WO1989005600A1

WO1989005600A1 - Programmable rotating show-case

Info

Publication number: WO1989005600A1
Application number: PCT/FR1988/000618
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gérard THEIS
Original assignee: Theis Gerard
Priority date: 1987-12-16
Filing date: 1988-12-15
Publication date: 1989-06-29
Also published as: FR2624712A1

Abstract

A programmable rotating show-case for displaying objects comprises an enclosure consisting of glass panels (5) arranged on a base (1) and covered by a cover (3) fitted with lighting, inside which supports (4) for said objects are arranged around a vertical shaft (2) driven by a motor (17). The show-case comprises modulated polychromatic lighting which changes to white light when an observer detected by an approach detector (19) comes near, and a digital key (7) which enables said observer to stop the rotation of the supports (4) so that he can examine them closely. The transition from polychromatic light to white light is controlled by an integrated circuit programming card (18) arranged in the base (1) of the show-case and connected on the one hand to the approach detector (19) and to the electric power supply of the lighting and on the other hand to the digital key (7) and to the motor (17). The show-case facilitates examination of the objects it contains and can be placed in sales points.

Description

Revolving display with programming

The present invention relates to a rotating display of a new type for the exhibition of objects intended in particular for sale.

There are already rotating displays made up of circular plates arranged one above the other around a rotary axis which drives them, the assembly being arranged inside a glass enclosure which most often affects the shape of a regular polygon such as a hexagon. These displays are generally provided with a lighting system arranged in a cover which covers the glass enclosure, this lighting allowing the examination of objects placed on the trays, which are most often made of glass or in a transparent plastic.

The disadvantage of these displays mainly lies in the fact that they do not allow an easy examination of the objects they present, due to the rotary movement which drives the plates. In addition, their uniform lighting in white light makes them unattractive, so that the public generally passes fairly quickly in front of this type of device, yet intended to promote sales.

The present invention proposes to remedy these drawbacks of displays of known type by proposing a display which combines with the advantage of an undeniable attractiveness that of allowing an easy examination of the objects it contains, thus realizing a communication device intended including sales promotion. This display will in particular have to detect the approach of the consumer and attract his curiosity by capturing his gaze thanks to lighting modulated in polychrome light relayed by lighting in white light. Thus, by stopping the lighting in polychrome light, the display will reveal the brightness of the exhibited objects thanks to the white light. The present invention thus relates to a rotating display with programming which is characterized by modulated polychrome lighting which gives way to white light when approaching an observer, and by the possibility that it offers to the latter of stop the rotation of the plates by means of a digital key, for a careful examination of one or other of the objects placed there.

The polychrome lighting of the display unit according to the invention can be achieved by means of light spots of different colors arranged in the bottom of the cover, and associated in pairs to give a particularly attractive crossfade of colors. These colored spots, for example with a power of about 40 to 60 Watts each, are preferably six or eight in number, achieving a crossfade of three or four different colors, which can be for example red, blue , yellow and / or green.

The observer attracted by this lighting triggers, when approaching the display, the transition from colored light to white light which allows an easier examination of the content of the display.

This white light is provided by spotlights, for example with a power of about 100 Watts each, also arranged in the bottom of the display cover, the passage from one to the other light being obtained by means of a approach detector which can be, for example, a radar or a photoelectric cell or an infrared cell, placed in the base of the display stand and connected to an electronic control card also placed in the base of the display stand and connected in addition to the light spots by means of electric wires gathered in a cable routed through a metal tube contained in the vertical shaft which drives in a rotary movement the trays, carrying the exposed objects.

This vertical shaft is driven by means of a motor arranged in the cover of the display, by by means of two toothed wheels working in cooperation and connected by a link chain, the motor being connected to the electronic control card by an electric wire contained in the cable routed through the metal tube contained in the vertical shaft.

The cross-fading of the polychrome light can be achieved mechanically by means of a shutter constituted by an opaque plate provided with two oblong diametrically opposed openings and mounted rotatably around the axis of the display below the colored light spots. In this case, the light spots of the same color are also diametrically opposite.

The crossfade can also be carried out electronically by means of the electronic control card which in this case ensures the alternating ignition and extinction of groups of two spots of the same color.

The electronic control card which operates the display unit according to the invention is a programming printed circuit equipped with integrated circuits and electronic components connected together so as to ensure the desired effects.

This card can advantageously be placed in a drawer arranged in the base of the display, and be made up of a plug-in electronic assembly that is easy to extract. It can also be directly integrated into the base via slides located in the base. In the event of a breakdown, it is possible to provide a printed circuit board intended to replace the control board for the time necessary for its repair, this replacement board ensuring the rotation of the plates and their lighting in white light.

As has already been said, the rotation of the shelves of the display can be stopped by one observer wishing to examine an object carefully by means of digital keys, for example four in number, available at the correct height. at the edge of the glass panels constituting the enclosure of the display. Each digital key can be part of an ^" electronic switch of high operating sensitivity, connected to the electronic control card by means of an electric cable fixed along the edge of the glass panel by any known means, such as than an adhesive cable or by screen printing. When a digital contact is made, the latter is memorized, thus causing the white light to remain on and the rotation to stop for a predetermined period by means of the electronic card. It is obvious that the display unit according to the invention, the essential characteristics of which have just been exposed, can give rise to different embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. display according to the invention, the device which ensures the passage in white light when approaching an observer is associated with an electronic module allowing the triggering hement of an audible message which delivers brief information or delivers a short advertisement on the displayed products. This electronic module can advantageously consist of a digital speech recorder. The audible message may also be broadcast, in addition to approaching a person, at the request of the rotation stop by pulse on a digital key.

According to another variant of the device according to the invention, the display cover comprises, on the one hand, transparent panels formed so as to constitute a strip representing the name of a brand of products and, on the other hand, lighting tubes located behind these panels, one per side of the display.

These strip lighting tubes can advantageously be six in number, for example with a power of 40 Watts each. They can be lit continuously or on the contrary be divided into different groups lit alternately so that the tubes turn on and off in turn. According to yet another variant of the display unit according to the invention, the horizontal circular plates are replaced by vertical panels animated by a horizontal rotary movement around the vertical shaft and which at the same time ensure a vertical transfer of the products by means a carrier strip which surrounds each panel and on which the products are fixed by any suitable means.

In this case, the display will include two series of digital keys, one of which will stop the horizontal rotation of the panels, and the other the vertical transfer of the objects fixed on the carrier strips.

According to another finally variant of the display according to the invention, it constitutes a program display box whose lighting in full color light attracts the attention of the observer, whose approach triggers lighting in white light intended to allow the examination of the displayed program. This program can in particular consist of the card of a restaurant, in which case the display box can be placed at the entrance of said restaurant.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows an embodiment thereof, it being understood that this description has no limiting character. In the attached drawing:

- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a rotating display according to the invention.

- Figure 2 shows along the section lines I-I and II-II of Figure 1, a perspective view, partially cut, of the upper and lower parts of the display of Figure 1.

- Figure 3 shows an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the mechanical drive of the central shaft of the rotating display unit according to the invention.

- Figure 4 shows an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the cover of the rotating display according to the invention. - Figure 5 shows a top view of the electronic control card of the display according to 1'.invention.

According to the invention, the rotating display for the exhibition of objects, of the type comprising an enclosure consisting of glass panels 5 arranged on a base 1 and covered with a cover 3 provided with lighting, inside which are arranged, around a vertical shaft 2 driven by a motor 17, supports 4 for said objects, is characterized in that it comprises lighting modulated in polychrome light relayed by a white light illumination approach of an observer spotted by means of an approach detector 19, and a digital key 7 allowing said observer to stop the rotation of the supports 4 for a careful examination of objects, the passage of light polychrome in white light being controlled by an integrated circuit programming card 18 placed in the base 1 of the display and connected, on the one hand, to the approach detector 19 and to the electrical supply of the lighting and, d '' other part, to digital key 7 and to motor 17.

