Patent Publication Number: US-9418578-B2

Title: Signboard device

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a National Phase of International Application Number PCT/JP2014/060562, filed Apr. 8, 2014, and claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-081165 filed on Apr. 9, 2013. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to a signboard device, in particular, the invention relates to a signboard device configured by combining a plurality of blocks. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     JP-A 2012-168235 discloses the signboard device which increases attraction to an advertisement with an eyecatch effect. The disclosed signboard device has a dynamic-image portion inside the advertisement. The signboard device disclosed in JP-A 2012-168235 comprises an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and the light guiding member covering the entire front surface of the LCD. The light guiding member removes the shadow of a frame of the LCD so that the dynamic-image portion and the other portion are seen in an integrated manner. 
     JP-A 2010-113163 proposes a backlight device which comprises a plurality of light source blocks. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     [Patent Literature 1] JP-A 2012-168235 
     [Patent Literature 2] JP-A 2010-113163 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     When arranging the LCD of JP-A 2012-168235 inside the signboard device, a support member supporting the LCD is needed. The shadow of the support member may fall on the front surface of the signboard device. When arranging a large LCD, a large support member is needed. Thus, the large shadow may fall on the front surface of the signboard device. 
     The purpose of the present invention is to provide a signboard device which can solve the problem of the shadow and deal with any size of the signboard device. 
     Solution to Problem 
     One aspect of the present invention provides a signboard device comprising a plurality of light-source blocks and a dynamic-image block. The light-source block comprises the light source emitting light forward. The dynamic-image block comprises a display device and a light-emitting portion. The display device comprises a display portion and a housing holding the display portion. The display portion displays a dynamic image. The housing has a frame covering the periphery of the display portion when seen along a front-rear direction. The light-emitting portion comprises a light source for the light emitting-portion and a light-guiding member guiding the light of the light source for the light-emitting portion. The light-guiding member guides the light of the light source for the light-emitting portion to a front surface of the light-guiding member. The front surface of the light-guiding member is positioned so as to cover at least a front surface of the frame. The dynamic-image block and the light-source blocks are combined on a surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction. When seen along a front-rear direction, the length from the top end to the bottom end of each of the light-source blocks is the same as or n times or 1/n times (n being an integer) the length from the top end to the bottom end of the dynamic-image block, and the length from the left end to the right end of each of the light-source blocks is the same as or m times or 1/m times (m being an integer) the length from the left end to the right end of the dynamic-image block. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     Similarly to a block wall, the signboard device of the present invention is configured by combining the dynamic-image block and the light-source blocks. Therefore, the position of the dynamic-image block can be changed easily. The dynamic-image block is supported by the light-source blocks so that no support member supporting the dynamic-image block is needed. Therefore, the shadow of the support member doesn&#39;t fall on the front surface of the signboard. The light-guiding member is provided on the front surface of the frame of the LCD included in the dynamic-image block so that the shadow of the frame doesn&#39;t fall on a printed copy. Thus, the dynamic-image portion and the other portion are seen in more integrated manner. The signboard device of the present invention is configured by combining the dynamic-image block and the light-source blocks so that the shape of the signboard can be changed easily. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view showing a signboard device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is exploded oblique view showing the signboard device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a rear member, taken along lines III-III. 
         FIG. 4  is a view showing a light-source block used in the signboard device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a view showing a dynamic-image block included in the signboard device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the dynamic-image block of  FIG. 5 . The light-emitting portion is shown in an oblique cross-sectional view to facilitate the understanding of the shape. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing a coupling member of the dynamic-image block and the light-source block. 
         FIG. 8  is a view showing the dynamic-image block and the light-source block the coupling of which is fixed by the fixing member and showing a jig which releases the fixing by the fixing member. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded view showing a variation example of the signboard device of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a signboard device  1  according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises a printed copy  2 , a rear member  3  and a signboard housing  4 . As understood from  FIG. 2 , the printed copy  2  is glued on the rear member  3 . The rear member  3  with on which the printed copy  2  is glued is held by the signboard housing  4 . The signboard housing  4  of the present invention is used for the prior signboard device. 
