AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Innovation Patent Applicant (s) Coca-Cola Amatil (Aust) Pty Limited Invention Title: Lighting system for transparent media display The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to me/us: -2 LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR TRANSPARENT MEDIA DISPLAY FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to containers, s particularly refrigerated cabinets and beverage storage and dispensing systems, with displays and associated lighting systems. BACKGROUND TO THE DISCLOSURE 10 Containers such as refrigerated cabinets for storing and dispensing beverages for use in retail establishments are known to utilize display screens providing moving images of the products displayed within the container. 15 SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE Disclosed in some forms is a product container comprising: a body that defines a compartment for items, a transparent media display screen coupled to the container body, the transparent media display screen having a display 20 surface that covers a portion of the container compartment so that there is a light path through the transparent media display screen to the compartment, and a boundary lighting system disposed within the container body adjacent an outer edge of the transparent media display screen, the boundary 25 lighting system backlighting the transparent media display screen and directing light into the compartment from an extremity of the container body to illuminate items within the compartment. 30 In some forms the container comprises a refrigerated cabinet such as a beverage storage and dispensing system. The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the -3 illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description. 5 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a product container in the form of a refrigerated cabinet; and 10 FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the container illustrated in Figure 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following detailed description, reference is made 15 to accompanying drawings which form a part of the detailed description. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, depicted in the drawings and defined in the claims, are not intended to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilised and other changes may be made 20 without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein and illustrated in the drawings can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated and designed in a wide 25 variety of different configurations, all of which are contemplated in this disclosure. This disclosure is directed generally to containers that are used at the 'point of sale' of a product. While the 30 disclosure is described generally in the context of refrigerated cabinets for storage and dispensing of a beverage or other product, it is not limited to such use, and may be used in other point of sale systems providing access -4 to a food or drink products such as, for example, heated units or ambient temperature cabinets. Point of sale container systems using display screens to 5 advertise the product held therein are known. In retail applications point of sale container systems may incorporate an display screen showing images of the product in an effort to attract a customer to the product. These systems are usually located in secure locations (such as a merchant shop) 10 to reduce the possibility of vandalism. Disclosed are embodiments of a point of sale container system such as a refrigerated cabinet for storing and dispensing beverages. In some forms the system comprises a is container comprising: a body that defines an compartment for products, a transparent media display screen coupled to the container body, the transparent media display screen having a display surface that covers a portion of the container compartment so that there is a light path through the 20 transparent media display screen to the compartment, and a boundary lighting system disposed within the container body adjacent an outer edge of the transparent media display screen, the boundary lighting system backlighting the transparent media display screen and directing light into the 25 compartment from an extremity of the container body to illuminate items within the compartment. The boundary lighting system may comprise a strip light disposed adjacent an edge of the transparent media display 30 screen, the strip light may be orientated to direct light toward the centre of the transparent media display screen display surface and into the compartment. The boundary lighting system may comprise a plurality of -5 strip lights that are disposed adjacent opposing edges of the transparent media display screen, each strip light might be orientated to direct light toward the centre of the transparent media display screen display surface and into 5 compartment. The boundary lighting system may comprise a diffuser disposed between the transparent media display screen and the compartment, the diffuser may scatter light from within the 10 container body across the display surface of the transparent media display screen, the strip light(s) may be oriented to direct light toward the diffuser. The diffuser may comprise a diffuser panel that is is generally commensurate in area with the display surface of the transparent media display screen, the diffuser panel may be aligned with the transparent media display screen so that the light path through the transparent media display screen passes through the diffuser panel. 20 The strip light(s) may be disposed at a perimeter edge of the diffuser and direct light into the diffuser. The diffuser may scatter light transverse to the display 25 surface of the transparent media display screen to illuminate items within the compartment and backlight the transparent media display screen. The strip light(s) may comprise a strip of light 30 emitting diodes (LED's). The strip light(s) may be disposed at a perimeter edge(s) of a panel diffuser and direct light into the panel diffuser.
-6 Strip lights may extend only around one or more parts of the perimeter of the transparent screen or may extend around the entire perimeter of the screen. 5 The transparent media display screen may be disposed in a door of the container, that provides access to the compartment. 10 The container may be a refrigerator and the body may have a refrigeration system that chills the product compartment. In some forms the refrigerated cabinet is configured for 15 storing and/or dispensing beverages. A reflective lip may be disposed adjacent the transparent media display screen, the strip light(s) may be disposed between the reflective lip and the compartment so 20 that the reflective lip shields the strip light(s) from the exterior of the container body and redirects incident light into the compartment. A product container is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. 25 The container 1 has a body 25 that defines a compartment for vendible products and other items. The illustrated container 1 is an upright refrigerator. The general principles explained in this specification may also be applied to other containers where it is desirable for a consumer to see the 30 enclosed products. This is frequently the case with refrigerated consumer goods, but is also applicable to vending machines and certain arcade systems (such as the crane claw game) among other applications. Similarly, these -7 principles may be applied to different refrigerator configurations, such as beer fridges and chest freezers. The illustrated refrigerator 1 has a generally 5 rectangular cuboid body 25. The body 25 defines a compartment where products (such a chilled drinks or food items) are positioned for sale. The refrigerator compartment is enclosed by the refrigerator body 25 so that stored products may be efficiently chilled. The body 25 may also 10 house an integrated refrigeration system to chill the product compartment. The illustrated refrigerator 1 has a single door 15 that provides access to the compartment. The door 15 forms part of the refrigerator body 25 and covers one of the elongated side of the refrigerator compartment. The is remaining five sides of the refrigerator body 25 are formed from fixed panels in the illustrated embodiment. The illustrated refrigerator door 15 is hinged to the remainder of the refrigerator body 25. A set of hinges (not 20 shown) couple the door 15 along one of the elongate sides. Other door arrangements (such as sliding door) may be substituted depending on installation requirement and merchant preferences. A handle 16 is disposed in a side of the door 15 opposite the hinges. The illustrated handle 16 25 is formed by a recess in an elongated edge of the door 15. The recess allows a consumer or merchant to easily grasp the door and access the enclosed compartment. A transparent media display screen is coupled to the 30 illustrated container body. The screen 10 has a display surface that covers a portion of the refrigerator compartment so that a light path is created through the transparent media display screen 10 to the enclosed compartment. The transparent media display screen 10 replaces the regular -8 glass panel that is often encountered in conventional merchant refrigerators, but still allows a consumer to see items within the refrigerator 1 in most circumstances. 5 The transparent media display screen 10 is mounted to the refrigerator door 15 in the illustrated embodiment. The display surface of the screen 10 has a surface area that is generally commensurate with the frontal surface area of the door 15. Additional transparent media display screens may be 10 mounted to other parts of the refrigerator body (such as replacing the touch screen display 20 illustrated on the side of the refrigerator shown in the figures). The door may not necessarily incorporate a display screen in all embodiments. is The transparent media display screen 10 is capable of obscuring the contents of the refrigeration compartment by restricting or preventing the passage of light through the refrigerator door 15. This is typically accomplished by displaying an obstructive image on segments of the screen 10 20 that cover the items housed within the compartment. Obstructive images generally comprise a black strip or block that occupy specific sections of the display surface. The images are black (or dark) as the transparent media display screen is repressing backlighting from within the 25 refrigerator body 25 that is responsible for illuminating the display screen. The contents of the refrigerator 1 are generally visible through the transparent door screen 10 whenever the display 30 surface is not occupied by an obstructing image. Colour images or images where only the image outline is obstructive retain a light path through the door and allow items within the refrigeration compartment to remain visible from outside the refrigerator 1.
- 9 A touch screen display 20 is disposed in a side of the refrigerator body 25 in the figures. The touch screen display 20 allows a customer to interact with the 5 refrigerator 1. The touch screen display 20 may also be transparent in some embodiments (although the illustrated touch screen display 20 is not). An exploded view of a transparent media display screen 10 assembly is illustrated in Figure 2. The illustrated assembly comprises a boundary lighting system. The boundary lighting system backlights the transparent media display screen 10 and directs light into the refrigeration compartment to illuminate items positioned within the 15 refrigerator 1. The boundary lighting system incorporates one or more lights. Ideally, the lights are arranged to emit light uniformly across the display surface of the transparent media 20 display screen. The illustrated boundary lighting system 103 has two strip lights that are disposed adjacent opposing edges of the transparent media display screen 10. A single strip light may also be used and the strip light(s) may extend around the entire perimeter of the transparent media 25 display screen. Ideally, the strip lights 103 are orientated to direct light toward the centre of the transparent media display screen display surface and into the refrigeration compartment. 30 The strip light may comprise a single continuous light source (such as a CCFL tube) or a plurality of discrete light sources regularly spaced along the strip (such as an LED strip light). The illustrated strip lights 103 comprise a strip of high intensity light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are - 10 housed in a common body. The strip lights may also comprise multiple individual light sources coupled directly to the refrigerator body 25 (ie strip lights without a integrated or unitary body). Ideally, the selected strip lights provide an 5 elongate light source that emits a uniform intensity of light along the length of the strip. The boundary lighting system may also incorporate a diffuser to promote uniform backlighting. The illustrated 10 refrigerator 1 incorporates a panel diffuser 102 that is disposed behind the transparent media display screen 10. The illustrated diffuser 102 is generally commensurate in area with the display surface of the transparent media display screen 10. The strip lights 103 and the diffuser 102 are 15 disposed within the refrigerated body 25 directly behind the transparent media display screen 10 in the illustrated embodiment. The strip lights 103 are disposed at a perimeter edge of 20 the diffuser panel 102 and direct light into the diffuser. The diffuser 102 scatters light from the strip lights 103 transverse to the display surface of the transparent media display screen 10 to illuminate items within the refrigerator compartment and backlight the transparent media display 25 screen 10. The illustrated configuration of boundary lighting system illuminates the items within the refrigerator compartment from an extremity of the refrigerator body 25. 30 As the boundary lighting system is disposed between the items and the consumer, the consumer facing portion of the items is illuminated (the portion of the items closest to the transparent media display screen). This lighting position illuminates the items so that they are easily identifiable - 11 through the transparent media display screen (as opposed to a lighting source disposed behind the items, which would create a silhouette). 5 The diffuser panel 102 is generally aligned with the transparent media display screen 10 and disposed between the display screen 10 and the refrigeration compartment. This arrangement produces a light path through the transparent media display screen 10 into the refrigeration compartment 10 that also passes through the diffuser panel 102. The illustrated boundary lighting system enables the diffuser to scatter light from within the refrigerator body 25 (including light emitted from the strip lights disposed at the edges of the diffuser panel 102) uniformly across the display surface is of the transparent media display screen 10. Ideally, a reflective lip is disposed adjacent the display screen in front of the boundary lighting system 103 so that the strip lights are positioned between the 20 reflective lip and the refrigeration compartment. The reflective lip shields the strip lights from the exterior of the container body, redirecting incident light into the refrigeration compartment and isolating the consumer from the light source. 25 The illustrated refrigerator also has a touch screen display 20 mounted to one side of the refrigerator body 25. The touch screen display 20 provides an interactive interface for consumers. 30 The touch screen display 20 may be used for various applications, including accessing nutritional information for the products housed within the refrigerator 1, displaying reviews of the products placed by other consumers, selecting - 12 images to be displayed on the transparent media display screen 10 and watching promotional material. The touch screen display 20 may also be used by technicians for fault finding and maintenance analysis. 5 Both the touch screen display 20 and the transparent media display screen 10 can be used to promote products displayed within the refrigerator 1 and generate interest by capturing the attention of potential consumers. The 10 transparent media display screen 10 coupled to the refrigerator body door 15 may also incorporate touch screen capabilities to improve user interactions. To enable touch screen functionality, the toughened glass protective layer 101 disposed in front of the transparent media display screen 15 10 may be replaced by a touch sensitive overlay (similar to the overlay 202 disposed over the touch screen display 20). This functional alteration may be made without modifying the illustrated mounting frame 105 that the couples the transparent media display screen assembly to the refrigerator 20 body 25. An electronics cooling system 17 is disposed adjacent the bottom edge of the refrigerator door 15. The cooling system 17 circulates chilled air across the boundary lighting 25 system 103 and transparent media display screen 10 to dissipate heat generated by these components. The foregoing describes a container including embodiments thereof. Alterations and modifications as will be 30 obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be incorporated within the scope hereof as defined in the accompanying claims. In the claims which follow and in the preceding - 13 description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, 5 i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention. Thus, the described apparatus, substance or method may 1o have other elements, substances or steps in various embodiments of the invention. The purpose of the claims is to define the features which make up the invention and not necessarily all features which a working embodiment of the apparatus, substance or method, to which the invention is defines, may have. The apparatus, substance or method defined in the claims may therefore include other elements, steps or substances as well as the inventive elements, steps or substances which make up the invention and which are specifically recited in the claims. 20