JPH10280338A - Inside illuminant type sign board - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thin inside illuminant type sign board which is excellent in visibility and further, which has the visibility even when the electric source is disconnected. SOLUTION: This inside illuminant type sign board is provided with a display 2 in which a transparent reflexive reflector is arranged on the rear face or the front face of a transparent board 21, or a display 2 made of a transparent reflexive reflector 22, and a cold cathode tube 3 irradiating the display 2 from the back side. In this way, the display is extremely brightly irradiated in cooperation of the light radiated by the cold cathode tube 3 from the inside with the reflexive reflection light radiated by the transparent reflexive reflector 22. And since the cold cathode tube 3 can be miniatulized, the whale sign board can be made thin and even when the cold cathode tube has gone wrong because of damage or disconnected electric source, the sign board shines brightly owing to the reflexive reflection by the transparent reflexive reflector 22. And hence, the visibility thereof can be kept.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an internally illuminated signboard installed on a road or the like in order to prevent a traffic accident or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is an internally illuminated sign board in which a light source for a backlight is disposed behind a display board, and the light source irradiates the display board from behind to make the display board shine brightly. Conventionally, as such an internally illuminated sign board, a display board having a display made of a light-transmitting sheet or printing on the surface of a light-transmitting plate such as acrylic resin or polycarbonate is used, and a back plate behind the display plate is used. There is a light source in which a fluorescent lamp is disposed as a light source, or a light source in which electroluminescence is disposed as a light source for a backlight behind the display panel.

[0003]

However, in the case where a fluorescent lamp is disposed as a light source for a backlight, the fluorescent lamp has a limitation in the reduction in diameter, so that the entire thickness of the marker plate is increased, and the fluorescent lamp is also increased. When the fluorescent lamp is broken or the power is cut off and the fluorescent lamp does not operate, the display panel also does not shine, and thus there is a problem that it is difficult to visually recognize the display panel. On the other hand, those with electroluminescence arranged as a light source for backlight,
Although the thickness of the sign board as a whole can be reduced, since the brightness is lower than that of a fluorescent lamp, there is a limit to brightening the display board and it is difficult to obtain sufficient visibility. Similarly to the case of the fluorescent lamp, when the electroluminescence is damaged or the power is turned off and the electroluminescence does not operate, the display plate also does not shine as in the case of the fluorescent lamp, so that it is difficult to visually recognize. There is a problem.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an internally illuminated sign board which is thin, has excellent visibility, and has visibility even when the power is turned off.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following arrangement. That is, the internally illuminated sign board according to the present invention has a translucent retroreflector disposed on the back or front surface of the translucent plate, or a display unit including the translucent retroreflector, and the display unit behind the display unit. And a cold-cathode tube for further irradiation.

According to the present invention, the light of the cold cathode tube as the light source for the backlight is transmitted through the display unit and emitted to the outside, and the light shines brightly on the display unit. Further, when light from a vehicle headlight or the like is received from the outside, the light is retroreflected by the translucent retroreflector, and the display unit shines brightly. Therefore, the light from the inside by the cold cathode tube and the retroreflection by the translucent retroreflector combine to make the display section extremely bright.

[0007] Unlike the hot cathode operation, the cold cathode tube emits electrons by the secondary electron emission mechanism by the impact energy of ions, unlike thermionic emission due to the thermal energy of the cathode itself. It has a long service life and can be made thinner than fluorescent lamps, so the thickness of the entire sign board can be reduced, and it has high brightness. Even when the cathode ray tube does not operate, the display section shines brightly due to the retroreflection by the translucent retroreflector, so that the display section does not become difficult to visually recognize.

In the present invention, if a reflector is provided behind the cold-cathode tube to reflect the light of the cold-cathode tube toward the display unit, the light of the cold-cathode tube can be efficiently transmitted to the display unit by this reflector. Since the light is reflected in the direction, the amount of light transmitted through the display unit and emitted to the outside increases, and the brightness of the display unit increases.

If a diffusion plate for diffusing the light of the cold cathode tube is provided between the display unit and the cold cathode tube, the light of the cold cathode tube is diffused by the diffusion plate and is incident on the display unit. As a result, the display section shines uniformly and uniformly, and the lines of the cold-cathode tube are prevented from being conspicuously glowing like a band.

