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US 5,136,287 AGranted
Traffic-related message signal using light-emitting diodes
OwnerArnold Borensteininventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A traffic message signal device includes a housing having a display structure. The display structure includes a non-reflective support panel supporting a plurality of light-emitting diode elements arranged in a configuration defining a traffic-related message. The light-emitting diode elements are high intensity limited dispersion L.E.D.s which emit light in an attenuated angular spread about a central axis. The light-emitting diode elements are supported on board members with their central axis generally parallel to each other and generally perpendicular to the support panel.
Claims32
A traffic message signal device for providing a high resolution signal to vehicular and pedestrian traffic comprising:
- a display support structure including a non-reflective panel member which is substantially flat;
- a set of signal elements supported on said panel;
- said signal elements being arranged in a configuration corresponding to a message having a traffic-related significance in a human language;
- each of the signal elements comprising a high intensity light-emitting diode element having an angle of dispersion about a central axis which is substantially perpendicular to said panel member;
- and
- power supply means for supplying electrical power being connected with said light-emitting diode elements, and light-emitting diode elements generating light responsive to power being applied thereto,
- said power supply means including
- a center tap secondary winding of a step-down transformer having a first outboard tap, a second outboard tap and a center tap;
- a first diode in a first conductor connected to said first outboard tap;
- and
- a second diode in a second conductor connected to said second outboard tap;
- said diodes being commonly oriented to selectively allow conduction in the first and the second conductor whereby the traffic-related message formed by said diodes is only perceived by traffic when the diodes are illuminated.
9 more elements
A high resolution traffic message signal device comprising:
- a display support structure including a flat non-reflective panel support;
- a first set of signal elements supported on the panel support in a configuration corresponding to a first traffic-related message;
- a second set of signal elements supported on the panel support in a configuration corresponding to a second traffic-related message;
- each of the signal elements comprising a high intensity light-emitting diode element, and
- power means for supplying electrical current to said light-emitting diode elements, said power means including a first supply means for transmitting electrical current connected with the light-emitting diode elements of the first set of signal elements, a second supply means for transmitting electrical current connected with the light-emitting diode elements of the second set of signal elements,
- said first and said second supply means including
- a center tap secondary winding of a step-down transformer having a first outboard tap, a second outboard tap and a center tap;
- a first diode in a first conductor connected to said first outboard tap;
- and
- a second diode in a second conductor connected to said second output tap;
- said diodes being commonly oriented to selectively allow conduction in the first and the second conductor;
- and a controller means for selectively controlling the flow of electrical current in said first and second supply means to the light-emitting diode elements, whereby the controller means selectively causes the illumination of the first and second sets of signal elements to selectively make visible the first and second traffic-related messages.
9 more elements
A traffic-related message signal device connected to a conventional vehicular traffic signal and sharing a common supply of power comprising:
- a housing including a substantially planar support portion;
- a plurality of light-emitting diode elements supported on the support portion in a pattern defining a traffic-related message, each diode element of the plurality defining the traffic-related message being in electrical parallel with the remaining diode elements of the plurality defining the traffic-related message and the light emitted from said diodes being directly perceivable by a pedestrian as the traffic-related message;
- power supply means for transmitting electrical current being connected with the common source of power and supplying a common voltage to each of the light-emitting diode elements;
- light-emitting diode elements being directional high-intensity limited dispersion light-emitting diode elements, and emitting light primarily in the general direction of a central axis of the element responsive to application of electrical current thereto;
- said light-emitting diode elements being positioned so that the central axis thereof are generally parallel and generally perpendicular to the substantially planar support portion for optimal visibility of the traffic-related message;
- said power supply means including a controller means for selectively controlling the flow of electrical current to the light-emitting diode elements, and selectively illuminating and extinguishing the light-emitting diode elements to display the traffic-related message when desired.
3 more elements
A message signal device for providing a high resolution signal to vehicular or pedestrian traffic comprising:
- a display support structure including a non-reflective panel member which is substantially flat;
- a set of signal elements supported on said panel;
- said signal elements being arranged in a configuration corresponding to a message having a traffic-related significance in a human language;
- each of the signal elements comprising a high intensity light-emitting diode element having an angle of dispersion about a central axis which is substantially perpendicular to said panel member, each diode in the set being connected in electrical parallel with every other diode in the set;
- and
- power supply means for supplying electrical power being connected with said light-emitting diode elements, and light-emitting diode elements generating light responsive to power being applied thereto, whereby the traffic-related message formed by illuminated diodes is only perceived by traffic when the diodes are illuminated.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.