‘Aug. 15, 1950v
I c. N. SHLENKER
‘ 2,518,726
INSTRUMENT PANEL
Filed Aug. 8, 1949
200.
INVENTOR.
CH/IFL £5 'N.SHLEA/KER
. BY
ATTORNEY
‘
"ti-tented Aug. 15, 1950
.UNlTED ‘STATES PATENT OFFICE
2,518,726
INSTRUMENT PANEL
Charles N. Shlenker, New York, N. Y., assignor,
by memo assignments, to Edwin A. Neugass,
Port Chester, N. Y.
Application August 8, 1949, Serial No. 109,179
5 Claims. (Cl. 41-22)
This invention relates to improvements in
panels, particularly for aircraft instruments. It
is designed to meet speci?cations unattainable
in other panels, such as, speci?cations set forth
in the United States Air Force-Navy Aeronautical
speci?cations.
.
It is an object of the present invention to pro
vide a panel wherein the engraved characters
are sharply de?ned without glare.
It is another object of the present invention to
provide a laminated panel built up of transparent
and/or translucent and opaque laminations pro
ducing sharp contrast between the opaque and
transparent light-transmitting material, prefer
ably plastic, such as, for example, methyl meth
acrylate laminated between two relatively thin
sheets or layers of translucent material, prefer
ably plastic, such as, for example, cellulose ace
tate. This three-layer lamination is laminated
between two sheets or layers of suitable opaque
material, preferably plastic, such as, for example,
vinyl having preferably a matte ?nish.
The lamination may be performed by coating
the surface of the sheets or layers with an ad
hesive, and the superposed layers or sandwich
then passed through a set of rolls, which will
squeeze out any excess adhesive, disperse it uni
transparent surfaces.
A still further object of the present invention 15 formly over the entire area, and help it to bond
is to provide a panel of the above-mentioned type
which provides a supplementary source of light to
illuminate dials or other devices superimposed
on the panel.
Yet another object of the present invention is
the layers together. Another method, and the
preferred one, is to place the acrylic sheet in a
press with heated platens, between two sheets
of cellulose acetate, and bond the three pieces to
gether by means of heat and pressure. This lami
nation is then placed in the press between two
sheets of vinyl, and a new lamination is made
to provide a panel which has a high resistance to
abrasion.
by application of heat and pressure. Thus, the
Various further and more speci?c objects, fea
?nal panel body will consist of ?ve layers of
tures and advantages will clearly appear from
the detailed description given below taken in 25 plastic material bonded together.
connection with the accompanying drawings
The panel body is then fabricated to suitable
size and shape, with the proper drilled holes or
which form a part of this speci?cation and illus
other machine. work as required. The material
trate merely by way of example one embodiment
is easily fabricated 'by standard machine tools.
of the device of the invention.
The invention consists in such novel features, 30 The last machining operation, preferably, is the
engraving of all required designations. . If the
arrangements and combinations of parts as may
engraving tool is not allowed to penetrate the
be shownand described in connection with the
material deeper than the ?rst two layers of ma
apparatus herein disclosed by way of example ,
terial, light that is transmitted through the clear
only and as illustrative of a preferred embodi
acrylic layer will in turn illuminate any dial,
ment.
.
scale or other part placed over it. If, however,
In the drawings:
the engraving is allowed to be only deep enough
Fig. l is a front elevation of a panel according
to expose the translucent acetate, then a clear
to the invention,
outline of the engraving, free from glare, will
Fig. 2 is a side elevation,
Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on 40 result. Illumination of the panel can be provided
by means of suitable panel lights, which are in
line 3-3 of Fig. 1.
serted into holes drilled through the panel ma
Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through
terial. The clear or transparent layer in the‘
the light source taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and
center of the laminated panel will transmit the
Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of a lamp and
light in all directions, permitting it to be seen
its housing employable in the invention.
'
on the surface, in accordance with the engrav
In the following description and in the (claims,
ing. All exposed edges, including the internal
parts will be identi?ed by speci?c names for con
walls of the holes not used for light transmission,
venience, but such names are intended to be as
are coated with a preferably, dull, opaque paint
generic in their application to similar parts as
or lacquer.
the art will permit. Like reference characters
Referring now more particularly to the draw
denote like parts in the several ?gures of the
ings, the numeral 10 generally represents an ex
drawing.
'
ample ,of a laminated panel according to the in
Referring now to the drawing:
vention. The center core or layer “is prefer
In a preferred aspect of the invention, the
ably made thicker than the other laminae or
body of the panel comprises a sheet of clear.
2,518,726
layers I2 and i3, and is'light-transmitting. A
preferred plastic material for core II is of the
class of acrylic resins or materials, and their
polymers and copolymers, methyl methacrylate
being preferred, although other light-transmit
ting material, such as, quartz may be employed.
The preferably translucent laminae or layers I2,
next adjacent to core II is preferably made of
the class of cellulosics, such as, for example,
cellulose acetate.
