Modular installation and conversion kit for electronic sign structure and method of using same

Abstract

An out of the box signage kit facilitates in field conversion of a static billboard having an anchored planar mounting structure into a large format billboard type electronic sign that includes a plurality of interchangeable weatherized display modules; a plurality of hand mountable interchangeable structural frames for supporting the plurality of weatherized display modules, each structural frame having a back portion for mounting to a frontside of the anchored planar mounting structure and a front portion defining a plurality of bay members for receiving corresponding ones of said plurality of weatherized display modules; and a plurality of interchangeable wire harnesses, each individual wire harness including a first end for coupling to a power source mounted on a backside of the anchored planar mounting structure, each individual wire harness having a plurality of power extensions for coupling the power source to at least one of the display modules.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 056,017 entitled, “Modular Wire Harness Arrangements and Methods of Using Same for Backside to Frontside Power and Data Distribution Safety Schemes”, by Arne E. Carlson, et al. filed on Oct. 17, 2013 and a continuation-in-part patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 044,620 entitled, “Compound Structural Frame and Method of Using Same for Efficient Retrofitting”, by David Franklin Cox, et al. filed on Oct. 2, 2013 and a continuation-in-part patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 844.832, entitled, “In Field Kit for Converting a Non Electronic Billboard into an Electronic Billboard, and Methods of Retrofitting and Using Same”, by David Franklin Cox, et al. filed on Mar. 16, 2013, which applications are incorporated herein as though fully set forth.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates generally to roadside and...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]According to a second aspect, the present invention is an electronic display or billboard comprising: a plurality of hand mountable structural frames arranged on a set of poster panels or boards of an existing in field non electronic static billboard; the structural frames being laid out on the poster boards as an array of frames, individual ones of the structural frames being configured in a further array of structural bays that help facilitate power and data wire routing; individual ones of the structural bays configured in pairs for accepting corresponding pairs of display panels that facilitate the display of dynamic visible radiant energy; a power and data harness is electrically and mechanically coupled between individual ones of the structural bays and a utility power data controller box receives data display information and universal electrical power and then rectifies the electrical power and controls the data display information for distribution to the individual ones of the display panels, and each individual display panel having a plurality of light emitting diodes to facilitate the conversion of the distributed data display information into visible radiant energy for display by the electronic billboard.

[0088]In yet another embodiment of the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the at least one compound structural frame is provided with plural vertical axis mounting holes and plural lateral axis mounting holes, the plural vertical axis mounting holes and the plural lateral axis mounting holes being distributed in plural mounting hole locations throughout the at least one compound structural frame and each being dimensioned for receiving therein a mounting bolt or screw to facilitate securing the at least one structural frame to the planar structural surface so that a sufficient mounting force may be applied to the compound structural frame to substantially eliminate face to face separation of the compound structural frame and the planar structural surface in wind load forces in excess of 100 pounds per square foot.

Problems solved by technology

Retrofitting non-digital billboards have proven to be expensive, time consuming and labor intensive.

Moreover, simply removing an older non-digital billboard and replacing it with a new digital billboard has not proven entirely satisfactory since older installed, non-digital, billboard panels represent substantial capital outlays making it financially difficult, if not impossible, to discard such panels arbitrarily for replacement with digital panels.

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