Theater entrance

• US 9,551,161 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2014
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation (Dolby Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Oehl, Wilhelm, Herman, David, Voron, Vincent, Burlock, Donald, Sijen, Pascal, Kukshtel, Christopher Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Canfield, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/556,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20160153208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 786 Days
• Field of Search: 52/6, 521/74, 472/75
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 19/02 Borders; Finishing strips, e.g. beadings; Light coves for protecting edges of plaster E04F13/06
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/00 Buildings or groups of buildings for public or similar purposes; Institutions, e.g. infirmaries or prisons
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/10 for meetings, entertainments, or sports
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/12 Tribunes, grandstands or terraces for spectators
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/22 Theatres; Concert halls; Studios for broadcasting, cinematography, television or similar purposes
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 3/30 Constructional features of auditoriums
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/56 Projection screens

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to an entrance to a theater of the type normally used to show motion pictures. The motion picture theater entrance has distinctive outer walls separating a vestibule from a lobby. The vestibule has a curved image projection wall located inside said vestibule and is connected to a viewing area by a curved walkway. The entrance also may include border lighting along the upper and or lower edges of its walls.

Claims

1. An entrance for a theater, comprising:

a lobby;

a doorway;

a vestibule extending between said lobby and said doorway, said vestibule having a convexly curved image projection wall and an inner wall opposite to said image projection wall;

said image projection wall positioned so as to be visible from said lobby;

a viewing area having a curved walkway that is connected by said doorway to said vestibule;

wherein said curved walkway has a left side and a right side that are substantially mirror images of each other and that are curved so that they extend across a rear side of a viewing area;

wherein said curved walkway terminates at two entry points at opposite sides of adjacent said viewing area; and

wherein the curvature of said image projection wall substantially obscures said doorway from said lobby.

2. The entrance as in claim 1, wherein said curved walkway is defined by first and second curved walls that are substantially parallel to each other.

3. The entrance as in claim 1, wherein said vestibule includes a floor and a ceiling, said image projection wall extending substantially between said floor and ceiling.

4. The entrance as in claim 1, wherein said image projection wall and said curved walkway are approximately parallel to each other.

5. An entrance for a theater, comprising:

a lobby;

a doorway;

a vestibule extending between said lobby and said doorway, said vestibule having a convexly curved image projection wall;

said image projection wall positioned so as to be visible from said lobby;

a viewing area having a curved walkway that is connected by said doorway to said vestibule; and

wherein said curved walkway is defined by first and second curved walls that are substantially parallel to each other.

6. The entrance of claim 5, wherein said curved walkway has a left side and a right side that are substantially mirror images of each other and that are curved so that they extend across a rear side of said viewing area.

7. The entrance of claim 5, wherein said image projection wall and said curved walkway are approximately parallel to each other.

8. The entrance as in claim 5, wherein said curved walkway terminates at two entry points at opposite sides adjacent said viewing area.

9. An entrance for a theater, comprising:

a lobby;

a doorway;

a vestibule extending between said lobby and said doorway, said vestibule having a convexly curved image projection wall;

said image projection wall positioned so as to be visible from said lobby and having a curvature that substantially obscures said doorway from said lobby;

a viewing area having a curved walkway that is connected by said doorway to said vestibule; and

wherein said curved walkway is defined by first and second curved walls that are substantially parallel to each other.

10. The entrance of claim 9, wherein said curved walkway has a left side and a right side that are substantially mirror images of each other and that are curved so that they extend across a rear side of said viewing area.

11. The entrance of claim 9, wherein said image projection wall and said curved walkway are approximately parallel to each other.

12. The entrance as in claim 9, wherein said curved walkway terminates at two entry points at opposite sides adjacent said viewing area.

13. The entrance as in claim 9, wherein said vestibule includes a floor and a ceiling, said image projection wall extending substantially between said floor and ceiling.

14. The entrance as in claim 9, wherein said vestibule further comprises an inner wall opposite said image projection wall to define a path leading to said doorway.