Durable top surface for interactive display

• US 7,760,193 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2005
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yee, Dawson
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Chanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, ALLISON WALTHALL
• Application Number:
  US11/204,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20070035540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,800 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/175, 361/684, 361/72, 361/679.01, 361/679.02, 361/679.4, 361/679.21, 361/679.22, 353/71, 353/72, 353 74- 78, 353/119, 349/58, 349/60
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386

Abstract

An interactive display that is resistant to liquid spills and vandalism. An interactive display includes a display chassis that has a chassis top support. A tamper proof and liquid resistant display surface can be attached to the chassis top support with a plurality of fasteners, so that the top is readily removable and thus, easily replaced if scratched or otherwise damaged. When attached to the display chassis, the display surface forms a continuous, gap-free top surface that prevents liquid from entering the display chassis.

Claims

1. A spill and vandal resistant top for an interactive display table, comprising:

(a) an optically transparent top layer; and

(b) a mounting frame, wherein;

(i) the top layer comprises a shatter-resistant sheet having an upper surface, a lower surface, a top layer thickness, and a peripheral edge surface disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface, the upper surface of the top layer presenting a continuous gap- free and ridge-less surface that prevents a spilled liquid from entering the interactive display table and resists removal and damage by vandalism; and

(ii) the mounting frame comprising a top surface and a peripheral edge surface that extends from the top surface, the top surface comprising a bonding surface that is bonded to the lower surface of the top layer such that the peripheral edge surface of the mounting frame is adjacent to the peripheral edge surface of the top layer, and a plurality of receptacles for fasteners that are configured to mount the mounting frame to a supporting chassis, the spill and vandal resistant top thus being removable and replaceable by releasing the fasteners, wherein the plurality of receptacles are concealed under the top layer when the top layer is bonded to the mounting frame and not concealed when the top layer is not bonded to the mounting frame;

wherein the peripheral edge surfaces of the top layer and the mounting frame are polished to remove the seam between the top layer and mounting frame.

2. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the top layer further comprises an optical diffuser.

3. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the edge surface is polished to remove the seam between the top layer and mounting frame.

4. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame includes a plurality of orifices disposed along the inner frame edge surfaces, each of said plurality of orifices for receiving a fastener.

5. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame is affixed to the top layer using a plastic welding adhesive applied to the bonding surface of the mounting frame.

6. The spill and vandal resistant surface of claim 5, wherein the plastic welding adhesive is at least one of:

(a) cyanoacrylate ester;

(b) methyl ethyl ketone;

(c) dichloromethane; and

(d) acetone.

7. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, further comprising a support layer having a smaller surface area than that of the top layer and wherein the support layer is disposed adjacent to the lower surface of the top layer.

8. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 7, wherein the support layer comprises an acrylic sheet material selected for optical transparency.

9. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame comprises a plurality of sheets that are bonded together to form at least one continuous elongate mounting rail.

10. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 9, wherein at least one of said plurality of sheets includes the receptacles for the fasteners.

11. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the top layer is fabricated of an acrylic sheet material selected for durability and high optical contrast.

12. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame is fabricated from an acrylic material selected for structural strength.

13. The spill and vandal resistant top of claim 1, wherein a radius is formed between the edge of the top layer and the top surface of the top layer around the periphery of the top layer.

14. An interactive display table, comprising:

(a) an interactive display chassis, the display chassis including a chassis top support;

(b) a plurality of fasteners; and

(c) a spill and vandal resistant top comprising;

(i) an optically transparent top layer; and

(ii) a mounting frame, wherein;

(i) the top layer comprises a shatter-resistant sheet having an upper surface, a lower surface, a top layer thickness, and a peripheral edge surface disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface, the upper surface of the top layer presenting a continuous gap-free and ridge-less surface that prevents a spilled liquid from entering the interactive display table and resists removal and damage by vandalism; and

(ii) the mounting frame comprising a top surface and a peripheral edge surface that extends from the top surface, the top surface comprising a bonding surface that is bonded to the lower surface of the top layer such that the peripheral edge surface of the mounting frame is adjacent to the peripheral edge surface of the top layer, and a plurality of receptacles for receiving the plurality of fasteners to mount the mounting frame to chassis top support, the spill and vandal resistant top thus being removable and replaceable by releasing the plurality of fasteners, wherein the plurality of receptacles are concealed under the top layer when the top layer is bonded to the mounting frame and not concealed when the top layer is not bonded to the mounting frame;

wherein the peripheral edge surfaces of the top layer and the mounting frame are polished to remove the seam between the top layer and mounting frame.

15. The interactive display table of claim 14, wherein the plurality of fasteners includes at least one of:

(a) a metal bolt;

(b) a plastic bolt;

(c) a metal nut;

(d) a plastic nut;

(e) a metal screw;

(f) a metal cam lock; and

(g) a plastic cam lock.

16. A method for removably attaching a liquid and tamper resistant top to an interactive display chassis of an interactive display table, comprising the steps of:

(a) bonding a plastic mounting frame to an undersurface of a plastic surface layer to provide a unified interactive display top, the plastic mounting frame being bonded to the plastic surface layer such that the edge of the plastic mounting frame is adjacent to the edge of the plastic surface layer, wherein the mounting frame is configured to mount to the interactive display chassis, and wherein an upper surface of the plastic surface layer presents a continuous gap-free and ridge-less surface that prevents a spilled liquid from entering the interactive display table and resists removal and damage by vandalism;

(b) providing a plurality of fastener receptacles on the plastic mounting frame, wherein the fastener receptacles are concealed under the plastic surface layer when the plastic surface layer is bonded to the plastic mounting frame and not concealed when the plastic surface layer is not bonded to the plastic mounting frame;

(c) providing a plurality of mounting orifices on the interactive display chassis, the plurality of mounting orifices corresponding to and configured for alignment with the receptacles on the plastic mounting frame;

(d) coupling the interactive display top to the interactive display chassis with removable fasteners, which substantially removably affix the interactive display top to the interactive display chassis; and

(e) smooth polishing the edges of the plastic mounting frame and the plastic surface layer to remove the seam between the plastic mounting frame and the plastic surface layer.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of providing the interactive display top with a supporting layer that is coupled to the interactive display chassis.

18. The method of claim 16, and further comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a radius on at least a portion of an edge of the liquid and tamper resistant top.