Illuminated canopy system

Abstract

A rear illuminated fascia apparatus for mounting on a surface is disclosed. The apparatus has a support structure comprising support brackets, top and bottom edge frame members, and corner members which tension and hold in place a flexible, translucent sheet material. Metal halide lights are used to illuminate the sheet material. A light dispersion member is positioned between the lights and the sheet material to uniformly distribute and disperse the light through the sheet material. Access members in the apparatus and access openings in the light dispersion member allow convenient changes of the lights.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An illuminated fascia light box apparatus for mounting on a surface comprising: a plurality of support brackets for attachment to said surface;   a pair of elongated frame members attached to said support brackets and forming two external face edges of said apparatus;   a pair of corner members, a first corner member attached to one end of said pair of frame members and a second corner member attached to the other end of said pair of frame members;   a translucent sheet member stretchably extending and secured at its edges by said pair of frame members and said pair of corner members;   at least one metal halide light positioned in said apparatus and providing illumination through said translucent sheet member;   a light dispersion member positioned between said light and said sheet member for distributing illumination from the light uniformly on said sheet member;   wherein said light dispersion member includes a means for manually accessing said light from below said light box for replacement.   
     
     
       2. The illuminated fascia light box apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frame members have channel means for containing ends of said support brackets therein. 
     
     
       3. The illuminated fascia light box apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a support member for supporting said light dispersion member. 
     
     
       4. The illuminated fascia light box apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light dispersion member is curved. 
     
     
       5. The illuminated fascia light box apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for manually accessing said light comprises an opening in said light dispersion member. 
     
     
       6. The illuminated fascia light box apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an access door in said apparatus adjacent said light so that said light can be removed and replaced. 
     
     
       7. The illuminated fascia light box apparatus of claim 6 wherein said access door is hinged and spring biased to the closed position. 
     
     
       8. The illuminated fascia light box apparatus of claim 3 wherein said support member is curved and made from a polycarbonate material. 
     
     
       9. The illuminated fascia light box apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sheet member has a design thereon which is highlighted when the light is illuminated. 
     
     
       10. The illuminated fascia light box apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least two light box apparatus are provided on the fascia of a service station canopy. 
     
     
       11. The illuminated fascia light box apparatus of claim 2 further comprising self-drilling fastener means for securing said frame members to said support brackets. 
     
     
       12. The illuminated fascia light box assembly of claim 1 wherein said corner members comprise a bent piece of spring material and at least one tensioning means for tensioning said sheet material. 
     
     
       13. An illuminated system comprising: a housing;   an elongated flexible translucent sheet means positioned on and stretched across at least one elongated side of said housing;   a point light source in said housing for projecting light;   light dispersion means for distributing light from said point light source uniformly on said elongated translucent sheet means; and   access means on said housing for accessing said point light source in said housing;   said light dispersion means being a patterned film member having a plurality of light openings arranged in a prespecified pattern to allow differing amounts of light to pass through the film at different areas and thereby create a uniform distribution of light on all portions of the translucent sheet means.   
     
     
       14. The illuminated system of claim 13 further comprising support means for supporting said light dispersion means. 
     
     
       15. The illuminated system of claim 13 wherein said point light source comprises metal halide light means. 
     
     
       16. An illumination system comprising: a housing and light dispersion means;   said housing having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least one side surface;   a flexible translucent sheet member secured to one of said side surfaces of said housing and stretched across said surface;   means for holding said light dispersion means within said housing;   said light dispersion means comprising at least one point light source illumination means, and light dispersion sheet means for uniformly distributing light from each said at least one point light source illumination means on said translucent sheet means; and   access means in said lower surface of said housing for replacing each said point light source illumination means .Iadd.from below and outside said housing.Iaddend..   
     
     
       17. The invention as defined in claim 16 wherein said translucent sheet member is held on said housing by elongated frame members. 
     
     
       18. The invention as defined in claim 17 wherein said translucent sheet member is stretched across said frame members. 
     
     
       19. The invention as defined in claim 16 wherein said point light source illumination means comprises a bulb and a socket. 
     
     
       20. The invention as defined in claim 19 wherein said socket opens vertically downward. 
     
     
       21. The invention as defined in claim 16 wherein said light dispersion sheet means comprises an apertured sheet. 
     
     
       22. The invention as defined in claim 21 wherein said light dispersion sheet means includes a reflective surface facing said point source light. 
     
