NZ191549A - Sign illuminated by electric lamps,mains and solar charged secondary power supplies and ambient lighting control - Google Patents

Description

FORM 5. NEW ZEALAND Fee: $55.00 Insert number of Provisional Specification(s) (if any) and date(s) of filing; otherwise leave blank.

PATENTS ACT 195 3 Number: 191549 Date: 12 September 1979 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Insert Title of Invention.

ILLUMINATED SIGNS AND HOARDINGS Insert full name, fu 11 street address and nationality of (each) applicant.

I/WC PETER O'BRIEN, a New Zealand citizen of Apartment 1, "Amira", Corner Cable Street and Main Beach Parade, Main Beach, Queensland, 4215, Australia. hereby declare the invention for which I/w^ pray that a patent may be granted to and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement- Indicate if following - 1 - page is numbered '1(a)1 1.5.80 1 91549 THIS INVENTION relates to illuminated signs, billboards and hoardings which may be used for advertising purposes.

Roadside billboards are well-known and are a common 5 sight along the sides of highways or major roads, being either free-standing or mounted on walls or building structures.

While they are an effective advertising medium during daylight hours, their effectiveness is almost zero at night unless some method of illumination is provided. In remote locations, or 10 along highways, it is often not economically feasible to supply electricity to these billboards to enable them to be illuminated.

In cities or towns, where an electricity supply is available, the illumination of the billboards and hoardings may be direct, e.g. by lights mounted in front of the billboards or hoardings with their light directed thereonto, by neon tubes or fluorescent tubes formed into particular shapes or configurations, or indirectly, by illuminating the rear of the panels carrying the materials, where the panels may be 20 selectively transparent or opaque.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an illuminated sign, billboard or hoarding which has an integral power supply which includes electricity generation by way of solar cells.

Xt is a preferred object of the present invention to provide means to selectively illuminate the lights of the sign, 191549 billboard or hoarding when visibility is below a preset minimum and/or for a perdetermined time period.

It is further preferred object to provide a power supply which, with minor modification, can be used with either A.C. or D.C. lights.

It is a still further preferred object to provide a power supply which may be used in conjunction with a main electricity supply, th.e_ present invention providing an emergency or "back-up" supply.

Other preferred objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.

In one aspect, the present invention resides in an illuminating sign, billboard or hoarding including: a plurality of solar cells arranged in an array to receive solar energy; battery means to store electrical energy generated by the solar cells; a battery voltage regulator controlling the electrical voltage and current generated by the solar cell array; light means operablfe by the electrical energy; •* timing means operable to cause the sign to be illuminated for a predetermined period or periods daily; and 191540 v**1 ' a direct current/alternating current inverter interposed between the battery means and the light means; an alternating current mains electricity supply connected to the light means; a switch operable by the mains supply to connect the battery means to the light means for a predetermined period or when the mains supply is switched off; and sensing means interposed between the battery means and the light means operable to cause the light means to be illuminated when the light intensity in the vicinity of the sign falls below a preset minimum value, wherein the sensing means includes: a light sensitive component; an electronic switch means controlled by the light sensitive component; and a relay means connected to the electronic switch means, the relay means being normally open insolating the light means from, the battery means; 1 0 1 rz a o the components being arranged so that when the light intensity incident on the light sensitive component falls below the preset minimum value, the electronic switch means is switched to operate the relay to interconnect the light means to the battery means to illuminate the sign.

In one preferred form, the sensing means includes: a light sensitive resistor; a transistor biassed by said resistor; a relay connected to the transistor, the relay being normally open isolating the light means from the battery means; the components being arranged so that when the light intensity incident on said resistor falls below the preset minimum value, the transistor is switched to operate the relay to interconnect the light means to the battery means to illuminate the sign. 191549 The lights may be of either the direct current (D.C.) or alternating current (A.C.) type. Where an alternating current mains supply is connected to the sign, a switching circuit may be provided to switch either' the mains supply or the solar electricity supply into connection with the lamps. For example, where the sign is normally supplied by the mains supply, the solar.electricity supply could be provided as a back-up supply to maintain the sign illuminated should the mains supply fail or be interrupted. Where restrictions prevent continual mains supply to the sign, the solar electricity supply can also maintain the sign illuminated.

