Illuminated viewing assembly, viewing system including the illuminated viewing assembly, and method of viewing therefor

• US 20010048405A1
• Filed: 04/13/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PAN-View Illuminations, LLC
• Original Assignee: C-360 Inc.
• Inventors: Salley, Neil B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,801,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/30
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/005 forming an image using a quickly moving array of imaging elements, causing the human eye to perceive an image which has a larger resolution than the array, e.g. an image on a cylinder formed by a rotating line of LEDs parallel to the axis of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/901 Electronic book with display
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

A viewing assembly, viewing system, and method of use are provided. The viewing assembly and system and method of use provide images that may be viewed from any position orthogonal to, and from a plurality of positions oblique to, the axis on which a substantially planar viewing assembly may be rotated. The assembly and method allow viewers to view images from any position 360 degrees around the viewing assembly

Claims

1. A viewing assembly, comprising;

an illumination source having a first surface, a second surface, and opposing side edges, at least a portion of the first surface being a light emitting surface;

a first image member;

a blocking member; and

a source of power coupled to the illumination source.

2. The viewing assembly of

claim 1

, wherein the illumination source and the first image member are substantially planar.

3. The viewing assembly of

claim 2

, wherein the illumination source and the first image member are disposed in adjacent relation.

5. The viewing assembly of

claim 2

, wherein the blocking member is substantially planar.

6. The viewing assembly of

claim 5

, wherein the illumination source, the first image member, and the blocking member are disposed in adjacent relation.

7. The viewing assembly of

claim 6

, wherein the illumination source, the first image member, and the blocking member are in direct contact with each other.

8. The viewing assembly of

claim 1

, further comprising a polarizing filter.

9. The viewing assembly of

claim 1

, wherein at least a portion of the second surface is a light emitting surface, and further comprising a second image member and a second blocking member.

10. The viewing assembly of

claim 7

, wherein the illumination source and the first and second image members are substantially planar.

11. The viewing assembly of

claim 10

, wherein the illumination source and the first and second image members are disposed in adjacent relation.

12. The viewing assembly of

claim 11

, wherein the illumination source and the first and second image members are in direct contact with each other.

13. The viewing assembly of

claim 10

, wherein the second blocking member is substantially planar.

14. The viewing assembly of

claim 13

, wherein the illumination source, the first and second image members, and the first and second blocking members are disposed in adjacent relation.

15. The viewing assembly of

claim 14

, wherein the illumination source, the first and second image members, and the first and second blocking members are in direct contact with each other.

16. The viewing assembly of

claim 9

, further comprising a polarizing filter.

17. The viewing assembly of

claim 1

, wherein the illumination source comprises at least two adjacent illumination sources.

18. The viewing assembly of

claim 9

, wherein the illumination source comprises at least two adjacent illumination sources.

19. The viewing assembly of

claim 6

, wherein the illumination source is an electroluminescent panel, the image member is a liquid crystal display, and the blocking member is a light controlling film.

20. The viewing assembly of

claim 6

, wherein the illumination source is an edge-lit light guide, the image member is a liquid crystal display, and the blocking member is a light controlling film.

21. The viewing assembly of

claim 1

, wherein the illumination source is selected from the group consisting of a fluorescent display, a light pipe, an electroluminescent panel, a woven fiber optic, an edge-lit light pipe, and conductive light elements.

22. The viewing assembly of

claim 1

, wherein the illumination source and the image member are unitary.

23. The viewing assembly of

claim 1

, wherein the viewing assembly is bisected by an axis, and further comprising a support member disposed about the axis and constructed and arranged to support the viewing assembly.

24. The viewing assembly of

claim 23

, wherein the image member is coplanar with a plane intersecting and parallel to the axis.

4. The viewing assembly of

claim 4

, wherein the illumination source and the first image member are in direct contact with each other.

25. A viewing system, comprising;

a viewing assembly disposed about an axis bisecting the viewing assembly;

a support member for supporting the viewing assembly;

means for rotation connected to the support member; and

a source of power coupled to the illumination source and to the means for rotation;

wherein the viewing assembly includes an illumination source, an image member, and a blocking member.

26. The viewing system of

claim 25

, wherein the viewing assembly is constructed and arranged to rotate about the axis.

