668A (en) * 1976-06-21 1978-01-24 Citizen Watch Company Limited Display device
US4215338A (en) * 1979-02-12 1980-07-29 Guenther Selig Module for presenting alpha numeric information

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3947984A (en) * 1975-05-07 1976-04-06 Ferranti-Packard Limited Support for display elements
US4070668A (en) * 1976-06-21 1978-01-24 Citizen Watch Company Limited Display device
US4215338A (en) * 1979-02-12 1980-07-29 Guenther Selig Module for presenting alpha numeric information

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2141858A (en) * 1983-06-13 1985-01-03 Nei Canada Ltd Display devices
DE4400004A1 (de) * 1994-01-03 1995-07-06 Hunnekuhl Franz Josef Vorrichtung zur Anzeige alpha- und/oder numerischer Zeichen
AU2020101575B4 (en) * 2019-06-12 2021-01-28 AFS Business Group Pty Ltd Sign Module

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): DE FR GB IT NL SE

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19831212

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: HART, BARRIE ALAN