DISPLAY CASE DOOR WITH TRANSPARENT LCD PANEL

• US 20140144083A1
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anthony Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Anthony Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Nicholson, Jeffery W., Artwohl, Paul J., Sandnes, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,052,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/70
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/02 for self-service type systems, e.g. supermarkets A47F10/06 takes precedence; hand-carts B62B; baskets B65D
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/06 Means for bringing about special optical effects
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/005 with glass panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0434 Glass or transparent panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0063 for extracting light out both the major surfaces of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1313 specially adapted for a particular application
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133331 Cover glasses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/0058 on electrical household appliances, e.g. on a dishwasher, a washing machine or a refrigerator
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/065 Advertising in food vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0426 Layout of electrodes and connections
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/06 Remotely controlled electronic signs other than labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 : Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 : using liquid crystals

Abstract

An improved display case door assembly for a product storage device is provided. The display case door assembly includes a transparent unit comprising a front panel, a rear panel, and a transparent LCD panel positioned between the front panel and the rear panel. The transparent LCD panel is configured to present visual media content. The display case door assembly further includes a lighting element configured to provide lighting for the transparent LCD panel and for products within the product storage device and a light guide configured to selectively direct light emitted from the lighting element toward the transparent LCD panel and the products within the product storage device.

Claims

1. A display case door assembly for a product storage device, the display case door assembly comprising:

a transparent unit comprising a front panel, a rear panel, and a transparent LCD panel positioned between the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the transparent LCD panel is configured to present visual media content;

a lighting element configured to provide lighting for the transparent LCD panel and for products within the product storage device; and

a light guide configured to selectively direct light emitted from the lighting element toward the transparent LCD panel and the products within the product storage device.

2. The display case door assembly of claim 1, wherein the visual media content comprises at least one of:

product information, pricing information, nutritional information, advertising content, and store layout information.

3. The display case door assembly of claim 1, wherein the lighting element comprises a LED strip positioned within the display case door assembly between the front panel and the rear panel.

4. The display case door assembly of claim 1, wherein the lighting element is attached to a surface of the LCD panel and configured to emit light in a direction away from the LCD panel and toward the products within the product storage device;

wherein the light guide is configured to cause the light emitted by the lighting element to be reflected back toward the LCD panel.

5. The display case door assembly of claim 1, wherein the light guide is positioned within the display case door assembly between the front panel and the rear panel.

6. The display case door assembly of claim 1, wherein selectively directing light emitted from the lighting element toward the transparent LCD panel comprises using the light guide to reflect the light toward the LCD panel;

and

wherein selectively directing light emitted from the lighting element toward the products within the product storage device comprises allowing the light to pass through the light guide and into the product storage device.

7. The display case door assembly of claim 1, wherein the light guide comprises a switchable film configured to transition between a transparent state and an opaque state, wherein the switchable film is applied to at least one of:

the front panel, the rear panel, and the transparent LCD panel;

wherein selectively directing light emitted from the lighting element toward the transparent LCD panel comprises transitioning the switchable film into the opaque state; and

wherein selectively directing light emitted from the lighting element toward the products within the product storage device comprises transitioning the switchable film into the transparent state.

8. The display case door assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller positioned between the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the controller is configured to control the visual media content presented via the transparent LCD panel.

9. The display case door assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller located at a remote location and connected with the transparent LCD panel via a data communications link, wherein the controller is configured to control the visual media content presented via the transparent LCD panel.

10. The display case door assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker attached to the transparent unit, wherein the speaker is configured to present audio media content.

11. The display case door assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a touch screen configured to receive touch-based input from a user;

wherein the visual media content presented by the transparent LCD panel is in response to user input received via the touch screen.

12. The display case door assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a hollow hinge pin configured to rotatably couple the display case door assembly to the product storage device; and

one or more electrical conductors extending through the hollow hinge pin, the electrical conductors providing at least one of;

power and data to the transparent LCD panel.

13. The display case door assembly of claim 1, wherein the transparent LCD panel, the lighting element, and the light guide are powered by a power supply that outputs a DC voltage of 24V or less.

14. A display case door assembly for a temperature-controlled storage device, the display case door assembly comprising:

a transparent unit comprising a panel through which products within the temperature-controlled storage device are visible;

an electroacoustic transducer mounted in energy transmitting relation to the panel, wherein the electroacoustic transducer is configured to receive an audio signal and to drive the panel to produce sound in response to the audio signal; and

a controller for the electroacoustic transducer, wherein the controller is configured to affect the audio signal received by the electroacoustic transducer.

15. The display case door assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

a sensor;

wherein the controller is configured to receive an input signal from the sensor and to detect a user in front of the transparent unit based on the input signal;

wherein the controller affects the audio signal received by the electroacoustic transducer in response to detecting a user in front of the transparent unit.

16. The display case door assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

an anti-condensate device comprising an electrically-conductive coating applied to the panel, wherein the electrically-conductive coating is configured to generate heat to prevent condensation from occurring.

17. The display case door assembly of claim 14, further comprising:

an anti-reflective coating applied to the panel, wherein the anti-reflective coating is configured to increase an amount of visible light transmitted through the panel.

18. A transparent unit comprising:

a transparent panel;

a transparent LCD panel coupled to the transparent panel, wherein the transparent LCD panel is configured to present visual media content;

a switchable film configured to transition between a transparent state and an opaque state, wherein the switchable film is applied to at least one of;

the transparent panel and the transparent LCD panel; and

a controller configured to provide a control signal to the switchable film to cause the switchable film to transition between the transparent state and the opaque state;

wherein the controller is configured to control the visual media content presented via the transparent LCD panel and to coordinate the presentation of visual media content with a state of the switchable film.

19. The transparent unit of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether to cause the switchable film to transition between the transparent state and the opaque state and to provide the control signal to the switchable film based on a result of the determination;

wherein the controller is configured to cause the switchable film to transition into the opaque state when the visual media content is presented via the transparent LCD panel.

20. The transparent unit of claim 18, wherein the transparent panel comprises:

an inner transparent portion through which the visual media content presented by the transparent LCD panel is visible; and

an outer opaque portion configured to conceal the controller, wherein the outer opaque portion is formed by at least one of;

dot matrix decorating and applying a decal to an outer portion of the transparent panel.