27. The viewing system of

claim 25

, wherein the viewing assembly is constructed and arranged to rotate about the axis at a rotation rate of at least about 120 revolutions per minute to at least about 2000 revolutions per minute.

28. The viewing system of

claim 25

, wherein the viewing assembly is constructed and arranged to rotate about the axis at a rotation rate of about 120 revolutions per minute to about 600 revolutions per minute.

29. The viewing system of

claim 25

, wherein the viewing assembly is constructed and arranged to rotate about the axis at a rotation rate of about 200 revolutions per minute to about 450 revolutions per minute.

30. The viewing system of

claim 25

, wherein the viewing assembly is constructed and arranged to rotate about the axis at a rotation rate of at least about 1200 revolutions per minute.

31. The viewing system of

claim 25

, wherein the viewing assembly is constructed and arranged to rotate about the axis at a rotation rate of at least about 1400 revolutions per minute.

32. The viewing system of

claim 25

, wherein the viewing assembly is constructed and arranged to rotate about the axis at a rotation rate of at least about 1750 revolutions per minute.

33. The viewing system of

claim 25

, wherein the illumination source and the image member are unitary.

34. The viewing system of

claim 25

, wherein the illumination source and the image member are substantially planar.

35. A viewing assembly, comprising;

a first substantially planar illumination source and a second substantially planar illumination source, each substantially planar illumination source having opposing surfaces positioned in adjacent relation, at least the non-adjacent surfaces being a light emitting surface;

an image member adjacent at least a portion of each of the light emitting surfaces;

a blocking member adjacent at least a portion of each image member; and

a source of power coupled to the illumination source.

36. The viewing assembly of

claim 35

, further comprising a supporting member constructed and arranged to rotate about an axis.

37. The viewing assembly of

claim 35

, wherein the illumination sources are electroluminescent panels.

38. The viewing assembly of

claim 35

, wherein the illumination sources are edge-lit light guides.

39. The viewing assembly of

claim 35

, wherein the image members are liquid crystal displays.

40. The viewing assembly of

claim 35

, wherein the blocking member is a light controlling film.

41. The viewing assembly of

claim 40

, wherein the light controlling film has a viewing angle of from about 0 to about 60 degrees.

42. A viewing system, comprising;

a viewing assembly;

a support member for supporting the viewing assembly and about which the viewing assembly is constructed and arranged to rotate;

a means for rotation; and

a source of power coupled to the means for rotation and the viewing assembly;

wherein the viewing assembly includes an illumination source, an image member, and a blocking member, and the illumination source and image member are substantially planar.

43. The viewing system of

claim 42

, wherein the blocking member is a light controlling film having a viewing angle of from about 0 to 60 degrees.

44. A video system, comprising;

a viewing assembly bisected by an axis;

means for rotation connected to the viewing assembly for rotating the viewing assembly about the axis;

means for receiving a transmitted video signal; and

a source of power coupled to the viewing assembly, the means for rotation, and the means for receiving the transmitted video signal.

45. The viewing system of

claim 44

, further comprising an adjustment device coupled to the means for rotation, the adjustment device for adjusting the speed of rotation of the viewing assembly.

46. The viewing system of

claim 44

, further comprising a transparent housing surrounding the viewing assembly.

47. The viewing system of

claim 46

, further comprising a polarizing filter surrounding the viewing assembly.

48. The viewing system of

claim 46

, wherein the polarizing filter is disposed on a surface of the transparent housing.

49. A method, comprising:

providing a rotating illuminated viewing assembly disposed substantially in a plane and displaying an image, the viewing assembly supported about an axis bisecting the plane;

wherein the image is viewable by a viewer from any angle incident to the plane and within the viewer'"'"'s range of vision.

50. The method of

claim 49

, wherein the viewing assembly is supported by a substantially horizontal surface.

51. The method of

claim 49

, wherein the viewing assembly is suspended from a substantially horizontal surface.

52. A viewing assembly, comprising;

a substantially planar illumination source having opposing surfaces positioned in adjacent relation, each opposing surface being a light emitting surface;

an image member adjacent at least a portion of each of the light emitting surfaces;

a blocking member adjacent at least a portion of each image member; and

a source of power coupled to the illumination source.