Review this prior art and click on the thumbs up (or down) to indicate whether this submission should be forwarded to IP Australia.
If you login then you can add an annotation by typing in the box at the bottom of the screen to comment on the relevance of the prior art to the claims of the patent application.
| Summary / Description | A display panel such as an automobile instrument panel is formed ... a fiber optic ribbon which extends through the depression, which ribbon is remotely energized by a lamp to illuminate the depression. A clear plastic envelope for supporting the ribbon within the depression is assembled to the ribbon and the assembly is inserted into the slot ... |
| Type of Prior Art | Issued Patents - US |
| Country | United States of America |
| Patent/Application # | US 3,800,135 |
| Kind Code | United States (US) - United STATES Patent - A |
| Patentee Name | General Motors Corporation |
| Relevant Pages, Columns, or Lines | multiple (see comments in clai |
| URL | |
| Filing Date | March 26, 1974 |
| Additional Information | (N.B. I've given the issue date rather than the filing date above. |
| Notes | |
Excerpt A fiber optic ribbon 20, as is well known in the art, comprises a parallel rray of light conducting fibers assembled to form a long flat ribbon. One end of the ribbon is rolled and secured in an eyelet 22 for support by menas not shown in line wiht a lamp 24 at some convenient location, usually in the instrument panel itself. As is also well known, light fromt he lamp 24 is transmitted through the ribbon 20 and may be allowed to escape laterally therefrom by abrading or otherwise treating the sides of the ribbon in any selective lcoation to at least partially disrupt light transmission through the ribbon to allow lateral light escape. |
An optical display comprising:
a plurality of strands arranged in spaced apart relationship;
each strand having a plurality of waveguides with each guide having an output at a different position along the length of the respective strand;
each waveguide having an input end; and
a light driver supplying light to the input end of each waveguide so light can propagate along the waveguide and exit at the outputs.
| Relevance | - "a plurality of strands arranged in a spaced apart relationship" is disclosed at col 1, lines 61-62 ("a parallel array of light conducting fibers assembled to form a long flat ribbon") - "each strand having a plurality of waveguides" --- the reference shows at least one waveguide (e.g. fiber) - "with each guide having an output at a different position along the length of the respective strand" is disclosed at col 1, line 66 to col 2 line 3 ("light ... is transmitted through the ribbon 20 and may be allowed to escape laterally therefrom by abrading or otherwise treating the sides of the ribbon in any selection location at to at least partially disrupt light transmission through the ribbon to allow lateral light escape" - "a light driver ..." is found at col 1 line 63 ("lamp 24" |
The optical display of claim 1, wherein each strand contains a plurality of nodes and the output of each fibre is located at a respective node.
| Relevance | see col 1 line 66 to col 2 line 3 |
The optical display of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the output comprises the output end of the waveguide.
| Relevance | see col 1 line 66 to col 2 line 3 |
The optical display of anyone of claims 1 to 3, wherein each waveguide comprises an optical fibre.
| Relevance | "light conducting fibers" are disclosed as the waveguide |
The optical display of anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein each node comprises a diffusing acrylic bead.
| Relevance | abrasion of the fiber (bottom of col 1) has the effect of diffusing light |
An optical display comprising:
a plurality of spaced apart strands, each strand comprising;
a support element for supporting a plurality of optical fibres;
a plurality of diffuser elements on the support element, the diffusers being spaced apart along the length of the strand; and
a plurality of optical fibres supported by the support element, each of the plurality of optical fibres having a terminating end located at a respective diffuser element of the strand, wherein when light is provided to the optical fibres and propagates along the optical fibres, the light exits the terminating end of the fibres at the respective diffuser elements to thereby create an optical display.
| Relevance | see citations for claim 1 |
United States