The lighting in full color light is achieved by means of light spots P of different colors arranged in the bottom of the display cover and which light up in turn, thanks to a mechanical shutter driven by the rotary axis and consisting of '' a circular plate arranged below the colored spots and having two oblong diametrically opposite openings, or also by means of a programming card 18 which controls the lighting and the consecutive extinction of the colored spots P.

As for the lighting in white light, it is carried out by means of luminous spots P ′ arranged in the bottom of the display cover. The approach detector 19 may be in the form of a radar placed in the base of the device and connected to the programming card 18, or directly integrated therein. According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the transition from polychrome light to white light is accompanied by the emission of an audible message produced by means of a digital speech recorder connected to the programming card 18.

The supports of the objects presented can consist either of horizontal circular plates 4 fixed to the tree. 2 by any suitable means, either vertical panels driven by the shaft 2 in a horizontal rotary movement and each supporting a carrier strip which ensures the vertical transfer of the objects, which are fixed to it by any suitable means. At least one additional digital key connected to the programming card 18 makes it possible to stop the vertical transfer of the objects for a predetermined duration.

The shaft 2 may advantageously be in the form of a tube containing a second tube 8 which conveys by means of an electric cable 11 the connection wires connecting the programming card 18 to the motor 17 and to the light spots P and P ' .

The shaft 2 is connected to a toothed pinion 14 whose free wheel allows the plates 4 to be maneuvered by hand by rotating them so as to be able to accelerate this rotation manually. Each digital key 7 is connected to the programming card 18 by means of a cable placed along the edge of the glass panel 5 on which it is fixed.

The cover 3 comprises, on the one hand, transparent panels 24 formed so as to constitute a strip and, on the other hand, lighting tubes located behind these panels, one per side of the display.

The display according to the invention can also be used as a program display box whose lighting in full color light attracts the attention of the observer, whose approach triggers the lighting in white light intended to allow program review displayed, such as a restaurant card, in which case the box will normally be placed at the entrance to the restaurant. If we refer first to Figure 1, we see that the display has a base 1 with a hexagonal base surmounted by six glass panels 5, one of which is opening and constitutes a door 6 comprising a locking system 6 'and hinges 6 "and provided with a digital key 7. On the base 1 are grooves in which the five glass panels 5 which do not constitute the door will be placed. The door 6 has two holes allowing it to be arranged with an opening either on the right or on the left. The digital key 7, on the other hand, is placed inside the display. A cover 3 closes the assembly at its upper part and is provided with six colored projectors P and six white light projectors P ′. Passing through the center of the base and that of the cover, a shaft 2 supports plates 4 which are integral with it, imparting to them a rotational movement according to the arrow FI around the axis YY ′. If l '' we now refer to the figure 2, we see along the section line II the cover 3 with double bottom 3 '3 "whose ceiling 3' is pierced in its center to allow passage to a tube 8 surrounded by a fixed bowl 9" and a ball bearing 9, made integral with the tube 8 by a nut 10.

This tube 8 is placed in a shaft 2 provided at its end with a rotating cup 9 'of the ball stop 9 and, below, a toothed pinion 14 with free wheel driven in rotation by a link chain 16, itself driven by a toothed pinion 15 keyed onto the output shaft of a geared motor 17.

