Patent ID: 7578085

Claim:
An address indicator combination comprising: a plurality of rectangular character panels each having a translucent character that is surrounded by an opaque remainder of each panel, and each having a height and a width; a frame defining a channel with upper and lower rails spaced by an amount for capturing the height of each of a plurality of said character panels that are each slidably engaged between the rails, the channel having a length equal to at least an integral number of panel widths, the frame including an upper chamber above the channel and a rear chamber behind the channel defining a space; stop means for stopping character panels that are between the rails, from sliding out of the channel; a plurality of electrically powered light sources spaced along and being within the upper chamber for casting light into the space; a translucent screen in the space for defusing light from the space into the channel for illuminating the translucent character of each panel captured between the rails, the translucent screen including an upper edge with a lens adjacent each light for helping to defuse the light; a plurality of solar cells for receiving light and for converting the light into electrical energy; a battery compartment with a battery cradle for receiving a plurality of rechargeable and replaceable batteries; and a power distribution circuit connected to the solar cells for receiving electrical power from the solar cells and being connected to the battery compartment for supplying the electrical power to charge batteries in the compartment when electrical power is being converted from light by the solar cells, the circuit being connected to the light sources for supplying power from charged batteries in the compartment to the light sources to light the light sources when no electrical power is being converted from light by the solar cells.