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Patent 2011424 Summary

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Claims and Abstract availability

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(12) Patent: (11) CA 2011424
(54) English Title: DISPLAY BOARD ASSEMBLY
(54) French Title: PANNEAU D'AFFICHAGE
Status: Term Expired - Post Grant Beyond Limit
Bibliographic Data
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):
  • G09F 7/16 (2006.01)
  • G09F 9/33 (2006.01)
  • G09F 13/22 (2006.01)
(72) Inventors :
  • LIE, LIAT-CHAW (Canada)
  • SUEN, HUANG KUANG (Canada)
(73) Owners :
  • LIAT-CHAW LIE
  • HUANG KUANG SUEN
(71) Applicants :
(74) Agent:
(74) Associate agent:
(45) Issued: 1993-05-18
(22) Filed Date: 1990-03-05
(41) Open to Public Inspection: 1991-09-05
Examination requested: 1990-06-11
Availability of licence: N/A
Dedicated to the Public: N/A
(25) Language of filing: English

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): No

(30) Application Priority Data: None

Abstracts

English Abstract


DISPLAY BOARD ASSEMBLY
ABSTRACT
A display board assembly, which includes a start unit
connected to an end unit with a variety of intermediate
display units set in therebetween in a line. By means of
color contrast and diaphaneity differentiate the symbols on
the intermediate which show a certain meaning collectively can
be clearly seen in the day. When in the dark, a photosensor
control power supply automatically turn on the light emitting
diodes of the intermediate display units to illuminate the
symbols thereon.
cont'd / 2


Claims

Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


- 7 -
CLAIMS
(1) A display board assembly, including:
a start unit and an end unit respectively structured
to compensate for each other, said end unit comprising a
window having set therein a photosensor to detect the
intensity of ambient light and an electric power supply
device to convert regular alternating current power
to low voltage alternating current power; and
a plurality of symbol display units, each of which
comprising a front panel attached to a bottom block with
a printed circuit board received therein, said bottom
block comprising two L-shaped projecting ends at its one
side and two L-shaped recesses at an opposite side, said
front panel having a symbol thereon, said printed circuit
board comprising a plurality of LEDs corresponding to the
symbol of said front panel, a power plug at its one side
and a power socket at an opposite side.
wherein a certain number of said symbol display units
are selected and connected together to form a symbol display
board, by securing the two L-shaped projecting ends of one
symbol display unit to the two L-shaped recesses of another
symbol display unit, with said end unit attached thereto at
its one end and said start unit at its other end, and said
photosensor turns on the LEDs of the printed circuit boards
of the selected symbol display units to illuminate the
symbols thereon during the dark.
(2) A display board assembly as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the front panel of each of said symbol display unit
comprises a transparent symbol portion and an opaque non-
symbol portion on its front face, said transparent symbol
portion being tinted or colorless, and said opaque non-
symbol portion being colored in such a way to present a
striking contrast to said transparent symbol portion so
that the symbol thereon can be prominent and clearly seen
in the day.

Description

Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.


2(~1~424
DI~CLO~UR~
The present invention relates to display boards and more
particularly to a built-up type display board for showing house
number, name of householder or other symbols.
Regular doorplates, signboards or other display boards are
generally made according to order. It is indeed expensive and
needs a certain period of time to order a doorplate, signboard
or the like. Further, regular doorplates are not clearly visible
in the night or dark weather. Therefore, an additional lighting
device shall be prepared.
One object of the present invention is to provide a
display board assembly which can be made through mass production
to reduce its cost.
Another ob~ect of the present invention is to provide a
display board which can be flexibly assembled according to
requirement.
Still another object of the present invention is to
provide a display board which utilizes a photosensor to control
its light emitting elements to produce light in the dark.
cont'd / 3
~ .. . .
,
.

- `,4~ -
~o~
DRAWINGS
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~E DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a framentary perspective view of a symbol display
unit according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a schematic drawing illustrating the connection of
one symbol display unit with another.
Figure 3 is a shcematic drawing illustrating an operation to
couple three symbol display units with a start unit
and an end unit.
Figure 4 illustrates an automatic dark turn on power module
addording to the present invention.
0 Figure 5 illustrates a light emitting diode ~ hereafter LED )
display module according to the present invention.
con'd / ~ ~
.,:
, ~ .

