Field of Invention

The present invention relates to the so-called flat-screen television sets and video monitors and to cabinets therefor.

Background to the Invention Flat screen television sets and video monitors presently come in two different forms, namely those with a plasma screen on the one hand, and those with an LCD screen on the other, relying upon different technologies, the details of which are of little importance, so far as the present invention is concerned.

Broadly speaking, plasma television technology is derived from that of the fluorescent tube. The screen is generally divided into individual cells, each comprising an inert gas, usually a neon-xenon mixture, sealed between glass panels. When the gas is electrically charged, the charged gas molecules strike red, green or blue phosphors. To create a television image, comprised of many pixel elements, each group of the three red, green and blue phosphors forms a pixel element of the screen. In contrast, LCD screens are generally formed of layers of transparent material which are polarised, one layer generally being coated with a polymer that holds individual liquid crystals. Current applied to the crystals passes or blocks light from a light source behind the transparent layers to create an image.

However, as noted above, the details of the respective technologies are not of importance as far as the present invention is concerned. There are relative advantages and disadvantages as between plasma screens, and LCD screens. At the date of filing this patent application, it was still relatively difficult to manufacture large size "one metre or more in width" LCD screens to acceptable quality, so that they are very much more expensive in corresponding sized plasma television screens; but continuing advances are being made in the development of these and other forms of flat-screen television and video monitor screens (hereinafter to be referred to as flat-screen displays), The present invention is applicable to flat-screen displays utilising any technology. So far as the present invention is concerned, the particular technology employed for the flat-screen implementation need not be further

described.

Generally, these new forms of television screen are relatively thin, as compared with the conventional cathode lay tube based appaiatus; they lend themselves to mounting upon a wall However, such screens complete with housing and mounting fixtures aie typically gieatcr than one metre in overall width. This can pose a problem for those considering the purchase of a flat-screen display, when considering how to arrange a flat-screen display, as an item of furniture, within their homes. The mounting of a flat-screen display upon the wall of a conventional living loom will result in the presence of a large grey area being present when the display scieen is not in use, which said large grey area can easily dominate such a room

Furthermore, because such flat-screen displays are comparatively expensive, it is not uncommon for such flat-screen displays to be the main object of a theft As is known, clectπcal goods can be disposed of at a fraction of their open market value to those who do not wish to have a receipt for purchase

A still further problem encountered with flat screen displays is that the wiling for connection to loudspeakers, aeiials and power foi the screen are either attached singly oi within a trunking aiiangement to a wall oi are otherwise hidden fiom view in an expensive and lelatively permanent airangement Such cables theieforc look quite unsighdy or aie expensively buned, with htde choice for rearranging the layout of a room once the cables have been encased.

As a result, a variety of different kinds of furniture in the form of chests oi cabinets have been designed foi concealing flat-screen displays. For example, the type of cabinet could be a blanket box, which could be placed at the foot of a bed. Lifting mechanisms aie known, which come in a number of forms, and are used to vertically raise a flat-screen display hidden within the furniture, when required to be viewed. For the remaining time, it can be hidden within the furniture.

In modern home design, in any living loom in which a television or video monitoi is positioned, the seating is generally angled so that people can readily view the screen of such a television When a flat-screen arrangement is hidden from view and is stored within an item of

furnituie as desciibed above, then the iesultant loom airangement may appeal to be stiangc upon initial view and an observer may question the ariangement of seats in that they would be diiectcd toward a blanket box Indeed, there are many similarities with the layout of a room where a non-movable tiaditional scieen television set is enclosed within a cupboaid-hke enclosure, the focal point being what would not, oidinarily, be the focus of a room

An alternative solution to the problem discussed above, has been to mount the flat- screen display upon the wall of a dedicated television or video room, analogous to an in-house cinema - which is not ieadily feasible in most homes

Object of the Invention

The present invention seeks to piovide a solution to the problems addressed above The piesent invention seeks to provide an aesthetically pleasing television or video monitoi cabinet and fuithei seeks to piovide a relatively secure enclosure foi an expensive item of electrical appaiatus

Statement of Invention

In accoidance with a fiist aspect of the invention, theie is provided appaiatus foi use with a flat-scieen display, the apparatus comprising a fiieplace suiiound adapted to stand against a wall, and comprising a mechanism which can support a flat scieen display in a first position such that the flat-screen display remains enuiely within the cabinet, hidden fiom view, and in a second position such that the flat-screen display is iaised above the fueplace suiround and a flat-screen display can be viewed by an onlookei, the mechanism being operable to move a flat-scieen display between the fiist and the second positions

