Face cover for a display module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11450245-B2
Application number	US-201816500354-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2018
Priority date	Apr 3, 2017
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

A display module (102) comprises light-emitting elements (106) coupled to one or more mounting structures and grouped into a pixels in a pixel array on a display face to display textual, graphical, or video information, with each pixel comprising a grouping of one or more light-emitting elements. A face cover (100) is mounted to the mounting structure and is positioned in front of at least a portion of the display face. The face cover comprises a plurality of moguls (110) arranged in a mogul array with each mogul positioned in front of and proximate to a corresponding one of the pixels so that the mogul covers at least a portion of the corresponding pixel, and one or more light-emitting openings (112) in each mogul, each positioned relative to one or more corresponding light-emitting element of the pixel to permit light emitted from the corresponding one or more light-emitting elements to pass through the mogul.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A display module comprising:
a plurality of light-emitting elements and supporting electronics coupled to one or more mounting structures;
wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements are grouped into a plurality of pixels each comprising a grouping of one or more of the plurality of light-emitting elements, the pixels arranged in a pixel array on a display face to display one or more of textual, graphical, or video information; and
a face cover mounted to the one or more mounting structures and positioned in front of at least a portion of the display face, the face cover comprising:
a plurality of raised moguls arranged in a mogul array, wherein each raised mogul is positioned in front of and proximate to a corresponding one of the plurality of pixels so that the raised mogul covers at least a portion of the corresponding one of the plurality of pixels and so that each of the plurality of light-emitting elements of the corresponding one of the plurality of pixels is recessed from a front surface of the raised mogul; and
a set of one or more light-emitting openings in each raised mogul, each positioned relative to a corresponding one or more of the light-emitting elements of the corresponding one of the plurality of pixels to permit light emitted from the corresponding one or more of the light-emitting elements of the corresponding one of the plurality of pixels to pass through the raised mogul.

2. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein a front face of the face cover comprising ridges to provide for improved contrast of the textual, graphical, or video information displayed by the light-emitting elements.

3. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the raised moguls are bounded by a plurality of channels along the front face of the face cover, the plurality of channels comprising a first set of first channels extending in a first direction along the front face and a second set of second channels extending in a second direction along the front face.

4. The display module according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more supporting structures positioned between the face cover and the one or more mounting structures to enhance impact resistance of the face cover.

5. The display module according to claim 4 , wherein the one or more supporting structures comprise a plurality of support ribs.

6. The display module according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more mounting structures comprise potting made from a mechanically resilient or partially mechanically resilient material, wherein the face cover comes into contact with the potting when the face cover is deflected rearward by an object striking the display face of the display.

7. The display module according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more dampers made from a mechanically resilient or partially mechanically resilient material positioned between the face cover and the one or more mounting structures.

8. The display module according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more alignment structures positioned within each of the plurality of raised moguls to align the light-emitting elements in a specified orientation relative to a corresponding one of the one or more light-emitting openings, wherein the one or more alignment structures surround at least a portion of each of the one or more light-emitting openings.

9. The display module according to claim 8 , wherein there is a gap in the one or more alignment structures at a bottom portion of each of the one or more light-emitting openings for drainage of water or debris away from the one or more light-emitting openings.

10. The display module according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more drainage openings in each of the plurality of raised moguls for egress of water or other debris from an interior of each raised mogul.

11. The display module according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of bores through the face cover, each bore surrounding at least a portion of a corresponding light-emitting opening, and each bore comprising at least one beveled portion to control a viewing angle in at least one direction from the light-emitting opening.

12. The display module according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one beveled portion is beveled at a bevel angle that corresponds to the viewing angle in the at least one direction.

13. The display module according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one beveled portion of each bore comprises a first beveled portion positioned in a first direction relative to the corresponding light-emitting opening and a second beveled portion positioned in a second direction relative to the corresponding light-emitting opening, wherein the first beveled portion is beveled at a first bevel angle corresponding to a first viewing angle for the first direction and the second beveled portion is beveled at a second bevel angle corresponding to a second viewing angle for the second direction.

14. A display comprising:
a plurality of the display modules each comprising;
a plurality of light-emitting elements and supporting electronics coupled to one or more mounting structures;
wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements are grouped into a plurality of pixels each comprising a grouping of one or more of the plurality of light-emitting elements, the pixels arranged in a pixel array on a display face to display one or more of textual, graphical, or video information; and
a face cover mounted to the one or more mounting structures and positioned in front of at least a portion of the display face, the face cover comprising:
a plurality of raised moguls arranged in a mogul array, wherein each raised mogul is positioned in front of and proximate to a corresponding one of the plurality of pixels so that the raised mogul covers at least a portion of the corresponding one of the plurality of pixels and so that each of the plurality of light-emitting elements of the corresponding one of the plurality of pixels is recessed from a front surface of the raised mogul; and
a set of one or more light-emitting openings in each raised mogul, each light-emitting opening positioned relative to a corresponding one or more of the light-emitting elements of the corresponding one of the plurality of pixels to permit light emitted from the corresponding one or more of the light-emitting elements of the corresponding one of the plurality of pixels to pass through the raised mogul.

15. The display according to claim 14 , wherein the plurality of display modules are mounted to one or more supports to form a display surface comprising the display face of each of the plurality of display modules.

16. The display according to claim 14 , wherein a front face of each of the face covers comprises ridges to provide for improved contrast of the textual, graphical, or video information displayed by the light-emitting elements.

17. The display according to claim 14 , wherein each of the display modules further comprises one or more supporting structures positioned between the face cover and the one or more mounting structures to enhance impact resistance of the face cover.

18. The display according to claim 14 , wherein each of the display modules further comprises one or more dampers made from a mechanically resilient or partially mechanically resilient material positioned between the face cover and the one or more mounting structures.

19. The display according to claim 14 , wherein each face cover further comprises one or more alignment structures positioned within eac

Assignees

• Daktronics

Inventors

• Lawley Kenneth Parker

Classifications

• G06F3/147 Primary

  using display panels · CPC title

• G09F9/35

  being liquid crystals (G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; {liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13}) · CPC title

• G09F9/3026

  Video wall, i.e. stackable semiconductor matrix display modules (video wall control systems G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026) · CPC title

• G09F27/008 Primary

  Sun shades, shades, hoods or louvres on electronic displays to minimise the effect of direct sun light on the display · CPC title

• G09F2013/222

  with LEDs · CPC title