Lens retainer for lighted sign

Abstract

A light assembly has a translucent lens which is flexibly mounted to a mounting bracket containing a light source. The lens has a series of spaced-apart members located near its upper and lower edges. The members are mounted in holes in the lens and extend through both sides of the lens to form rigid protrusions. The mounting bracket is an extruded metal member with a retention joint on each end. Each retention joint has a pair of fingers which define a narrow recess with an internal lip. The width of the lens is greater than the distance between the retention joints so that the lens may be flexed into a bowed configuration. The light assembly is designed to be mounted as a sign which extends circumferencially around a structure or building. The mounting bracket is secured to the building. The lens is installed by first inserting its lower edge into the recess on the lower retention joint of the mounting bracket. The lens is properly seated when the lower set of members on the lens snap into the lower recess inside its lip. The lens is flexed to its bowed, convex configuration, until the upper end of the lens is similarly mounted in the recess at the upper end of the mounting bracket. The upper end of the lens is properly seated when its set of members snap into the upper recess inside its lip. The light from the light source illuminates the lens to create a colored uniform glow to the light assembly.