GB2416990A

GB2416990A - Audiovisual protective element

Info

Publication number: GB2416990A
Application number: GB0417952A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Danny Cockerill
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-08-12
Filing date: 2004-08-12
Publication date: 2006-02-15
Also published as: GB0417952D0

Abstract

A protective element 10 for cooperation with a stand (21, fig.3) to protect audiovisual equipment (22, fig.3) on the stand (21, fig.3). The element 10 comprises a substantially rigid sheet having a major portion 11 formed from a translucent or transparent material. The element 10 is arranged to extend substantially vertically closely adjacent and in front of the stand (21, fig.3) to restrict physical access to the carried audiovisual equipment (22, fig.3) but also permits the remote control of the audiovisual equipment (22, fig.3). The element has lateral regions 12, 13 at an angle to the major portion 11, which are adapted to extend around the sides of the stand to resist the generally horizontal removal of the element 10 from the stand. The sheet may be moved vertically with respect to the stand to give access to the audiovisual equipment. The invention also includes a television stand (21, fig.3) incorporating a protective element 10 as described above.

Description

Audiovisual Protective Element The present invention relates to a

protective element for cooperation with a stand to protect audiovisual equipment carried thereon, and it also relates to a 6 stand incorporating such a moveable protective element.

As used herein the term audiovisual equipment encompasses all types of electronic equipment that are normally used for watching television or listening to music whether that be for education, entertainment or otherwise. Specifically the term includes, but is not limited to: televisions, visual display screens, computers, to video players, DVD players, satellite and cable decoders, amplifiers and other audio equipment.

Modern audiovisual equipment, and particularly televisions, is often used with or even sold with stands that have an upper surface and one or more shelves therebelow, and the stand often has approximately the same plan shape or profile as the carried equipment. When it is a stand for a television, the television is mounted in the upper surface and other associated audiovisual equipment may be mounted on the shelves below. These items of audiovisual equipment are often expensive and delicate and have a number of fragile parts, for example the drawer of a DVD player, or the card in a satellite television decoder unit. Such equipment go is therefore susceptible to damage by for example young children and animals.

For example, a young child may insert a foreign object into the video slot on a video recorder, or may remove the card from a satellite or cable unit. Alternatively a child or animal may tamper with controls and change the functioning of the equipment, or worse endanger themselves by playing with electrical wiring at the rear of such equipment.

To prevent inappropriate tampering with the equipment, stands may have securable doors behind which the equipment is concealed, or alternatively the 6 equipment may be moved to positions whereat the children cannot reach them, such as at height. Most of the stands provided, in particular with televisions, do not have doors on them, and those that do are not normally securable, so a new specifically adapted stand would have to be purchased at extra cost. However, such protective stands are often only able to protect the audiovisual equipment to when not in use and prevents normal use thus forcing the equipment to be uncovered when being used. Also, moving the equipment onto a higher surface is of course inconvenient and requires that shelves be built specifically for that purpose. Given the size and weight of some modern televisions, this can be impossible or unfeasible. Further, for televisions such positioning may also detrimentally affect viewing.

The aim of the present invention is provide a solution to these problems and provide a way of simply, cheaply and efficiently protecting audiovisual equipment when carried on existing stands.

Therefore according to the present invention there is provided a protective element for cooperation with a stand to protect audiovisual equipment carried thereon, which element comprises a substantially rigid sheet having a major portion formed from a translucent or transparent material and arranged to extend substantially vertically closely adjacent and in front of the stand to restrict physical - 3 - access to the carried audiovisual equipment but to permit the remote control thereof, and lateral regions at an angle to the major portion and which are adapted to extend around the sides of the stand to resist the generally horizontal removal of the element from the stand, whereby the sheet may be moved vertically with respect to the stand to give access to the carried audiovisual equipment.

