This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-288946, filed Aug. 7, 2003, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projector apparatus to project, to a screen, an image observable by an observer, and to a desk incorporating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Projector apparatuses are utilized as means for a plurality of people to simultaneously share video information at, for example, small planning sessions, meetings, large conferences and seminars. That is, the projector apparatus is portable and enables all participants to simultaneously view the same material and understand its content. Thus, the projector apparatus serves in achieving efficient meetings and sessions or convincing presentations.
Since projector apparatuses have not heretofore been light enough to carry with ease, they have only been moved between rooms in the same building and have lacked portability. However, electronic devices have recently been reduced in size and weight along with, for example, development in integrated technology of the electronic devices, so that portable projector apparatuses are also being realized owing to the size reduction.
For example, US 2002/0024637 A1 proposes a projector apparatus in which a digital micromirror device (DMD: a registered trademark of Texas Instruments, Inc., of the United States) is used as a light modulating device.
Herein, the DMD is a device in which a reflective surface is configured by a plurality of square micromirrors arranged in a matrix. Each micromirror has a diagonal pivot shaft, that is a pivot shaft with an inclination of 45 degrees with respect to an arranging direction of the mirror, and is configured to change its direction depending on whether it is turned on or off. In other words, if illumination light and reflected light are arranged to enter/exit along a plane which is perpendicular to the pivot shaft of the micromirror, the reflected light is emitted in a different direction depending on whether the mirror is turned off (off position) or on (on position). Thus, a projection lens is disposed, for example, in a direction in which the reflected light is projected when the mirror is turned on such that the reflected light can be projected on a screen. Therefore, each of the micromirrors of such a DMD is adapted to correspond to a pixel, and each micromirror is turned on/off in accordance with a value of each pixel of an input image, thereby making it possible to configure a projector apparatus which projects an image corresponding to the input image.
The projector apparatus disclosed in US 2002/0024637 A1 described above has the following configuration. Light emitted from a light source in led to an optical system for illumination via an integrator rod. The light emitted from the optical system for illumination has its light path bent by a total internal reflection (TIR) prism, and enters, as the illumination light, the DMD disposed on a DMD substrate. The reflected light (ON light) reflected by the DMD passes through the TIR prism and is projected to the screen by an optical system for projection.
It is to be noted that because the pivot shaft of each mirror of the DMD has an inclination of 45 degrees with respect to the arranging direction of the mirror as described above, the illumination light of the DMD needs to enter from a direction having an inclination of 45 degrees with respect to the arranging direction of the mirror of the DMD. Therefore, in the projector apparatus disclosed in US 2002/0024637 A1 described above, the DMD is mounted on the DMD substrate at an inclination of 45 degrees. The reason that the optical system for illumination which emits the illumination light are not inclined but the DMD is inclined as described above is to enable the projector apparatus to be stored in a small thin case. However, if the DMD is disposed with an inclination of 45 degrees as described above, the image projected to the screen is inclined at 45 degrees. Thus, in US 2002/0024637 A1 described above, a projection unit storing such a configuration is mounted on a projector apparatus base so that it can pivot 45 degrees on a rotation hinge around a shaft vertical to the DMD. In other words, during projection, the projection unit is inclined at 45 degrees so that an erect projection image is projected on the screen.
Furthermore, US 2002/0180939 A1 discloses a projector apparatus having the following configuration of an optical system. That is, a DMD is provided pivotally on a rotational shaft vertical to the DMD. In addition, at least part of an illumination optical system is provided pivotally on the above-mentioned rotational shaft so that direction of irradiation from the illumination optical system to the DMD is not changed. When such a projector apparatus is used, the at least part of the illumination optical system and the DMD are pivoted on the above-mentioned rotational shaft. Thereby, inclination of a picture projected on the screen is corrected.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a projector apparatus to project an image observable by an observer, comprising:
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a desk comprising:
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a projector apparatus to project an image observable by an observer, comprising:
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a desk comprising:
Advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[First Embodiment]
As shown in
Furthermore, operation buttons 24 for an operator to control functions of the projector apparatus and a power supply switch 26 to control power supply to the projector apparatus are disposed on a surface opposite to the projector projection unit 10 among surfaces configuring the projector base unit 12. The operation buttons 24 and the power supply switch 26 are operable only when the projector projection unit 10 is fixed at a position pivoted with respect to the projector base unit 12. Therefore, they do not function improperly when the projector apparatus is carried or stored.
