GB2206786A

GB2206786A - Illuminated display structure

Info

Publication number: GB2206786A
Application number: GB08812663A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew John Neave
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-06-01
Filing date: 1988-05-27
Publication date: 1989-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 2008-05-27
Also published as: GB2206786B; GB8812663D0; GB8712791D0

Abstract

A display structure (2) comprising at least one fibre optic light guide (14) for conducting light to an object to be displayed. The display structure is preferably a display cabinet or a display plinth. The fibre optics, illuminated, e.g. by a quartz halogen lamp optionally including coloured filters or a coloured rotating device for giving different coloured light effects. <IMAGE>

Description

A DISPLAY STRUCTURE This invention relates to a display structure, for example a display cabinet or a display plinth.

Display structures are well known and they are used for displaying objects to be sold or for displaying objects that have been collected for their beauty or their rarity value. The known display structures are often not totally satisfactory in that required lighting displays can sometimes not be achieved. For example, it may be desirable to illuminate an object to be displayed in a certain manner and with a desired light intensity but it may not be possible to do this because heat from a light source could damage the object being displayed. Alternatively, the presence of the light source may detract from the aesthetic appearance of the object being displayed.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, this invention provides a display structure comprising at least one fibre optic light guide for conducting light to an object to be displayed.

The use of fibre optic light guides enables light to be conducted inside or very close to objects to be displayed if desired. Heat such as would be generated from a bulb does not occur so that there is no danger of the objects being displayed becoming overheated due to the close proximity of one or more fibre optic light guides. Furthermore, the fibre optic light guides can be unobtrusively positioned so that they do not detract from the aesthetic appearance afforded by the or each object being displayed.

The display structure may thus be used to display various types of objects such for example as hollow and solid objects in glass, ceramic materials and metals. The objects may be collectors items such for example as antiques or die cast model soldiers. Museum pieces may advantageously be displayed together with substantially any valuable and/or rare objects, including pictures. In particular, antique glass and model lead soldiers which may suffer badly from the effects of too much heat can be displayed with the display structures of the present invention more safely than if conventional bulb light sources were employed. Each displayed object can be lit on an individual basis rather than having a plurality of objects being given an overall flood of light as occurs with known light sources and display systems.

Fading of colours on coloured objects may also be improved using the fibre optic light guides in the display structure of the present invention.

Preferably, the display structure includes a housing, at least one display shelf in the housing, and a light source for providing light for the said at least one fibre optic light guide.

Usually, only one light source will need to be employed so that the problem of changing defective bulbs in knowxn display structures employing a plurality oi bulbs can thereby be avoided. By avoiding a plurality of bulbs, light backgroundscanbe avoided. With the display structure.of the present invention, dark backgrounds may be employed so that objects can be illuminated to the greatest advantage. If desired however, more than one light source may be employed, for example with each light source feeding a separate set o; fibre optic light guides.

With a display structure having a dark background at night the background can become substantially invisible so that a holographic effect can be obtained with the illuminated objects appearing to be floating in an unsupported manner.

Usually, the display structure will have a plurality of the fibre optic light guides.

Also usually, there will be one light source for providing light for all the fibre optic light guides.

The or each fibre optic light guides may be formed of a single solid fibre. Alternatively, the or each fibre optic light guide may be formed of a bundle of separate fibres The fibre optic light guides are flexible which is advantageous in enabling them to be lead to various desired positions in the display structure.

The fibre optic light guiSes may be any generally known fibre optic light guides and they may be made of any of the known materials employed for making fibre optic light guides. Usually, the fibre optic light guides will be made from a silica based material. The fibre optic light guides can be produced in any required lengths for a display structure so that it will not normally be necessary to connect fibre optic light guides together. Appropriate optical connectors can however be employed for connecting fibre optic light guides together if desired.

Preferably, the display structure is one in which the or each fibre optic light guide is such that light therefrom directly illuminates the object or objects to be displayed. Thus, for example, the or each fibre optic light guide may terminate such that it directs light inside the object to be displayed. Alternatively, the or each fibre optic light guide may terminate such that it directs light in front of the object or objects to be displayed. Still further, the or each fibre optic light guide could terminate such that it directs light behind or to a side of the object or objects to be displayed. As a yet further alternative, the or each fibre optic light guide may terminate such that it directs light downwardly or upwardly onto the object or objects to be displayed.

If desired, the display structure may be one in which the or each fibre optic light guide is such that light therefrom indirectly illuminates the object or objects to be displayed, the light from the or each fibre optic light guide being conducted to the object or objects to be displayed via a mirror and/or a lens arrangement.

