Perforated Display Panel with Spring-Loaded LED Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing traffic signs, particularly those using modular designs, face challenges with heat dissipation, mechanical robustness, and cost-effectiveness, while also needing to comply with various mechanical, light-technical, and environmental standards.
Innovation Solution
The design features a metallic carrier plate with longitudinal and cross struts, which provides a stiffened support for the optics and LED boards. The optics are glued onto the carrier plate, and spring bridges are used to secure the LED boards, allowing for efficient heat dissipation and a dense, modular display surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If modular display modules are used, then ease of replacement and installation is improved, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display system is divided into multiple independent modular units, each with its own housing and LED board. This segmentation allows individual modules to be replaced without affecting the entire system, while each module maintains its own thermal management capabilities through dedicated cooling channels and heat dissipation surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
A metallic carrier plate with integrated cooling channels acts as an intermediary thermal management component. This carrier plate is positioned between the LED board and the housing, serving as a heat conductor that transfers thermal energy from the LED components to the housing for dissipation, while also providing mechanical support for the modular assembly.
2Strength
If a metallic front plate is used, then mechanical strength and protection are improved, but heat dissipation is hindered and solar reflections occur
Solution Approach 1:
The front plate is segmented into multiple sections with integrated cooling channels, allowing heat to be conducted away from the LED components while maintaining the metallic structure's mechanical strength. The segmentation enables thermal energy to be distributed across multiple pathways rather than concentrated in a single heat dissipation path.
Solution Approach 2:
The metallic carrier plate is designed with varying local properties: regions close to the LED boards have enhanced thermal conductivity through integrated cooling channels, while other regions maintain the structural integrity of the metallic front plate. This local differentiation allows the same component to simultaneously provide mechanical protection and thermal management.
3Reliability
If individual optics are inserted into a blackened metallic front plate, then sealing is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier plate integrates multiple functions into a single component: it provides mechanical support for the optics, establishes sealing surfaces through integrated channels, and serves as a thermal management structure. By merging these functions, the design eliminates the need for separate sealing components and reduces manufacturing steps while maintaining reliable sealing between modules.
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
This solution achieves improved heat dissipation, mechanical robustness, and cost-effectiveness, while maintaining compliance with relevant standards, resulting in a reliable and efficient traffic sign system.
Implementation Method 1
spring bridges, which are locked between the longitudinal or transverse struts or attached to the positioning pins, are pressed against the optics under defined pre-tension
Implementation Method 2
a metallic carrier plate with longitudinal and cross struts, which provides a stiffened support for the optics and LED boards
Implementation Method 3
The optics are glued onto the carrier plate
Implementation Method 4
heat dissipation from the display surface is therefore an important criterion
Implementation Method 5
The heat must be distributed via conduction and dissipated via external convection
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3~5
AI summary
A new design for an outdoor display panel with a pixel grid and focused light emission, particularly for variable message signs, is proposed. Such displays must meet specific standards to emit clearly recognizable graphic images or symbols under all weather conditions, remaining functional in all types of sunlight, heat and cold, storms, thunderstorms, rain, and snow. These displays either have a large housing or are assembled from identical modules on a support frame. While a single large housing offers technical advantages in this application, it is difficult to implement. The presented design uses a perforated substrate (1) as the housing front and plastic tiles (21) with pixel optics (24) embedded in the grid, which are bonded to the substrate (1) without gaps and with a seal.The optics (24) protruding through the perforated grid are illuminated internally by LED boards (41) with LEDs (42), which are also arranged in the grid and aligned with the optics (24) via positioning pins (4). They are pressed evenly against the optics (24) by springs (48). The mounting plate (1) is stiffened by longitudinal and transverse struts (5, 6) and welded to the housing, forming a Faraday cage. An alternative version of the mounting plate (1) made of perforated profiles (11) arranged in a row is also presented, as well as a module (51) constructed with the same elements, the same size as the LED board (41), which can be used for modular displays.