US RE36,039 E · Illuminated canopy system

Abstract

A rear illuminated fascia apparatus for mounting on a surface is disclosed. The apparatus has a support structure comprising support brackets, top and bottom edge frame members, and corner members which tension and hold in place a flexible, translucent sheet material. Metal halide lights are used to illuminate the sheet material. A light dispersion member is positioned between the lights and the sheet material to uniformly distribute and disperse the light through the sheet material. Access members in the apparatus and access openings in the light dispersion member allow convenient changes of the lights.

Claims39

Dependent claims

An illuminated fascia light box apparatus for mounting on a surface comprising:

a plurality of support brackets for attachment to said surface;
a pair of elongated frame members attached to said support brackets and forming two external face edges of said apparatus;
a pair of corner members, a first corner member attached to one end of said pair of frame members and a second corner member attached to the other end of said pair of frame members;
a translucent sheet member stretchably extending and secured at its edges by said pair of frame members and said pair of corner members;
at least one metal halide light positioned in said apparatus and providing illumination through said translucent sheet member;
a light dispersion member positioned between said light and said sheet member for distributing illumination from the light uniformly on said sheet member;
wherein said light dispersion member includes a means for manually accessing said light from below said light box for replacement.

4 more elements

The internally illuminated sign of claim 35 wherein at least two point light sources are provided, said light sources being spaced uniformly along said rear panel, each said light source having a light dispersion sheet positioned between said light source and said translucent panel, whereby light from said at least two point light sources is distributed uniformly over the entire elongated translucent panel. ..40. The internally illuminated sign of claim 35 further comprising access means in one of said elongated sides of said housing for replacing each of said

