Transparent LCD Display Case Door With Shared Backlighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional temperature-controlled storage devices, such as refrigerated display cases, lack features that enhance the shopping experience by providing engaging product information and visual media to customers while maintaining thermal insulation and visibility into the storage area.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a transparent LCD panel between the front and rear panels of the display case, along with a light guide that can transition between opaque and transparent states, and a controller to manage the presentation of visual media content, allowing for the display of product information, pricing, nutritional data, and advertising, while ensuring thermal insulation and customer visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional display case door with insulated glass panel is used, then thermal insulation is maintained and visibility into the storage area is provided, but product presentation is not enhanced and the shopping experience is not improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the display case door structure with an LCD panel integrated between the front and rear panels, merging the functions of thermal insulation, visibility, and dynamic product information display into a single unified structure. This allows the door to serve multiple purposes: maintaining thermal barriers while providing both static visibility and dynamic content presentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The display case door is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it maintains thermal insulation through insulated panels, provides visibility into the storage area through transparent sections, and displays dynamic product information, pricing, and advertising content through the LCD panel. This multi-functionality enhances product presentation without requiring separate additional components.
2Loss of information
If an LCD panel is added to the display case door, then visual media content and product information can be displayed, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The LCD panel is nested between the front and rear panels of the display case door assembly, integrating it within the existing structural framework. This nesting approach allows the LCD panel to be housed within the door structure without requiring external mounting or additional space, thereby reducing the impact on overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A light guide is introduced as an intermediary component between the lighting element and the LCD panel. The light guide selectively directs light to illuminate the LCD panel when visual content is displayed, while allowing light to pass through to illuminate products when the LCD is not in use. This intermediary component enables dynamic lighting control that simplifies the overall system by using a single lighting element for multiple purposes.
3Illumination intensity
If a lighting element is added to illuminate both the LCD panel and products, then visual content visibility is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is designed to be dynamic through the use of a light guide that can selectively change its light transmission properties. The light guide can switch between directing light to the LCD panel and allowing light to pass through to illuminate products, enabling the single lighting element to adapt its function based on whether the LCD is actively displaying content. This dynamic behavior allows energy-efficient operation by illuminating only what is currently needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting element operates in periodic cycles, alternating between illuminating the LCD panel when visual content is displayed and illuminating the products when the LCD is not in use. This periodic action is controlled by the light guide, which switches between its two functional states based on the display requirements, thereby reducing overall energy consumption compared to having separate continuous lighting systems for both functions.
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 solution enhances the shopping experience by providing dynamic and engaging content to customers while maintaining thermal insulation and visibility into the storage area, improving product presentation and customer interaction.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide configured to selectively reflect the light emitted from the lighting element back toward the transparent LCD panel and through the transparent LCD panel to provide backlighting for the transparent LCD panel
Implementation Method 2
the light guide includes a switchable film configured to transition between a transparent state and an opaque state
Data Source
AI summary
A display system for a product storage device includes a transparent unit having 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. A lighting element is attached to the transparent unit and configured to provide lighting for both the transparent LCD panel and for products within the product storage device. The lighting element emits light in a direction away from the transparent LCD panel and toward the products within the product storage device. A light guide selectively reflects the light emitted from the lighting element back toward the transparent LCD panel and through the transparent LCD panel to provide backlighting for the transparent LCD panel.