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:
Mar. 21, 1995
Filed:
Dec. 17, 1993
Charles M Williams, Seattle, WA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A module for a display screen that includes a plurality of evenly spaced fiber optic light sources along the face of a matrix block having a non-reflecting face. The face of the block has a plurality of generally right conical projections. An optical fiber extends substantially axially through each projection with the fiber end projecting beyond the apex. Slant height lines of the conical projections are curved, so that the sides of the projections are slightly concave or convex, to scatter incident light toward adjacent projections where the light is absorbed. Typically the bases of the conical projections can be hexagonal, with the edges of the block shaped so that a plurality of blocks can be aligned to produce an array of blocks with the projections substantially uniformly spaced across the array. In order to increase the sideways spread of light emitted by the optical fiber ends, the fiber ends are grooved.