American Electronic Sign Company

American On-premise Advertising Company

Terrence D Huber

Duane B Kutsch

Donald R Skinfill

William J Seaton

Mark E Huber

An electronic display element for use in an information display device has a reflective lens with a substantially smooth front surface and a non-smooth back surface. The back surface has multiple uniformly shaped polyhedron cells with hexagonal-shaped bases and square faces. The polyhedron cells are arranged in alternating first and second horizontal rows which are evenly offset from one another. The back surface of the lens presents a cube prism pattern which effectively transmits light originating from behind the lens without significant interference, and optimally reflects light originating from in front of the lens 30 to thereby improve both backlegibility and reflectivity.

Display element with reflective lens

A display device including a plurality of pixel elements arranged in matrix form. Each of the pixel elements can be set to one of two alternative states. In the first state, each pixel element includes a portion that transmits light and an adjacent portion that reflects light. In the second, alternate state, each pixel element includes a single portion that is substantially non-reflective. The display device includes a substrate having a plurality of hole disposed therein for respectively receiving a plurality of pixel elements. Each of the pixel elements includes a translucent member adapted to abut against the back side of the substrate and covers one of the holes therein; a mounting bracket adapted to abut against the front side of the substrate and having a fastener extending through the hole of the substrate and connecting to the translucent member for securing the translucent member to the substrate; a flap pivotally secured to the bracket about a pivot axis, one side of the flap having a non-reflective surface and the other side of the flap having a reflective surface, the flap being pivotal from a first position where the non-reflective surface faces outwardly towards a viewer to a second position approximately 180.degree. from the first position where the reflective surface faces outwardly towards a viewer; a magnet disposed on the flap; an electromagnet secured to the back side of the substrate and having a pole piece disposed axially therein and extending into the translucent member; and a source for supplying electric current to the electromagnet so as to alternatively energize the pole piece to be a south pole piece or a north pole piece wherein when the pole pieces are energized to be either a north pole piece or a south pole piece the flap is pivoted to the first position and when the pole pieces are energized to be the other of the north pole piece and the south pole piece the flap is pivoted to the second position.

Electronic display device having a plurality of pixel elements

A display element designed to permit easy assembly of an electronic display device and which utilizes an electromagnet having an L-shaped pole piece and reverse windings. Specifically, the invention resides in a display element for use in an information display device having a plurality of holes provided therein for receiving a plurality of the display elements. The display element includes a translucent member adapted to abut against the back side of the display device and cover one of the holes therein; a mounting bracket adapted to abut against the front side of the panel and having a fastening means extending through the hole of the display panel and connecting to the translucent member for securing the translucent member and the bracket to the panel; a flap pivotably secured to the display panel about a pivot axis, one side of the flap having a non-reflective surface and the other side of the flap having a reflective surface, the flap being piovtal from a first position where the non-reflective surface faces outwardly towards a viewer to a second position, approximately 180.degree. from the first position, where the reflective surface faces outwardly towards a viewer; a magnet disposed on the flap; an electromagnet secured to the back side of the display device and having a pole piece disposed axially therein and extending into the translucent member; and a source for supplying electric current to the electromagnet so as to alternatively energize the pole piece to be a south pole piece or a north pole piece wherein when the pole pieces are energized to be either a north pole piece or a south pole piece the flap is pivoted to the first position and when the pole pieces are energized to be the other of the north pole piece and the south pole piece the flap is pivoted to the second position.

Growing community of inventors

Spokane, WA, United States of America

Terrence D Huber