“Halo glow” channel letters, or “reverse-lit,” have long been an elegant way to provide illuminated signage for that special client.

背光照明标识长期以来一直是专业客户群体乐于选择的照明标识类型。

However the incorporation of LED lighting into these letter types has created a new need for designers to understand and reevaluate the relationship between several factors here—the letter shape, the letter size, the letter depth, and (most especially) the quantity of light exiting out the back.

然而，将LED光源加入到这些发光字的构成中已经成为设计师们设计标识的一种新的需求，他们需要理解并重新评估发光字的形状、大小、深度之间的关系，以及背光发光字的照明亮度和面积。

The surface that a set of halo glow channel letters is attached to also plays a key factor in achieving uniform illumination. This necessitates adding some more factors to the discussion: What type of surface are the letters being attached to? What does the surface look like? What is the distance between the letter and the mounting surface?

一套发光字的表面材质也为实现均匀照明发挥了关键的作用。这就需要在讨论中加入更多的因素：这些发光字的面板使用的是什么材料？外观看起来是什么样的？LED模组和安装表面之间的距离是多少？

Have you ever walked through a mall looking at its illuminated interior signage and thought that you’ve spotted a real service opportunity? Or have you noticed how the letters in an airport concourse don’t shine as brightly as they do elsewhere?

当你在商场中闲逛时，看着它明亮的室内标识，你是否感觉获得了很好的标识导视体验。或者你有没有注意到机场大厅里的标识不像在其他地方那样闪闪发光？

There is no real criticism intended here, but there are some newer halo-glow letter styles that look just as good when their lighting is actually turned off.

另一方面，有一些新的发光字样式，当它们的灯光被关闭时，它们看起来还是在工作。

A portion of this situation can be attributed to the interior ambient lighting. To compensate, the illuminated sign needs some additional lighting to help it, compared to those letter sets installed under the darkness of the nighttime sky.

这种情况的一部分可以归因于室内的照明环境。与夜晚室外的发光字相比，为了拥有更好的光照，这些室内发光标识需要一些额外的照明来帮助它。

This brings up one of those learning curve items that LED sign lighting has brought anew to the sign industry. How much light is enough light? Or how well do reverse LED channel letters illuminate in such lighting conditions?

这就引出了另一个研究方案，LED光源的光照应该达到何种程度？在这种照明条件下，背光发光字能够产生什么效果？弄清这些问题的答案将帮助LED照明标识获得更好的发展，以及为标识行业带来新的内容。

Unlike neon (a continuous light with illumination that radiates 360 degrees along the tube as the glass snakes uninterrupted through the letter shape), LED lighting starts as a point source light.

霓虹灯是一种持续的条状光源，它不受干扰的灯管设计能够使它达到360度的照明范围。与霓虹灯不同，LED灯是由许多个点光源组成的。

So to make this LEDs work in halo-lit applications, you’re going to need to look at direction, diffusion, and distance.

为了让LED光源在背光照明的应用中发挥作用，你需要观察光源的发光方向、扩散范围和光照距离。

Direction

发光字的发光方向

In halo glow applications, you’ll need to point the LEDs inward so that the light exits out the back and is reflected a greater distance from the source to surface.

在发光字应用中，LED模组被安装在发光字的内部，光源从发光字的背部透出来，并且光源能够在墙面上辐射更大的发光面积。

Rule of Thumb #1 is to have plenty of light to start with. Compare ribbon LED lighting on the inside of a letter return versus a wired string of modules stuck to the inner backside of the face, as an example.

首先需得有足够的光。比如安装在发光字背面的条状LED光源比点状LED光源能够实现更好的发光效果。

Multi-row ribbons of LEDs also give the lighting a punch compared to a single-installed strip. Ribbon lighting may not be the trick for exterior letters, but the close continuous spacing of these LEDs will help smooth the illumination. You still won’t end up with a continuous light as you would with neon, but you’ll achieve lighting that’s closer together.

与单排安装相比，多排LED光源也能给照明带来视觉冲击。条状照明不是发光字的外部装饰，但是这些LED的紧密连接间距将有助于实现平稳的照明。多排LED光源能够带来更加均匀的照明，而不会像霓虹灯那样持续地消耗电能。

Some ribbon lighting systems have the LEDs aimed 90 degrees to the backing tape. The intent is to direct the illumination parallel to the surface . Point these same LEDs inward with the interior painted white (a plus when the letter does not feature a lot of depth).

一些条状照明系统的LED光源的光线角度为90度并垂直于字体表面。其目的是使光照与面板保持平行。当发光字的深度较浅时，将其内部漆成白色再安装LED模组将达到更好的效果。

Without the need for glass tube supports, neon tubes, and electrode housings, thin letters are much easier with LED lighting. You don’t lose light when the direction is a reflection.

如果不需要玻璃管、霓虹灯管和电极外壳的支撑时，使用LED照明就容易多了。你会发现，即使是反射照明，亮度也并不会降低。

Diffusion

发光字的扩散范围

One traditional halo glow option that will assist in diffusing LED lighting is a white polycarbonate backer. This also doubles as a simple method of attachment.

传统的背光发光字可以帮助LED照明光线的扩散，它的背面由白色聚碳酸酯材料组成。其安装方法也很简单。

Look at this as a channel letter in reverse. If you understand the depth required to make a face-illuminated LED letter look good—with smooth uniformity—simply flip it around. This style may require a letter with a thicker stroke, where the mounts and the LED modules could be centrally located and the reflected light exits backwards along the perimeter.