4_ 2~ 24
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
............ _. .. _
With reference to Figure 1, a symbol display unit in
accordance with the present invention includes a front panel 1
attached to a bottom block 2 with a printed circuit board 3
received therein, in which the front panel l has a symbol
therein, which symbol can be a number, character or sign.
A front panel 1 of a symbol display unit in accordance
~ith the present inventio~ comprises a transparent symbol
portion 11 and an opaque non-symbol portion 12 on its front
face, wherein the transparent symbol portion 11 is tinted or
colorless, and the opaque non-symbol portion 12 is colored in
such a way to present a striking contrast to the transparent
symbol portion 11 so that the symbol thereon can be prominent
and clearly seen in the day. A bottom block 2 of a symbol
display unit according to the present invention comprises and
unitary upper L-shaped projecting end 21 and a lower L-shaped
projecting end 22 at its one side, two L-shaped recesses 23,
29 on an opposite side to compensate for the L-shaped
projecting ends 21, 22, four stub tenons 24, 25, 26, 27
internally upstanding therefrom in the four corners thereof
for the positioning therein of a printed circuit board 3. A
printed circuit board 3 of a symbol display unit of the
present invention comprises a plurality of LED 31 respectively
arranged at an area corresponding to the symbol portion 11 of
the front panel 1 of such a symbol display unit, a power plug
32 thereon,and a power socket 33 opposite to its power plug 32
Further, the front panel 1 of a symbol display unit comprises
two notches 13 corresponding to the power plug 32 and the
power socket 33 of a printed circuit board 3. Therefore,
when a printed circuit board 3 is received in a bottom block
2 and a front panel 1, the power plug 32 and the power socket
33 of such a printed circuit board 3 are exposed for
connection.
A~ illustrated in Figure 2, two or more symbol display
units of the present invention can be conveniently connected
together by means of screws 4 or lock pins to form a board
assembly. The two L-shaped pro~ecting ends 21, 22 of the
bottom block 2, and power plug 32, of one symbol display unit
are respectively set in the two L-shaped recesses 23, 29 and
power socket 33 of another symbol display unit and firmly
fixed up together by means of screwa 4 through the holes
thereon.
con'td / ~5
',
;

(Amended June 6, l99o) 2 011~ 2 4
Referring to Figure 3, a start unit 5 of the present
invention comprises two L-shaped recesses 23', 29' and a power
socket 33' corresponding to the two L-shaped projecting ends
21, 22 and the power plug 32 of a symbol display unit for
connection ( Please refer to Figure 2 ). An end unit 6 of the
present invention comprises two L-shaped projecting ends and a
power plug corresponding to the two L-shaped recesses 23,29 and
the power socket 33 of a symbol display unit connection. In a
display board assembly, the start unit 5 and the end unit 6 are
lo respectively structured to compensate for each other and can be
firmed on the wall by screws 52, 53, 62, 63. The start unit 5
and end unit 6 can be made to arrange in reverse order. The end
unit 6 also comprises a window 61 through which a photosensor
therein can detect the intensity of outside light, and a power
supply device 7 to convert regular alternating current power
to a lower voltage of alternating current power for the
operation of the present invention.
Figure 4 illustrates an automatic dark turn on power
module according to the present invention. Alternating current
power is treated through a power supply device 7, transformer,
for voltage dropping and rectified by a bridge BRl or a diode
to provide a direct current power. The direct current power
thus obtained is sent through a conducting silicon controlled
rectifier Ql to a LED modules.
In the circuit of Fig. 4: Resistor R1, zener Dæ and
current limiting resistor R2 develop regulated triggering
voltage for the gate of silicon controlled rectifier Q1. This
voltage is controlled by photosensor Q2 that is connecting over
the gate of the silicon controlled rectifier Q1. When the
photosensor Q2 receives small amount of incidence light, it
acts as high impedance, so that the gate voltage can trigger
silicon controlled rectifier Ql to conducting state. Contrary,
when the photosensor Q2 receives large amount of incidence
light, it acts as very low impedance, so that the gate voltage
35 i9 shunted down by the photosensor Q2, to turn off the silicon
controlled rectifier Ql. On the display board assembly: During
the day under good vision condition,the photosensor Q2 receives
large amount of light, to turn off the silicon controlled
rectifier Ql, therefore, no direct current power is sent to the
LED modules. On the contrary, the photosen90r Q2 detects small
amount of light under dark condition at night, to turn on the
silicon controlled rectifier Q2, therefore,direct current power
supplies necessary working voltage to LED modules.
con'td / ~ ~

- ~- 2~ 2~
Referring to the LED display module of Figure 5, a
plurality of LEDs are connected into several branches
which are disposed in parallel with each other, in which
each branch is comprises of a current limiting resistor
(R2, R3, R4, etc.) connected with several LEDs in series.
The impedance of each current limiting resistor is deter-
mined according to the total quantity of LEDs in each
branch. As described, the present invention utilizes low
voltage for its operation. It helps to reduce power
consumption and extend LED's service life.
:' ' .' ' : ,

Representative Drawing
A single figure which represents the drawing illustrating the invention.
Administrative Status

2024-08-01:As part of the Next Generation Patents (NGP) transition, the Canadian Patents Database (CPD) now contains a more detailed Event History, which replicates the Event Log of our new back-office solution.

