Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to a floor plan projection apparatus, using a scanning laser projector, to project a floor plan on a floor surface to indicate where to position furnishings such as tables, chairs, decorations, lighting fixtures, and displays on the floor. The use of the floor plan projection apparatus eliminates the need to physically measure and layout the floor surface according to the desired floor plan which is typically a very labor-intensive and time-consuming task, requiring a large staff of workers. The present invention increases the efficiency in setting up for events, decreases the time to setup, and decreases the number of labor staff required for setting up the event.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a non-provisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/494,647, filed on Jun. 8, 2011, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to arranging furnishings in convention centers, banquet halls and the like according to a desired floor plan, and more particularly, relating to a floor plan projection apparatus for assisting in the placement of furnishings according to a desired floor plan. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Setting up an event in facilities such as banquet halls or convention centers requires detailed planning of the location and positioning of various desired furnishings such as, for example, tables, chairs, decorations, lighting fixtures, and displays, etc. Conventionally, a floor plan is created for a particular event and includes the dimensions and placement of each furnishing for the event. Using the floor plan, event staff physically measures out and marks the floor plan on the floor surface for the placement and positioning of each furnishing. Depending on the number of furnishings and the floor area, this process is typically very labor-intensive, time-consuming, and requires a large staff of workers, resulting in increased setup costs and event setup time. 
     Convention centers and banquet halls generate income based on the number of events that can be hosted in a given time period. It is desirable, therefore, to use such facilities as efficiently as possible to increase the number of events that may be hosted in a given time period and, thus, to increase revenue generated by the facility. One measure of efficiency is the time required to setup for each event. Increasing the number of labor staff during setup decreases the setup time but also increases labor costs. Therefore, there is a need to increase the efficiency in the setup of events by decreasing the setup time and by decreasing the labor staff for setting up the event. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention address this need by providing a floor plan projection apparatus for projecting a desired floor plan on to a floor surface. The projected floor plan includes an indication of each particular furnishing, its location, and its position on the floor. Accordingly, the need to physically measure and layout a floor surface according to a desired floor plan for each furnishing is eliminated. In embodiments, the floor plan projection apparatus uses a scanning laser projector to project a floor plan on the floor surface. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. 
     Numerous objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic front elevation view of a floor plan projection apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic rear elevation view of the floor plan projection apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic left side elevation view of the floor plan projection apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic right side elevation view of the floor plan projection apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic top plan view of the floor plan projection apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic bottom plan view of the floor plan projection apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic front elevation view of the floor plan projection apparatus of  FIG. 1 , illustrating a mount in an exploded assembly view; 
         FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic elevation view of a coupling portion of the mount attached to a ceiling surface; 
         FIG. 9  is a diagrammatic elevation view of the floor plan projection apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 10A-10D  are various views of a first coupling of the mount; 
         FIGS. 11A-11D  are various views of a second coupling of the mount; 
         FIG. 12  is an exemplary diagrammatic view of a display of the floor plan projection apparatus; 
         FIG. 13  is block diagram of a control system of the floor plan projection apparatus; 
         FIG. 14  is a diagrammatic in-use view of the floor plan projection apparatus mounted to a ceiling surface and projecting a floor plan on a floor surface; 
         FIG. 15  is a diagrammatic view of a projected floor plan; and 
         FIG. 16  is a composite diagrammatic view of the projected floor plan of  FIG. 15  and a floor plan comprising a desired room set up. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As a preliminary matter, it should be noted that in this document (including the claims) directional terms, such as “above”, “below”, “upper”, and “lower”, etc., are used for convenience in referring to the accompanying drawings. Additionally, it is to be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention described herein may be utilized in various orientations, such as inclined, inverted, horizontal, and vertical, etc., without departing from the principles of the present invention. 
     In  FIGS. 1-6 , there is representatively illustrated, an apparatus  10  for projecting a floor plan onto a floor surface such as, for example, a floor surface of a banquet hall as a guide in the placement of furnishings according to the floor plan for a particular event. 
     Apparatus  10  includes a casing or housing  12  which houses and protects various electrical components of the apparatus that will be described in more detail below. Extending from the bottom of the housing  12  is a projector  14  that may include a transparent dome-shaped covering  16 . Projector  14  may be of any conventional projectors capable of projecting an image onto a surface such as, for example, a scanning laser projector. Covering  16  permits the projector  14  to project an image about a 360-degree rotation about a vertical axis of the apparatus  10  while protecting the projector from damage. Projector  14 , as conventional projectors, may include various controls to permit adjustment of the focus of the projected image on a projection surface. 
     Apparatus  10  further includes a mount  18  permitting the attachment of the housing  12  to a ceiling surface above a floor onto which a floor plan is to be projected by projector  14 . Mount  18  includes a ball and socket joint  20  having a socket housing  22  and a ball  24  captively disposed for rotation within the socket housing. Ball  24  can be secured from rotation within socket housing  22  by lock screw  34  threaded through socket housing  22  for abutment with the ball  24 . The ball  24  of mount  18  is detachably connected to housing  12  by cooperative connectors  26  and  28 . Connector  26  is conjoined with ball  24  by a shaft  30 . Connector  28  is integral with, or fixedly fastened to, housing  12 . Connectors  26  and  28  may include a spring biased latch or catch  29  that is releasable by operation of button  32 . The socket housing  22  of mount  18  is detachably connected to a ceiling surface by a second pair of cooperative connectors  26 ′ and  28 ′. Connector  26 ′ is not shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , however it is understood connector  26 ′ is similar to connector  26 . 
