Luminous Display With Opaque Conductor Tracks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing illuminated displays for advertising purposes lack flexibility and uniform optical transparency when applied to facades or window panes, as they often have visible conductor tracks that disrupt the uniform appearance and are not easily adaptable to large areas.

Innovation Solution

The development of an illuminated display with conductor tracks that are designed to be impermeable to visible light, covering up to 60% of the base body, and made of high conductivity metals like copper, which are arranged in a uniform pattern to ensure uniform optical transparency and can be easily applied to flexible surfaces like glass panes without leaving residue.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conductor tracks are made opaque to visible light to improve uniformity, then optical uniformity is improved, but light transmission is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuniformity of optical appearanceVSAvoidlight transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different optical properties to different parts of the conductor track structure. Individual conductor tracks are made opaque (reducing light by at least 80%) to block visibility, while the overall arrangement maintains uniform transparency (30%-60% coverage) when viewed from a distance. This local opacity with global uniformity resolves the contradiction between making tracks invisible and maintaining light transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses metallization or metallization structures with specific optical properties to achieve the desired effect. The conductive traces are designed to be largely opaque to visible light while maintaining electrical conductivity, transforming the optical appearance from transparent to uniformly opaque at the appropriate viewing distance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Ease of operation

If conductor tracks cover 30%-60% of the base body to achieve uniform transparency, then optical uniformity is improved, but the base body area available for other functions is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuniformity of optical transparencyVSAvoidavailable base body area
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from considering only the two-dimensional base body area to incorporating the third dimension of viewing distance. The conductor tracks cover 30%-60% of the base body area, but at viewing distances greater than 5 meters, this coverage creates a uniform appearance rather than visible individual tracks, effectively using spatial dimension to resolve the area constraint.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If flexible film is used to enable easy attachment to surfaces, then adaptability is improved, but structural strength is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility for attachmentVSAvoidstructural strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible film as the base body to enable easy attachment to various surfaces such as glass panes and facades. The flexible nature allows the display to conform to different mounting surfaces, while the film structure provides sufficient structural integrity for the intended applications through its adhesive properties and mechanical flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a flexible, uniform, and energy-efficient illuminated display that can be applied to large areas without visible conductor tracks, ensuring consistent optical transparency and easy installation on various surfaces, including glass facades.

Implementation Method 1

The structures themselves are largely opaque to visible light. In other words, the covering, or the individual structures of the covering, reduces visible light by at least 80%.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentEP3357307B1Luminous display
Publication Date: 2022.08.24 LIGHTNTEC GMBH & CO KG
  • EP3357307B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3357307B1 patent drawingFigure 2a
  • EP3357307B1 patent drawingFigure 2b

AI summary

The invention relates to a luminous display (10) having a plurality of lighting means, in particular a plurality of light-emitting diodes, which are arranged on a transparent main body. The transparent main body reduces visible light by at most 40% on average. The transparent main body is preferably in the form of a film, more preferably in the form of a plastic film. The lighting means are supplied with voltage by means of conducting tracks. The conducting tracks are electrically connected preferably to a control unit (26a-g) at one end and to at least one lighting means at the other end.