VIDEO DISPLAY FOR PRODUCT MERCHANDISERS

• US 20110181792A1
• Filed: 01/25/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Inventors: Hammonds, Marcus
• Granted Patent: US 8,672,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/745
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/06 Means for bringing about special optical effects

Abstract

According to certain aspects of the disclosure, embodiments of a product merchandiser incorporating a video display is described. The product merchandiser described herein contemplates the use of a rear projector video system for display of video on a reflective film that is adhered to a glass or other transparent exposed surface on the merchandiser. Aspects of the merchandiser provided herein provide a cost-effective, durable, flexible/adaptable to different merchandiser sizes, and non-static means of displaying advertising or other promotions via video directly on an exposed surface of a product merchandiser.

Claims

1. A product merchandiser, comprising:

a cabinet having an exterior surface, wherein the cabinet defines an interior area, wherein at least a portion of the interior area is configured to hold a plurality of products and an opening is defined in the cabinet to access the plurality of products, and wherein at least a portion of the exterior surface of the cabinet comprises a transparent surface;

a video projector for projecting a video image;

a rear-reflective film adhered to the interior side of the transparent surface for rendering the video image on an exterior side of the transparent surface.

2. The product merchandiser of claim 1, further comprising a mirror for reflecting the video image from the video projector on an interior side of the transparent surface.

3. The product merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the cabinet comprising the transparent surface configured to render the video image is located at a topmost portion of the cabinet.

4. The product merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the product merchandiser further comprises a cooling unit.

5. The product merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the opening comprises a door with a transparent viewing area for viewing the plurality of products from the exterior side of the cabinet.

6. The product merchandiser of claim 5, wherein the transparent surface configured to render the video image is located on the door of the cabinet.

7. The product merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the video projector is located in the interior area of the cabinet.

8. The product merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the video projector is mounted on a rear exterior surface of the cabinet.

9. The product merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the opening comprises a hinged door, wherein the interior of the cabinet further comprises at least one light, and wherein the at least one light is controlled by a switch configured to illuminate the at least one light when the hinged door is in an open position.

10. The product merchandiser of claim 1, further comprising at least one proximity sensor located on the exterior surface of the cabinet, wherein the proximity sensor is configured to receive proximity data regarding a presence of a consumer.

11. The product merchandiser of claim 10, wherein the video projector is configured to communicate with a microcontroller, and wherein the microcontroller is configured to:

receive proximity data from the proximity sensor regarding the presence of a customer; and

cause the video projector to project the video image on the rear-reflective film adhered to the transparent surface based on the proximity data.

12. A method of creating a video display on a product merchandiser using a rear projection video projector, wherein the product merchandiser comprises a cabinet defining an interior surface, wherein a portion of the cabinet comprises a transparent surface, the method comprising:

affixing rear-reflective film to an interior side of the transparent surface;

projecting, from the rear projection video projector, a video image on the rear-reflective film, for viewing on an exterior side of the transparent surface.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the portion of the cabinet comprising the transparent surface is located at a topmost portion of the cabinet.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the portion of the cabinet comprising the transparent surface is located on a door of the cabinet.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving at a microcontroller in communication with the video projector, a signal from at least one proximity sensor regarding the presence of a consumer.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

controlling a playback mode of the video display by an electro-mechanical switch in communication with the video projector.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein playback of the video display starts upon receipt of the signal from the at least one proximity sensor regarding the presence of a consumer.

23. The product merchandiser of claim 16, further comprising a cooling unit for cooling the at least one product.

18. A product merchandiser configured to display a video image on an external surface of the product merchandiser, further comprising:

a video display assembly comprising a video projector and a rear-reflective film adhered to an interior transparent surface of the product merchandiser; and

a product area defined within the product merchandiser for holding at least one product.

19. The product merchandiser of claim 18, wherein the product merchandiser comprises a cabinet and the video display assembly is defined within the cabinet.

20. The product merchandiser of claim 18, wherein the video display assembly is mounted on an external surface of the product merchandiser, and wherein a video image is projected from the video projector through an opening in the cabinet to the rear-reflective film adhered to an interior transparent surface of the cabinet.

21. The product merchandiser of claim 19, wherein an opening is defined in the cabinet for accessing the at least one product.

22. The product merchandiser of claim 21, wherein the opening is a door comprising a transparent viewing area for viewing the at least one product.