Patent ID: 6948828

Claim:
An illumination device for simulating neon, comprising: a substantially rigid power control board having an upper surface; a light source secured to and arranged on the upper surface of said control board in a predetermined design; at least one sidewall secured to and extending upwardly from the upper surface of said rigid power control board, thereby forming a channel substantially enclosing the light source; an essentially solid waveguide having a light-emitting surface and a light-receiving surface, said waveguide being comprised of a material that has both optical waveguide and light scattering properties, and said waveguide being formed in the predetermined design of said light source and secured within said channel adjacent said light source, such that light entering the light-receiving surface of said waveguide from the light source is directed along at least a portion of said waveguide and preferentially scattered into an elongated and substantially uniform light intensity pattern on the light-emitting surface of said waveguide; and a light-transmitting material filling a portion of the volume of the channel between the power control board and the waveguide.