Preferably the light means includes a plurality of electric lamps mounted in a housing behind a display panel and operable to back-light the panel. The lamps may be, e.g., incandescent lamps, fluorescent tubes or neon lamps. Alternatively, the lights can be positioned in front of the panel to directly illuminate it or the lamps can be shaped into any desired configuration, e.g. as in a neon sign.

Preferably the solar array includes a plurality of solar cell modules mounted on or adjacent the housing, the modules being electrically.interconnected to provide the desired voltage/current/power requirements for the sign. Preferably the modules are adjustably mounted so that they can be accurately positioned on site to receive the maximum quantity of solar energy during each day. jftZ.PATE.Tt.l-- T : - 4 MAY £34 ; " 6 ~ 191549 To enable the invention to be fully understood, preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: » FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a sign; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the circuit for one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2A is the circuit of the light-sensitive switch used in the circuit of FIG. 2; and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the circuit of a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, illuminated, sign 10 is mounted on a post 11 and has a substantially rectangular housing 12 formed by an open-fronted sheet metal box. The front of the housing is closed by an advertising panel 13 formed of toughened or laminated glass, polycarbonate sheet or other suitable material. Portions of the panel are either transparent or opaque to form the advertising message to be conveyed to the potential customer.

A plurality of fluorescent lights 14 are mounted inside the housing 12 in suitable electrical sockets 15. When illuminated, the lights .14 provide back-lighting for the advertising panel 13.

Six solar cell modules 16 are mounted on the upper end of the post 11 in a three-by-two (3 x 2) array 17. Each module 16 has a frame 18 supported on adjustable brackets 19 secured to the post 11. By tilting adjustment of the modules, and A 'a *? * | j_ l ~; j. O L. i J rotation about the post so that the modules face North in the Southern Hemisphere (or South in the Northern Hemisphere), the maximum quantity of sol&r energy can f^ll onto the array.

The solar cells 20 in each module 16 are interconnected 5 and the modules are, in turn, interconnected in either series or parallel depending on the voltage/current/power characteristics required.

The electricity generated by the array is fed to an electronics "black box" 21 mounted on the housing 12. FIG. 2 10 shows a circuit for a sign having direct current (D.C.) lamps 14.

The electrical output from the solar array 17 is fed to one or more electricity storage batteries 22 via a battery voltage regulator 23 with known voltage and current character-15 istics.

The electricity supply from the battery 22 to the lights 14 is controlled by a sensing circuit 24 which switches on the lights 14 when the light intensity in the vicinity of the sign falls below a preset value.

Referring to FIG, 2A, the sensing circuit 24 incorporates a light-sensitive resistor 25 in the biassing circuit of a switching transistor 26. The coil 27 of a normally open relay 28 (having contact points 29) is provided between the emitter of the transistor 26 and ground (or earth). 25 As the light intensity incident on the resistor 25 decreases, the resistanc e of the resistor 25 increases and so the base- ~ 4 MAY $34 ' 191549 emitter voltage (VBE) of the transistor 26 is increased. At a preset voltage, the transistor 26 is switched on to cause current to flow through the coil 27 to close contac t points 29. The lights 14 are now connected to the battery 22 and the 5 sign 10 is illuminated. When the light intensity in the vicinity of the sign reaches a preset minimum value, i.e. just after dawn, the resistance of the resistor 25 drops, switching off the lights 14.

If cloud cover reduces the visibility of the sign, the 10 lights 14 will be switched on and the sign will not lose the impact of its message.

In some applications, a mains electricity supply 30 (with an alternating current) may be available. The supply 30 is connected to the battery 22 via a suitable rectifier 31 15 having a direct current (D.C.) output. Should the mains supply fail or be interrupted, the lights 14 will continue to operate on the electricity stored in the battery 22 generated by the solar array 17.