Conveniently, the fueplace suiiound compiises a giate or fireplace, a health and a mantelshelf, the giate may comprise an electric fueplace convemendy with a flame effect aiiangement, equally, the giate may comprise a gas fueplace also conveniently with a flame effect aiiangement

Nonetheless, it may be that theie is no lequuement foi an actual heating device to be piesent the fueplace suriound may indeed compiise a faux-fueplace For example, the

fireplace may look as if it may be used on a regular basis but may, in fact, not be used at all - theie is no electric, gas OΪ other type of heating device. Alternatively, the fireplace surround may comprise a screen, decorated or otherwise, which is permanently on view to give the tmpicssion that there is a fireplace, but such is not used or infrequently used, when theie is in fact no grate 01 fireplace. In another alternative, a flower display, potted plants or other types of objet d'art may be present, to "hide" a non-existent or little used fireplace. It will be appreciated that there are many fireplaces, especially in older homes, where the fireplace suiround looks pietty, or even interesting, yet the fireplace or grate is black and unsightly, and may also allow a draught, a scieen 01 draught excludei may appeal to be appiopnate and little thought will be directed to the apparent primary use of the fireplace surround.

In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of operating a cabinet operable to enclose a flat-screen display when not in use within a cabinet, the cabinet comprising a fireplace sunound adapted to stand against a wall, with a mechanism which can support a flat screen display in a first and second positions, the mechanism being opciable to move the flat-screen display between the first and the second positions, fiieplace sunound provided with a fireplace in which a gas fire, electric fire or faux fiie is mounted, in a fust mode the mediod comprising the steps of operating the mechanism, such that, if initially the flat-scieen display is in view, then the mechanism loweis the flat-screen display within the fireplace suiround wheieby to maintain the fireplace as a focal point of a room and, in anothei mode, the method comprises the step of raising the flat-screen display fiom within the fiieplace surround such that the flat-scieen display is visible.

In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fireplace compiising a flame effect gas or electric fire, a fireplace surround, a hearth and a mantel and a flat-scieen display, at least part of the fireplace surround, conveniently a mantel shelf, being displaceablc to allow the display screen, otherwise hidden from view, to be raised for viewing.

When the flame effect fire is in actual fact a gas fire, then provision can be made for the ducting of gases foi combustion and exhaust behind the fire, through a flue that is conveniently fan assisted, such ducting being arianged so that it docs not affect the mechanism for raising and lowering of the screen.

The iaismg mechanism may compiise a sciew drive or a lack and pinion mechanism, wheiein an electiic motoi provides dnvc Alternatively an hydiaulic mechanism 01 a pneumatic system is employed Pait 01 all of the mantel shelf may be iaised togethei with the scieen and may be attached to the uppei edge of the display screen 01 to its raising mechanism foi this puipose Alternatively, part 01 all of the mantel shelf may be hmgedly mounted to the iemaindei of the cabinet, allowing it to be rotated on operation of the mechanism to a position allowing the display scieen to be iaised In a further alternative, part or all of the mantel shelf may be slid out of the way, or withdrawn within the cabinet, to allow the scieen to be iaised

Bnef Desciiption of the Figures

FOL a bettei understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the Figuies as shown in the accompanying diawing sheete, wherein -

Figuie 1 illustiates a cabinet for a flat-screen television, in a schematic fiont elevation view,

Figuie 2 illustrates a sectional view through the cabinet of Figure 1 taken along the line II-II in Figuie 1, and showing a flat-screen within the cabinet,

Figure 3 shows a view similai to Figuie 1, but showing the flat-screen raised,

Figuie 4 shows a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figuie 3, Figure 5 is a sciap sectional view showing a modification,

Figures 6 a similai scrap sectional view showing a fuithei modification,

Figures 7 is a perspective view of a first example of lifting mechanism useful in an appaiatus as depicted in Figuies 1 — 4,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an alternative example of lifting mechanism as seen fiom the front,

Figuie 9 is a perspective view of the lifting mechanism shown in Figure 8 as seen fiom the leal,

Figuie 10 is a view gcneially similai to Figuie 2 foi an alternative embodiment, and,

Figure 11 is a plan view of Figuie 10, taken along the line XI-XI

Detailed description of the Piefeiied Embodiments

Theie will now be described, by way of example only, the best mode contemplated by

the inventoϊ for carrying out the present invention. In the following description, numeious specific details are set out in order to provide a complete understanding to the piesent invention. It will be apparent to those skiHed in the art, that the present invention may be put into practice with variations of the specific