A commercial power supply may be used as a power supply device, but a solar cell, a power storage device for storing electromotive force of the solar cell, and a cold cathode tube from the solar cell or the power storage device when the surroundings are darkened. If a control circuit for turning on or off the cold-cathode tube by supplying power is provided, burial work such as power transmission lines is not required as compared with commercial power supply. The cold cathode tube starts to turn on or blink when the surroundings are dark, such as at night, when the display unit is difficult to visually recognize, and the running cost can be reduced, and power consumption can be reduced.

Further, if a light emitting diode which is turned on or blinks when the surrounding area becomes dark is arranged along the periphery of the display unit, the light emitting diode shines so that the periphery of the display unit stands out clearly, so that the visibility is further improved. Increase.

Further, if a proximity sensor is provided for detecting the moving object when the moving object approaches a predetermined distance and lighting or blinking the cold cathode tube for a predetermined time, the cold cathode tube is activated when the moving object approaches. Since the display portion suddenly shines when it is turned on or blinks, it is possible to make the person driving the moving object or the pedestrian or the like strongly aware of the presence of the sign board.

The proximity sensor may be an optical sensor that detects the approach of the moving object by receiving light from a headlight thereof, or detects the approach of the moving object by receiving infrared rays emitted from a heat source such as an engine from the moving object. May be a thermal sensor using a pyroelectric element, or a distance sensor having a transmission / reception circuit for detecting the distance to the moving body and detecting the approach thereof, and these sensors may be used in combination as appropriate. May be.

When the light sensor and the heat sensor are used, the approach of the moving object is determined by detecting light or infrared light from a headlight or the like directly emitted from the moving object. As a result, the sensing error is reduced as compared with a sensor that senses the reflection.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a display unit, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the operation of the embodiment of FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a box body made of a metal plate such as an aluminum plate or the like or a hard synthetic resin plate having an open front surface, and a display unit 2 is provided so as to close the opening. , One or a plurality of cold cathode tubes 3 as light sources for a backlight are arranged in parallel. Behind the cold-cathode tube 3, a reflector 31 such as a concave mirror for reflecting the light of the cold-cathode tube 3 in the direction of the display unit 2 is attached. A diffusion plate 32 made of a diffusion sheet, a punching plate, or the like is disposed between the cold cathode tube 3 and the cold cathode tube 3 so as to diffuse the light from the cold cathode tube 3 and make the light enter the display unit 2.

In the present embodiment, the display unit 2 uses a translucent plate 21 such as an acrylic plate or a polycarbonate plate as a face material, and a sheet-shaped translucent retroreflector 22 on the front surface or the back surface of the translucent plate 21. The translucent retroreflector 22 is appropriately displayed, for example, by being cut out, printed on the surface, or pasted with a transparent sheet. The translucent retroreflector 22 may be disposed over the entire surface of the translucent plate 21 or may be partial, and the display unit 2 has a rigid translucent material used as a surface material. The translucent retroreflector 22 may be composed of the optical retroreflector 22 alone, and may be disposed on the translucent plate 21 while being supported by another translucent plate material. The translucent retroreflector 22 has a prism 23 shape on the back surface, retroreflects light from the front surface by the prism 23 shape, and reflects light from the back surface by the prism 23 shape. Light is transmitted while slightly diffusing, and emitted from the surface.

Accordingly, the light from the cold cathode tube 3 from the rear surface is diffused by the diffusion plate 32 to become uniform light, and is incident on the display unit 2 and transmitted through the display unit 2 and radiated to the outside. The display unit 2 shines brightly. Further, when light from a vehicle headlight or the like is received from the outside, the light is retroreflected by the translucent retroreflector 22, and the display unit 2 is also brightly lit.

Further, a plurality of high-brightness light emitting diodes 4 are arranged at appropriate intervals around the periphery of the box 1 along the periphery of the display unit 2. A proximity sensor 6 such as an optical sensor, a heat sensor, and a distance sensor that detects the approach of the vehicle is provided. The electromotive force of the solar cell 5 generated in the daytime is stored in the power storage device 51 stored in the box 1.
, And the electric power is supplied to the cold-cathode tube 3 and the light-emitting diode 4 through the control circuit 52. The control circuit 52 is provided with, for example, a day / night discrimination circuit for judging the surrounding darkness based on the electromotive force of the solar cell 5, and the detection signal of the proximity sensor 6 is input to the control circuit 52.