     
       23. The invention as defined in claim 16 wherein said light dispersion sheet means comprises a curved sheet. 
     
     
       24. The invention as defined in claim 22 wherein said reflective surface faces a second reflective surface behind said point source light. 
     
     
       25. The invention as defined in claim 19 wherein a reflective surface faces toward said dispersion means behind said socket and said reflective surface includes at least one cut out in registration with said socket. 
     
     
       26. The invention as defined in claim 16 wherein said housing includes at least one reflective interior surface to reduce shadowing from each said point source light. 
     
     
       27. The invention as defined in claim 16 wherein said light dispersion sheet means includes access means for manually accessing said point source illumination means. 
     
     
       28. The invention as defined in claim 27 wherein said access means comprises a displaceable light dispersion sheet means. 
     
     
       29. The invention as defined in claim 27 wherein said access means comprises an opening in said light dispersion sheet means. 
     
     
       30. The invention as defined in claim 29 and further comprising a sleeve around the opening to protect the light dispersion sheet means and reduce shadowing. 
     
     
       31. The invention as defined in claim . .27.!. .Iadd.16 .Iaddend.wherein said at least one point light source comprises a bulb and a socket opening downwardly from said housing, and wherein said . .housing includes.!. .Iadd.access means comprises .Iaddend.an opening and a pivoting door in registration with said socket. 
     
     
       32. The invention as defined in claim 21 wherein said light dispersion sheet means comprises a film. 
     
     
       33. The invention as defined in claim 32 wherein said film is contoured. 
     
     
       34. The invention as defined in claim 33 wherein said film overlays a rigid configured support member. 
     
     
       35. An internally illuminated sign comprising: an elongated housing bounded by upper and lower elongated sides, said housing having a rear panel and an open front portion,   an elongated flexible planar translucent panel covering said open front portion,   at least one point light source positioned adjacent said rear panel and located in said housing substantially centrally between said upper and lower elongated sides, . .and.!.   a light dispersion sheet positioned between said point light source and said translucent panel for distributing light from said point light source uniformly over at least an elongated portion of said translucent panel and between said upper and lower elongated sides,   said housing further comprising a plurality of support brackets attached to said rear panel, a pair of elongated frame members attached to said support brackets and forming elongated edges on said elongated sides, and said translucent panel being mounted on said frame members and stretched therebetween.Iadd., and   access means in said lower elongated side for replacing said point light source from below and outside said housing.Iaddend..   
     
     
       36. The internally illuminated sign of claim 35 further comprising a pair of end frame members positioned at the ends of said elongated housing and attached to said elongated frame members, said translucent panel having two elongated side edges and two end edges, and said end frame members mounting and stretching the end edges of said translucent panel. 
     
     
       37. The internally illuminated sign of claim 35 wherein said light dispersion sheet has a curved configuration. 
     
     
       38. The internally illuminated sign of claim 35 wherein said light dispersion sheet has a plurality of openings, said openings being sized and arranged in a pre-specified pattern in order to allow differing amounts of light from said point light source to pass through said sheet at different areas and achieve said uniform distribution of light. 
     
     
       39. The internally illuminated sign of claim 35 wherein at least two point light sources are provided, said light sources being spaced uniformly along said rear panel, each said light source having a light dispersion sheet positioned between said light source and said translucent panel, whereby light from said at least two point light sources is distributed uniformly over the entire elongated translucent panel. . .40. The internally illuminated sign of claim 35 further comprising access means in one of said elongated sides of said housing for replacing each of said 
     
     
        point light sources..!.41. The internally illuminated sign of claim . .40.!. .Iadd.35 .Iaddend.wherein said access means is positioned in said lower elongated side in order to provide access to said point light source 
     
     
        from the ground. 42. The internally illuminated sign of claim 41 wherein 
     
     
        said access means comprises a door. 43. The internally illuminated sign of claim 42 wherein said door is movable between an open position allowing access to said light sources and a closed position preventing access to said light sources, and further comprising biasing means for biasing said 
     
     
        door to its closed position. 44. The internally illuminated sign of claim 37 further including means for manually accessing said point light source 
     