With refeience to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, with a flat-screen display 1 is shown mounted within a cabinet 2 in Figures 1 and 2 and raised from the cabinet in Figures 3 and 4 for the screen to be viewed, The display screen 1 is mounted on a mounting and lifting mechanism 3 to allow the screen to be raised and lowered as lequircd, suitably under lemote-contiol of a viewei seated in front of the screen In oidei that the scieen can be lalsed, a portion 4 of the top 5 of the cabinet is either iaised with the scieen and lifting mechanism, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, or rotated about a hinge axis 6 out of the way, to allow the screen to be raised, as shown in the alternative scrap view of the Figure 5 In a fuithei alternative ariangement, part or all of the top 5 of the cabinet may be shdeable, foi example, to the dotted line position shown in the scrap view of Figure 6, to allow the lifting mechanism to raise the screen Pait or all of the top 5 may also simply be withdiawn into the cabinet In these alternative arrangements, the display support part of top 5 may be moved by hand, by engagement with the lifting mechanism or by mechanical or electromechanical means specific to top 5, as would be apparent to one skilled

A number of diffeient mounting and lifting mechanisms arc commercially available, such as those illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, and described in more detailed below. Wiring foi the scieen may be hidden within the cabinet. The cabinet is suitably disposed against a wall (not shown in Figures), and the lifting mechanism 3 is mounted to the cabinet, to the floor, and/oi to the wall. It will be appreciated that if connected to the wall, there may be beneficial security implications with iegard to theft of the lifting apparatus and flat-screen display.

Thus far, the appaiatus described above is entirely conventional. What differs in the illustrated embodiment is the foim of the cabinet 2. Here, rather than being provided in the form of furniture such as a chest, it takes the form of a fireplace surround 7 which sunounds. a fireplace or grate 8, providing a space foi a fire and a health 9, which extends forwardly of the fiieplace surround. The top 5 of the fireplace surround serves as a mantel shelf or mantel piece Within the fire space 8 is mounted an electiic flame effect fire 10 As can be seen fiom

the sectional view of Figuie 2, the screen 1 and lifting mechanism ate located behind the fixe 10 and fhe space 8 Foi clarity and ease of lllustiation, the lcspective wiling foi the television 1, the lifting mechanism and foi the flame effect file 10 have been omitted fiom the above diawings It will be undeistood, howevei, that such wmng can readily be hidden within the cabinet It will also be appieciated that penpheral clcctiical equipment such as DVD playeis "home-cinema" equipment, antenna signal boost equipment, the so-called "digi-boxes" and othei equipment can conveniently be placed inside the fireplace suiiound or within an apeituie oi oiifϊce defined within the fireplace surround, suitably placed behind a cover or dooi, if lequired The fkeplace suriound can conveniently be formed from a wide iange of malenals, with due iegaid to considerations such as combustibility, taking into account whethei oi not and what type of fire is to be employed

Conveniently, the fireplace surround compiises a giate, a health and a mantel shelf, the grate may compiise an electric oi gas fiieplace conveniently with a flame effect aiiangement Theie may, indeed, be no lequitement for an actual heatei or flic to be piesent and the fiieplace may compiise a faux-fiieplace In othei words the fireplace may look as if it is used on a regulai basis but in fact does not compiise a chimney or file or heating device Alternatively, the fiieplace comprises a scieen, which can be decoiated, which is permanently on view to give the impiession that there is a file that is not used or mfiequently used, when thcie is in fact no giate oi fiieplace Furtheimoie this effect mimics those fiieplaccs, especially in oldei homes, wheie the file has been blocked off but the fiieplace suiiound looks pretty, oi even lnteiesting, yet the fiieplace or grate is black and unsightly, and may also allow a diaught a scieen oi draught excludei may appear to be appropriate Equally, Floweis, pot plants oi ob _j cts d'ait may be placed instead of a scieen

Cabinet 2 may be fashioned in any appiopiiate fiieplace style, such as, but not iestiicted to, mediaeval stonework, wooden Adam-style, Victorian tile, Ait Deco, mctalwoik, modem polished stone oi glass Stone, plastei (moulded or otherwise), wood, medium density fibieboaid, plastics, fibieglass aie examples (but not an exhaustive list)of suitable mateiials fiom which the fiieplace suiiound can be foimed

Figuie 7 shows a typical lifting mechanism A lift platform 11, generally of box giidci foim, is suppoited from respective side panels 12, 13 A motoi, not iUustiated in Figuie7, is

mounted within the box girder platform 11 and drives a pair of inter-meshed spur gears 14 at either longitudinal end of the platform 11 , The side panels 12, 13, are generally C- shaped in profile, and each support a pair of longitudinal rack gears 15 along their inwardly directed edges, the racks facing each other and co-operate with spur gears 14. Depending on which direction the motor is driven, the above described rack-and-pinion arrangement would serve to raise or lower the platform as a whole. Top and bottom limits of travel are determined by adjustably positionable abutment stops which engage a Limit switch 18 mounted on the rear of the platform 11. Power to the lifting mechanism is provided electric power cable 19 and a control box 20, which may be mounted so that switches 21 are manually accessible through the side of the cabinet 2. Alternatively, control box 20 may be coupled to a radio or ultrasonic sensor controllable by a corresponding remote-controller operated by a viewer of the display screen seated in front of the cabinet. INCA of Gardena, California, USA, Wihelm GmbH of Steinbach-Hallenberg, Germany and Lift-Tech of Valencia, California, USA provide known lifting mechanisms.

