Electronic floor display cleaning system and protective cover

• US 6,940,418 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2003
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Collin Peel, Eikos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intellimats LLC (Intellimat, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D., Kokonaski, William, Thibodeau, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/373,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/693.5, 340/693.9, 340/666, 340/540, 340/541, 340/552, 340/691.6, 152/15
• US Class Current: 340/815.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 23/22 Devices or implements resting on the floor for removing mud, dirt, or dust from footwear built-in gratings, e.g. foot-scrapers, E04F19/10
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 23/266 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/20 with colour-mixing effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/22 Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/228 Ground signs, i.e. display signs fixed on the ground

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an electronic display associated with a floor. The electronic display is provided with a sturdy protective cover to prevent damage to the display due to foot traffic or other factors. The protective cover in turn is provided with a device for at least one of preventing damage to the protective cover and for removing dirt from over the electronic display that may obscure the display.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an electronic display associated with a floor, the electronic display device configurable to display an electronically modifiable verbal message;

a protective cover for the electronic display; and

a device associated with the protective cover, for at least one of preventing damage to the protective cover and removing dirt from over the electronic display.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a sheet formed from a protective material.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sheet is configured to adhere to the protective cover.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the material is plastic.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device comprises continuous roll of protective material arranged over a surface of the protective cover.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the device is configure to advance at least a portion of the material.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the device is configure to automatically advance the material.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein device is configured to enable manual advancement of the material.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a contact sensor to detect the presence of a person in contact with the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the device is configure to inhibit automatic advancement of the material when the contact sensor detects a person in contact with the apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the material is plastic.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dirt sensor for measuring a degree of dirtiness associated with the electronic display.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the dirt sensor comprises a transmission device for measuring a dirt accumulation.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device is an automated cleaning mechanism.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the mechanism comprises a cleaning member.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cleaning member is formed as a thin, elongated member.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cleaning member includes at least one of a brush, a sponge, paper, cloth and a squeegee.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cleaning member is configured to be received within a recess in a floor covering.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cleaning member is arranged between tensioning members for moving the cleaning member across the protective cover.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the tensioning members are coupled to a motor for moving the tensioning members.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, further including tracks configured to engage the cleaning member, to guide the cleaning member as it is moved across the protective cover.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the mechanism is configured to move a cleaning member from a resting position across the protective cover to a predetermined point.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the mechanism is further configured to return the cleaning member to the resting position.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the mechanism is configured to automatically activate a cleaning operation comprising moving a cleaning member across the protective cover.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, comprising a sensor for detecting the presence of a person near or on the apparatus, to prevent the mechanism from automatically activating the cleaning operation.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a processor for controlling the mechanism to perform the cleaning operation at predetermined times.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a dirt sensor for measuring a dirt accumulation associated with the electronic display.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, the device comprising:

a loop of protective material arranged to at least partly encircle the electronic display and the protective cover;

a cleaning member arranged to contact a section of the loop below the electronic display; and

a mechanism for causing the loop to rotate, to clean the section by passing it across the cleaning member.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the mechanism is configured to automatically rotate the loop to position the cleaned section over the protective cover and clean a different section by passing it across the cleaning member.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the mechanism is configured to automatically rotate the loop at predetermined time intervals.

31. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a plurality of separable sheets formed from a protective material.