Abstract:
A display kiosk for housing a flat screen monitor and associated electronic equipment is disclosed. The display kiosk includes a lower unit assembly and an upper unit assembly. The display kiosk is assembled in two parts and provides easy access to the internal components for maintenance, repair and upgrades.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to digital displays and, more particularly, to a digital display kiosk for displaying static images, movie trailers and advertisements. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    It is known in the art to provide video, audio and data in movie theaters. (In more recent years, previews of currently showing and upcoming features, as well as brand advertising have been displayed on television screens or monitors located throughout the theater lobby.) In some systems the displays are mounted in a single unit, which are the mounted to a wall, ceiling or floor. Assembly and mounting of the unit is often difficult and cumbersome because of the size and weight of the unit. Further, the units must be dismounted to be serviced. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The present invention provides an improved display kiosk. The display kiosk includes a two-piece design to ease mounting and assembly of the unit. A lower unit assembly houses a computer, speaker and electronic controls for the display kiosk. The lower unit assembly includes a base and upright supports that provide stability to free-standing units, and a front access door to provide access to the components mounted for installation, maintenance and updates. The upper unit assembly fits into the bottom portion and includes display brackets, a front panel, a bezel and dome cover. The display brackets allow the upper unit assembly to be attached to the lower unit assembly and mounted to a wall before installation of the display. The front bezel is removable to permit access to the cabling and components mounted in the upper unit assembly without removing the unit or upper unit assembly. The dome protects the wireless antenna and provides a lighted portion that may be adapted to change colors in coordination with the images presented on the display. (Some domes exclude the lighted portion and are merely intended to protect wireless antenna.) 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a display kiosk of the present invention. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective of the display kiosk of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a base plate. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of a lower unit assembly of the display kiosk of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  is an exploded front perspective view of the lower unit assembly. 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  is an exploded front perspective view of an upper unit assembly of the display kiosk of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 7  is an exploded rear perspective view of the monitor bracket and a flat screen monitor of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of the upper unit assembly mounted to the lower unit assembly of the display kiosk of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 9  is an exploded rear perspective view of the display kiosk of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Referring to the figures, an embodiment of a display kiosk is generally indicated by reference numeral  10 . Display kiosk includes a lower unit assembly  12  and an upper unit assembly  14 . 
         [0014]    The lower unit assembly  12  includes a chassis  16 , a door  18 , a piano hinge  20  attaching the door  18  to the chassis  16 , a speaker enclosure  22 , and equipment shelves  24 . The rear of the chassis  16  includes a baseboard cutout  26  to allow clearance of a baseboard along a wall for mounting the display kiosk  10  flush against the wall. The door  18  includes a speaker grill  28  which is aligned with the speaker enclosure  22  mounted in the chassis  16 . A combination lock  30  is coupled to a latch  32  to lock the door  18  to prevent unauthorized access to the chassis  16 . A pair of slots  34  in chassis  16  provides mounting points for the upper unit assembly  14 . Cutouts  36  in chassis  16  provide ventilation and wire runs from the lower unit assembly  12  to the upper unit assembly  14 . 
         [0015]    The upper unit assembly  14  includes a display frame in chassis  40 , a display mounting bracket  42 , a bezel  44 , and a dome top  46 . The display frame  40  includes cooling fans  48  to exhaust heat from the upper unit assembly  14 , through fan grills  50 . The display frame  40  also includes cutouts  52  through a bottom plate  54  and cutouts  56  through a top plate  58 . The cutouts  52  and  56  provide ventilation and wire runs from the lower unit assembly  12  to the upper unit assembly  14 , and from the upper unit assembly  14  to the dome top  46 , respectively. A pair of mounting tabs  60  extends from the bottom plate  54 . A pair of clips  62  extends from the upper plate  58  to hold the dome top  46  in place. 
         [0016]    The bezel  44  may include a light kit of one or more rows of LEDs  64 . The LEDs  64  may be all the same color or may be a combination of colors. The bezel  44  is nap fitted to the display frame  40  with clips (not shown) or other fasteners. The bezel  44  opening  66  is dimensional to match the dimension of a flat screen display  68  which is mounted in the upper unit assembly  14 , and provide a clean finish to the front of the upper unit assembly  14 . 
         [0017]    The monitor bracket  42  secures the flat screen display  68  in the display frame  40 . The flat screen display  68  is secured to the monitor bracket  42  by fasteners (not shown). The monitor bracket  42  includes four corner tabs  70  each with a keyhole  72 . The keyholes  72  are aligned with corresponding studs  74  extending from display frame  40 , which extend through the keyholes  72  and hold the display frame  40  and flat screen display  68  in place. 
         [0018]    When the upper unit assembly  14  is assembled, the dome top  46  may be placed on the top plate  58  and held in place by clips  62  and fasteners (not shown). The dome top  46  may hide a wireless antenna or other equipment (not shown) that may be secured to the top plate  58 . The dome top  46  includes a front panel  76  which may be blank or include indicia such as the name of a movie theater, for example. The front panel  76  is readily removable and is preferably made of a plastic, opaque or frosted material. Light from LEDs  64  which may be located behind front panel  76  may provide a back light to indicia on the front panel  76 . The entire dome top  46  may be fabricated from a semi-transparent plastic so that the entire dome top  46  can be illuminated by the LEDs  64 . 
         [0019]    When mounting the display kiosk  10  to a wall or other structure, the lower unit assembly  12  may be fastened to the wall in a desired location. Electronic equipment, a computer, speakers, etc. (not shown) may be installed in the lower unit assembly before or after mounting to the wall. Once the lower unit assembly  12  is fastened to the wall, the upper unit assembly  14  is placed on top of the lower unit assembly  12  with the tabs  60  aligned with the slots  34 . The upper unit assembly  14  may then be fastened to the wall. The flat screen display  68  attached to the monitor bracket  42  may be installed in the upper unit assembly  14  before or after securing the upper unit assembly  14  to the wall. Once all the cables and wiring (not shown) are connected to the appropriate electronic equipment (not shown) housed in the display kiosk  10 , the bezel  44  may be attached to the display frame  40  and the dome top  46  installed on the top plate  58 . 
         [0020]    For a free standing installation, a base plate  80  provides stability to the display kiosk  10 . Holes are drilled into the floor (not shown) at a spacing corresponding to apertures  82  in base plate  80 . Anchors  84  may be inserted in the holes drilled in the floor and the base plate  80  is located over the holes. The lower unit assembly  12  is placed on the base plate  80  aligning apertures (not shown) in a bottom plate (not shown) of the chassis  16  with the base plate apertures  82 . Bolts (not shown) are inserted through the apertures in the bottom plate (not shown) of the chassis  16  through the base plate  80  and tightened to the anchors  84 . The display kiosk  10  may then be assembled as discussed above. 
         [0021]    Once the lower unit assembly  12  and upper unit assembly  14  are fastened together, back panels  86 ,  88  and  90  may be fastened to the lower unit assembly  12  and upper unit assembly  14 , respectively. Upright supports  92  may be attached on each side of the rear of display kiosk  10  by fastening the upright support  92  to the base plate  80  and the lower unit assembly  12  and upper unit assembly  14  to provide stability to the free standing installation. In the wall mounted installation the back plates  86 ,  88  and  90 , and upright supports  92  need not be installed. 
         [0022]    It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto, except in so far as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof.