FR2582841A1 - LUMINOUS ADVERTISING SIGNS USING OPTICAL FIBERS AND HAVING FIXED AND / OR VARIABLE COLOR LIGHTS - Google Patents

Abstract

ADVERTISING SIGNS ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION ARE CHARACTERIZED IN THAT THEY USE OPTICAL FIBERS 4 AS A MEANS OF LIGHT TRANSMISSION, WHICH LIGHT IS EMITTED BY A LIGHT SOURCE 6 EQUIPPED WITH A REFLECTOR 1 AND THEREFORE, COLORED ACCORDING TO VARIABLE FORMS BY MEANS OF A FILTER 2 WITH MULTIPLE COLORS DRIVEN BY AN ELECTRIC MOTOR 3 PROVIDED WITH A REDUCER. THE OPTICAL FIBER BEAMS 4 USED, AS WELL AS THE LIGHT SOURCES 6 OF A NUMBER FUNCTION OF THE SIGN SIZE, HAVE THEIR RECEPTION OF THE LIGHT TURNING TOWARDS THE LIGHT SOURCE 6 AND THE COLOR FILTER 2, AND LOCATED NEAR THIS ONE; THE EMISSION SIDE OF THE LIGHT OF FIBER OPTICS CROSSES THE LUMINOUS SIGN 5 OF THE ADVERTISING SIGN AND IS SITTING SLIGHTLY IN FRONT OF THE FACE OF THE SIGN PERCEIVED BY THE SPECTATORS.

Description

LUMINOUS ADVERTISING SIGNS USING OPTICAL FIBERS

  AND HAVING FIXED AND / OR VARIABLE COLOR LIGHTS

  Advertising signs produced in accordance with the present invention are characterized in that they use plastic optical fibers, that they have lights of fixed and / or variable colors and that they can be used outdoors, indoors of buildings or underwater, that they can have any shape or any size, from small

  advertising signs used, for example, in presentations

  roofs, from miniature signs in small display cases to large signs mounted on roofs or scaffolding, including medium-sized signs

hanging or in display cases.

  Advertising signs according to the present invention

  using optical fibers and having cut lights

  their fixed and / or variable features are characterized in that they essentially comprise a front protective panel, a visual panel presenting the motif and / or the characters of the advertisement and through which the optical fibers which convey the light received on the receiving side penetrate located near a lamp fitted with a reflector, towards the other end of the

  fiber optics which emits light in the direction of the spec-

  tators. Such signs constitute, by their character-

  a new concept in the field of public signs

  software that meets the current needs of low consumption

  energy and maintenance costs minimized, i.e.

  say characteristics that allow to give them a

  very wide application in the field of public signs

  shut up. Advertising signs produced using optical fibers essentially include: - one or more light sources; - one or more color filters; - one or more motors for driving the colored filters; - one or more bundles of plastic optical fibers; - an advertising panel presenting the symbols to

illuminate.

  The constituent parts and some assembly details

  advertising signs object of the present invention

  will be better understood on reading the description of said

  invention which follows with reference to the accompanying drawings which illus-

  trent, by way of example and without limitation, the following characteristics:

  - Figure 1 is a side view of the component assembly.

  main health of an advertising sign including optical fibers;

  - Figure 2 is a perspective view of another set-

  ble of the components of an advertising sign including

  optical fibers; - Figure 3 is a perspective view of a coloi filter in the form of a cylindrical drum, rotated by an electric motor and fitted inside a light source and the corresponding reflector and, outside the end reception side of the optical fiber bundle; - Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of an optical fiber showing its composition and the way in which light is propagated by means of an integral internal reflection; - Figure 5 is a perspective view of an abrasive plate capable of being heated and of the end of the fiber to be treated in the same way, in order to obtain sufficient diffusion of the light at its emission side; - Figure 6 is a side view of the end of the optical fiber through which the light comes out once this end has been widened by means of the treatment of the heated abrasive plate illustrated in the figure; -3- - Figure 7 is a cross-section showing how light is obtained

  by means of a front plate in an acrylic material

than transparent or translucent; -

  - Figure 8 is a cross section showing the optical fibers already attached to the rear face of one base by means of an adhesive agent; - Figure 9 is a perspective view which shows

  which way is the receiving side of a

  ceau of optical fibers arranged parallel to each other; - Figure 10 is a perspective view which shows the

  light receiving side of an optic fiber bundle

  ques compressed by means of a clamp -; -

  - Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the u

  use of two colored filters in the form of rotating discs so as to obtain more complicated color mixtures;

  - Figure 12 is a perspective view which shows the

  synchronous dragging of the two colored filters by means of a chain connecting two toothed gear wheels mounted on the axis of each filter; and - Figure 13 which is a section of an applied tube and

  bonded to the two parts of a ma-

  to assemble them after a break.

  The light emitted by the light source installed inside

  The inside of a reflector (Figures 1 and 2) passes through the colored filter (2) driven in rotation by the electric motor (3) fitted with a reducer and enters the receiving side of the optical fibers (4) which transmit it up to at the base or panel

advertising (5).

- 4 -

  The light source may include one or more lam-

  high power pes (6) fitted with the corresponding reflector (1) and the color filter comprises, in its simplest form, a glass disc (2). It is also possible to use colored filters in the form of cylindrical drums (7) (figure

  3) when the range of color variation and the space available

nible require it ..

  The diameter of the optical fibers can vary and be chosen necessarily, depending on the type of advertising emblem and the size of the advertising sign, the plane of the latter may be a plane or a curved surface, and there is also the possibility of forming emblems simply by means of

  the arrangement of optical fibers.

  When the optical fibers in the billboard

  have a layout similar to that of the light source

  the change caused by the color filter is increased

  mented on the visual panel, which constitutes a new characteristic of the advertising panels according to the present invention. In illuminated advertising signs provided with optical fibers, the changes of colors or colored patterns are obtained in a relatively economical manner compared to advertising sign systems of known type, since

  just replace the colored disc or the reduction unit-

  engine, all these replacements being of easy execution.

  The use of high power light sources allows a significant reduction in energy consumption compared to advertising signs using fluorescent or incandescent lamps, and the brightness produced by these is easily adjusted by simply replacing a

or more lamps. -

  The low maintenance cost required for signs

  advertising in accordance with the present invention is particularly

  This is mainly due to the fact that these use a much smaller number of light sources than that required by conventional advertising signs, the breakdowns taking place in these being thus considerably less numerous, and the simplicity

  lamp replacement and the reduced frequency of these

  - 5 - placements limit the possible use of scaffolding

  and performing other dangerous and costly operations.

  The simple and resistant nature of the structure of the

  bre optics makes it very rare to break it, as well as the interruption resulting from the illumination of advertising signs.

  As mentioned above, the pu-

  light bicitarians using optical fibers can

  assume a very wide variety of shapes and sizes.

  The light source and the support panel itself are separated, thus allowing the application of various assembly compositions. Since plastic optical fibers can be easily handled and worked, the manufacture of a large number of molds and light forms is easily carried out and therefore this type of light advertising sign offers a

  advantageous solution. On the other hand, thanks to its elastic properties-

  ticks, its excellent transmission of colored light and the fact that it does not cause short-circuits or sparks, the optical fiber used allows the design of the most varied types of illuminated advertising sign, including submersible types , which can be used in aquariums, swimming pools, etc. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the constituent parts of an optical fiber include an interior (8) composed of polymethyl methacrylate, transparent and endowed with a high refractive index, covered with a thin layer (9) of special transparent material endowed a low refractive index, thanks to which the light received on one side is propagated by means of successive integral internal reflections against the interface of the two components, and is emitted on the other side of the fiber

with minimal attenuation.

  When assembling the various components of a sign

  light advertising, it is sometimes necessary to use adhesive materials. In order not to cause a reduction in the transmission of light by optical fibers or, in extreme cases, the depredation or destruction of these, it is necessary to absolutely avoid the use

'82841

  - 6 - of products such as benzene, ethyl acetate, petrol etc. Due to the fact that a radius of curvature of less than 10 times the

  diameter of the optical fiber could cause transmission

  light through the side wall of the optical fiber, and that a small radius of curvature maintained for longer periods, can cause internal stress in the fiber material which can result in its rupture, it is

  it is advisable to use only radii of curvature

  laughing at 100 times the fiber diameter. In any case, if the mounting conditions require the application of a narrow radius of curvature, the internal stress of the optical fiber

  can be relieved with heat treatment.

  If there is any reason to fear flammability

  optical fiber, which is equal to that of acrylic resins

  it will be necessary to coat or cover the fibers

  heat resistant materials such as foil

  luminium and polyamide strips.

  In order to create illuminated advertising signs

  in accordance with the present invention, it is necessary to develop

  bore beforehand a plan and a drawing so as to fully exploit their characteristics. The essential points to be taken into account, particularly in the case of large advertising signs, are as follows:

  - a drawing illustrating the relative positions of the

  sign and spectator; - the choice of the lighting system to adopt;

  - the choice of the diameter of the optical fiber.

  The determination of the size of the advertising sign is made according to the distance between the sign and the spectators, and the spacing of the fibers of the light panel, also called base, should be such as to allow to see individually.

the light emitted.

  The light emitted by the optical fiber has a distribution

  intensity increase between + 20 and - 20, which makes it preferable to adopt an inclination of about 20 for mounting the

  optical fibers in the light panel.

  -7- The lighting systems to be adopted depend largely, as it is easy to understand, on the arrangement of the optical fibers in each case, both in the light panel and in the light source, of the types of filters used. , the type of advertising emblem, the size of the

  base, its distance from the viewer, the size of the characters

  mothers, etc. In short, there are so many variables

  that the solutions to be adopted must be studied individually-

ment for each case.

  As mentioned above, due to the fact that the dimensions of the advertising signs, and therefore the size of the base, are directly related to the distance

  of the spectator, we can also say that the type and the

  of the light sources used, i.e. the lam-

  pes, are also subject to the same report, high power lamps having a longer life than those

at low power.

  The base or the illuminated advertising panel itself (5) (Figures 1 and 2), where the emission sides of the optical fibers are located, is most often composed of a sheet

  acrylic. It is also possible to use other materials.

  rials, such as double partition metal plates.

  In order to conserve said plates, it is important to avoid the application of organic solvents, so as not to cause damage or breakage of the optical fibers,

  as mentioned above.

  Optical fibers, in their primitive conditions,

  are characterized in that they have an emission angle

  60 light, which would make without further measurement

  the extremely directional light panel. In order to avoid

  ter these directional characteristics it is necessary to

  process the upper emission side of the optical fiber at the

  yen from one of the following processes: rubbing with paper-

  emery; sanding; applying a thin layer of material

  riau diffusing light; the application of fine transparent particles such as glass beads; abrasion by means of contact with the heating plate (10) provided with a

abrasive surface (Figure 5).

-8-

  The choice of treatment on the emission side of the optic fiber

  that, with the aim of ensuring proper dissemination of the

  issue, depends on the type of advertising sign in which

  the fibers (11) will be used. By way of example, it should be noted that the treatment with a sheet of emery paper is indicated for small luminous plates, and that the treatment with an abrasive heating plate (10) is suitable for advertising signs of a medium or large. Another important treatment of the upper emission side of the optical fiber consists in its deformation under pressure (FIG. 6) carried out at the same time as the abrasive treatment.

  by means of the abrasive heating plate.

  In order to obtain the scattering effect of the light emitted, it is also possible to use a sheet of transparent or translucent acrylic material (12) (FIG. 7) as

  that faceplate without having to apply one of the

mentioned above.

  The mounting of the optical fibers (13) in the base (14)

  (figure 8) is carried out by inserting them into holes

  drilled in the base, and attaching them with adhesive materials (15) on the rear face of the base. Thereafter

  a pressure plate is installed behind the base.

  The arrangement and fixing of the receiving sides of

  optical fibers, near the light source, must be ef-

  made in such a way that the fibers are placed parallel

  parallel to each other, in order to avoid fluctuations

  of brightness caused by differences in angle of penetration

  tration of the receiving sides. To this end it is possible to use

  read a device illustrated in figure 9, installing the optical fibers (16) correctly arranged inside

of a support collar (17).

  In the case of small advertising signs, do

  fiber optic cable (18) (Figure 10) can sometimes be

  stained with a wire tie (19).

  When it is necessary to cut the optical fibers,

  this last operation can be carried out by means of a

  heated sheet metal, an emery cutting disc or a circular saw

  toothbrush. In the latter case, it is necessary - 9 -

  cool the cut with coolant.

  The circular saw mentioned above can possibly-

  be replaced by a wood saw or a hacksaw

with fine teeth.

  Once cut, the fiber bundles undergo a polishing operation which can be carried out by means of sanders equipped with a sheet of emery paper, or by means of a soft cloth soaked in acrylic wax, the purpose of this operation being significantly reduce light losses due to scattering of light at the ends

fibers.

  Regarding the light source, it includes,

  in most cases a lamp, a color filter and a system

  filter rotation drive, composed of a motor

and a reducer.

  If large and powerful lamps are used, the assembly must include an absorption filter

  heat and the corresponding cooling equipment.

  We do not think it necessary to describe in the pre-

  smells the range of lamps usable as light source

  and only considerations relating to the characteristics

  Desirable ticks of colored filters will be defined.

  Color filters, usually in the form of a disc, may include a sheet of plastic material such as

  polycarbonate or poly-methylacrylate or a glass disc.

  The filter can be colored, for example, by blurring, by manual application of transparent paint of various colors or by the assembly of different layers.

  of transparent colored leaves.

  The disadvantage of a filter system with only one

  disc with transparent colored sectors is that the changes

  colors are limited, but by using a combination of two or more colored discs (Figure 11) it is

  possible more complicated color schemes.

  As already mentioned above and illustrated in FIG. 3, the colored filters can also have the

shaped like a cylindrical drum.

  In order to increase the direct incidence of light in the optical fibers, the use of a reflector (1) (figure

- 10 -

  1I near the lamp is required. If the reflector chosen is of the type that focuses the light, the focusing region will also develop the heat that must be fought

  using a conventional process, to avoid danifica-

tion of optical fibers.