The INCA system employs a motor that is housed within the platform that is raised and lowered. The Wilhelm arrangement illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 provides an alternative arrangement in which a motor 22 is mounted within a housing 23 at the base of the lifting mechanism. The Wilhelm lifting mechanism also incorporates a back panel 24 and side panels 25, 26, which, together with the housing 23, are fixedly mounted within the fireplace surround. A movable structure, generally indicated 27 and shown in dotted line in its upper position and in solid line in lower position in Figure 8, is movable in a generally vertical direction, relative to the above described fixed structure to raise and lower any flat-screen display unit. Movable structure 27 comprises a pair of uprights 28, 29 from which are mounted two generally horizontal supports 30, (omitted from view in Figure 9) adapted to support the rear of a flat-screen display, and two forwardly extending struts 31 adapted to support the lower edge of a flat screen display or shelf support. As best seen in the rear view of Figure 9, the uprights 28, 29 are coupled together at their lower ends by a carriage 32, the coupling between the carriage 32 and the respective upright, passing through longitudinally extending slots 25a (not shown), and 26a in the respective side panels 25, 26. Carriage 32 mounts a captive nut 33 that co-operates with a vertically extending screw shaft 34 mounted in bearings in the lower portion of housing 23 and top 35 of the panel 24. Screw shaft 34, rotated by motor 22, causes captive nut 33 to move parallel with the axis of the shaft,

dependent upon the direction of rotation, taking the carriage 32 and the remainder of the movable structure 27 with it. As can be seen from the Figuie 9, a rod 36 also connects housing 23 and top 35 of the panel 24, passing through a wide aperture 37 in carriage 32 Rod 36 mounts one or more stops such as fingers or collets, such as collet 38, adapted to tup a limit switch 39 and connected to a control circuit foi motor 22 so as to set maximum and minimum limits of travel.

It will be appreciated that other forms of lifting mechanisms can readily be employed in place of the electromechanical arrangement described above. For example, an hydraulic or a pneumatic system employing piston and cylinder arrangements at opposite ends of a longitudinal honzontal platform could be employed.

In the above described embodiments of the apparatus, the fire is shown as a flame effect electric file. However, as an alternative, many existing models of flame effect gas fire can be employed m the appaiatus according to the present invention. It will be appreciated that with a typical gas file the heat produced is largely convected or radiated forwaidly As shown in Figures 10 and 11, a flame effect gas file 40, is mounted within the file space 8 in place of the flame effect electric fire 10 shown m Figures 1 and 2. A gas supply pipe 41 is coupled to a suitable source of mams supply gas or to bottled gas. Exhaust combustion fumes fiom fire 40 are drawn through ducting 42 to a fan-powered flue — with an alternative flue 43 shown in dotted lines — although the fan arrangement is not shown As shown, ducting 42 passes to one side of lifting mechanism 3 below the flat-screen display 1. Where an auxiliary ail supply is required either to augment art within the room or in the case of a flame effect gas fire sealed fiom the room air, additional air ducting (not shown) is provided to draw in art fiom outside the building. Gas fire 40 is designed to have a limited depth, so that the ieai of the fire, which is suitably insulated by a fireproof barrier 45 for additional piotection, is appropuately spaced apart from the fiat-screen display 1, as shown in Figure 10 With the fiieplace suriound 7 mounted against an external wall, the various pipes and ducts or auxiliaiy an supply associated with fiic 40 may readily be accommodated within the mantel cabinet

Part or all of the mantel shelf may be raised together with the scieen and may be attached to the upper edge of the display scieen or to its raising mechanism foi this puiposc Alternatively, pait or all of the mantel shelf may be hingedly mounted to the remaindei of the

cabinet, allowing it to be rotated on operation of the mechanism to a position allowing the display screen to be raised. In a further alternative, part or all of the mantel shelf may be slid out of the way, or withdrawn within the cabinet, to allow the screen to be raised.

With any of the above lifting mechanisms housed within a fireplace surround of the kind described above, a seating arrangement within a room in which the fireplace surround is located is angled towards the fireplace as a natural focus of the room. The seating arrangement will appear to be natural without regard to the particular function of the room.