     The printed copy  2  is a sheet with an advertisement printed on it. The sheet is made of resin. A material or the thickness of the sheet may be changed as required. In the present embodiment, resin of PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) is used. Thus, the printed copy  2  can be recycled. The printed copy  2  of the present invention has transparent areas  2   a  and  2   b  indicated with a dotted line in  FIG. 2 . The transparent areas  2   a  and  2   b  are the areas, which are transparent and printed with no image. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the rear member  3  is a combined member by laying a plurality of light-source blocks  100  and dynamic-image blocks  200  in an up-down direction and a right-left direction (i.e., on a surface perpendicular to a front-rear direction of the signboard device). In the present embodiment, the rear member  3  has fourteen light-source blocks  100  and two dynamic-image blocks  200  arranged in 4×4 matrix form. The light-source blocks  100  and the dynamic-image blocks  200  are combined so that a shape of the rear-member  3  is rectangle when seen along the front-rear direction. Therefore, the outer shape of the signboard device  1  appears to be rectangle. The number of the lines and the number of the rows is equal (4 lines and 4 rows), however, the rear-member  3  has the number of the lines and the number of the rows may be different. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the light-source block  100  comprises a plurality of light sources  130  and a housing  120  which has a box-like shape whose front opens forward. The light sources  130  are provided on the innermost surface  122  which corresponds to the bottom of the housing  120  in the front-rear direction. The light-source block  100  is made of resin whose color is white or milky so that the light is further defused by the reflection effect of white. As understood from  FIG. 3 , the frontend portion (i.e. an end portion of an opening) is formed with a tapered portion  126 . The tapered portion  126  is inclined inward of the housing  120 . In other words, on the tapered portion  126 , the outer side edge of the housing  120  is positioned forward than the inner side edged of the housing  120 . With this structure, the light of the light source  130  is further defused as compared to using a housing provided with no tapered portion  126 . The brightness of the light can be uniformed. The light-source  130  of the embodiment is LED (Light Emitting Diode), however, the light-source  130  is not limited thereto. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the dynamic-image block  200  comprises the an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display: a display device)  210 , a light-emitting portion  220  and the housing  230 . As understood from  FIG. 6 , the light-emitting portion  220 , the LCD  210  and the housing  230  are arranged in this order from front in the dynamic-image block  200 . 
     The LCD  210  of the embodiment is not specific but typical. In other words, as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 6 , the LCD  210  has a LCP (liquid crystal panel: a display portion)  216  and a housing  212  holding the LCP  216 . In this embodiment, a member constituted with a polarizing filter, a color filter and a liquid crystal layer as main components is called as “LCP”. A member constituted with the LCP, a driving circuit, a backlight and a light guiding member as main components is called as “LCM (Liquid Crystal Module)”. A combination of the LCM and the housing protecting thereof is called as “LCD”. To facilitate the explanation the “LCP  216 , “housing  212  (frame  214 )” and “LCD  210 ” are specifically illustrated in the present drawings and the illustration and the explanation of other configuration are omitted. The housing  212  has a front frame  214  covering the periphery of the LCP  216  when seen from the front-rear direction of the signboard device  1 . In this embodiment, the commercial LCD  210  (whose display size is standardized) is used so that the cost can be decreased (comparing to a case requiring to a manufacturing a specific size of the LCD). However, the present invention doesn&#39;t prevent from using the specific size of the LCD. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 6 , the light-emitting portion  220  has an L shape in cross section on a surface defined by the front-rear direction and the up-down direction. In detail, the light-emitting portion  220  comprises a light source  222  for the light-emitting portion  220  and a light-guiding member  250  guiding light of the light source  222  for the light-emitting portion  220 . The light-guiding member  250  comprises a cover potion  252  and a side portion  254 . The cover portion  252  covers the front surface  214   a  of the frame  214  of the LCD  210 . The side portion  254  extends rearward from the cover portion  252  so as to cover the side surface  214   b  of the frame  214 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the front surface  256  of the light-guiding member  250  covers the front surface  214   a  of the frame  214  entirely. In other words, the front surface  214   a  of the LCD  210  does not visible when the light-emitting portion  220  is attached. The light source  222  for the light-emitting portion  220  of the present embodiment is provided on the side portion  254  of the light-guiding member  250 . A direction or an incident angle of the light source  222  for the light-emitting portion  220  can be changed as required. 
     In this embodiment, the light sources  222  for the light-emitting portion  220  are embedded in the side portion  254  of the light-guiding member  250 . However, the light sources  222  may be separated from the light-guiding member  250 . The light sources  222  of the light-emitting member  220  of the present embodiment are also LED, however, they are not limited thereto. 