  When the light source consists of an incandescent lamp

  descent with a power of 20 W or more, it is necessary to install a filter A (figure 1) which absorbs heat. But with a lamp with a power of less than 20 W, it suffices to

  install a sheet of glass that absorbs infrared rays

  red and which can be a simple sheet of glazing glass.

  In the case of high wattage lamps, it is necessary

  use a heat absorption filter with good characteristics

  as well as a forced air cooling device In the case of large illuminated advertising signs, the light panel is generally divided into two

  sections or more, and lit by different light sources.

  The distribution of the light emitted by these light sources

  to the corresponding color filters must be syn-

  chronized so as to obtain a uniform color variation

  me all over the surface of the advertising sign. In order to

  keep a synchronous movement of all the colored filters (20)

  (Figure 12), the drive axes of these filters are gener-

  mechanically linked together by means of a chain (21) and sprockets, or a cable, or gears or even by means of an electronic synchronization device, this

  last solution offering the advantage of not limiting the use

cementing of light sources.

  Clearly, the security measures required for

  the manufacture and maintenance of all types of advertising signs

  luminous lights must also be observed for

  advertising signs according to the present invention.

  However, as is easily understood following the presentation of the characteristics of advertising signs

  luminous with optical fibers, it is obvious that these

  these are much more secure than those known hitherto

  whereas then, since they do not require the use of a high voltage, do not include such a quantity of electrical cables and fittings and that the few which are used are in a limited area and are easy

  to protect, unlike those in

  illuminated advertising signs using electric lamps

  nees or neon tubes in the billboard.

  Although the optical fibers have good mechanical strength, it is possible that as a result of possible ill-treatment these will break or that the property of light transmission is reduced. In such a case, the solution to be adopted is simple and consists in connecting the 2 parts (22) (figure 13) of the broken fiber by means of a

  tube (23) which keeps them in the right position and in the-

  which the ends of the two said parts are attached by

  using suitable adhesive materials (24).

  In short, the illuminated advertising signs according to

  the present invention offers total reliability, does not present

  as much as the irregularities in operation found in conventional advertising signs, they allow obtaining a variation of colors with a single optical conductive element, they transmit faithfully, without dark spots,

  the advertising message; illuminated advertising signs

  its can also be used underwater without risk,

  the submerged part of the advertising sign may be

  completely separated by a bundle of optical fibers from the part fitted with the electrical installation

  (light source and colored filter fitted with its drive motor

  ment). The signs according to the invention have a low

  energy consumption since the electrical power ins-

  tall is rather low, the cost of their maintenance is very low, the probability of accident in the electrical part is practically zero, and their general characteristics allow them to ensure a wide range of applications in the

  frame of illuminated advertising signs.

  We can see that the light advertising signs

  neuses realized by means of optical fibers constitute a

  indisputable progress in the corresponding technical field.

Claims (6)

  1. Illuminated advertising displays using optical fibers with fixed and / or variable color lights, characterized in that they include   a front protection panel, a vis-   (5_1 suel / presenting the motif and / or the character 4 the advertisement and through which the optical fibers penetrate / which convey the light received from the reception caté located near a lamp (6) LI / J   fitted with a reflector /, towards the other end of the op-   tick which emits light in the direction of the spectators.   2. Illuminated advertising signs as claimed   cation 1, characterized in that they comprise, between the light source / and the optical fiber bundle /, a colored filter / transparent provided with several colors and possibly driven in rotation by means of an electric motor / m- nor of a reducer, allowing in this case the permutation of the color   of light emitted at the end of chacy / optic fibers   what are introduced in the visual panel / - in the direction of spectators.   3. Illuminated advertising signs as claimed   cations 1 and 2, characterized in that they include, when they have large dimensions, one or more light sources emitting highly concentrated energy, these high power lights being provided in front of them with a   heat absorption filter which may be   adequate ventilation system when a   natural ventilation system is considered insufficient.   4. Illuminated advertising signs according to one of the   previous claims, / characterized in that the diameter   the optical fibers / used depends on the type of (5) / design and the diameter of the visual panel / the distance between it and the spectators, the fibers with diameters   the smallest being used in public signage--   small silos located near the spec-   tators. 5. Illuminated advertising signs according to one of the   previous claims may present-a wide variety-   light effects, have any size and do not   wears what shape and can be used underwater in   aquariums, swimming pools etc., the submerged part of the   advertising sign being entirely separate, through   diary of a bundle of optical fibers, of the part equipped with the electrical installation. 6. Illuminated advertising signs according to one of the   previous claims, characterized in that the face   terminal of the optical fibers, emitting the light transmitted by them, has undergone an appropriate treatment in order to avoid the disadvantages due to the directional properties of the light,   this treatment consisting, in particular, in the case of teaching   large advertising genes, rough and   widen the upper end of the fiber by applying it   here against an abrasive heating plate (10).