Viewing shield for display device

Claim 2

A viewing shield for a television receiver, slide viewer, oscilloscope, or like image-exhibiting apparatus of the kind comprising an image-display member disposed within an encompassing image frame, said shield comprising: four shield panels hingedly connected to each other along adjacent edges in a closed sequence to form a unitary shield assembly, the four shield panels including a top panel and a bottom panel joined by first and second opposed side panels, each side panel comprising an upper panel element and a lower panel element joined together by a transverse side panel hinge extending the full length of the side panel from a back edge to a front edge; said assembly having an open condition in which the upper and lower elements of each side panel are disposed in coplanar relation and the back edges of all panels correspond approximately to the configuration of said image frame, said assembly further having a closed condition in which the upper and lower elements of each side panel are folded against each other, the entire assembly being folded in a flat, compact alignment approximately as thick as the total thickness of all four panels; and retaining means for holding the upper and lower elements of each side panel in coplanar relation when said assembly is in its open condition.

Claim 3

A viewing shield for an image-exhibiting apparatus, according to claim 1, and further comprising releasable mounting means for mounting said assembly, in its open condition, on said image display member frame with no light entry opening at the area of attachment.

Claim 4

A viewing shield for an image-exhibiting apparatus, according to claim 1, in which the shield panels form a truncated pyramid when the shield assembly is in its open condition, the back edges of the shield panels constituting the small base of the truncated pyramid and the front edges constituting the large base.

Claim 5

A viewing shield for an image-exhibiting apparatus, according to claim 2, in which said retaining means comprises: first and second side flange members hingedly mounted on the back edges of said first and second side panels, respectively, each side flange member including an upper flange element extending along the associated upper side panel element and a lower flange element extending along the associated lower flange element, with the upper and lower flange elements joined together by a transverse flange hinge aligned with the corresponding transverse side panel hinge; the first flange member and first side panel each preventing folding of the other along its transverse hinge, and maintaining the elements of the other in coplanar relation, whenever the first flange member and first side panel are angularly displaced from each other in the open condition of the viewing shield so that their respective transverse hinges are non-colinear, thereby preventing rotation of the transverse hinges, and the second flange member and second side panel each preventing folding of the other along its transverse hinge, and maintaining the elements of the other in coplanar relationship, whenevEr the second flange member and the second side panel are angularly displaced from each other in the open condition of the viewing shield so that their respective transverse hinges are non-colinear, thereby preventing rotation of the transverse hinges.

Claim 6

A viewing shield for an image-exhibiting apparatus, according to claim 4, in which said side flanges comprise a part of said mounting means, and in which said side flange members each engage said image frame at an angle precluding coplanar alignment of the side flange member with its associated side panel.

Claim 7

A viewing shield for an image-exhibiting apparatus, according to claim 5, and further comprising: a top flange member hingedly mounted on the back edge of the top panel; and first and second corner hinges connecting the opposite ends of said top flange member to the top ends of said first and second side flange members, respectively, said corner hinges each including a lost-motion connection accommodating the changes in angular alignment of said top flange member relative to the associated side flange member, in two different directions, occurring during movement of the viewing shield assembly between its open and closed conditions.

Claim 8

A viewing shield for an image-exhibiting apparatus, according to claim 6, in which each corner hinge connecting said top flange member to a side flange member comprises: a first hinge leaf rigidly attached to one of said top and side flange members; and a second hinge leaf pivotally connected to said first hinge leaf; said lost-motion connection comprising a pin-and-slot connection from said second hinge leaf to the other of said flange members, to afford limited, controlled pivotal movement of said second hinge leaf relative to said other flange member during movement of the viewing shield assembly between its open and closed conditions.

Claim 9

A viewing shield for an image-exhibiting apparatus, according to claim 7, in which said corner hinges are so attached to said top and side flanges that in the open condition of the viewing shield, said top and side flanges are held at the correct angle for mounting to said encompassing image frame in a light-tight attachment, and in which said pin-and-slot connection from said second hinge leaf to the other said flange member results in pivotal movement of said second hinge leaf relative to said other flange member when said viewing shield is moved to its closed condition, said pivotal movement of said second hinge leaf repositioning said corner hinge and permitting said side flanges and said top flange to move to coplanar position with their attached side and top panels in said closed condition of said viewing shield.

Claim 10

A viewing shield for an image-exhibiting apparatus, according to claim 6, in which each corner hinge connecting said top flange member to a side flange member comprises: first and second hinge leaves, each rigidly secured to one of said flange members; and a flexible, twistable web, interconnecting said hinge leaves and affording said lost-motion connection.

Claim 11

A viewing shield for an image-exhibiting apparatus, according to claim 1, in which said retaining means for each side panel comprises: a first rigid post affixed to the front edge of said upper panel element; a second rigid post affixed to the front edge of said lower panel element; and a ball joint connector, connecting the adjacent ends of said posts, said ball joint connector holding said side panel flat when said viewing shield is in its open condition but permitting folding of said viewing shield to its closed condition.