把这个看成是背光发光字。如果你掌握了制作正面发光字所需要的深度（并且能够实现均匀平滑的照明效果），那么你现在需要做的就是将发光字翻过来。这种样式可能需要更厚的发光字制作材料，让支架和LED模组可以集中在一起，使反射的光线沿着字体周围向外延伸。

Alternately the design could be illuminated with what we affectionately call “LED triple-headers.” This type of sign lighting product takes several LEDs together as a unified group (arrayed modules) with the resultant output a wide spread up to 180 degrees. (Note: This isn’t a bad result, but keep in mind that the neon you are replacing and/or replicating is 360 degrees.)

另外，我们还可以采用“三面LED照明”的方案来设计照明方式。这种类型的标识照明产品是将多个LED模组组合为一个统一的整体，最终可实现180度的照明范围。（需要注意的是：这并不算是一个坏的结果，但请记住，你所更换的霓虹灯照明范围是360度。）

Lens LEDs with optics are another new sign industry solution. A lens over the diode takes the emitted light and alters the original beam, spreading and diffusing the point source. This is built-in LED light control.

带有光学透镜的LED光源是标识行业另一个新的突破方案。二极管上的透镜接收发射的光，改变原始光束，对点光源进行传播和扩散。这都是由内置的LED光束控制。

In some cases, the optics are created to pitch the light a longer distance (as would be installed in a long, narrow sign cabinet). In other designs, the lens serves to spread the light into as wide a pattern as possible.

在某些情况下，光学器件是为了使光线照射的距离更远（就像安装在一个长而窄的灯箱中一样）。在其他的设计中，透镜的作用是将光线传播到尽可能广的范围。

In fact, lens technology from several suppliers has created LED sign lighting modules that work quite well in letters as thin as three inches.

事实上，有几个供应商已经掌握了这种镜头技术，他们制作的LED照明模组，即使是在3英寸深的发光字内部也能够很好地工作。

Distance

发光字的光照距离

Distance may be the method of creating uniformity in the LED lighting as light spill moves out letter to letter and hopefully around the mounting method. Further away, the glow spreads until it reaches a point of diminishing returns.

距离把控得好会使LED在照明时光照更均匀，因为光照会投射在相邻的发光字上，这就需要计划好安装方法。将相邻的发光字距离隔开，那么单个发光字扩散的光晕亮度会逐渐减弱。

In general, the further away from the background the sign is mounted, the wider and smoother the band of light.

一般来说，在离背面建筑越远的地方安装发光字，光线的照明范围就越广，光线也越平滑。

To experiment with distance, start with a sample letter flat on your workbench. Set it on top of a material that is comparable to the intended mounting location.

要试验距离，首先要在工作台上放一个发光字样本。将其安放在可与预期安装位置相媲美的材料之上。

How does it look just sitting there? If there is a thin line of light around the perimeter of the letterform, pull it away, increasing the distance from the surface.

看看发光字的效果如何？如果在发光字的周围的光线非常细，那么你就需要移动发光字，让它离背景表面远一点。

This distance check also works for testing the quantity of light.

这种测试距离的方式也适用于测试光束的数量。

Use a symmetrical letter, like a Helvetica Bold “H.” Install different brands of LED modules on the back of each side and compare; maybe even use different quantities to compare. Some experimentation is a necessary component in the LED mounting process, simply based on the variety of products available.

使用对称的字体，比如Helvetica加粗字体“H”，在每边安装不同品牌的LED模组，并进行比较；甚至可以通过使用不同的LED模组数量来进行比较。在LED安装过程中，我们应该对可用的产品类型，提前进行测试。

The correct distance for LED illumination with halo glow letters is still quite a variable. You may consider closer to be beneficial, creating a defined glow that utilizes the letter shape to advantage.

发光字中LED光源的正确照明距离仍然是一个变量。利用字形的优势，产生轮廓分明的光晕，这样的距离可能就是最合适的。

Keep in mind that the mounts for reverse-lit letters need to be thought out differently. Stand-off supports that simply hold the letter away from the wall may interfere with the uniformity of the illumination exiting the back of the letter and onto the wall behind.

请记住，对于背光照明发光字的安装需要从不同方面考虑。仅仅用支架将发光字安装在墙面，可能会干扰到从字母背面发出光线的均匀度，它投射到墙壁的光就显得参差不齐。

An acrylic letter back with threaded stud mounts that are centrally located is a solution to many halo glow lighting issues. This type of fabrication and illumination has worked well in the past with neon.

用带有螺纹的螺柱支架连接亚克力是一种解决背光照明问题的安装方案。这种类型的装配和照明在过去霓虹灯的应用上效果很好。

Depending on the style of LED used, a removable letter with an affixed back should give the installer an easier time with the installation. Service would also be easier, even if marketing thinks of LED lighting as extremely long lived.

根据所使用的LED样式，背面可移动的发光字应该会让安装程序更容易进行。后期维护服务也会更容易，尽管市场普遍认为LED的照明拥有很长的使用寿命。

LED halo glow letters with a full open back and perimeter L-bracket stand-off mounts can create unwanted dark spots (for both neon and LED) though. Clear letter stand-off mounting systems are available that are interesting attempts to eliminate spurious shadows while still providing an easy-to-mount shape.

LED发光字，如果带有一个完整的后开式和周边L型支架，会产生不需要的暗点（无论是霓虹灯还是LED光源）。使用让发光字能够更清晰的发光的支架来安装会产生更好的效果，这是一种有趣的尝试，既可以消除多余的阴影，同时也易于安装。

Hopefully my ideas here have helped you to put your thinking in reverse when it comes to proficient channel letter illumination.

在关于专业的发光字照明方面，希望我的想法能够对各位读者提供一些帮助。