1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an auto theatre, that is, a "drive-in-film theatre", which is customarily attended by the patrons in automobiles, but is also attended with other vehicles (motorcycles, bicycles) and even on foot.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With present auto theatres in general, a very large projection screen is provided, in front of which the motor vehicles park in a somewhat circle-sector formed area, so that the vehicle passengers can view the film projected on the screen. Such an auto theatre represents a considerable burden on the environment. The giant projection screen is perceived as an impairment to the landscape. Further, traffic engineering difficulties result: one is the visibility of the projection screen from the street which is dangerous to traffic, another arises in that the beginning and the ending of a performance at a large auto theatre (for example, with 600 vehicle places) often results in a traffic jam. It has thus arisen that is always difficult to obtain a construction permit for an auto theatre.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 2,734,420 an auto theatre is already known, in which a large number of small, circularly divided projection screens are so arranged that the likewise circularly arranged vehicles, respectively approach their own projection screen. The projection screens obtain their film pictures from a projection device centrally arranged in the circle, whose light rays are deflected on the individual projection screens over a reflection system. Because of the absence of a very large projection screen, environmental and traffic problems involved with such a projection screen are certainly avoided or decreased. The circularly formed arrangement of the projection screens and therewith the parked vehicles incurs however a very awkward space utilization and the optical transmission of the film picture over a complicated reflection system may only permit a insufficient picture quality. The traffic engineering problems, which appear through the simultaneous entering and leaving of the vehicles with the performance beginning and ending, are accordingly, as before, unsolved. With these auto theatres, as also with the conventional auto theatre the patron has the choice of only one program.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds