Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an audio selection
testing and advertising device where a potential customer
3 5 can first listen to a number of audio selections containea
within the device. The particular audio selections
contained in the device are advertised at a display area
provided on the device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
~ Often times a potential purchaser of an audio
x selection, i.e. a compact disc or a cassette tape or to a
lesser extent, a record, wants to test or sample the
15 selection before making a purchase.
In the past, record stores where set up with
listening booths where potential customers could listen to
the records that they were interested in purchasing.
20 However, these listening booths were often abused because
both potential customers and people who were not potential
customers but simply wanted to use the booths would often
handle and damage the record and then not make the
purchase. Accordingly, the listening booth of the past had
25 a number of serious drawbacks particularly from a product
wasteage and economical standpoint.
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~ SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
¦ 30 The present invention provides an audio selection
testing and advertising device which is practical and meets
present day requirements and particularly has economic
~' benefits as opposed to the drawbacks encountered in the
past. The audio selection testing and aavertising device of
~, 35 the present invention comprises a housing, a player
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internally of the housing for playing a plurality of audio
selections which have been loaded into the player and a
remote control for operating the player externally on the
housing. In addition, the device includes a display area on
~ 5 the housing for displaying the particular audio selections
¦ loaded in the player.
The device of the present invention is particularly
suited at point of sale outlets for audio selections such as
10 compact discs and cassette tapes. A number of audio
selections are placed in the housing by the operator of the
outlet and therefore are not handled by the customer. The
particular selection, made by the customer is done through
the remote control.
The display area on the housing is used to ~isplay
the jacket or cover in which the selection would be sold and
this display area is preferably used to the label company or
the like which owns the audio selection within the device.
20 Furthermore, the audio selections are preferably replaced on
a regular basis by the operator of the outlet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
!
The above as well as other advantages and features
of the present invention will be described in greater detail
! according to the preferred embodiments of the present
invention in which;
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Figure 1 is a perspective view of two in~ividuals
; using an audio selection testing and advertising device
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
.
~;' Figure 2 is a further perspective partially cut
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away view of the device of Figure l;
Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the
display area of the device of Figure l;
Figure 4 is a view very similar to Figure 2
5 including an additional loud speaker forming part of the
device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION ACCORDING TO THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION:
Figure l shows two potential customers using an
audio selection testing and advertising device generally
indicated at l according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention. This device includes a main housing or
cabinet 3, the internal details of which are better seen in -
Figure 2 of the drawings.
Located within housing 3 is an audio system
generally indicated at 5. This audio system includes a
¦ player 7, a controller 9 for the player 7 and a transmitter
or speaker ll from the player. All of these components are
locked within the housing which is under the control of the
operator of the outlet and not the customer.
From a customer standpoint, the device is provided
~ with a remote control 19 to the outside of the housing.
3I With this arrangement, the customer is not able to handle
the actual audio selection placed within the housing but
, rather operates the player through the remote control.
{ According to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, player 7 is a standard CD player provided with a
cartridge capable of receiving a plurality of CD's all at
one time. These CD's are placed in the player by the
operator of the outlet.
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However, unlike conventional construction, the CD
player is controlled by remote control 19 in a manner to
select any one of the CD's and in no particular sequence.
Therefore, in an arrangement as shown where the cartridge
5 includes six CD's and the display area to be described later
in detail includes six display regions, the potential
customer is able to immediately listen to the particular CD
selected without having to first listen to any other
selections. Furthermore, the method of operation of a CD
10 player is particularly suited to the pIesent invention in
that the customer can quickly and easily not only make a
particular C.D. selection but in addition can very quickly
change the particular song or tune on that C.D. This is
because of the laser tracking operation of a CD player which
15 does not have to go through an entire song but which simply
can be operated through the remote controller to almost
instantaneously switch from song to song.
As a further preferred feature, controller 9
~ 20 includes a timer for automatic shut off of the device which
`~ must then be physically restarted by the customer. This
3 feature provides a nuisance for people simply playing withthe device who are not genuinely interested customers.
25 Although the description above relates specifically
to the unit as including a CD player and compact discs being
used as the audio selections, the device can also be used
for the testing and displaying of audio cassettes and
phonograph records and albums. However, phonograph records
~ 30 and albums are becoming less and less popular and therefore
- are not as likely to be used in the device.
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According to the preferred embodiment as shown, the
i device is set up with audio headphones 17 which are wired as
35shown at 15 to jack outlets 13 which are in turn wire~ to
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the main speaker or transmitter 11 interiorly of the
housing. The use of a headset as shown enables private
listening by the customer. Note that although device 1
includes two headsets for two potential customers it can
obviously be expanded to include any number of desired
headsets.
The use of a headset as opposed to a conventional
speaker not only benefits the potential customer but in
lû addition allows the selection to be listened to by the
customer without bothering the other people or customers in
the outlet.
From an economical standpoint, the provision of a
15 display area is very important to the present invention.
This display area 21, which is best seen in Figure 3 of the
drawings, includes a plurality of separate or discrete
display regions 23. These display regions 23 are provided
in an upwardly facing panel 22 which includes physical
2û recesses providing the display regions. Again, in the
particular arrangement shown, six separate display regions
are provided in panel 22.
Each of the display regions 23 is sized to receive
¦ 25a laid open compact disc jacket or jewel case 25 as shown in
Figure 3 to expose both the front and back sides of the
jacket or case. As a means of advertising, device 1 is
extremely effective and clearly displays which particular
audio selections have been loaded into the player. From a
30marketing standpoint, each of the display regions 23 may be
rented out to a party interested in displaying a particular
selection e.g. the label company for that selection. The
selections are preferably changed on a relatively regular
basis by the operator of the outlet resulting in further
35rental of the display regions according to the new
selections inserted into the device. This rental
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of the display area very quickly pays for the cost of the
device.
The above description relates to the rental of
space in the display area. The device can also be used by a
specific label company who would then simply own the device
and display their own product as desired.
The display regions 23 are set up in two side by
10 side aligned groups. The jewel cases are locked in each
group by a common locking bar 27. This locking bar 27
includes a key operated lock 29 at one end of the bar. The
lock has a swing arm movable to and from a locking position
relative to a locking slot 30 shown in Figure 3 of the
15 drawings. The other end of the arm 27 fits into a slot 28
which cooperates with lock 29 to secure the positioning of
locking bar 27.
In another embodiment, the panel area 16 shown in
' 20 Figure 1 of the drawings which opens and closes to gain
i access to the player internally of the cabinets fits down
over bars 27 to lock them in position thereby eliminating
the need for separate locks on each of the bars.
25 Note that each of the locking bars is provided with
alphabetic designations, i.e. the letters A through F and
each of these letters is positioned on the respective
~, locking bar directly over one of the display regions 23.
d The letters further appear on the remote control 19 for
~ 30purposes of determining which selection is made through the
`, remote control.
'~l Display panel 22 is arranged at an upwar~, rearwar~
angle which is well suited for advertising or display
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purposes. This angle specifically helps to reduce glare on
the jewel cases without having to set the whole display
panel at a vertical angle. Furthermore, the display panel
itself is set at a height that is easily viewable and which
is also easily changed by the outlet operator.
Provided to either side of housing 3 are
merchandiser boxes 4. These merchandiser boxes are used to
hold a plurality of each of the particular selections which
10 have been loaded into the device. The merchandisers would
~ be reloaded according to changes that are made to the
I selections within the device.
Figure 4 shows a device substantially the same as
15 that showr, and described with respect to Figure 2 except
that the Figure 4 device includes a loud speaker 12 mountea
I to the housing 3. This loud speaker is controlled once
¦ again by the operator of the outlet and can be used when
desired for store wide playing of selections within the
20 device and/or for an intercom system within the outlet.
Although various preferred embodiments of the
invention have been described in detail, it will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations may
25 be made without departing from the spirit of the invention
or the scope of the appended claims.
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