Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0033—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide
  • G02B6/0035—Means for improving the coupling-out of light from the light guide provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
  • G02B6/004—Scattering dots or dot-like elements, e.g. microbeads, scattering particles, nanoparticles
  • G02B6/0043—Scattering dots or dot-like elements, e.g. microbeads, scattering particles, nanoparticles provided on the surface of the light guide
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
  • A47G1/00—Mirrors; Picture frames or the like, e.g. provided with heating, lighting or ventilating means
  • A47G1/06—Picture frames
  • A47G1/0616—Ornamental frames, e.g. with illumination, speakers or decorative features
  • A47G1/0622—Ornamental frames, e.g. with illumination, speakers or decorative features with illumination
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0013—Means for improving the coupling-in of light from the light source into the light guide
  • G02B6/0015—Means for improving the coupling-in of light from the light source into the light guide provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
  • G02B6/002—Means for improving the coupling-in of light from the light source into the light guide provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
  • G02B6/0021—Means for improving the coupling-in of light from the light source into the light guide provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/0001—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems
  • G02B6/0011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings specially adapted for lighting devices or systems the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
  • G02B6/0081—Mechanical or electrical aspects of the light guide and light source in the lighting device peculiar to the adaptation to planar light guides, e.g. concerning packaging
  • G02B6/0095—Light guides as housings, housing portions, shelves, doors, tiles, windows, or the like

Definitions

• This invention is concerned with picture frames for the display of pictures and photographs.
• the invention is also concerned with an illumination panel assembly and resides especially in an illumination panel assembly in or suitable for use in a picture or photo frame.
• a picture frame for display of a picture or photograph comprising a frame structure defining a viewing window, the picture/photograph being positioned behind the window, an illumination panel mountable to the frame structure behind the picture/photograph and operable to illuminate the rear of the picture/photograph evenly over substantially the entire area thereof corresponding to the area of the viewing window, the illumination panel comprising a sheet of transparent material with front and rear faces and having a texturing material applied to the front face in a distributed pattern to maintain an air gap between the front face and a film of translucent material positioned against the transparent sheet, and a source- of light dispose along an edge of the transparent sheet.
• an illumination panel assembly for back illumination of a picture or photograph in a display frame, comprising a sheet of transparent material having front and rear faces, and a source of light disposed along at least one edge portion of the transparent sheet, the front face of the transparent sheet having a texturing material applied thereto in a distributed pattern to maintain an air gap between the front face and a film of translucent material applied against the transparent sheet whereby substantially uniform transmission of light emanating from the source of light is obtained through the translucent film over at least the area of the front face having said pattern of texturing material applied thereto.
• the surface texturing material is conveniently printed onto the front face of the transparent sheet, and in a preferred embodiment the texturing material is applied as a screen printed dot matrix or other variable density pattern of white ink.
• An opaque backing sheet is preferably positioned against the rear face of the transparent sheet to avoid unnecessary loss of light. Nonetheless, if desired the front and rear faces could be textured with printed material and have translucent layers applied against them, such as for illuminating two pictures or photographs placed against the front and rear sides of the panel respectively.
• the source of light may be a plurality of discrete light sources, preferably opto electronic devices, in particular light emitting diodes, that are conveniently mounted on a circuit board disposed along an edge of the transparent sheet.
• the light sources can be located within a casing, conveniently formed by a channel member, so that light emitted from the sources is directed into the transparent sheet at the edge where- the light sources are located.
• the illumination panel assembly according to the invention can have a total thickness of only a few millimetres, e.g. 2 to 7 mounting directly behind a picture or photograph within an otherwise conventional picture or photo frame, and thereby a completely new visual effect is achieved by a uniform level of back illumination of the picture/photograph over the whole visible area of the picture/photograph.
• the mount is preferably made of sheet material so that it can be easily cut to shape and size to fit the picture frame, and conveniently has a corrugated form.
• Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a picture/photo frame embodying the invention
• FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an illumination panel assembly in accordance with the invention and intended to be incorporated in the frame of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a partial cross-section view through the illurnination panel assembly of Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a rear elevation of a mount adapted to receive the illumination panel assembly; and Figures 5 and 6 are cross-sections taken along the lines N-N and NI and NI respectively in Figure 4.
• the picture/photo frame shown in Figure 1 includes a frame structure 1 defining a viewing opening or window 2 and provided with a glass or transparent plastic front as is well known.
• the picture or photographic print (not shown) to be displayed is positioned within the frame directly behind the glass front.
• An illumination panel assembly 3 is positioned within the frame structure directly behind the picture/photograph.
• a backing panel 4 is in turn located behind the illumination panel 3 assembly and is secured in the frame structure 1 by clips, screws or any other known manner. As is conventional, the backing panel 4 may carry a fold-out stand or support 5.
• the illumination panel assembly 3 is shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3. It comprises a sandwich construction with a clear plastic e.g. acrylic sheet 10 having a front face 11 against which an opal film front translucent layer 12 is positioned, and a rear face against which an opaque backing sheet 13 is placed. Along one edge the plastic sheet 10 has a series of recesses 20 for receiving respective light emitting diodes 14 mounted on a common printed circuit board 15 which is housed within a casing formed by an extruded channel member 16. In the assembled illumination panel 3 the sides of the channel member 16 cover the diodes 14 whereby the light emitted by the diodes is constrained to enter the material of the clear plastic sheet and to become distributed therein by internal reflection.
• a clear plastic e.g. acrylic sheet 10 having a front face 11 against which an opal film front translucent layer 12 is positioned, and a rear face against which an opaque backing sheet 13 is placed.
• the plastic sheet 10 has a series of recesses 20 for receiving respective light emitting diodes 14 mounted on
• the sides of the channel member also serve to hold the opal film 12 and the backing sheet 13 together with the transparent sheet 10.
• the front face 11 of the clear plastic sheet 10 has a surface texturing material applied in a distributed pattern 17 over the main part of its area, and in particular over the area corresponding to the area of the picture/photographic print to be back illuminated.
• the texturing is produced by screen matrix pattern, or the like on the front face of the sheet 10 and it serves to define a very small air gap, i.e. of the order of microns in thickness, between the plastic sheet 10 and the opal film 12.
• the texturing material ensures an even light distribution over the textured area and, in particular avoids a pixelated light distribution effect which tends to occur without an air gap present.
• the function of the opaque backing sheet 13 is to avoid unnecessary light loss through the reverse side of the light transmission sheet 10.
• Constant electric power supply for energising the light emitting diodes can be supplied from an electronic power supply or battery (not shown) which in either case may be mounted at the rear of the backing panel 4 and be connected to the printed circuit board 15 by wires 18, 19 (schematically represented in Fig. 1) and possibly an on-off switch which can also be located on the rear of the backing panel.
• the invention provides a picture frame with a panel for back i ⁇ umination of the image displayed.
• This result is achieved by an illumination panel assembly of slim construction, e.g. having a thickness of 2 to 7 mm, and preferably about 3.5 mm, capable of fitting within most standard picture frames.
• the invention thereby provides a new visual display effect for pictures and photographs and can also be used for background lighting effects or even low level nightlights.
• the illumination panel assembly as illustrated in Figure 2 can be supplied for use in an existing picture frame and to facilitate the positioning and mounting of the panel assembly in such a frame an annular mount 30 as illustrated in Figures 4 to 6 may be provided.
• the mount is formed from sheet material and in cross-section has a corrugated configuration defining a series of alternating annular ridges 31 and grooves 32.
• the mount has a centralised opening 34 and a rebate 35 is provided around the periphery of the opening 34 to form a recess at the rear of the mount for receiving the illumination panel assembly.
• the rebate 35 defines a rearwardly facing shoulder 36 against which the illumination panel assembly abuts with the picture or photograph to be displayed sandwiched between them.
• the width of the rebate is increased for accommodating the channel member 16 enclosing the circuit board and light emitting diodes so that they are concealed by the mount when the completed assembly in viewed from the front.
• the sheet material of the mount is easily cut with a sharp cutting instrument, such as scissors, so that a peripheral portion can easily be removed for adjusting the shape and/or size of the mount to suit the frame in to which it is to be fitted.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Mirrors, Picture Frames, Photograph Stands, And Related Fastening Devices (AREA)
• Illuminated Signs And Luminous Advertising (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=34196255

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (7)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2004
  • 2004-08-13 EP EP04768063A patent/EP1653831A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2004-08-13 WO PCT/GB2004/003500 patent/WO2005016081A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2004-08-13 JP JP2006523055A patent/JP2007501669A/ja active Pending

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events