If preferred, a timing circuit 32 may be provided, 20 powered by the battery 22 or rectifier 31, which is connected to a relay 33 which operates a switch 34 in the mains supply circuit. By this arrangement, the mains supply 30 can be switched off or on as desired to power the sign for a predetermined period, or periods, each day.

As an alternative, the timing circuit 32 may be combined with the sensing circuit 24 so that the lights 14 are i^CSiVF:" 191549 only switched on to illuminate the sign 10 during preset time periods and when the visibility of the unilluminated sign is low.

FIG. 3 shows a circuit for a sign having alternating 5 current (A.C.) lights 14.

The output of the battery 22 is fed through a D.C./ A.C. inverter 35 to the sensing circuit 24a, to which the mains supply 30 is also' connected.

A timing circuit 32a is c onnected to the mains supply 10 30 and operates a relay 33a to connect the battery 22 to the lights 14 via switch 34a.

As an alternative, where the solar array 17 provides a back-up supply to the mains supply 30, the timing circuit 32a may be replaced by a circuit which is operated when the 15 mains supply 30 is interrupted or fails, enabling the sign to remain illuminated. Therefore this arrangement is also particularly suitable for warning lights or beacons which must be kept illuminated at all times.

The sensing circuit 24a may include a circuit similar 20; to the sensing circuit 24 (FIG. 2A) or may include a photo voltaic cell which has its output connected to the gate of a silicon-controlled-rectifier (SCR) which, in turn, controls a relay 28. When the light intensity on the photovoltaic cell falls below a preset minimum value, the SCR operates the relay 25 to switch on the lights 14.

From the above, it can be easily seen that the solar array 17 may provide the main supply or an auxiliary supply - 10 - T~*" s , r 4 MAY >934 \ ," ^ U RECEIVED $ for the lights 14 and may be invaluable as an emergency back-up supply for signs, lights or beacons which must be kept illuminated at all times.

Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments or alternatives thereon hereinbefore described without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (5)

' 101549 WHAT I/WE CLAIM IS:

1. An illuminating sign, billboard or hoarding including: a plurality of solar cells arranged in an array to receive solar energy; battery means to store electrical energy generated by the solar cells; a battery voltage regulator controlling the electrical voltage and current generated by the solar cell array; light means operable by the electrical energy; timing means operable to cause the sign to be illuminated for a predetermined period or periods daily; a direct current/alternating current inverter interposed between the battery means and the light means; an alternating current mains electricity supply connected to the light means; a switch operable by the mains supply to connect the 'battery means to the lights means for a predetermined period or when the mains supply is switched off; and sensing means interposed between the battery means and the light means operable to cause the light means to be illuminated when the light intensity in the vicinity of the sign falls below a preset minimum value, wherein the sensing means includes: ■ • a light sensitive component; ' i9'M an electronic switch means controlled by the light 191540 sensitive component; and a relay, means connected to the electronic switch means, the relay means being normally open insolating the light means from the battery means; the components being arranged so that when the light intensity incident on the light sensitive component falls below the preset minimum value, the electronic switch means is switched to operate the relay to interconnect the light means to the battery means to illuminate the sign.

2. A sign as claimed in Claim 1 wherein: the light sensitive component is a light sensitive resistor; and the electronic switch means is transistor biassed by the resistor and switched to operate the relay means when the light intensity falls below the preset minimum value.

3. A sign as claimed in Claim 1 wherein: the light sensitive component is a photo-voltaic cell; the electronic switch means is a silicon-controlled-rectifier having its gate connected to the photo-voltaic cell, the rectifier being switched to operate the relay means when the light intensity falls below the preset minimum value,.

4- A sign as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein: the light means includes a plurality of' electric fvjj? 191549 lamps mounted in a housing behind a display panel operable to back-light the panel,; and the solar cell array includes a plurality of solar cell modules mounted on the housing and electrically interconnected to generate electricity to operate the lamps.

5. An illuminating sign, billboard or hoarding as claimed in Claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIG. 1, or FIG. 2A, or FIG. 3, of the accompanying drawings. " j: 0. HARDIE & CO. Patent Attorneys for the Appl»earrt(s). - 14 -