When a mirror and/or a lens arrangement is employed, the or each fibre optic light guide may direct light to the front of the mirror or the lens arrangement or it may direct light downwardly on to the mirror or the lens arrangement.

The display struNhre may have an opening front.

Preferably, the opening front is hinged but the opening front could also be a sliding opening front or another type of opening front if desired.

Generally, the display structure may be of any size and shape. Thus, for example, the display structure may be a display cabinet arranged to have a display on one side only or it may be arranged to have a display on more than one side. The display cabinet may thus be a double sided cabinet or a four sided cabinet. The cabinet will usually be a static cabinet, but it may be a revolving cabinet if desired. The display structure may alternatively be a display plinth or other type of display structure. The display structure may be a wall, floor or table mounted display structure. The display structure can be portable or non-portable as may be desired. Modular forms of the display structure may be produced so that the display structures, for example display plinths, can be stacked one on top of each other.

AdvantageouEsly, the display structure may be designed as a reproduction piece of furniture, for example an Edwardian show case.

The light source will usually provide light directly to the or each fibre optic light guide. However, if desired, the light source may provide light indirectly to the or each fibre optic light guide, for example, by a mirror and/or a lens arrangement.

The light from the light source may be concentrated using optical concentration means, for example a concave or a convex mirror, or a lens arrangement.

Preferably, the light source is a quartz halogen lamp. Other types of light source may however be employed.

If the light source is positioned relatively close to the or each fibre optic light guide, then heat shield means may be employed to shield the fibre optic light guide or the fibre optic light guides from heat generated by the light source. Advantageously, the heat shield means are tubes through which the fibre optic light guides pass.

The display structure may be such that it includes coloured filters for giving different coloured light effects.

The different coloured filters may be employed to act on the light source or, alternatively, they may be employed to act on individual fibre optic light guides or upon groups of fibre optic light guides. Also, a coloured rotating device such for example as a coloured glass disc may be employed to give different coloured light effects.

Preferably, the display structure is such that the or each shelf is provided with a space to receive the or each fibre optic light guide. Thus, for example, the or each shelf may be provided with a false bottom to provide the space for the or each fibre optic light guide.

The shelf or shelves may be flat or sloping.

Different types of shelves may thus be employed for giving different effects to maximise the display of different objects.

The display structure may be made from any desired materials such for example as wood, plastics materials and metals. The display structure may be provided with decorative coverings such for example as a covering of felt or any other suitable display materials.

The display structure may be mains and/or battery operated.

The display structure may include masking means for masking light coming from the display end of the or each fibre optic light guide. The masking means may be flat sheets for placing over the ends of the fibre optic light guides.

The display structure may also include capping means for capping the ends of the fibre optic light guides at their ends opposite their display ends.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display cabinet according to the inventions; Figures 2,3 and 4 are front ,side and top views respectively of the display cabinet shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a cross section through the display cabinet shown in Figure 1 and illustrates how fibre optic light guides are passed through the display cabinet; Figures 6,7 and 8 illustrate three different ways of conducting light to an object to be displayed; and Figure 9 shows an electrical arrangement that may be employed in the display cabinet shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, there is shown a display cabinet 2 for displaying an object (not shown) the display cabinet 2 includes a housing 4, three display shelves 6,8,10 and a light source 12 (see Figure 9) for providing light for fibre optic light guides 14. The display shelves 6,8 are supported by sides 16,18 of the housing 4, whilst the display shelf 10 forms a bottom part of the housing 4 as shown in the drawings. As can be seen from Figure 5, the display shelves 6,8 each have a false sloping bottom 20 which provides a space 22 through which the fibre optic light guides 14 can pass. The display shelf 10 has a false bottom 24 which is flat as shown and which forms the base of the display cabinet 2.

The false bottom 24 is spaced apart from the display shelf 10 by a spacer 26 to form a space 28 for the fibre optic light guide 14 for the display shelf 10.

As can be seen from Figure 5, the housing 4 has an inner back wall 30 and an outer back wall 32. The two walls 30,32 define between them a space 34 for the fibre optic light guides 14. The inner back wall 30 is provided with apertures 36 for enabling the fibre optic light guides 14 to leave the space 34 and get to their chosen position on the display shelves 6,8. In addition to the walls 30,32, the housing 4 is such that it has a top 380 For reasons of symmetry, the top 38 is provided with a sloping portion 40 so that it looks like the false bottoms 20.

Figure 6 shows a part of the display cabinet 2 as shown in Figure 5. More specifically, Figure 6 shows the display shelf 6 and the light guide 14. The light guide 14 comes up through a hole in the display shelf 6 and an object 42 can be placed on top of the light guide 14 as shown. The object 42 will then appear to be lit from the inside.

