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Television viewing distance safety system

  • US 5,541,664 A
  • Filed: 08/14/1995
  • Issued: 07/30/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A television viewing distance safety system for preventing children from watching television at a potentially harmful close viewing distance comprising, in combination:

  • a rigid box-shaped hollow housing having a bottom wall, a top wall, and a periphery interconnected therebetween formed of a front wall, a rear wall, and a pair of opposed long side walls and with the bottom wall further having a plurality of feet extended downwards therefrom for positioning the housing upon a recipient surface proximal to a screen of a television receiver and with the front wall further having a generally transparent rectangular window formed thereon;

    sensor assembly means disposed within the housing for radiating a signal through the window to a remote location in front of the screen of the television receiver, detecting a reflected portion of the signal through the window from an object positioned within a predetermined distance therefrom, and transmitting an indication of the presence of the detected object, the sensor assembly means having a manually actuated dialable switch means cooperative therewith and extended through the top wall of the housing for allowing the predetermined distance to be changed;

    alarm means coupled to the sensor assembly means and extended through the front wall of the housing for providing a visual warning upon receipt of the indication to signify the presence of the detected object;

    an auxiliary electrical receptacle coupled to the back wall of the housing and with the receptacle securable to a plug end of the television receiver for supplying electrical power thereto for operation;

    timed switching means coupled between the alarm means and the electrical receptacle and with the timed switching means being responsive to the activation of the alarm means for preventing delivery of electrical power to the electrical receptacle after a predetermined amount of time;

    a power cable for supplying electrical power having a distal plug end securable to a remote electrical power source and a proximal terminal end extended within the housing; and

    a power switch coupled between the terminal end of the power cable and the sensor assembly means, the alarm means, and the timed switching means and with the power switch having one orientation for allowing supply of electrical power for operation of the television viewing distance safety system and the television receiver securable thereto and another orientation for preventing such supply.

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