     Apparatus  10  further includes a pair of handles  36  and  38  extending from opposite sides of the housing  12 . Handles  36  and  38  provide a user grasp during transportation, mounting, and adjusting of the apparatus  10 . 
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic front view of the apparatus  10 , wherein it can further be seen the apparatus  10  includes a display panel  46  on the front of the housing  12 . Display panel  46  may include an LCD screen  48  and a user input or control pad  50 . A USB or similar interface port  52  is also shown and may be provided to permit the connection of the apparatus  10  to an external memory source or computer. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic rear view of the apparatus  10 , wherein it can further be seen the apparatus  10  may include a battery cover  54  on housing  12  to permit access to an internal battery  56 . Battery  56  can be charged through port  52 . 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  are diagrammatic left and right side views, respectively, of apparatus  10 , further illustrating the various components of the apparatus  10 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top diagrammatic view of the apparatus  10 , wherein it can be further seen the apparatus  10  includes a pair of bubble levels  40  and  42  on housing  12 . Bubble levels  40  and  42  are arranged orthogonally to each other to permit leveling of the apparatus  10  along both the transverse and longitudinal directions.  FIG. 5  further illustrates all four feet  44 , one each positioned at a corner of the housing  12 . 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom diagrammatic view of the apparatus  10 . Here the full hemisphere of the dome cover  16  can be seen covering the projector  14 . Further illustrated are the handles  36  and  38 . 
       FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus  10  with mount  18  exploded. Here it can be seen coupling  26 ′ is received by coupling  28 ′ for connection therewith, and coupling  26  is received by coupling  28  for connection therewith. 
       FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic view of coupling  26 ′ secured to a ceiling surface  58  for connection with coupling  28 ′ or coupling  28  to mount the apparatus  10  to the ceiling surface and to depend therefrom. It should be noted, multiple couplings  26 ′ could be installed on a ceiling surface to have multiple permanent hanging points on a ceiling surface throughout a facility so as not to require the purchase of more projection apparatuses than needed. 
       FIG. 9  is a diagrammatic view of apparatus  10  resting on a support surface  60  and supported by feet  44  such as, for example, when the apparatus is not in use. 
       FIGS. 10A-10D  are front, back, top, and side views, respectively, of coupling  28 ,  28 ′ and further illustrate the structure of the coupling. 
       FIGS. 11A-11D  are front, back, bottom, and side views, respectively, of coupling  26 ,  26 ′ and further illustrate the structure of the coupling. 
       FIG. 12  is a diagrammatic enlarged view of display panel  46  illustrating a possible user input  50  and display  48 . The user input  50  may include a “power on” and “menu select” button  62 , forward and backward scroll buttons  64  and  66 , and a “back” and “power off” button  68 . Display  48 , in one menu screen, may display site locations  70  for selection and then, based upon the user selection, display specific rooms at the selected site location. 
       FIG. 13  is a block diagram of a control system  74  for operating the apparatus  10  and projector  14 . Control system  74  includes a programmable logic controller (PLC)  76 , or the like, operatively connected to the projector  14 , the display  48 , the user input  50 , interface port  52 , and a memory device  78 . Control system  74  and the various components thereof receive electrical power from power source  56 , which may be a battery or source of external power connected to the apparatus by an electrical power cord. An external computer or memory device  80  may be operatively connected to the PLC  76  by connection with interface port  52 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 14 , in operation, it can now be understood, the PLC  76  of the apparatus  10  is preprogrammed or loaded through interface  52  with a desired floor plan that is previously constructed using a computer aided drafting program. Apparatus  10  is mounted to a ceiling surface  82  above a floor surface  84  upon which furnishings are to be placed, according to the desired floor plan. Apparatus  10  is operated through user interface  50 , or an external computer connected to interface  52 , to select the desired floor plan to be projected. Once selected, the apparatus  10  operates projector  14  to project a floor plan image  86 , comprising indicators such as dots, lines, grid-like patterns, or other geometric shapes on the floor surface  84 . An exemplary floor plan image  86  is shown in  FIG. 15 , where the various projected indicators  90  provide the location of furnishings according to a desired room set up. The floor plan image  86  of  FIG. 15  could be a composite of several projected floor plan images.  FIG. 16  is a composite image of the floor plan image  86  of  FIG. 15  and a floor plan comprising the desired room set up. 
     Depending on the size of the floor plan, apparatus  10  may have to be removed and remounted to the ceiling surface  82  according the floor plan to complete the placement of furnishings. Alternatively, two or more apparatus  10  may be inter-connected through interface port  52 , or through a wireless connection, to cooperatively project several separate floor plan images on the floor surface, each forming a portion of the total floor plan. Workers can then place furnishings according to the projected floor plan quickly and easily without first physically measuring out and marking the floor for each furnishing. 
     Apparatus  10  may further be programmed with instructions for setting up the apparatus according to a particular floor plan. The instructions are provided according to the specific room dimensions, and the desired floor plan. The instructions provide the ability for users to easily install and use the apparatus according to each floor plan. 
     A number of embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.