The floor 3 "of the cover 3 is pierced in its center with an orifice for the passage of the vertical shaft 2 driving the plates 4, and has at its periphery six colored projectors P and in its center six projectors P 'of white light . According to the section line II-II, we see the base 1 of the display stand, with double bottom I ". The ceiling is pierced in its center for the passage of the lower end of the fixed tube 8 provided with a fixed bowl 9 "and a ball stop 9 identical to those arranged in the cover 3, a nut 10 making this assembly integral. A rotating bowl 9 'of the ball bearing 9 is mounted at the end of the shaft 2. Inside a drawer or by means of slides arranged in the base 1 is the card electronic control 18 supplied with electric current by an electric cable not shown, and connected to the gear motor 17 as well as to the light spots P and P 'by electrical connections gathered in a cable 11 routed through the tube 8 contained in the shaft 2. A radar 19 is also located in the base 1 and connected to the electronic control card 18 by a connection not shown.

According to an alternative embodiment, the radar 19 can be directly integrated into the card 18. Each plate 4 can be fixed to the shaft 2 by means of a plate 12 extended at its upper part by a thread 12 'on which comes screw a clamp 13 which makes the plate 4 integral with the plate 12. The plates 4 can also be held and separated from each other by spacers threaded onto the shaft 2.

The freewheel of the toothed pinion 14 makes it possible to maneuver the plates 4 by hand by rotating them according to arrow F2 so as to be able, if desired, to accelerate this rotation. Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawing show a variant of the embodiment according to the invention.

According to this variant, and as shown in FIG. 4, the cover 3 of the display unit is made up of three parts which are placed one inside the other, namely a holding assembly 20 for the spots P and P ', a hoop 21 and a fixing assembly 22 of the speaker 23 allowing the diffusion of the sound message. The hoop 21 being raised, it allows the passage of the sound from the speaker 23 as well as the release of the heat generated by the spots P and P '. Transparent panels 24 are advantageously mainte¬ bare in place thanks to the uprights 25 and the grooves arranged in the hoop 21 and the fixing assembly 22.

Still according to this variant, the geared motor 17 is disposed on the holding assembly 20. The height of the ch-senior 16 can be adjusted by acting on the adjusting screw 28 (see FIG. 3). In the absence of an observer, the control card 18 supplies, by the cable 11, the motor 17, the lighting tubes located in the windows of the display cover, and the colored spots P, according to a program which allows a crossfade of three colors which can be yellow, red and blue. The motor 17 drives the shaft 2 and the plates 4 in a continuous rotational movement.

When an observer approaches the display, the radar 19 located in the base 1 sends a signal to the card. programming 18 which immediately triggers the extinction of the colored spots P and the lighting of the white light spots P '.

In addition, according to the variant embodiment of the invention, the audible message will be triggered by the electronic module.

By actuating one of the digital keys 7 re¬ linked to the housing 18, the observer cuts off the power to the motor 17, which causes the rotation of the shaft 2 to stop and the plates 4 to stop during a predetermined duration. Then the motor 17 is again refueled and the plates 4 start to rotate again.

When the observer moves away from the display, the colored spots light up again according to the crossfade program. As already described above, the electronic card

18 is a programming printed circuit fitted with integrated circuits and electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, variable resistors, diodes, transistors, triacs, rectifiers, amplifiers, transformers, etc ...

