Durable top surface for interactive display

• US 20070035540A1
• Filed: 08/15/2005
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yee, Dawson
• Granted Patent: US 7,760,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386

Abstract

An interactive display that is resistant to liquid spills and vandalism. An interactive display includes a display chassis that has a chassis top support. A tamper proof and liquid resistant display surface can be attached to the chassis top support with a plurality of fasteners, so that the top is readily removable and thus, easily replaced if scratched or otherwise damaged. When attached to the display chassis, the display surface forms a continuous, gap-free top surface that prevents liquid from entering the display chassis.

Claims

1. A spill and vandal resistant top for an interactive display system, comprising:

(a) an optically transparent top layer; and

(b) a mounting frame, wherein;

(i) the top layer comprises a shatter-resistant sheet having an upper surface, a lower surface, a top layer thickness, and a peripheral edge surface disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface; and

(ii) the mounting frame has a bonding surface that is bonded to the lower surface of the top layer, adjacent to the edge of the top layer, and a plurality of receptacles for fasteners that are configured to mount the mounting frame to a supporting chassis, the spill and vandal resistant top thus being removable and replaceable by releasing the fasteners, the upper surface of the top layer presenting a continuous gap-free surface that prevents a spilled liquid from entering the interactive display system and resists removal and damage by vandalism.

2. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the top layer further comprises an optical diffuser.

3. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the edge surface is polished.

4. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame includes a plurality of orifices disposed along the inner frame edge surfaces, each of said plurality of orifices for receiving a fastener.

5. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame is affixed to the top layer using a plastic welding adhesive applied to the bonding surface of the mounting frame.

6. The spill and vandal resistant surface of claim 5, wherein the plastic welding adhesive is at least one of:

(a) cyanoacrylate ester;

(b) methyl ethyl ketone;

(c) dichloromethane; and

(d) acetone.

7. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, further comprising a support layer having a smaller surface area than that of the top layer and wherein the support layer is disposed adjacent to the lower surface of the top layer.

8. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 7, wherein the support layer comprises an acrylic sheet material selected for optical transparency.

9. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame comprises a plurality of sheets that are bonded together to form at least one continuous elongate mounting rail.

10. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 9, wherein at least one of said plurality of sheets includes the receptacles for the fasteners.

11. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the top layer is fabricated of an acrylic sheet material selected for durability and high optical contrast.

12. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame is fabricated from an acrylic material selected for structural strength.

13. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein a radius is formed between the edge of the top layer and the top surface of the top layer around the periphery of the top layer.

14. An interactive display, comprising:

(a) an interactive display chassis, the display chassis including a chassis top support;

(b) a plurality of fasteners; and

(c) a the law and five can why it wherein the display surface is forms a continuous gap-free top surface that prevents liquid from entering the display chassis and is removably attached to the chassis top support with the plurality of fasteners.

15. The interactive display of claim 14, wherein the tamper proof and liquid resistant display surface comprises a top layer, and a chassis mount, and wherein:

(i) the top layer comprises a plastic sheet having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a peripheral edge disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface; and

(ii) the chassis mount is defined by one or more elongate plastic members, each of said plastic members having a bonding surface that is adhesively bonded to the lower surface of the top layer.

16. The interactive display of claim 14, wherein the plurality of fasteners includes at least one of:

(a) a metal bolt;

(b) a plastic bolt;

(c) a metal nut;

(d) a plastic nut;

(e) a metal screw;

(f) a metal cam lock; and

(g) a plastic cam lock.

17. The interactive display of claim 14, wherein the chassis mount includes a plurality of receptacles along the inner plastic member edge surfaces, each of said plurality of receptacles being configured for receiving at least a portion of one of the fasteners.

18. A method for removably attaching a liquid and tamper resistant top to an interactive display chassis, comprising the steps of:

(a) bonding a plastic mounting frame to an undersurface of a plastic surface layer to provide a unified interactive display top, wherein the mounting frame is configured to mount to the interactive display chassis;

(b) providing a plurality of fastener receptacles on the plastic mounting frame;

(c) providing a plurality of mounting orifices on the interactive display chassis, the plurality of mounting orifices corresponding to and configured for alignment with the receptacles on the plastic mounting frame; and

(d) coupling the interactive display top to the interactive display chassis with removable fasteners, which substantially removably affix the interactive display top to the interactive display chassis.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of providing the interactive display top with a supporting layer that is coupled to the chassis top.

20. The method of claim 18, and further comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a radius on at least a portion of and edge of the liquid and tamper resistant top layer; and

(b) smooth polishing at least part of the edge of the interactive display top.