It is to be noted that connectors 28 to which cables 30 such as signal lines and power supply line are connected are disposed on a surface vertical to a surface on which the projector is placed among the surfaces configuring the projector base unit 12. That is, if the cables 30 are connected on the side of the projector projection unit 10, a projection image largely sways on a screen surface, for example, when a force is applied to the cables 30 even though the force is small. Thus, the cables 30 are connected to the side of the projector base unit 12 as described above in the present embodiment.
Furthermore, tilt adjustment screws 32 are provided in a lower part of the projector base unit 12 in the vicinity of an end on the side of the projection image. In this case, the two tilt adjustment screws 32 are provided, so that projection inclination can be adjusted in addition to tilt adjustment.
On the other hand, the projector projection unit 10 is provided with an inlet 34 and an outlet 36. In this case, the inlet 34 is disposed on a surface opposite to the projector base unit 12. Thus, the inlet 34 exposes an opening which enables suction, only when the projector projection unit 10 is fixed at the position pivoted with respect to the projector base unit 12. This can prevent entrance of dust from the inlet 34 when the projection is not performed. In addition, it is important to prevent the power supply from being turned on except when the projector projection unit 10 is pivoted to the projecting position as described above because cooling in the projector projection unit 10 can be performed only when the opening of the inlet 34 is exposed.
As shown in
Here, as shown in
A planar arrangement relation of internal component members of the projector apparatus according to the present embodiment is as shown in
In the projector projection unit 10, there are arranged the light source 42, an integrator rod 48, an illumination optical system 50, a TIR prism 52, the DMD 44, and a projection optical system 54, as in US 2002/0024637 A1 described above. That is, light emitted from the light source 42 is condensed on the integrator rod 48, led to the TIR prism 52 by the illumination optical system 50, and totally reflected by the TIR prism 52, thereby illuminating the DMD 44. The illumination light thus illuminating is then reflected by the DMD 44 to perform a light modulation, and the light which has passed through the TIR prism 52 after the light modulation is projected by the projection optical system 54. Moreover, as viewed from the projection image side, there are arranged the power supply 38, and a control substrate 40A on which the controller 40 is mounted, in the rear of the light source 42, the integrator rod 48, the illumination optical system 50, the TIR prism 52, and the DMD 44.
Furthermore, as described above, a biasing spring 56 to apply a biasing force in a direction to open the projector projection unit 10 is provided at the portion of the rotation hinge 14. This biasing spring 56 automatically opens the projector projection unit 10 from a state shown in
[Second Embodiment]
In the projector apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention, a battery 58 is used instead of the power supply cord 30A in the first embodiment, as shown in
Furthermore, the base wall surface 12A of the projector base unit 12 is provided with a depression 62 in accordance with a rise of a final lens surface 54A which protrudes from the projector projection unit 10 among the projection optical system 54. This depression 62 prevents the final lens 54A from contacting the base wall surface 12A when the projector projection unit 10 is about to be closed. Thus, the final lens surface 54A appears at an observable position only when the projector projection unit 10 is at the projecting position. In this way, the base wall surface 12A serves as a lens cover when the projector projection unit 10 is at the storage position, thereby enabling the final lens surface 54A to be protected and to be prevented from being flawed and covered with dust.
