Theater entrance

• US 9,938,738 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• 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:
  US15/374,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20170121991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 52 6, 52174, 472 75
• 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. A theater configuration, comprising:

a lobby;

a seating area;

an entrance to said seating area;

a vestibule extending between said lobby and said entrance, said vestibule having a convexly curved image projection wall, a floor and a ceiling;

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

said floor of said vestibule comprising a curved pathway that connects said lobby to said entrance; and

wherein said curved pathway is further defined by a curved inner wall and said image projection wall that are substantially parallel to each other.

2. The theater configuration set forth in claim 1, wherein said curved pathway includes border lighting.

3. The theater configuration set forth in claim 2, further comprising a walkway leading to said seating area, said walkway including additional border lighting.

4. The theater configuration set forth in claim 3, wherein said border lighting in said curved pathway and said additional border lighting in said walkway are substantially the same as each other.

5. The theater configuration set forth in claim 2, wherein said pathway is open, being bounded only by said image projection wall, said border lighting, said curved inner wall, said floor and said ceiling.

6. The theater configuration as set forth in claim 2, wherein said image projection wall has a top edge and a bottom edge, and said border lighting is located in a recess at the bottom edge of said image projection wall.

7. The theater configuration set forth in claim 1, wherein said curved image projection wall obscures said entrance until said curved pathway is at least partially traversed.

8. The theater configuration set forth in claim 7, wherein said curved image projection wall has a first convex curvature that obscures a portion of the image projection wall near said entrance until said curved pathway is at least partially traversed.

9. The theater configuration set forth in claim 1, wherein said entrance comprises a door that opens in a direction into said vestibule or away from said image projection wall.

10. A theater configuration, comprising:

a lobby;

a seating area;

an entrance to said seating area;

a vestibule extending between said lobby and said entrance, said vestibule having a curved image projection wall, a floor and a ceiling;

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

said floor of said vestibule comprising a curved pathway that connects said lobby to said entrance; and

wherein said curved pathway is further defined by a curved inner wall and said image projection wall that are substantially parallel to each other.

11. The theater configuration set forth in claim 10, wherein said curved pathway includes border lighting.

12. The theater configuration set forth in claim 11, further comprising a walkway leading to said seating area, said walkway including additional border lighting.

13. The theater configuration set forth in claim 12, wherein said border lighting in said curved pathway and said additional border lighting in said walkway are substantially the same as each other.

14. The theater configuration as set forth in claim 11, wherein said image projection wall has a top edge and a bottom edge, and said border lighting is located in a recess at the bottom edge of said image projection wall.

15. The theater configuration set forth in claim 10, wherein said curved image projection wall obscures said entrance until said curved pathway is at least partially traversed.

16. The theater configuration set forth in claim 10, wherein said entrance comprises a door that opens in a direction into said vestibule or away from said image projection wall.

17. The theater configuration set forth in claim 10, wherein said pathway is open, being bounded only by said image projection wall, said border lighting, said curved inner wall, said floor and said ceiling.

18. An entrance for a theater, comprising:

a lobby;

a doorway;

a vestibule extending between said lobby and said doorway, said vestibule having a 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; and

wherein said curved walkway terminates at two entry points at opposite sides adjacent said viewing area.

19. The entrance as in claim 18, wherein said curved walkway is defined by first and second curved walls that are substantially parallel to each other.

20. The entrance as in claim 18, wherein said vestibule includes a floor and a ceiling, said image projection wall extending substantially between said floor and ceiling.

21. The entrance as in claim 18, wherein said image projection wall and said curved walkway are approximately parallel to each other.

22. An entrance for a theater, comprising:

a lobby;

a doorway;

a vestibule extending between said lobby and said doorway, said vestibule having a 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.

23. The entrance of claim 22, 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.

24. The entrance of claim 22, wherein said image projection wall and said curved walkway are approximately parallel to each other.

25. The entrance as in claim 22, wherein said curved walkway terminates at two entry points at opposite sides adjacent said viewing area.

26. An entrance for a theater, comprising:

a lobby;

a doorway;

a vestibule extending between said lobby and said doorway, said vestibule having a 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.

27. The entrance of claim 26, 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.

28. The entrance of claim 26, wherein said image projection wall and said curved walkway are approximately parallel to each other.

29. The entrance as in claim 26, wherein said curved walkway terminates at two entry points at opposite sides adjacent said viewing area.

30. The entrance as in claim 26, wherein said vestibule includes a floor and a ceiling, said image projection wall extending substantially between said floor and ceiling.

31. The entrance as in claim 26, wherein said vestibule further comprises an inner wall opposite said image projection wall to define a path leading to said doorway.