     The light of the light source  222  for the light-emitting portion  220  is emitted from the front surface  256  through the light-guiding member  250 . In other words, the light-guiding member  250  guides the light of the light source  222  to the front surface  256 . The light-guiding member  250  has the L like shape in cross section, however the cross sectional shape of the light-guiding member  250  is not limited thereto. Any shape can be applied as long as the light of the light source  222  for the light-emitting portion  220  can be guided to the front surface  256 . In order to emitting the light of the light-emitting portion  222  more uniformly, the shape of the light-guiding member  250  or the position or the direction of the light source  222  for the light-emitting  220  can be changed as required. 
     The housing  230  can be made from the housing  120  used to the above-mentioned light-source block  100 . In detail, the housing  230  is made by cutting the housing  120  on the surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction (i.e. by minimizing the depth of the housing  120 ) so that a material cost can be reduced. The housing  230  has an inner surface  232  which has no light sources  130 . The front end  236  is a section made by cutting the housing  120  of the light-source block  100 . In this embodiment, the housing  212  is fixed with the LCD  210  so that the front end  236  is brought into contact with the housing  212  of the LCD  210 . Therefore, the light-emitting portion  220 , the LCD  210  and the housing  212  are integrated with each other. 
     As explained above, in this embodiment, the size of the light-source block  100  and the size of the dynamic-image block  200  are same when seen along the front-rear direction. In other words, the length from the top end to the bottom end of the light-source block  100  is the same as the length from the top end to the bottom end of the dynamic-image block, and the length from the left end to the right end of each of the light-source blocks is the same as the length from the left end to the right end of the dynamic-image block. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the outer shape of the signboard device  1  (the rear member  3 ) has a rectangular shape when seen along the front-rear direction. 
     The LCD  210  of the dynamic-image block is a 10.4-inch display. The LCD  210  is typically and commercially sold and is not made for specific use. The LCD  210  prescribes the size (i.e. the length from the top end to the bottom end and the length from the left end to the right end) of the dynamic-image block  200 , and the size of the light-source block  100 . The size of the light-source blocks is ¼ times the size of the dynamic-image block. In this case, the size of the combination of the four ¼ sized light-source blocks  100  can be the same as the size of the dynamic-image block  200 . The position adjustment of the dynamic-image block  200  can be made in detail when the size of the light-source block  100  is minimizes than the size of the dynamic-image block  200 . 
     The size of the light-source blocks is 4 times the size of the dynamic-image block. Thus, the one light-source block  100  can cover 4 times area. The aspect ratio may be difference. For example, the longitudinal length of the light-source block  100  is 2 times the longitudinal length of the dynamic-image block  200  and a lateral length of the length of the light-source block  100  is 4 times the lateral length of the dynamic-image block  200 . 
     The length from the top end to the bottom end of each of the light-source blocks may be n times or 1/n times (n being an integer) the length from the top end to the bottom end of the dynamic-image block and the length from the left end to the right end of each of the light-source blocks may be m times or 1/m times (m being an integer) the length from the left end to the right end of the dynamic-image block as long as the signboard device  1  (the rear member  3 ) has the rectangular outer shape when seen along the front-rear direction. However, with considering the availability of the movement of dynamic-image block  200  and correspondence of variety design of the printed copy, it is preferred that the size of the light-source block  100  and the size of the dynamic-image block are same. 
     In the present embodiment, the printed copy  2  is glued to the rear member  3  with glue  5 . The glue  5  are put on the tapered portion  126  of the light-source blocks  100  and the front surface  256  of the dynamic-image block  200 . In this condition, the printed copy  2  and the rear member  3  are glued with each other by pushing the printed copy  2  to the rear member  3 . In other words, there is the glue  5  between the printed copy  2  and the rear member  3  so that the printed copy  2  is not directly brought into contact with the rear member  3 . Thus, the shadows of the tapered portion  126  of the light-source block  100  and the front surface  256  of the dynamic-image block  200  do not fall on the printed copy  2 . In the present embodiment, the front of the dynamic-image block  200  (the front surface  256  of the light-guiding body  250 ) and the front of the plurality of the light-source blocks  100  (the front end of the tapered portion  126 ) are same in position in the front-rear direction. Thus, the printed copy  2  can be glued so as to make flat. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the printed copy  2  has the transparent areas  2   a  corresponding to the dynamic-image block  200   a  and the transparent areas  2   b  corresponding to the dynamic-image block  200   b  when seen from the front. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 1 , “moving eyes” (the dynamic-image block  200   a ) and “changing sentence character (the dynamic-image block  200   b ) of a crab can be seen through the transparent area  200   a  and the transparent area  200   b,  respectively. As a result, “the crab having the moving eyes”, “the moving character” and the still-picture (an illustration, words or the like illustrated on the printed copy  2 ) are seen in integral manner. As mentioned above, the frame  214  (housing  212 ) of the LCD  210  is generally made of the resin or the like. Therefore the frame  214  does not emit the light. If the light-emitting portion  220  were not used, the shadow of the frame  214  would fall on the printed copy  2 . However, according to the present invention, (the front surface  256  of) the light-guiding member  250  covers the front surface  214   a  of the frame  214  so that the shadow of the frame  214  does not fall on the printed copy  2 . 
