NZ232924A - Rotating/oscillating reflector for display or security use in shops. - Google Patents

Description

23 2924 Patents Form# 5 NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION ~ 30 NOV 1993 m, AFTER PROVISIONAL NO: 232924 DATED: 14 March 1990 TITLE: Special Purpose Reflector I: William Joseph Doogan, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, of 23 Georgina St, Freemans Bay, Auckland, New Zealand, hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: PF05.JWP FEE CODE-1050 232924 SPECIAL PURPOSE REFLECTOR This invention concerns devices for display or surveillance.

Turning firstly to the display aspect, it is widely believed in retailing that a moving display attracts more attention than a static display. Such displays may include turntables, devices to create optical illusions or aquariums and the like. Considering secondly the security aspect it is common for homeowners, shopkeepers or security personnel to JO rely upon one or more static mirrors or cameras for exterior surveillance of a building or surrounding area.

The apparatus aspect of this invention provides a device for display or surveillance comprising a reflector and a reflector drive wherein the reflector is capable of being 15 rotatably driven with respect to a substrate and cyclically, in a partially or fully circular path such that parts of the field continually appear in the reflector.

The reflector may be mounted on the end of the drive so that the angle of skew is constant. Alternatively part of the drive may be a mount offering adjustable skew for the 20 reflector. The skew may be 1-35 degrees, preferably 5-15 degrees. The speed of rotation may be 0.5-10 revolutions per minute (rpm). The reflector may be a mirror, preferably a circular mirror to camouflage the rotation.

The method aspect of the invention provides a method of displaying a field not normal-25 ly visible to the viewer comprising imparting motion to a reflector facing a field so that parts of the field continually appear in the reflector.

In this specification "continually" means cyclically or intermittently such as would occur with a skewed reflector caused to rotate either steadily or intermittently.

If the reflector rotates then successive parts of the field become visible in turn. The motion may be varied so that the field is viewed in an unexpected order, so that interest is increased. The device may be placed outside a building for example a security target so that the occupants can monitor the outside surface of the building without going 35 outside. A more usual use of the device is in businesses which have a door or window which reaches a public area. The business owner displays goods on the inside wall 6794CSK2.N93-d« N?. PATEHT 0PEI9|_ 19 MOV 1SSS 232924 which contains the door or window. The goods are illuminated to give a bright field and the device is placed 1-3 metres from the door or window so that the public see the inside wall as they stand outside.

The closeness of the device to the field acknowledges that the image appears as far behind the reflector as the field stands in front. The onlooker sees a revolving display.

Instead of rotation, the device may comprise a reflector and a drive capable of oscillating the reflector to and fro, so that in use the reflector sweeps the field.

In order to increase the coverage without unduly increasing the sweep which is usually less than 90 degrees and preferably 60 degrees the reflector may have two intersecting, mutually inclined mirrors. Alternatively the reflector may have a mid-part and two wings inclined to the mid-part.

The device may be floor mounted, suspended from the ceiling or placed on a counter according to location. The reflector may be plane, convex or compound with multiple surfaces each individually inclined to the main axis in order to give a dynamic effect.

In another use the invention may be installed by shopkeepers to deter shoplifters. In order to give the impression of remote control and hence hidden security operations, the sweep may be interrupted and even reversed briefly to resume once more. This makes evasive action by a shoplifter more difficult. This is achieved by electronic drive modification.

In yet another application, wildlife may be observed by a remotely controlled mirror trained on an animal which has cover from view whereas a cameraman is able to see the mirror.

Embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagram of the display device showing reflector inclination; Figure 2 is an end view of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a drive detail of Figure 2; 232924 Figure 4 is a diagrammatic plan of a premises with a display device inside the 5 entrance; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a sweep reflector, Figure 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a twin surveillance mirror for a 10 shop with mirrors removed to show the drive; Figure 7 is a diagrammatic front view of a four minor surveillance assembly for a shop with the mirrors, motor mount and closest mirror mount removed for clarity of presentation; Figure 8 is a circuit diagram of a mirror movement modifier and Figure 9 is a block diagram of Figure 8.

Referring now to Figures 1-3, bracket 2 supports a 240v motor 4 fitted with an epicyclic gearbox 6 causing shaft 8 to revolve at 5 rpm. Steel coupling 10 is locked on shaft 8 by setscrew 12. A 600mm dia. ply baseboard 14 supports 2mm glass mirror 16. The baseboard is mounted to the coupling by a pair of angle brackets 18. Pin mounts 20 and location screws 22 permit a selection of inclinations.