The sheet will usually have a lower edge and an upper edge and the remainder of the sheet may be of a substantially uniform and similar profile between said upper and lower edges. The major portion of the element should be adapted to match as closely as possible the front of the stand and so it is to preferably substantially rectangular and substantially planar.

The substantially rigid sheet may be formed from a single sheet of material that is shaped to define the lateral regions and the major portion, and preferably it will be made out of plastics material such as that referred to as Perspex. The protector will preferably be made from a plastic material because such materials are durable but lightweight and may be easily formed, but still permit the passage of electromagnetic radiation such as visible light and infra red waves.

When the sheet is made from a suitable plastics material it may be shaped by heat moulding. Such heat moulding can wrap the lateral regions of the sheet around such that they are complimentary to the profile of the stand. Obviously, since stands and mounted audiovisual equipment are not all of a uniform shape and size, the present invention can be easily formed in a myriad of different shapes and sizes that correspond to these sizes. Profiles adapted to locate on a range of different but similarly shaped equipment may also be provided. - 4

Often audiovisual equipment, in particular televisions, are mounted on the top of a stand and it is advantageous that the sheet has an upper edge which extends above an upper part of the stand to protect at least a lower portion of audiovisual equipment carried on the top of the stand. The edge could extend to completely cover a television, including the viewing screen, but this is not usually necessary and in fact can detract from the viewing. Instead in such circumstances the upper edge of the element can extend to just below the televisions viewing screen which will usually cover the control buttons and so prevent tampering.

As discussed above the present invention is particularly well adapted for the to protection of televisions and associated audiovisual equipment mounted therebelow and so it is preferred that the element is adapted for location on a television stand.

The effect of wrapping the protector around the sides of the stand serves two purposes, first of all it prevents the lateral removal of the element from the front of the stand. Secondly the lateral regions may extend rearwardly down the sides of the stand to prevent or restrict access to the sides of the audiovisual equipment carried thereon. This is especially useful if the stand is open at the sides, which many are.

In order for the cover to be moved or slid vertically it must be slightly larger go than either the stand or mounted audio visual equipment, whichever is the larger (if they are not uniform in shape). Preferably the profile of the element matches that of the stand, which is usually larger than the carried audiovisual equipment. - 5

The present invention may also be provided with a latch or other means to restrict upward movement of the element. Operation of this latch or other means could selectively permit such movement and so make the device more child-proof.

According to the present invention there is also provided a television stand having an upper surface adapted to carry a television, a shelf below the upper surface adapted to carry other audiovisual equipment, a protective element which comprises a substantially rigid sheet formed from a translucent or transparent material and arranged to extend substantially vertically closely adjacent the front and sides of the stand and to extend laterally around the sides of the stand to to resist the generally horizontal removal of the element from the stand, whereby the element restricts physical access to the shelf and carried audiovisual equipment and whereby the element may be moved vertically with respect to the stand to give access to the carried audiovisual equipment.

The present invention is able to provide a cheap and relatively simple s device that covers at least the front and sides of a stand, but which can be easily lifted by an adult to gain access to the audiovisual equipment that is carried thereon, but which cannot be moved by a young child or animal.

In order that the invention may be better understood, but by way of example only, one embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with go reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the protective element on its own, not in combination with a stand or audiovisual equipment; - 6 Figure 2 shows a plan view of the element associated with a television and a stand; and Figure 3 shows a front view of the protective element when associated with the television and stand.

6 Referring initially to Figure 1, there is shown a protective element generally indicated 10. The protective element 10 is formed from a single sheet of transparent plastics material, that has been heat shaped from a flat pre-form into the shape shown, which shape corresponds to that of the stand (not shown) and/or the audiovisual equipment with which it is to be associated. The element to comprises a major portion 11, opposite corner regions 12 and opposite side regions 13. The corner region 12 and side region 13 on each side together comprise the lateral regions discussed above. The element has an upper edge and a lower edge 16, and has a uniform cross-section.

Obviously, the shape of the protective element will depend on the shape of 16 the stand and/or audiovisual equipment. Most televisions are wider at the front and taper rearwardly, so a shape such as that shown in Figure 1, where the side regions 13 are at an acute angle to the major portion, is preferable. If the television and stand are substantially rectangular in shape, then the cover will also be, but will need to prevent horizontal removal, which is normally achieved by the go acute shape of the lateral regions.

Figures 2 and 3 show a television 20 mounted on a stand 21 and the same embodiment of protective element 10 associated therewith. As is shown in both of Figures 2 and 3, the television 20 and stand 21 are substantially the same plan - 7 shape. The protective element 10 is slightly larger than the stand and television in order to fit around it and allow relative movement, but it matches part of that plan shape.

The major portion is wide enough such that it extends across the front face of the stand 21. The corner regions 12 and side regions 13 extend around the edges of the stand 21. The lower edge 16 of the protective element 10 rests on the floor 18, and the stand 21 is in the corner of a room adjacent walls 19.

The protective element 10 wraps around the stand 21, and the top edge 15 is high enough such that the front of the stand is completely covered. In fact the upper edge 15 extends sufficiently high to cover control buttons 26 on the television 20. On the stand 21 are located various pieces of equipment 22 that might be a DVD player, a digital decoder box, and a video recorder.

In normal operation, the protective element 10 sits on the floor surrounding the stand 21, so that a user cannot directly access the equipment 22. If the user 16 wants to access the equipment 22 or the televisions control buttons 26, then they simply have to lift the protector 10 vertically upwardly relative to the television 20 until the relevant part is revealed. This requires a degree of dexterity that prevents a child from tampering, and whilst it means that access to the equipment is made more complex, such access is not often required as most control functions can be carried out remotely. The control signal from the or each remote will pass through the element and safe positioning of the or each remote away from children or animals is easily achieved when not in use. The use of transparent material in the formation of the screen also minimises any visual impact which could otherwise - 8 detract from the surroundings. Indeed the present invention may have a very low visual profile, if formed from suitable material. - 9 -

Claims

Claims 1. A protective element for cooperation with a stand to protect

audiovisual equipment carried thereon, which element comprises a substantially rigid sheet having a major portion formed from a translucent or transparent material and arranged to extend substantially vertically closely adjacent and in front of the stand to restrict physical access to the carried audiovisual equipment but to permit the remote control thereof, and lateral regions at an angle to the major portion and which are adapted to extend around the sides of the stand to resist the generally to horizontal removal of the element from the stand, whereby the sheet may be moved vertically with respect to the stand to give access to the carried audiovisual equipment.
2. A protective element as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sheet has a lower edge and an upper edge and has a substantially similar profile between said upper t and lower edges.
3. A protective element as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the major portion is substantially rectangular.
4. A protective element as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the major portion is substantially planar.

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5. A protective element as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the substantially rigid sheet is formed from a plastics material. - 10
6. A protective element as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which is formed from a single sheet of material that is shaped to define the lateral regions and the major portion.
7. A protective element as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sheet is made from 6 plastics material, and it is shaped by heat moulding.
8. A protective element as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the sheet has an upper edge which extends above an upper part of the stand to protect at least a lower portion of audiovisual equipment carried on the top of the stand.

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9. A protective element as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which is adapted for location on a television stand.
10. A protective element as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
11. A television stand having an upper surface adapted to carry a television, a 16 shelf below the upper surface adapted to caky other audiovisual equipment, a protective element which comprises a substantially rigid sheet formed from a translucent or transparent material and arranged to extend substantially vertically closely adjacent the front and sides of the stand and to extend laterally around the sides of the stand to resist the generally horizontal removal of the element from the stand, whereby the element restricts physical access to the shelf and carried audiovisual equipment and whereby the screen may be moved vertically with respect to the stand to give access to the carried audiovisual equipment.