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Event History

Description Date
Inactive: Expired (new Act pat) 2010-03-05
Inactive: IPC from MCD 2006-03-11
Inactive: IPC from MCD 2006-03-11
Grant by Issuance 1993-05-18
Application Published (Open to Public Inspection) 1991-09-05
Request for Examination Requirements Determined Compliant 1990-06-11
All Requirements for Examination Determined Compliant 1990-06-11
Small Entity Declaration Determined Compliant 1990-03-05

Abandonment History

There is no abandonment history.

Maintenance Fee

The last payment was received on 

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  • the late payment fee; or
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Please refer to the CIPO Patent Fees web page to see all current fee amounts.

Fee History

Fee Type Anniversary Year Due Date Paid Date
MF (patent, 8th anniv.) - small 1998-03-05 1998-01-20
MF (patent, 9th anniv.) - small 1999-03-05 1998-12-23
MF (patent, 10th anniv.) - small 2000-03-06 1999-12-23
MF (patent, 11th anniv.) - small 2001-03-05 2000-12-27
MF (patent, 12th anniv.) - small 2002-03-05 2001-12-24
MF (patent, 13th anniv.) - small 2003-03-05 2002-12-16
MF (patent, 14th anniv.) - small 2004-03-05 2003-12-29
MF (patent, 15th anniv.) - small 2005-03-07 2004-12-16
MF (patent, 16th anniv.) - small 2006-03-06 2005-12-15
MF (patent, 17th anniv.) - small 2007-03-05 2006-12-20
MF (patent, 18th anniv.) - small 2008-03-05 2007-12-17
MF (patent, 19th anniv.) - small 2009-03-05 2008-12-22
MF (application, 2nd anniv.) - small 02 1992-03-05
Owners on Record

Note: Records showing the ownership history in alphabetical order.

Current Owners on Record
LIAT-CHAW LIE
HUANG KUANG SUEN
Past Owners on Record
None
Past Owners that do not appear in the "Owners on Record" listing will appear in other documentation within the application.
Documents

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Document
Description 
Date
(yyyy-mm-dd) 
Number of pages   Size of Image (KB) 
Cover Page 1997-09-26 1 14
Drawings 1997-09-26 5 64
Claims 1997-09-26 1 44
Abstract 1997-09-26 1 16
Representative Drawing 2000-03-06 1 15
Descriptions 1997-09-26 5 168
Notice: Maintenance Fee Reminder 1997-12-08 1 119
Notice: Maintenance Fee Reminder 1998-12-08 1 118
Notice: Maintenance Fee Reminder 1999-12-07 1 119
Notice: Maintenance Fee Reminder 2000-12-06 1 121
Notice: Maintenance Fee Reminder 2001-12-06 1 121
Notice: Maintenance Fee Reminder 2002-12-09 1 115
Notice: Maintenance Fee Reminder 2003-12-08 1 125
Notice: Maintenance Fee Reminder 2004-12-07 1 119
Notice: Maintenance Fee Reminder 2005-12-06 1 118
Notice: Maintenance Fee Reminder 2006-12-06 1 120
Notice: Maintenance Fee Reminder 2007-12-06 1 120
Notice: Maintenance Fee Reminder 2008-12-08 1 120
Fees 2002-12-16 2 82
Fees 2003-12-29 1 60
Fees 1998-12-23 1 68
Fees 1998-01-20 1 70
Fees 2000-12-27 1 68
Fees 2001-12-24 1 145
Fees 1999-12-23 1 69
Fees 2004-12-16 1 93
Fees 2006-12-20 3 91
Fees 2007-12-17 1 59
Fees 2008-12-22 1 61
Fees 1996-12-17 1 56
Fees 1996-01-04 1 62
Fees 1995-01-03 2 138
Fees 1994-01-06 3 202
Fees 1992-05-25 2 64
Courtesy - Office Letter 1992-06-30 1 18
Courtesy - Office Letter 1992-02-24 1 36
Courtesy - Office Letter 1991-05-22 1 21
Courtesy - Office Letter 1990-10-09 1 18
Prosecution correspondence 1991-12-20 4 528
Prosecution correspondence 1990-06-11 1 33
Prosecution correspondence 1991-03-25 5 171
Prosecution correspondence 1990-06-11 1 33