     The light-source blocks  100  and the dynamic-image blocks  200  may be coupled and fixed with each other by coupling means  300  shown in  FIG. 7 . Hereinafter, the term of “a block  100 ” means both the light-source block  100  and the dynamic-image block  200 . The coupling means  300  comprises a protrusive portion  302  and a recessed portion  304 . The coupling means are provided on four side surfaces positions of each of the blocks  100 ′ so that the blocks  100 ′ are coupled in the up-down and right-left direction. With this structure, the blocks  100 ′ are fixed in the up-down and right-left direction (a Z-direction and an X-direction). In the present embodiment, coupling means  300  extends forward from the rear end of the block  100 ′ and does not communicate with the front end. Therefore the block  100 ′ can not pulled rearward. In other words, for example, the only one of the block  100 ′ required to be removed can be pulled rearward when the block  100 ′ is needed to be moved. Other blocks  100 ′ do not fall down because the blocks  100 ′ are coupled and fixed by the coupling means  300 . 
     As mentioned above, the printed copy  2  and the rear member  3  is glued and fixed by glue  5 . However, a fixing member  400  shown in  FIG. 8  may be provided between the blocks  100 ′ in case some blocks  100 ′ slip forward unintentionally. The fixing member  400  has a cramp-like shape having an upper engagement portion  402  and the lower engagement portion  404 . Each of the upper engage portion  402  and the lower engage portion  404  has “a claw” protruding outward. As understood from  FIG. 8 , the fixing member  400  is inserted through the opening formed on the inner surface  122 ′ of the block  100 ′. Each of the upper engagement portion  402  and the lower engagement portion  404  engages with the block  100 ′ so that the block  100 ′ can not be pulled forward. Therefore, when using the coupling means  300  and the fixing member  400 , the block  100 ′ can be prevented from moving or sliding in the front-rear direction, the right left direction and the up down direction. The fixing member  400  can be released by a jig  410  having a T-like shape as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The jig  400  has a handle  412  corresponding the vertical line in T shape and a releasing portion  414  corresponding a horizontal line in T shape. Pushing portions  416  are provided both ends of the releasing portion  414  protruding therefrom. As understood from  FIG. 8 , the pushing portions  416  of the jig  410  can push the upper engagement portion  402  and the lower engagement portion  404 . The pushed upper engagement portion  402  and the pushed lower engagement portion  404  are deformed inward. The size of the opening provided on the inner surface  122 ′ of the block  100 ′ is larger than the size of the upper engagement portion  402  and the lower engagement portion  404 , both included with the claws, in the up-down direction. Therefore, the pushed upper engagement portion  402  and lower engagement portion  404  can be moved rearward and removed. In this state, when pulling the block  100 ′ forward, the block  100 ′ can be pulled out. 
     The rear member  3  illustrated in  FIG. 2  has the rectangular shape. However, depending on a shape of the printed copy  2  (i.e. a shape of the signboard device), the rear member may have another shape such as, for example, shown in  FIG. 9 . The printed copy  2 ′ shown in  FIG. 9  has a shape whose parts of upper right and upper left are removed. Accordingly, the uppermost of the right end and the left end of the light source blocks  100  are removed. Alternatively, the rear member  3  shown in  FIG. 2  may be attached with one or more of the light-source block  100 . In this case, the rear member  3  has a rectangular shape having a convex portion. The rear member  3  may have both the convex portion and the recessed portion depending on the shape of the printed copy or the location (a shape of a attaching space or the like) of the signboard device. 
     According to the rear member  3  of the present invention, the light-source blocks and the dynamic-image blocks can be combined freely. Therefore, the printed copy whose shape is not rectangular can be applied.