Pivotal arm lift for television display

A display lift device concealed within a ceiling structure of an auditorium, theatre or presentation area, said lifting device being capable of exposing a display to an audience within the area for reviewing the display as desired, said display lifting device comprising:

• a) a support framework arranged to be mounted within a ceiling structure or a presentation area;
• b) a support arm having a first and second end, said support arm being elongated and pivotally mounted near the first end to the support framework;
• c) a mounting means attached to the second end of said support arm for mounting and supporting a display means;
• d) drive means for pivoting the support arm from a first retracted position wherein the arm and the mounted display means are positioned within the ceiling structure to a second extended position wherein the arm and display means are visible to an audience within the presentation area for viewing the display means;
• and
• e) said drive means includes a cable drum drivingly connected to a reversible drive motor and having a cable wound around said drum, said support arm being hollow at one end of said cable passes through an aperture in the side of said support arm and is attached to the second end of said support arm;
• and
• f) said drive motor being suitably connected to a control power source whereby the operation of the motor can extend or retract the cable to move the support arm and display means from said second extended position to said first retracted position.

A display lift device concealed within a ceiling structure of an auditorium, theatre or presentation area, said lifting device being capable of exposing a display to an audience within the area for viewing the display as desired, said display lifting device comprising:

• a) a support framework arranged to be mounted within a ceiling structure of a presentation area;
• b) a support arm having a first and second end, said support arm being elongated and pivotally mounted near the first end to the support framework;
• c) a mounting means attached to the second end of said support arm for mounting and solely supporting a display means;
• d) drive means for pivoting the support arm from a first retracted position wherein the mounted display means is positioned within the ceiling structure to a second extended position wherein the arm and display means are visible to an audience within the presentation area for viewing the display means;
• e) said support arm is made up of a plurality of elongated telescoping channel members with the upper most channel member being pivotally mounted to said support framework and the lower most channel member includes the mounting means for supporting the display means;
• and
• f) said support arm channel members are hollow and a longitudinal slot is provided along one edge of said channel members and said drive means includes a lifting means mounted on said support framework with an end of the lifting means passing through said elongated slot in said support arm and being attached to the second end of the support arm whereby as the lifting means is retracted it draws the lower most channel into the upper most channel to contract the channel members and reduce the overall length of the support arm prior to being pivotally moved into the first retracted position.

A method for viewing a large screen display mounted within a ceiling structure in an auditorium, theater or presentation area, said method comprises the steps of:

• a) mounting a support frame work above a ceiling of a presentation area and within the structure above the ceiling;
• b) pivotally mounting an elongated support arm at one end so that it can pivotally move through a suitable opening in the ceiling from a first retracted position within said ceiling structure to a second extended position extending downward from said ceiling;
• c) independently mounting a large screen display on an end of the support arm opposite to the pivotally mounted end so that it is solely supported by said mounting arm;
• d) providing a drive mechanism to move the support arm and display between the first and second position;
• and
• e) increasing the length of the support arm when in the second position to lower the display to a location wherein the display can be easily viewed by an audience.

The display lift device concealed within a ceiling structure of an auditorium, theatre or presentation area, said lifting device being capable of exposing a display to an audience within the area for viewing the display as desired, said display lifting device comprising:

• a) a support framework arranged to be mounted within a ceiling structure of a presentation area;
• b) a support arm having a first and second end, said support arm being elongated and pivotally mounted near the first end to the support framework;
• c) a mounting means attached to the second end of said support arm for mounting and solely supporting a display means;
• d) a drive means for pivoting the support arm from a first retracted position wherein the arm and the mounted display means are positioned within the ceiling structure to a second extended position wherein the arm and display means are visible to an audience within the presentation area for viewing the display means;
• and
• e) said support arm is pivotally mounted a predetermined distance inwardly from the first end of said support arm and a biasing means is attached to said support arm to bias the pivotal movement of the support arm towards the extended position.

A display lift device concealed within a ceiling structure of an auditorium, theatre or presentation area, said lifting device being capable of exposing a display to an audience within the area for viewing the display as desired, said display lifting device comprising:

• a) a support framework arranged to be mounted within a ceiling structure of a presentation area;
• b) a support arm having a first and second end, said support arm being elongated and pivotally mounted near the first end to the support framework;
• c) a mounting means attached to the second end of said support arm for mounting and supporting a display means;
• d) drive means for pivoting the support arm from a first retracted position wherein the arm and the mounted display means ARE positioned within the ceiling structure to a second extended position wherein the arm and display means are visible to an audience within the presentation area for viewing the display means;
• and
• e) wherein the ceiling of the presentation area has an opening which is sized to accommodate the pivotal movement of the support arm and the display means, and the display lifting device further includes a cover means attached to said support arm and arranged to close the ceiling opening when the support arm and the display means are in the retracted position.