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US4457089A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Decorative, illuminated automotive reflector

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1981-10-02
•
Granted: 1984-07-03
•
Expires: 2001-10-02
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Abstract

Abstract An automotive decorative display panel is devised to provide a reflective black insignia on a bright field during daylight conditions and illuminated insignia on a dark field during night-time conditions. The illuminated display panel is comprised of a lens panel having a reflective, opaque field and a translucent insignia field. A screen is disposed behind the insignia field. The screen is characterized by being partially reflective and partially transmissive. During the day, light is reflected from the screen through the insignia portion to form a black insignia field against the bright reflective field. During the night the screen is back lit to form a bright insignia field against a relatively dark background. A solid state electroluminescent panel is used as the light source in a hermetically sealed package. In addition, the screen is composed of a plurality of line print screens of decreasing line density wherein each screen is rotated with respect to the adjacent screen in order to remove moire patterns.

Inventors

  • 👤 Wilbert H. Phillips, Jr.

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 19:35
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09F; G09F13/00; G09F13/20; G09F13/22; B; B60; B60Q; B60Q1/00; B60Q1/26; B60Q1/30; B60Q1/301; B60Q1/3015; B60Q2400/00; B60Q2400/10; G09F2013/227

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 117 words
An apparatus comprising: a lens panel having a reflecting portion and a translucent insignia portion; a screen disposed at least behind said insignia portion, said screen being at least partially reflective to light incident thereon through said insignia portion, and at least partially transparent to light therethrough from behind said screen, and wherein said screen is a plurality of line screen prints, each one of said plurality of prints being angularly oriented to each other one of said plurality of line screen prints to avoid moire patterns and a light source disposed behind said screen, whereby a day reflector is devised which reflectively displays said insignia portion under daylight, and which illuminates said insignia portion during night.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 117 words
An apparatus comprising: a lens panel having a reflecting portion and a translucent insignia portion; a screen disposed at least behind said insignia portion, said screen being at least partially reflective to light incident thereon through said insignia portion, and at least partially transparent to light therethrough from behind said screen, and wherein said screen is a plurality of line screen prints, each one of said plurality of prints being angularly oriented to each other one of said plurality of line screen prints to avoid moire patterns and a light source disposed behind said screen, whereby a day reflector is devised which reflectively displays said insignia portion under daylight, and which illuminates said insignia portion during night.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the line density of each screen print is unequal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said plurality of line screen prints are positioned in order of decreasing line density.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 17 words
The apparatus of claims 1, 2, or 3 wherein each said screen print is approximately 60% open.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
The apparatus of claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein the most dense of said screen prints has a density of at least 150 lines per inch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each screen is rotated approximately 30° with respect to an adjacent screen.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2958762A Cited
US3188761A Cited
US3284941A Cited
US3404474A Cited
US3510976A Cited
US3680237A Cited
US4005538A Cited
US3978599A Cited
US4195431A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-07-03 1988-01-02 1988-07-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-07-03 1992-01-02 1992-07-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-07-03 1996-01-02 1996-07-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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