     
        through said light dispersion sheet. 45. The internally illuminated sign of claim 44 wherein said means for manually accessing said point light 
     
     
        source comprises an opening in said light dispersion sheet. 46. The internally illuminated sign of claim 44 wherein said light dispersion sheet is attached to said rear panel and said means for manually accessing said point light source comprises detachable means for selectively 
     
     
        detaching said light dispersion sheet from said rear panel. 47. The internally illuminated sign of claim 41 wherein said access means 
     
     
        comprises a removable translucent panel member. 48. The internally illuminated sign of claim 35 further comprising a reflective surface on 
     
     
        said rear panel. 49. The internally illuminated sign of claim 35 wherein said light dispersion sheet has a reflective surface on the side facing 
     
     
        said point light source. 50. An internally illuminated lightbox comprising: an elongated housing, said housing having an upper elongated panel member, a lower elongated panel member, a rear panel member, and an open front portion,   an elongated flexible planar translucent sheet member stretched over and covering said open front portion, said translucent sheet member having a length in its elongated direction and a width laterally to said elongated direction,   a plurality of point light sources in said housing, said light sources positioned uniformly in a spaced apart relationship on said rear panel member and substantially centrally between said upper elongated panel member and said lower elongated panel member, . .and.!.   light dispersion sheet means positioned between each of said point light sources and said translucent sheet member,   whereby light from said point light sources is distributed uniformly over the entire width and length of said elongated translucent sheet member.Iadd., and   access means in said lower elongated panel member for replacing each of said plurality of point light sources from below and outside said   
     
     
        housing.Iaddend.. 51. The internally illuminated sign of claim 50 wherein said light dispersion sheet means comprises a plurality of individual 
     
     
        dispersion panel members. 52. The internally illuminated sign of claim 50 
     
     
        wherein said light dispersion sheet means has a curved configuration. 53. The internally illuminated sign of claim 52 further comprising access means in said dispersion sheet means for replacing said point light sources. . .54. The internally illuminated sign of claim 50 further comprising access means in said lower elongated panel member for replacing 
     
     
        said point light sources..!.55. The internally illuminated sign of claim . .54.!. .Iadd.50 .Iaddend.wherein said access means comprises a plurality 
     
     
        of spring biased access doors. 56. The internally illuminated sign of 
     
     
        claim 50 further comprising a reflective surface on said rear panel. 57. The internally illuminated sign of claim 50 wherein said light dispersion sheet means has a reflective surface on the side facing said 
     
     
        point light sources. 58. The internally illuminated sign of claim 50 wherein said light dispersion sheet means has a plurality of openings therein across the surface of said sheet means, said openings being sized and arranged in a prespecified pattern to allow differing amounts of light from said point light source to pass through said sheet means at different areas along the length and width of said sheet means and thereby achieve 
     
     
        said uniform distribution of light. 59. An internally illuminated sign comprising: an elongated housing means substantially rectangular in shape and bounded by upper and lower elongated sides and a pair of shorter end members, said housing having a rear member and an open front portion and being greater than ten feet in length,   an elongated flexible planar translucent panel member stretched over and covering said open front portion,   at least two point light sources positioned in said housing and providing illumination for said translucent panel member, said point light sources being spaced between five to nine feet apart,   light dispersion sheet means positioned in said housing between said point light sources and said translucent panel member, said light dispersion sheet means having a plurality of light openings arranged in prespecified patterns adjacent each of said point light sources to allow differing amounts of light to pass through the sheet means at different areas,   whereby a light pattern of substantially uniform intensity is created along   
     
     
        and across the entire translucent panel member. 60. The illuminated sign as set forth in claim 59 further comprising frame members positioned substantially around the perimeter of said open front portion and wherein 
     
     
        said translucent panel member is stretched over said frame members. 61. The illuminated sign as set forth in claim 59 further comprising access means in said lower elongated side of said housing for providing 
     
     
        access to replace said point light sources. 62. The illuminated sign as set forth in claim 59 wherein said point light sources each comprise metal 
     
     
        halide lights. 63. The illuminated sign as set forth in claim 59 further comprising a specular reflective means on said rear member of said housing, said specular reflective means being at least 90% light 
     