The operation of this electronic card 18, illustrated by FIG. 5 of the appended drawing, is as follows: The presence of a person is detected by hyper frequency radiation. The detection distance is adjustable by the variable resistor 29 from 0.50 m to 10 m. The output of the radar timed at 2 minutes, or more depending on the case, activates a counter 31 which is equipped with an internal time base 30. The counter 31 actuates the progressive lighting and extinction of the light circuits. The DC control circuit 32 and 33 takes the information from the counter 31 and transmits it to the power circuits 34, 35, 36, 37. The digital speech recorder has its own power supply 40 from the card 18. This supply is stabilized, regulated and adjustable, and also charges a battery 26, preferably 12 Volts, intended to maintain the memory of the digital recording of speech in the event of a power failure . The speed reducer motor, for example of the CROUZET brand, is supplied from a triac 46, preferably of the TX AL 408 type, controlled by a timed circuit 38 itself controlled by the elements 41 and 42. L element 39 controls the operation of element 38 and, as the case may be, controls circuit 31. The digital key actuates element 42 which actuates element 41 which itself actuates element 38 to stop the motorcycle -reducer 17. Elements 43, 44 and 45 control the triggering of the digital speech recorder as well as the various functions of the programmer. The stabilized and regulated type supply supplies the supply voltages necessary for the operation of the various circuits. The digital speech recording is composed of a microprocessor module comprising an analog, digital converter as well as a RAM of 256 K OCTETS. The card 18 will also be provided with a connector 47 as well as terminals 27 for connecting the power cable. Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications remain possible, in particular from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1. Rotating display for the exhibition of objects, of the type comprising an enclosure made up of glass panels (5) arranged on a base (1) and covered with a cover (3) provided with lighting, the interior of which are arranged, around a vertical shaft (2) driven by a motor (17), supports (4) for said objects, charac¬ terized in that it comprises lighting modulated in relayed polychrome light by white light lighting when approaching an observer spotted by means of an approach detector (19), and a digital key (7) enabling said observer to stop the rotation of the supports (4) for a careful examination of objects, the passage from poly¬ chrome light to white light being controlled by an integrated circuit programming card (18) placed in the base (1) of the display and connected on the one hand to the approach detector (19) and to the electrical supply of the lighting, and on the other hand to the with digital button (7) and motor (17).

2. Rotating display according to claim 1, characterized in that the lighting in polychrome light is carried out by means of light spots (P) of different colors arranged in the bottom of the display cover and which light up and go on. take turns off.

3. Rotating display according to claim 2, characterized in that said polychrome lighting is produced by means of a mechanical shutter driven by the rota¬ tive axis and consisting of a circular plate arranged below the colored spots and having two diametrically opposite oblong openings.

4. Revolving display according to claim 2, characterized in that said full color lighting is produced by means of the programming card (18) which controls 1 consecutive lighting and 1 'extinction of the colored spots ⁽ P).

5. Rotating display stand according to claim 1, characterized in that the lighting in white light is carried out by means of light spots (P ') arranged in the bottom of the display cover.

6. Rotating display according to claim 1, characterized in that the approach detector (19) is a radar placed in the base of the device and connected to the programming card (18) or directly integrated into that -this.

7. A rotating display according to claim 1, characterized in that the transition from polychrome light to white light is accompanied by the emission of an audible message produced by means of a digital paro recorder connected to the card programming (18).

8. Rotating display according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the supports of the objects presented consist of horizontal circular plates (4) fixed to the shaft (2) by any appropriate means.

9. Display valve according to any one of ^'claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the supports of the presented objects consist of vertical panels en¬ dragged by the shaft (2) in a horizontal rotary movement and each supporting a tape carrier which ensures the vertical transfer of objects, which are fixed to it by any appropriate means.

10. Rotating display according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one additional digital key connected to the programming card (18) makes it possible to stop for a predetermined period the vertical transfer of objects.

11. Rotating display according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shaft (2) is a tube containing a second tube (8) which conveys by means of an electric cable (11) the connecting wires connecting the programming card (18) to the motor (17) and to the light spots (P) and (P ¹ ).

12. A rotating display according to claim 11, characterized in that the shaft (2) is connected to a toothed pinion (14) whose free wheel allows the plates (4) to be operated by hand by rotating them so as to power

5 Manually accelerate this rotation.

13. Rotating display according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each digital key (7) is connected to the programming card (18) by means of a cable disposed along the edge of the glass panel iθ (5) on which it is fixed.

14. Rotating display according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the key cover (3) comprises, on the one hand, transparent panels (24) formed so as to constitute a strip and, on the other hand ,

15 of the lighting tubes located behind these panels, one per side of the display.

15. Use of the display unit according to any one of claims 1 to 14 as a program display box whose lighting in polychrome light 0 attracts the attention of the observer, whose approach triggers ¬ white lighting to allow the examination of the displayed program.