First, when the surroundings become dark at night, power from the power storage device 51 is supplied to the light emitting diodes 4 arranged along the periphery of the display unit 2 by the control circuit 52, and the light emitting diodes 4 are turned on or off. Starts.

Next, when the proximity sensor 6 detects the approach of the moving body, the control circuit 52 supplies the power from the power storage device 51 to the cold cathode tube 3, and the cold cathode tube 3 is turned on or off for a predetermined time. The cold-cathode tube 3 illuminates the display unit 2 from behind as a backlight, and brightens the display unit 2.

The length of time during which the cold-cathode tube 3 continues to be lit or flashed is not particularly limited, but may be any length as long as the display unit 2 can be viewed from a moving object without being overlooked sufficiently. In this embodiment, it is set to about 6 to 10 seconds.

Then, when the surroundings become brighter in the morning,
The light-emitting diode 4 is turned off, the operation of the proximity sensor 6 is stopped, and the cold-cathode tube 3 does not light or blink.

Unlike the present embodiment, for example, by operating the light emitting diode 4 and the proximity sensor 6 continuously day and night,
When the proximity sensor 6 detects the approach of the moving object, the cold cathode fluorescent lamp 3 may be turned on or off at any time of the day or night, or the cold cathode fluorescent lamp 3 may be continuously provided day and night without providing the light emitting diode 4 and the proximity sensor 6. May be turned on or off, or both the light emitting diode 4 and the cold cathode tube 3 may be turned on or off continuously throughout the day and night, and there is no particular limitation.

In this embodiment, the display unit 2 is provided on only one surface of the box 1, but may be provided on both surfaces as shown in FIG. In this embodiment, without providing the reflector 31,
Only the diffusion plate 32 is arranged on both sides of the cold cathode tube 3, and the light of the cold cathode tube 3 is diffused so that the light is radiated outside from both surfaces.

[0026]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the display section shines extremely brightly due to the combination of the light from the inside by the cold cathode tube and the retroreflection by the translucent retroreflector.

Further, since the cold cathode tube has a simple cathode structure and a long life, and can be made thinner than a fluorescent lamp,
The thickness of the entire sign board can be reduced, the brightness is high, and even if the cold-cathode tube is damaged or the power is cut off and the cold-cathode tube stops operating, the retroreflection by the translucent retroreflector will Because it shines brightly, it is not difficult to see.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a display unit of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the operation of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 box 2 display unit 21 light-transmitting plate 22 light-transmitting retroreflector 23 prism 3 cold-cathode tube 31 reflector 32 diffuser 4 light-emitting diode 5 solar cell 51 power storage device 52 control circuit 6 proximity sensor

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A display unit in which a translucent retroreflector is provided on the back or front surface of a translucent plate, or a display unit comprising a translucent retroreflector, and a cold cathode tube for irradiating the display unit from behind. An internally illuminated sign board comprising: 2. The internally illuminated signboard according to claim 1, further comprising a reflector behind the cold cathode tube for reflecting light of the cold cathode tube toward the display unit. 3. The internally illuminated signboard according to claim 1, further comprising a diffusion plate between the display unit and the cold cathode tube for diffusing light from the cold cathode tube. 4. A solar battery, comprising: a power storage device for storing electromotive force of the solar battery; and a control circuit for supplying power to the cold-cathode tube to turn on or off the cold-cathode tube when the surroundings become dark. The internally illuminated signboard according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein: 5. The internally illuminated sign board according to claim 1, wherein a light emitting diode which lights or blinks when the surrounding area becomes dark is arranged along the periphery of the display section. 6. A proximity sensor which detects a moving object when the moving object approaches a predetermined distance and turns on or blinks a cold cathode tube for a predetermined time. 3. The internally illuminated sign board according to 3, 4 or 5. 7. The internally illuminated signboard according to claim 6, wherein the proximity sensor is an optical sensor that detects the approach of the moving object by receiving light from a headlight of the moving object. 8. The internally illuminated sign board according to claim 6, wherein the proximity sensor is a thermal sensor using a pyroelectric element. 9. The internally illuminated sign board according to claim 6, wherein the proximity sensor is a distance sensor having a transmission / reception circuit for detecting a distance to the moving object by detecting a distance to the moving object.