Referring now to Figure 4 a shop has side 24 and a rear wall 26 with an entrance 28. The interior faces of the walls are lined with merchandise 30 and lit by floods 32. The display device 34 is placed as shown and a suitable inclination is selected. As shoppers pass the entrance they see the brightly lit merchandise ranging from floor to ceiling, 30 reflected in the device as recurring images.

Referring now to Figure 5, the motor 4 and epicyclic gearbox 6 are fixed to channel bracket 36. Angle bracket 38 is secured to channel bracket 36 and the horizontal part carries pin 40. Square tube 42 has a mirror mount 44 at one end and a bell crank at the 35 opposite end. The mirror mount 44 is connected to a 450mm dia. sheet metal mirror 48 of the type used in static security installations. A bell crank 46 is connected to link 50 6794CSK2.N93-de 23 2qz 4 which is driven by radius arm 52.

In another embodiment, tube 42 is driven by a compound motion which smooths the 5 change in direction at the end of each sweep.

Referring now to Figure 6, the mirror mounts 54 are aluminium blocks which pivot around pins 56 extending from brackets 58. Angle brackets 18 support two mirrors (not shown) 600mm high and 800mm long. The lower edge of each mirror is 65 mm out of the vertical, as normally the device will be operated above head height. Link 60 joins ^ the two mounts and both are driven in unison by radius arm 52 through link 50.

Referring now to Figure 7 four brackets 58 extend N, S, E and W from the motor casing 36. Posts 62 support mirror mounts 54. The mounts 54 pivot on pins 56. The links 60N, 60S drive the N and S mirror mounts. The radius arm 52 also drives an arm 64. 15 The arm 64 in turn drives links 60E, 60W which move the E and W mounts. A small phase difference between the two pairs is necessary to prevent minor collision. Box 68 houses a motion modifier.

As these units are designed as anti-shoplifting devices the motion modifier stops or starts the sweep of the mirror every 20-25 seconds and randomly resumes or retracts the sweep. This introduces unpredictability into the scanning pattern of the mirror.

Referring now to Figures 8 and 9, the timers Tl, T2 set the period of the sweep at 20-25 sec. Pulses from Tl drive the motor in one direction. Pulses from T2 drive the motor in the opposite direction. The counter CI supplies the reset (start) pulse for T2 and C2 25 supplies the reverse step for reset timer Tl. The counters generate random signals. The signals operate the flip flop 70. Triacs 72 isolate the logic elements 74 and optical couplers 76 from the 230v motor M. In use the mirror pans at a rate of about three sweeps per minute. Part way through a sweep it pauses briefly then resumes. Part way through the next sweep it pauses briefly then reverses; the length of the pauses being controlled by the counters CI, C2 in random sequence in order to foil evasive action by shoplifters.

Finally, it will be appreciated that various alterations and modifications may be made to the foregoing without departing from the scope of this invention as set forth in the following claims. »\ 30N0V19931.

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Claims (9)

15 20 25 -6- What I claim is: 232924

1. A device for display or surveillance purposes comprising: a mirror or reflector, rotat-5 ably mounted on a mounting means, a support, and means for rotatably driving said reflector relative to said support about an axis of rotation, the reflector being skew-mounted so that the plane of its surface intersects an axis of rotation at an angle of intersection other than 90 degrees, whereby in use the reflector can be rotated in a partial or full circle in a plane about the axis of rotation to reflect successive parts of a field 10 of view.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the the angle of intersection is adjustable between 89 and 55 degrees.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the the angle of intersection is adjustable between 85 and 75 degrees.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 2 or Claim 3, characterised in that a movement of the reflector is a steady rotation at a speed of from 0.5 to 10 revolutions per minute.

5. A device as claimed in Claim 4, characterised in that the movement may be halted and/ reversed from time to time in an irregular sequence. 30

6. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the reflector surface is a single plane or curved mirror.

7. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the reflector surface 35 is composed of more than one mutually intersecting, mutually inclined reflector element. t7»4C3K2.X»)-<U 232924

8. A method of displaying a field of view substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 4.

9. A device for display or surveillance constructed and adapted for use substantially as herein described, with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1-3 or as modified by any one of Figures 5,6, or 7. 10 WILLIAM JOSEPH DOOGAN by his Attorneys 15 James W Piper & Co. 20 25 30 I/%>,. X % V V v * J? 35 «?94C3K2.M93-d« 19 NOV 1993 J figQgfVPn