US Patent 7721475 Simulated neon illuminating sign

A sign panel made of light transmitting material, has a front displaying side and a rear side, the sign panel has a background portion that is preferably a flat surface and a protruding portion that forms a sign character, wherein a lighting blocking layer attached to said background portion of the sign panel, and a highlight coating coated on said protruding portion of the rear side of the sign panel. Light can go through the protruding portion with a highlight coating. The sign panel can use without a complicated neon light tubes, and the sign panel contains no mercury versus argon based neon tubes. This is a huge win from the environmental side as there is no use for mercury inside LED signs.