In an alternative arrangement as shown in Figure 7, the object 42 is placed on the display shelf 6 and the light guide 14 is arranged to terminate in front of the object 42, In this case, the object 42 appears to be lit from the front.

In a further alternative as shown in Figure 8, the light guide 14 passes through an aperture 44 in the false bottom 20 and is thus able to shine light downwardly on to an object which would be placed on the display shelf 8 which is immediately below the display shelf6.

Referring now to Figure 9, there is shown an electrical arrangement which may be employed for the display cabinet 2. The electrical arrangement comprises a pair of leads 46,48 for receiving mains electricity. A switch 50 is employed for switching on the power to the display cabinet 2. A transformer 52 reduces the mains voltage to a desired level for the light source 12 which a quartz halogen lamp. In case of a mains failure, the light source 12 is also arranged to be provided with current from a battery 54. The battery 54 is connected to the light source 12 via a switch 56 and leads58,60. Figure 9 also shows somewhat schematically how light from the light source 12 is directed to a light receiving end 62 of a fibre optic light guide 14.

The display cabinet 2 described above with reference to the accompanying drawings can be used to give a very effective light display for objects to be displayed. Light sources not requiring to be used can be blanked off using marking means in the form of small sheets of material.

One of the sheets of material 64 is shown in Figure 1 and it is used simply by sliding it over its adjacent light transmitting end of its fibre optic light guide 14.

Figure 1 shows how the fibre optic light guides 14 are substantially invisible so that there is no undesirable masking of or detraction from objects to be displayed. The light source 12 can be arranged in the space 34 between the walls 30,32 so that heat from the light source 12 will not affect objects being displayed.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example,the display cabinet 2 may be of another shape so that it may have display shelves on its back as well as its front side. The display cabinet 2 can generally be of any shape and size. Furthermore, the display cabinet 2 can be arranged to run solely on mains electricity or solely on a battery or batteries if desired. The display cabinet 2 may be provided with an opening front which may be in the form of an upwardly opening glass hinged door 66 as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Other types of opening front, such for example as sliding doors or side hinged doors may also be employed.The display cabinets of the invention may also be provided with current varying means, for example a rheostat, to vary the current supplied to the light source and thereby to vary the light intensity coming from the or each fibre optic light guide. The display cabinet may be produced as a completely newly constructed item or it may be produced by converting an existing cabinet that did not have the fibre optic light guide or guides. The fibre optic light guide or guides may be provided with a variable direction attachment device which can be swivelled to direct the emitted light in a desired direction. The variable direction attachment device may include a lens if desired. The display structure may also be a display plinth or other type of display structure instead of the illustrated display cabinet. Such a display plinth may be box-like in construction and it may house all necessary electrical fitments. The display plinths may be especially useful for displaying glass and opaque objects.

Claims

1. A display structure comprising at least one fibre optic light guide forconducting the light to an object to be displayed.

2. A display structure according to claim 1 and including a housing, at least one display shelf in the housing, and a light source for providing light for the said at least one fibre optic light guide.

3. A display structure according to claim 1 or claim 2 and which has a plurality of the fibre optic light guides.

4. A display structure according to any one of the preceding claims in which the or each fibre optic light guide is such that light therefrom directly illuminates the object or objects to be displayed.

5. A display structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the or each fibre optic light guide is such that light therefrom indirectly illuminates the object or objects to be displayed, the light from the or each fibre optic light guide being conducted to the object or objects to be displayed via a mirror and/or a lens arrangement.

6. A display structure according to any one of the preceding claims and having an opening front.

7. A display structure according to any one of the preceding claims and which is a wall, floor or table mounted display structure.

8. A display structure according to claim 2 or to claim 2 and any claim appendant thereto in which the light source is a quartz halogen lamp.

9. A display structure according to any one of the preceding claims and including coloured filters for giving different coloured light effects.

10. A display structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and including a coloured rotating device for giving different coloured light effects.

11. A display structure according to claim 2 or to claim 2 and any claim when appendant thereto in which the or each shelf is provided with a space to receive the or each fibre optic light guide.

12. A display structure according to claim 11 in which the or each shelf is provided with a false bottom to provide the space for the or each fibre optic light guide.

13. A display structure according to any one of tie preceding claims and including masking means for masking light coming from the display end of the or each fibre optic light guide.

14. A display structure according to any one of the preceding claims and including capping means for capping the ends of the fibre optic light guides at their ends opposite their display ends.

15. A display structure substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.