point light sources..!.41. The internally illuminated sign of claim ..40.!. 35 wherein said access means is positioned in said lower elongated side in order to provide access to said point light source
from the ground. 42. The internally illuminated sign of claim 41 wherein
said access means comprises a door. 43. The internally illuminated sign of claim 42 wherein said door is movable between an open position allowing access to said light sources and a closed position preventing access to said light sources, and further comprising biasing means for biasing said
door to its closed position. 44. The internally illuminated sign of claim 37 further including means for manually accessing said point light source
through said light dispersion sheet. 45. The internally illuminated sign of claim 44 wherein said means for manually accessing said point light
source comprises an opening in said light dispersion sheet. 46. The internally illuminated sign of claim 44 wherein said light dispersion sheet is attached to said rear panel and said means for manually accessing said point light source comprises detachable means for selectively
detaching said light dispersion sheet from said rear panel. 47. The internally illuminated sign of claim 41 wherein said access means
comprises a removable translucent panel member. 48. The internally illuminated sign of claim 35 further comprising a reflective surface on
said rear panel. 49. The internally illuminated sign of claim 35 wherein said light dispersion sheet has a reflective surface on the side facing
said point light source. 50. An internally illuminated lightbox comprising:
an elongated housing, said housing having an upper elongated panel member, a lower elongated panel member, a rear panel member, and an open front portion,
an elongated flexible planar translucent sheet member stretched over and covering said open front portion, said translucent sheet member having a length in its elongated direction and a width laterally to said elongated direction,
a plurality of point light sources in said housing, said light sources positioned uniformly in a spaced apart relationship on said rear panel member and substantially centrally between said upper elongated panel member and said lower elongated panel member, ..and.!.
light dispersion sheet means positioned between each of said point light sources and said translucent sheet member,
whereby light from said point light sources is distributed uniformly over the entire width and length of said elongated translucent sheet member , and
access means in said lower elongated panel member for replacing each of said plurality of point light sources from below and outside said
housing . 51. The internally illuminated sign of claim 50 wherein said light dispersion sheet means comprises a plurality of individual
dispersion panel members. 52. The internally illuminated sign of claim 50
wherein said light dispersion sheet means has a curved configuration. 53. The internally illuminated sign of claim 52 further comprising access means in said dispersion sheet means for replacing said point light sources. ..54. The internally illuminated sign of claim 50 further comprising access means in said lower elongated panel member for replacing
said point light sources..!.55. The internally illuminated sign of claim ..54.!. 50 wherein said access means comprises a plurality
of spring biased access doors. 56. The internally illuminated sign of
claim 50 further comprising a reflective surface on said rear panel. 57. The internally illuminated sign of claim 50 wherein said light dispersion sheet means has a reflective surface on the side facing said
point light sources. 58. The internally illuminated sign of claim 50 wherein said light dispersion sheet means has a plurality of openings therein across the surface of said sheet means, said openings being sized and arranged in a prespecified pattern to allow differing amounts of light from said point light source to pass through said sheet means at different areas along the length and width of said sheet means and thereby achieve
said uniform distribution of light. 59. An internally illuminated sign comprising:
an elongated housing means substantially rectangular in shape and bounded by upper and lower elongated sides and a pair of shorter end members, said housing having a rear member and an open front portion and being greater than ten feet in length,
an elongated flexible planar translucent panel member stretched over and covering said open front portion,
at least two point light sources positioned in said housing and providing illumination for said translucent panel member, said point light sources being spaced between five to nine feet apart,
light dispersion sheet means positioned in said housing between said point light sources and said translucent panel member, said light dispersion sheet means having a plurality of light openings arranged in prespecified patterns adjacent each of said point light sources to allow differing amounts of light to pass through the sheet means at different areas,
whereby a light pattern of substantially uniform intensity is created along
and across the entire translucent panel member. 60. The illuminated sign as set forth in claim 59 further comprising frame members positioned substantially around the perimeter of said open front portion and wherein
said translucent panel member is stretched over said frame members. 61. The illuminated sign as set forth in claim 59 further comprising access means in said lower elongated side of said housing for providing
access to replace said point light sources. 62. The illuminated sign as set forth in claim 59 wherein said point light sources each comprise metal
halide lights. 63. The illuminated sign as set forth in claim 59 further comprising a specular reflective means on said rear member of said housing, said specular reflective means being at least 90% light
reflective. 64. The illuminated sign as set forth in claim 59 wherein said
internally illuminated sign comprises a canopy fascia device. 65. The illuminated sign as set forth in claim 59 wherein said internally
illuminated sign comprises a wall mounted lightbox device. 66. An internally illuminated sign comprising:
an elongated housing bounded by upper and lower elongated sides, said housing having a rear panel and an open front portion,
an elongated flexible translucent panel covering said open front portion,
at least one point light source positioned adjacent said rear panel and located in said housing
a light dispersion sheet positioned between said point light source and said translucent panel for distributing light from said point light source uniformly over at least an elongated portion of said translucent panel and between said upper and lower elongated sides, ..and.!.
a frame means positioned around the edges of said open front portion, said translucent panel being mounted on said frame means and stretched thereon , and
access door means in said lower elongated side for replacing said point
light source from below and outside said housing . 67. An illuminated system for mounting on a surface comprising:
a housing,
said housing having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least one side surface;
mounting means attaching said housing to said surface;
a flexible translucent sheet member secured on one of said side surfaces of said housing;
light dispersion means in said housing;
means for supporting said light dispersion means within said housing;
said light dispersion means comprising at least one point source illumination means, and light dispersion sheet means for uniformly distributing light from each said at least one point source illumination means on said translucent sheet means;
access means in said lower surface of said housing for replacing each said point source illumination means;
wherein said translucent sheet member is held on said housing by elongated frame members;
and
wherein said translucent sheet member is stretched across said frame
members. 68. An illuminated system for mounting on a surface comprising:
a housing and light dispersion means;
said housing having an upper surface, a lower surface and an least one side surface;
a mount attaching said housing to said surface;
a translucent sheet member secured on one of said side surfaces of said housing;
means for supporting said light dispersion means within said housing;
said light dispersion means comprising at least one point light source illumination means, and light dispersion sheet means for uniformly distributing light from each said at least one point light source illumination means on said translucent sheet means;
and
access means in said lower surface of said housing for replacing each said point light source illumination means;
wherein said light dispersion sheet means comprises an apertured sheet and
has a reflective surface facing said point light source. 69. An internally illuminated sign comprising:
an elongated housing bounded by upper and lower elongated sides, said housing having a rear panel and an open front portion,
an elongated planar translucent panel covering said open front portion,
at least one point light source positioned adjacent said rear panel and located in said housing substantially centrally between said upper and lower elongated sides,
a light dispersion sheet positioned between said point light source and said translucent panel for distributing light from said point light source uniformly over at least an elongated portion of said translucent panel and between said upper and lower elongated sides,
access door means in said lower elongated side of said housing for replacing each of said point light sources from the ground, said access door means being movable between an open position allowing access to said light sources and a closed position preventing access to said light sources, and
biasing means for biasing said access door means to the closed position.
An internally illuminated lightbox comprising:
an elongated housing, said housing having an upper elongated panel member, a lower elongated panel member, a rear panel member, and an open front portion,
an elongated planar translucent sheet member covering said open front portion, said translucent sheet member having a length in its elongated direction and a width laterally to said elongated direction,
a plurality of point light sources in said housing, said light sources positioned uniformly in a spaced apart relationship on said rear panel member and substantially centrally between said upper elongated panel member and said lower elongated panel member,
light dispersion sheet means positioned between each of said point light sources and said translucent sheet member,
whereby light from said point light sources is distributed uniformly over the entire width and length of aid elongated translucent sheet member, and
access means in said lower elongated panel member for replacing said point light sources, said access means comprising a plurality of spring biased
access doors. 71. An illuminated system for mounting on a surface comprising:
a housing and light dispersion means;
said housing having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least one side surface;
a mount attaching said housing to said surface;
a translucent sheet member secured on one of said side surfaces of said housing;
means for supporting said light dispersion means within said housing,
said light dispersion means comprising at least one point light source illumination means, and light dispersion sheet means for uniformly distributing light from each said at least one point light source illumination means on said translucent sheet member;
access means in said lower surface of said housing for replacing each said point source illumination means;
an opening in said light dispersion sheet means for manually accessing said point light source illumination means;
and
a sleeve around said opening to protect said light dispersion sheet means and reduce shadowing.

86 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Abstract

Illuminated canopy system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39

Illuminated canopy system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39