The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 05, 1992
Filed:
Jun. 06, 1990
Terrence D Huber, Spokane, WA (US);
Duane B Kutsch, Spokane, WA (US);
William J Seaton, Greenacres, WA (US);
Donald R Skinfill, Veradale, WA (US);
American On-Premise Advertising Company, Spokane, WA (US);
Abstract
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.