Motion picture environment simulator for television sets

• US 5,187,586 A
• Filed: 04/12/1991
• Issued: 02/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Milton Johnson
• Original Assignee: Milton Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Milton
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US07/684,115
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 358/255, 358/254, 358/83, 358/93, 351/43, 351/45
• US Class Current: 348/836
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/12 Side shields for protection of the eyes
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/16 Shades; shields; Obturators, e.g. with pinhole, with slot G02C5/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06

Abstract

A television viewing device for simulating the environment of a motion picture theater comprising in combination a viewing screen having an opening formed therein sized to expose the television tube. A pair of glasses like frames is used with the viewing screen. These frames having light blocking shields for preventing ambient light in the room in a home where a television set is situated from entering the eyes of the viewer through the top, bottom and sides of the frame. A light blocking shield is mounted in front of the frame in place of the glasses. This shield is provided with a narrow slit which can be varied in size, through which light from the viewing screen and television tube can be viewed. The surface of the viewing screen facing the viewer painted black so the only light visible to the viewer comes from the viewing screen, whereby the environment of a motion picture theater can be simulated in the home.

Claims

1. A television viewing device comprising in combination a viewing screen adapted to abut the television tube, said viewing screen having an opening formed therein surrounding the television tube so the television picture can be viewed, and a pair of light obstructing spectacle frames having attached light blocking shields for preventing ambient light in the room from entering the eyes of the viewer through the sides, top and bottom of the spectacle frame, the front of said spectacle frame having front light blocking shields with a narrow slit in each light shield, means for varying the width of said narrow slit for preventing too much light from entering said spectacle frame through said narrow slit for better comfort of the viewer, said viewing screen painted black so that the ambient light in the room perceptable to the viewer is substantially reduced and almost all light entering the eyes of the viewer through said slit in each light blocking shield comes from the television picture whereby the environment of a motion picture theatre is simulated.

2. The television viewing device described in claim 1 including means for reducing the size of the viewing screen for storage.

3. The television viewing device described in claim 2 wherein said viewing screen includes a center panel and left and right panels, said center panel having an opening formed therein, said opening the size of said television tube, whereby the picture on the television tube is visible through said opening.

4. The television viewing device described in claim 3 including means for varying the size of said opening to accommodate different size television tubes.

5. The television viewing device described in claim 3 wherein mesh covered openings are formed in the viewing screen so that radiation from a remote control device for the television set can penetrate the viewing screen and operate the television set.

6. The television viewing device described in claim 5 wherein said mesh covered openings transmit sound without attenuation so that speakers can be positioned behind said viewing screen.

7. The television viewing device described in claim 3 wherein said left and right panels are foldably connected to said center panel so that the left and right panels can be folded over the center panel to reduce the size of the television viewing screen when the viewing screen is to be stored.

8. A television viewing device comprising in combination a viewing screen having left and right panels and a center panel, said center panel of said viewing screen having an opening formed therein surrounding the television tube so the television picture can be viewed, said television screen formed from a cloth-like mesh screen and including vertical supports for holding said mesh screen in an erect position and including height adjusting means for raising and lowering said mesh screen, means for changing the angular relationship between said left and right side panels of said viewing screen with respect to said center panel to prevent ambient light at the rear of said viewing screen from reaching the front of said viewing screen.

9. The television viewing device described in claim 8 wherein the cloth-like mesh screen is held erect by vertically mounted support rods, one support rod connecting the left panel of the viewing screen with the center panel and the other support rod connecting the right panel of the viewing screen with the center panel, a horizontal support member mounted on the top of the left and right mesh panels, a pair of cylindrical members mounted one on top each other near the top of each of said support rods, the top cylindrical member having an opening sized to receive one of the horizontal support members holding up one of the side panels, the lower cylindrical member having an opening sized to receive the horizontal support member holding up the center panel, the top surface of the lower cylindrical support member having a plurality of pin receiving holes mounted on the periphery of a circle, a vertically downwardly extending pin receiving hole formed in the top surface of the upper cylindrical connecting member;

a first pin, said first pin sized to be insertable into said downwardly extending hole on the upper surface of said upper cylindrical connecting member and on into one of the pin receiving holes mounted on the periphery of a circle formed on the upper surface of said lower cylindrical connecting member whereby the angular relationship between the side panels and center panel of the view screen can be varied, each of said vertical supports having a plurality of vertically disposed horizontally extending pin receiving holes formed therein, a second pin, said second pin pin insertable into one of said vertically disposed pin receiving holes on each support, whereby the height of said screen could be varied.

10. The television viewing device described in claim 9 wherein said screen can be dismantled for storage by removing said pins and said horizontal support rods from said cylindrical connecting members thereby separating said side and front panels which can be rolled up on the horizontal support rods for storage.