Patent ID: 8780675

Claim:
A display assembly comprising: a display configured for selectively displaying human-readable indicia on a face thereof and being operable between an active state and an inactive state, the display comprising a plurality of light-emitting devices each being configured to emit light from the face of the display when in the active state; a generally opaque cover disposed over the entire face of the display, wherein the cover comprises a flexible material positioned over the face of the display that forms an outermost surface of the display assembly, wherein the flexible material is sufficiently flexible to be bent to an angle of greater than 90 degrees without permanent deformation or fracture, the flexible material having an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface, the cover further having a plurality of conduits extending from the inner surface of the cover toward the outer surface through a portion of a thickness of the cover, each conduit having an open end at the inner surface of the cover and a closed end opposite the open end, wherein the closed ends of the conduits form a plurality of thinned portions of the cover; and a rigid shell positioned between the face of the display and the inner surface of the cover, wherein each of the plurality of conduits is substantially aligned with one of the plurality of light-emitting devices, and wherein the shell is configured to permit light emitted from each light-emitting device in the active state to pass through, such that the light is configured to travel through the shell and enter the open end of the conduit aligned with the light-emitting device and travel down the conduit, wherein the thinned portion at the closed end of each conduit forms a translucent portion that is configured to permit a portion of the light to pass through, allowing the display to be visible through the cover when the light-emitting devices are in the active states, and wherein the translucent portion is configured to obscure vision of the display when the light-emitting devices are in the inactive state.