A preferred plastic material
for the opaque outer layers I3 is of the class of
polyvinyl or vinyl resins or materials, their
polymers or copolyrners.
-
Portions of the top outer layer I3 and the next
opaque layer at the front of the panel, said open
ing extending only through the outer layer of
opaque material to the layer of translucent mate
rial with the layer of translucent material ex
tending over the opening, said panel having
means for admitting light to the transparent
layer to transilluminate the translucent layer at
the opening in the opaque layer.
3. A panel comprising a layer of transparent
material with a next adjacent layer of translucent
material superimposed 'thereon, and an outer
layer of opaque material superimposed over the
translucent layer, said outer layer having an
opening therethrough forming indicia in the
adjacent layer I2 are cut out or penetrated as
opaque layer at the front of the panel, said open
indicated at I4, so that the light transmitted by
suitable light-emitting sources 20 or 20a, in
serted in holes or openings M will illuminate the
ing extending only through the outer layer of
area Ila upon which may be superimposed a
opaque material to the layer of translucent mate
rial with the layer of translucent material ex
tending over the opening, and means for direct
dial, scale, or other suitable part to 1be illumi 20 ing light through the transparent layer to trans
illuminate the translucent layer at the opening
nated, and will illuminate the slit Ila. The in
ternal walls of the holes or openings 2| are kept
in the opaque layer.
.
‘
clear to allow the light to be transmitted
4. A panel comprising five layers of material,
through the core II, whereas, other holes or
the center layer of which is transparent, the two
openings I6 and I8, which are adapted to re
next adjacent layers of which are translucent and
superimposed directly upon the transparent layer
ceive the shafts or pins for suitable switches
and other desired devices (not shown) are coated
at opposite sides thereof, and the front and back
with a paint or lacquer I1, I9, to prevent the light
outer layers of the panel are opaque and super
from being transmitted through these openings
imposed directly upon the translucent layers,
I6, I8.
30 means forming openings in the shape of indicia
extending through the front opaque layer of the
Other portions of top outer layer I3, only, are
panel, said openings extending only through the
penetrated in the fashion of engraving to provide
opaque material to the layer of translucent mate
suitable indicia I5. The openings thus formed as
rial and having the layer of translucent material
indicated at l5 extend only through the opaque
outer layer I3 (Fig. 3) and therefore are covered 35 extending continuously over the inner end of the
openings, and means for directing light through
by the translucent layer I2. This presents a
the transparent layer to the translucent layer to
sharply de?ned contrast of the indicia at the
transilluminate the latter at the openings in the
front of the panel, without glare.
opaque layer.
The light-emitting means may comprise the
5. A panel comprising a layer of transparent
parts 2| to 36, inclusive, and since this type of 40
material with a next adjacent layer of translucent
lighting means is conventional, such as panel
lights manufactured under Part #A4295, by
Grimes Mfg. Co., Urbana, Ohio, it is deemed un
material superimposed directly thereon, and an
outer layer of opaque material toward the front
of the panel superimposed on the translucent
necessary to describe the same in detail, except to
state that sleeve 3|, insulation 32, and sleeve 33 '- layer, said panel having an opening in the. front
thereof deep enough to extend through the opaque
are cut out as indicated at 31 (Fig. 5) leaving two
bridges 36. Light will penetrate through cut-out
layer but of insu?icient depth to extend through
the translucent layer also, said panel having
31 into adjacent layers II and I2.
means for admitting light to the transparent
Having thus described the invention, what is
claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters P layer to transilluminate the translucent layer at
the opening in the opaque layer.
Patent is:
1. A panel comprising a layer of transparent
CHARLES N. SHLENKER.
material with a next adjacent layer of translucent
material superimposed thereon, and an outer
REFERENCES CITED
layer of opaque material superimposed over the ;
The following references are of record in the
translucent layer, said outer layer having an
?le of this patent:
opening therethrough covered at the inner end
UNITED STATES PATENTS
of the opening by the layer of translucent mate
rial, said panel having means for admitting light
Number
Name
Date .
to the transparent layer to transilluminate the 60 1,739,954
DuPont __________ __ Dec. 17, 1929
1,741,683
Dickey ___________ __ Dec. 31, 1929
translucent layer at the opening in the opaque
layer.
1,790,531
1,880,202
2. A panel comprising a layer of transparent
1,966,141
material with a next adjacent layer of translucent
material superimposed thereon, and an outer 65 2,128,246
2,496,488
layer of opaque material superimposed over the
translucent layer, said outer layer having an
opening therethrough forming indicia in the
Bethlem _________ -_ Jan. 27, 1931
.
Hodgkin ___________ __ Oct. 4, 1932
Reiss-Schmidt ____ __ July 10, 1934
Hardesty ________ __ Aug. 30, 1938
Ohman ___________ ___ Feb. '7, 1950