Still further, an outlet 36 used to release heat in the projector projection unit 10 is disposed on the surface opposite to the base wall surface 12A of the projector base unit 12 to which the battery 58 is attached among surfaces configuring the projector projection unit 10. This outlet 36 exposes an opening which enables air discharge, only when the projector projection unit 10 is fixed at the projecting position pivoted with respect to the projector base unit 12. This can prevent entrance of dust and foreign objects from the outlet 36 when the projection is not performed. Naturally, the inlet 34 has the same configuration as that in the first embodiment, and it is needless to say that the entrance of dust and foreign objects from the inlet 34 can be prevented when the projection is not performed.
Further yet, in the present embodiment, the projector base unit 12 is configured in such a manner that an operation panel 64 provided with operation switches such the power supply switch 26 and the operation buttons 24 pivots. The operation panel 64 is adapted to pivot to allow easier operation and allow the opened projector projection unit 10 to be supported by the pivoted operation panel 64. Naturally, such a configuration of the operation panel 64 is also applicable in the first embodiment.
[Third Embodiment]
In the projector apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, the component members which do not need to be rotated, such as the power supply 38 and the light source 42, are stored in the projector base unit 12. Thus, the projector base unit 12 is thick and box-shaped as shown in
Furthermore, in the configuration of the present embodiment, two positions can be selected as the projecting positions to which the projector projection unit 10 is pivoted: a position pivoted 45 degrees with respect to the projector base unit 12 as shown in
Still further, in the present embodiment, the power supply 38, the light source 42 and the like are stored on the side of the projector base unit 12 as described above. Thereby, the gravity point of the projector projection unit 10 is shifted to the side of its pivoting shaft so that the gravity point of the entire projector apparatus is located in an upper part the projector base unit 12. Therefore, even if the projector projection unit 10 is pivoted 135 degrees as shown in
It is to be noted that as in the second embodiment described above, the openings of the inlet and the outlet are exposed and the final lens surface 54A of the projection optical system 54 appears when the projector projection unit 10 is at the projecting position, but these are not shown in the drawings.
[Fourth Embodiment]
In the configuration of the projector apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, a locking member 68 is engaged with a locking hole 70A of a locking member 70 so that the projector projection unit 10 is fixed in a closed state as shown in
That is, after the projector projection unit 10 is once fixed in an open state at the projecting position, the adjustment screw 72 can be turned to make a fine adjustment in a relative angle relation between the projector projection unit 10 and the projector base unit 12. Thereby, inclination of the surface on which the projector is placed is corrected so that the long side (or short side) of the projection image can be adapted to a vertical direction.
[Embodiment of Desk]
Next, a table 74 as one embodiment of a desk incorporating any of the projector apparatuses according to first to fourth embodiments will be described referring to
It is to be noted that the projector projection unit 10 may be, at the storage position, unlocked by being once pressed down toward a floor, or a button corresponding to the opening button 20 may be provided on a side surface of the table 74. Alternatively, such a configuration may also be possible that a screw or a handle is provided on the side surface of the table 74 and turned to pivot the projector projection unit 10.
Furthermore, a screen surface to display the projection image 66, the table 74 (projector apparatus), and a position around the table 74 where the observer is seated to observe the projection image 66 are prescribed. Thus, the projecting direction (tilting angle) and inclination of the projector projection unit 10 at the projecting position are constant. Therefore, no specific mechanism for fine adjustment of the projecting direction and inclination is needed. Nevertheless, such a fine adjustment mechanism may naturally be provided.
In addition, it is needless to say that the table 74 comprises a connection portion 74B to receive image data to be projectively displayed which is generated by image generating means of a PC 78 or the like.
Furthermore, as shown in
While the present invention has been described above in connection with the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and applications can naturally be made within the spirit of the present invention. For example, the projector apparatus may be embedded not only in the table, but also in a ceiling surface, wall surface or floor surface. In the case of the wall surface, the projector projection unit 10 opens by its own weight if the pivoting shaft is on a lower side, thus requiring no specific biasing member.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2003-288946 | Aug 2003 | JP | national |