Self illuminated shaped and two-sided signage for printed graphics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9449541-B2
Application number	US-201514735725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2015
Priority date	May 2, 2013
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

Self illuminated back and front lit shaped and two-sided signage. The signage includes a turning film having a structured surface for redirecting light and a diffuser providing for diffusion. The shape of the signage from a viewer's perspective provides the content, such as letters, to be conveyed to the viewer. Two-sided signage includes two signs arranged back-to-back, each including a turning film having a structured surface for redirecting light, a diffuser providing for diffusion, and a printed graphic. In the two-sided signage, the turning films receive light from an ambient light source and direct the light via the structured surfaces toward viewers of the two graphics in order to passively illuminate the signage. The two-sided signage can be shaped to provide content via the shape and graphics.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A self illuminated back lit sign, comprising:
a turning film having a first structured surface for redirecting light and a second surface opposite the first surface; and
a first diffuser on the second surface of the turning film and providing for diffusion in at least a first direction,
wherein the turning film directs light via the first structured surface from behind the sign toward a viewer of the sign in order to passively illuminate the sign,
wherein a shape of the sign from the viewer's perspective provides content to be conveyed to the viewer,
further comprising a graphic on a side of the first diffuser opposite the turning film.

2. The sign of claim 1 , further comprising a second diffuser between the first diffuser and the graphic and providing for diffusion in a second direction different from the first direction.

3. The sign of claim 2 , wherein the second direction of diffusion is orthogonal to the first direction of diffusion.

4. The sign of claim 2 , further comprising an air gap between the first diffuser and the second diffuser.

5. The sign of claim 1 , wherein the first diffuser comprises an asymmetric diffuser.

6. The sign of claim 2 , wherein the first and second diffusers each comprise a lenticular diffuser.

7. The sign of claim 1 , wherein the first diffuser is a lenticular diffuser registered with the first structured surface of the turning film.

8. The sign of claim 1 , wherein the shape of the sign comprises one or more letters.

9. The sign of claim 1 , wherein the sign is mounted on a transparent film or plate.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Aho Erik A
• Thomas Patrick A

Classifications

• G09F13/02 Primary

  Signs, boards, or panels, illuminated by artificial light sources positioned in front of the insignia · CPC title

• G09F13/0409

  Arrangements for homogeneous illumination of the display surface, e.g. using a layer having a non-uniform transparency (arrangements of reflectors G09F13/14) · CPC title

• G09F13/04

  Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia · CPC title

• G09F19/14 Primary

  displaying different signs depending upon the view-point of the observer · CPC title

• G09F2013/0422

  Physics · mapped topic