Display case door with transparent LCD panel
AssigneeAnthony, Inc.
InventorsPaul J. Artwohl, Jeffery W. Nicholson, Mark Sandnes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved display case door assembly for a product storage device. The display case door assembly includes a transparent unit comprising a front panel, a rear panel, and a transparent LCD panel positioned between the front panel and the rear panel. The transparent LCD panel is configured to present visual media content. The display case door assembly further includes a lighting element configured to provide lighting for the transparent LCD panel and for products within the product storage device and a light guide configured to selectively direct light emitted from the lighting element toward the transparent LCD panel and the products within the product storage device.
Claims19
A display case door assembly for a product storage device, the display case door assembly comprising:
- a transparent unit comprising a front panel, a rear panel, and a transparent LCD panel positioned between the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the transparent LCD panel is configured to present visual media content;
- a lighting element configured to provide lighting for the transparent LCD panel and for products within the product storage device;
- and
- a light guide configured to selectively direct light emitted from the lighting element toward the transparent LCD panel and the products within the product storage device;
- wherein the lighting element is attached to a surface of the LCD panel and configured to emit light in a direction away from the LCD panel and toward the products within the product storage device;
- wherein the light guide is configured to cause the light emitted by the lighting element to be reflected back toward the LCD panel and through the LCD panel.
A display case door assembly for a product storage device, the display case door assembly comprising:
- a transparent unit comprising a front panel, a rear panel, and a transparent LCD panel positioned between the front panel and the rear panel, wherein the transparent LCD panel is configured to present visual media content;
- a light guide configured to transition between an opaque state in which the light guide provides backlighting for the transparent LCD panel and a transparent state in which the light guide allows products within the product storage device to be viewed through the transparent LCD panel;
- and
- a controller located external to the transparent unit and connected with the transparent LCD panel via a data communications link, wherein the controller is configured to control the visual media content presented via the transparent LCD panel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.