Channel letter
OwnerAnton Grate, Cheryl Grateinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A channel letter has a rear surface for mounting against a raceway, wall, or a structure for supporting the signage, and sides defining the figuration of the letter of shape to be depicted. A lighting element is positioned against the rear surface of the enclosure, and a lens is retained to the open front of the enclosure. The lens may be retained by a plurality of retainers to a shoulder recessed within the walls of the enclosure. As a first alternative, the retainers may retain a lens without a shoulder where a sealing edging is fitted around the perimeter of the lens. As a second alternative a lens having dimensions greater than those of the enclosure may be retained across the forward end thereof.
Claims4
A channel letter comprising
- an enclosure having walls defining the figuration of said letter and having an open front,
- said walls having an inner surface and a forward end,
- a shoulder on at least one of said inner surface of said walls,
- said shoulder on said inner surfaces defining a plane,
- said shoulder formed solely by a strip of flexible material having a continuous cross section secured to said inner surface,
- said shoulder spaced from said forward ends of said walls,
- a planar at least partially transparent lens having a forward surface, a rearward surface, and an outer edge in said figuration of said letter and sized to fit within said walls of said enclosure and against at least a portion of said shoulder,
- a first retainer means in contact against said forward surface for retaining said lens within said enclosure and against said shoulder,
- a second retainer means in contact against said rearward surface for retaining said lens from damaging said shoulder, and
- a light source within said enclosure.
A channel letter comprising
- an enclosure having walls defining the figuration of said letter and having an open front,
- said walls having an inner surface and a forward end,
- a shoulder on at least one of said inner surface of said walls,
- said shoulder on said inner surfaces defining a plane,
- said shoulder formed solely by a strip of flexible material having a continuous cross section secured to said inner surface, said shoulder spaced from said forward ends of said walls,
- a planar transparent lens having a forward surface, a rearward surface, and an outer edge in said figuration of said letter and sized to fit within said walls of said enclosure and against at least a portion of said shoulder,
- a first retainer means against said forward surface for retaining said lens within said enclosure and against said shoulder,
- said first retainer means comprising a plurality of retainer members,
- each of said retainer members having a mounting portion for attachment to said walls and a retaining portion for contacting said forward surface of said lens,
- a second retainer means against said rearward surface for retaining said lens from damaging said shoulder, and
- a light source within said enclosure.
A channel letter comprising
- an enclosure having walls defining the figuration of said letter and having an open front,
- said walls having an inner surface and a forward end,
- a shoulder on at least one of said inner surface of said walls,
- said shoulder on said inner surfaces defining a plane,
- said shoulder formed solely by a strip of flexible material having a continuous cross section secured to said inner surface,
- said shoulder spaced from said forward ends of said walls,
- a planar transparent lens having a forward surface, a rearward surface, and an outer edge in said figuration of said letter and sized to fit within said walls of said enclosure and against at least a portion of said shoulder,
- a first retainer means against said forward surface for retaining said lens within said enclosure and against said shoulder,
- a second retainer means against said rearward surface for retaining said lens from damaging said shoulder,
- said second retainer means comprising a plurality of retainer members,
- each of said retainer members having a mounting portion for attachment to said walls and a retaining portion for contacting said rearward surface of said lens, and
- a light source within said enclosure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.