     
        reflective. 64. The illuminated sign as set forth in claim 59 wherein said 
     
     
        internally illuminated sign comprises a canopy fascia device. 65. The illuminated sign as set forth in claim 59 wherein said internally 
     
     
        illuminated sign comprises a wall mounted lightbox device. 66. An internally illuminated sign comprising: an elongated housing bounded by upper and lower elongated sides, said housing having a rear panel and an open front portion,   an elongated flexible translucent panel covering said open front portion,   at least one point light source positioned adjacent said rear panel and located in said housing   a light dispersion sheet positioned between said point light source and said translucent panel for distributing light from said point light source uniformly over at least an elongated portion of said translucent panel and between said upper and lower elongated sides, . .and.!.   a frame means positioned around the edges of said open front portion, said translucent panel being mounted on said frame means and stretched thereon.Iadd., and   access door means in said lower elongated side for replacing said point   
     
     
        light source from below and outside said housing.Iaddend.. 67. An illuminated system for mounting on a surface comprising: a housing,   said housing having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least one side surface;   mounting means attaching said housing to said surface;   a flexible translucent sheet member secured on one of said side surfaces of said housing;   light dispersion means in said housing;   means for supporting said light dispersion means within said housing;   said light dispersion means comprising at least one point source illumination means, and light dispersion sheet means for uniformly distributing light from each said at least one point source illumination means on said translucent sheet means;   access means in said lower surface of said housing for replacing each said point source illumination means;   wherein said translucent sheet member is held on said housing by elongated frame members; and   wherein said translucent sheet member is stretched across said frame   
     
     
        members. 68. An illuminated system for mounting on a surface comprising: a housing and light dispersion means;   said housing having an upper surface, a lower surface and an least one side surface;   a mount attaching said housing to said surface;   a translucent sheet member secured on one of said side surfaces of said housing;   means for supporting said light dispersion means within said housing;   said light dispersion means comprising at least one point light source illumination means, and light dispersion sheet means for uniformly distributing light from each said at least one point light source illumination means on said translucent sheet means; and   access means in said lower surface of said housing for replacing each said point light source illumination means;   wherein said light dispersion sheet means comprises an apertured sheet and   
     
     
        has a reflective surface facing said point light source. 69. An internally illuminated sign comprising: an elongated housing bounded by upper and lower elongated sides, said housing having a rear panel and an open front portion,   an elongated planar translucent panel covering said open front portion,   at least one point light source positioned adjacent said rear panel and located in said housing substantially centrally between said upper and lower elongated sides,   a light dispersion sheet positioned between said point light source and said translucent panel for distributing light from said point light source uniformly over at least an elongated portion of said translucent panel and between said upper and lower elongated sides,   access door means in said lower elongated side of said housing for replacing each of said point light sources from the ground, said access door means being movable between an open position allowing access to said light sources and a closed position preventing access to said light sources, and   biasing means for biasing said access door means to the closed position.   
     
     
            An internally illuminated lightbox comprising: an elongated housing, said housing having an upper elongated panel member, a lower elongated panel member, a rear panel member, and an open front portion,   an elongated planar translucent sheet member covering said open front portion, said translucent sheet member having a length in its elongated direction and a width laterally to said elongated direction,   a plurality of point light sources in said housing, said light sources positioned uniformly in a spaced apart relationship on said rear panel member and substantially centrally between said upper elongated panel member and said lower elongated panel member,   light dispersion sheet means positioned between each of said point light sources and said translucent sheet member,   whereby light from said point light sources is distributed uniformly over the entire width and length of aid elongated translucent sheet member, and   access means in said lower elongated panel member for replacing said point light sources, said access means comprising a plurality of spring biased   
     
     
        access doors. 71. An illuminated system for mounting on a surface comprising: a housing and light dispersion means;   said housing having an upper surface, a lower surface and at least one side surface;   a mount attaching said housing to said surface;   a translucent sheet member secured on one of said side surfaces of said housing;   means for supporting said light dispersion means within said housing,   said light dispersion means comprising at least one point light source illumination means, and light dispersion sheet means for uniformly distributing light from each said at least one point light source illumination means on said translucent sheet member;   access means in said lower surface of said housing for replacing each said point source illumination means;   an opening in said light dispersion sheet means for manually accessing said point light source illumination means; and   a sleeve around said opening to protect said light dispersion sheet means and reduce shadowing.