Retractable Media Wall Screen for Hidden TV and Speaker Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of connected media devices and home appliances in smart homes leads to clutter and safety issues, particularly around living room walls, where devices like TVs and speakers protrude, creating a messy appearance and potential hazards, especially with children around. Existing solutions fail to efficiently minimize exposed furniture and electronics while maintaining a unified, tidy appearance.
Innovation Solution
A media wall system with a frame structure that includes a mounting cell, a drive roller, and a screen that can be wound around it, allowing the screen to cover devices when not in use, providing a tidy appearance similar to an art wall. The system uses a motor to adjust the screen's area, a protruding frame that moves in a back-and-forth direction to expose or cover the devices, and a controller to manage the display based on usage status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a TV table and loudspeaker are placed in the living room, then the multimedia devices can be easily accessed and used, but the living room wall appearance becomes messy and protruding objects create safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the multimedia devices (TV, loudspeaker) with the wall structure by creating recessed mounting cells within the wall. The screen is integrated into the wall surface, allowing devices to be embedded rather than placed on separate furniture, thus achieving a unified wall appearance while maintaining accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies nesting by placing the multimedia devices inside recessed cells within the wall structure. The screen is nested within the wall surface, and the protruding frame is nested within the mounting cell when retracted, creating a layered nested configuration that minimizes protrusion while preserving device functionality.
2Shape
If the screen is made flexible and placed on the front of the TV, then it can cover the device when not in use, but a structure is needed to maintain the screen in a flat position to provide a unified appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protruding frame as an intermediary element between the screen and the wall structure. This frame provides the necessary support to maintain the screen in a flat position when extended, enabling the flexible screen to achieve a unified appearance without requiring complex internal support structures within the screen itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the protruding frame movable rather than fixed. The frame can extend forward to support the screen when needed and retract backward into the mounting cell when not in use, providing dynamic support that adapts to the screen's operational states without permanently altering the wall appearance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple media devices and home appliances are connected to the Internet, then smart home functionality is enhanced, but the number of electronic devices increases causing clutter and connection hassles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the wall structure to accommodate multiple types of devices (TV, loudspeaker, and other home appliances) within unified mounting cells. The standardized cell design allows different devices to be mounted in the same structural framework, reducing the need for separate furniture and simplifying the overall system configuration.
4Shape
If devices are embedded in the wall to minimize protrusion, then appearance is improved and safety hazards are reduced, but the devices need mechanisms to expose and cover themselves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the protruding frame movable rather than fixed. The frame can extend forward to support the screen when needed and retract backward into the mounting cell when not in use, providing dynamic support that adapts to the screen's operational states without permanently altering the wall appearance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The media wall system effectively reduces the visibility of electronic appliances when not in use, maintaining a neat and safe environment by integrating devices into the wall, providing a unified appearance and easy access to necessary appliances, while allowing selective exposure based on usage, thus enhancing both aesthetics and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a motor configured to provide rotational force to the drive roller to vary an area of the first region of the screen
Implementation Method 2
a pinion gear configured to be rotated by rotational force of the frame motor transmitted thereto, and a rack gear formed on the protruding frame and configured to rotate in engagement with the pinion gear
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a media wall including a frame structure including a mounting cell, an electronic appliance disposed in the mounting cell, a drive roller arranged above the mounting cell, a screen wound around the drive roller by half a turn, the screen including a first region and a second region positioned, a motor configured to provide rotational force to the drive roller to vary an area of the first region, and a protruding frame introduced into and drawn out of the mounting cell, wherein, when the screen is in a first state, the first region is widened to cover the electronic appliance, and the protruding frame protrudes forward and contacts the first region of the screen, wherein, when the screen is in a second state, the first region is narrowed to expose the electronic appliance, and the protruding frame retreats rearward and is spaced apart from the screen.