Patent Application
20210318605
The present invention relates to projection screens. More particularly, the present invention relates to tensioned projection screens.
According to one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a projection screen apparatus for use with a projector is provided that is configured to project an image to be watched by a viewer. The projection screen apparatus includes a projection screen having a viewing surface configured to display the image to the viewer. The projection screen includes a plurality of truncated corners. The projection screen apparatus further includes a frame supporting the projection screen and including a plurality of frame members. The projection screen apparatus further includes a coupler coupling the projection screen to the frame.
According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a projection screen apparatus for use with a projector is provided that is configured to project an image to be watched by a viewer. The projection screen apparatus includes a projection screen having a viewing surface configured to display the image to the viewer. The projection screen includes a first perimeter edge, a second perimeter edge perpendicular to the first perimeter edge, and a corner perimeter edge angled between the first and second perimeter edges. The projection screen apparatus further includes a frame supporting the projection screen and including a plurality of frame members. The projection screen apparatus further includes a coupler coupling the projection screen to the frame.
According to yet another aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a projection screen apparatus for use with a projector is provided that is configured to project an image to be watched by a viewer. The projection screen apparatus includes a projection screen having a viewing surface configured to display the image to the viewer. The projection screen defines a plurality of edges and has a length and a width. First and second edges of the projection screen have lengths less than the length of the projection screen. Third and fourth edges of the projection screen have lengths less than the width of the projection screen. The projection screen apparatus further includes a frame supporting the projection screen and including a plurality of frame members. The projection screen apparatus further includes a coupler coupling the projection screen to the frame.
Additional features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of an illustrated embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.
A detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
According to the present disclosure, a projection screen apparatus 10 is provided to display images projected by a projector 12. Typically, projection screen apparatus 10 is mounted to a wall 14 of a structure, such as an entertainment room of a residence or conference room of a business. As shown in
As shown in
Frame 16 includes four corner members 22 and four extended frame members 24 extending between corner members 22 and forming a junction 88, as shown in
Each corner member 22 is made of ABS plastic and includes the pair of posts 30, 32 sized to fit within respective channels 26, 28 of respective channels 26, 28 of respective frame members 24. During assembly, posts 30, 32 are slid into respective channels 26, 28 of each respective frame member 24 to define a rectangular perimeter. Additional disclosure of a suitable projection screen apparatus is provided in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/840,583, entitled “Tensioned Projection Screen,” filed Aug. 28, 2006, to Steven E. Enochs, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Each frame member 24 further includes a fastener-receiving channel 34 sized to receive a fastener 36, such as a screw. Each corner member 22 includes a pair of fastener-receiving apertures 38 also sized to receive fastener 36. After posts 30, 32 are positioned in channels 26, 28, fastener 36 are inserted into apertures 38 and screwed into channels 34 to securely couple corner members 22 to respective frame members 24.
Depending upon the length of frame members 24, an aluminum brace 40 is provided that extends between opposite frame members 24. Each frame member 24 includes an open channel 42 and opposite ends of brace 40 are positioned in channels 42. Preferably, brace 40 is under slight compression. According to alternative embodiments, fasteners are provided to secure brace 40 on frame members 24.
Before or after frame 16 is assembled, couplers 20 are coupled to projection screen 18. Preferably before shipment of projection screen apparatus 10, edges 44 of screen 18 are folded over and sewn as shown in
Screen 18 may be made of a number of materials suitable for projection screen applications. Preferably, screen 18 has a reflectivity gain from about 0.4 to about 2.5. Front projections screens are preferably white or light gray in appearance. Rear projection screens are preferably light gray in color and translucent to permit the projected image to transmit through the screen and be displayed to the audience. Some of the screens are acoustically transparent, like speaker cover fabric, to permit sound to be transmitted through the screen.
According to one embodiment, the screen includes a woven fiberglass backing with a vinyl reflective surface laminated to the fiberglass (gain of approximately 1.0). According to one embodiment, microscopic glass beads are provided on the viewing surface (gain from about 0.5 to about 2.5 depending on the viewing angle). According to another embodiment, the screen is made of a white (gain of about 1.0 or from about 0.4 to about 2.2 depending on the viewing angle) or light gray (gain of about 0.6 to 0.9 depending on the viewing angle) vinyl material without a backing. Other suitable projection screens known to those of ordinary skill in the art may also be provided. Preferably the screen is substantially blank so that it is substantially free of printing or other markings that noticeably detract from the images projected on the screen. According to one embodiment, the substantially blank screen is provided with black borders that frame the screen for “wide screen” or other projection formats.
Couplers 20 are made of extruded, rigid PVC and include a first end 48 having an interactive member 50 and a second end 52 having an open channel 54 sized to receive loops 46 of screen 18. Preferably at the site of installation, each loop 46 is positioned to extend down an open channel 54 of a respective coupler 20. A retention rod 56 that is slightly longer than coupler 20 is slid through an open end of each loop 46. This prevents the withdrawal of the respective loop 46 from the respective screen coupler 20 to couple each screen coupler 20 to an edge 44 of screen 18. Preferably, retention rods 56 are hollow and made of HDPE plastic. Because loops 46 are permanent, the position of couplers 20 relative to screen 18 is fixed by the manufacturer and not dependent upon the skill of the installer.
After screen couplers 20 are coupled to screen 18, they are coupled to frame 16 to tension screen 18 on frame 16. Each interactive member 50 of couplers 20 includes a rib 58 that defines an undercut groove 60 with a body 62 of coupler 20. Each frame member 24 includes three spaced-apart interactive members 64, 66, 68 including ribs 70, 72, 74 that define undercut grooves 76, 78, 80. Interactive member 50 of screen coupler 20 mates with one of interactive members 64, 66, 68 to couple coupler 20 to frame member 24. Each corner member 22 includes two sets of corresponding interactive members 82, 84, 86 that align with respective interactive members 64, 66, 68 of adjacent frame members 24 to define continuous interactive members and grooves that extend across junctions 88 defined between respective corner and frame members 22, 24.
Each respective coupler 20, loop 46, and retention rod 56 is longer than the distance between each exposed end of frame member 24 so that each coupler 20, loop 46, and rod 56 extends over the respective junction 88 between corners 22 and frame members 24 when couplers 20 are coupled to frame 16. Thus, continuous coupling is provided along the entire length of frame members 24 and extends over to corners 22.
After screen 18 is coupled to frame 16, frame 16 is mounted to wall 14. As shown in
During installation, one or more wall couplers 90 are coupled to wall 14 with second flange 96 extending upwardly. Preferably, wall couplers 90 are positioned at the same level so that perimeter frame 16 will be level and then fasteners 95, such as screws, are inserted through apertures 94 into wall 14. Second flange 96 and a flange 98 of frame members 24 defines channel 40 each have a ramped edge that facilitates insertion of flange 98 over second flange 96. As flange 98 of frame member 24 slides down flange 96 of wall coupler 90, frame 16 is drawn closer to wall 14. If necessary to center frame 16, frame 16 can be slid right or left on wall couplers 90 to a centered position without having to remove frame 16 from wall 14. To remove frame 16 for adjustment of the tension in screen 18 or otherwise, frame 16 is raised up and removed from wall 14.
When coupled to frame 16, perimeter portions 110 of screen 18 overlap respective walls 112 of frame members 24 and corresponding walls 114 of corner members 22. A substantially flat display portion 116 of screen 18 is surrounded by perimeter portions 110 and provides a display surface 118 on one side of display portion 116 on which images projected on screen 18 by projector 12 (either front or rear projection) are viewed by the audience seated in front of projection screen apparatus 10. Display surface 118 defines a plane 120 that has a first audience side 122 and an opposite second side 124. As shown in
Wall 112 includes a first corner 126 on its inner edge that causes screen 18 to turn or bend and divides screen 18 into perimeter and display portions 110, 116 as shown in
Second segment 132 of perimeter portion 110 defines a plane 134 having a first side 136 and a second side 138. When screen 18 is coupled to frame 16, interactive member 50 of coupler 20 is positioned on first side 136 along with interactive members 64, 66, 68 of frame member 24 and interactive members 82, 84, 86 of corner members 22.
As shown in
In a typical installation, frame 16 is first assembled as described above. Screen 18 and screen couplers 20 are coupled together as described above either before or after frame 16 is assembled. Screen 18 is then coupled to frame 16 with screen couplers 20. A tool 152, such as a plastic putty knife, is provided to assist in coupling couplers 20 to frame 16. Each coupler 20 includes a rib 154 positioned opposite rib 58 that is configured to receive a front edge 156 of tool 152.
Initially, screen coupler 20 is positioned adjacent to wall 112 of the respective frame member 24. By pressing on rib 154 with tool 152, rib 58 is forced along wall 112 until it snaps into one of grooves 76, 78, 80. When one end of rib 58 is positioned in groove 76, tool 152 is slid along the length of coupler 20 forcing the entire length of rib 58 into groove 76. Preferably, screen 18 is sized so that when ribs 58 of couplers 20 are positioned in first grooves 76, screen 18 is properly tensioned so that display portion 116 of screen 18 is properly tensioned and substantially flat. Depending on factors, such as manufacturing tolerances, temperature, or humidity, one or more of ribs 58 of couplers 20 may need to be moved further outward to second or third grooves 78, 80 to obtain the proper tension.
After a period time passes from the initial installation, screen 18 may stretch and develop a sag that noticeably distorts the quality of the images displayed on screen 18. To remove this sag, one or more couplers 20 is moved further out to the next respective groove 78, 80 until the sag in screen 18 is removed. Because couplers 20 an inaccessible from the front of projection screen apparatus 10, it must first be removed from wall 14 before the adjustment can be made.
As shown in
Preferably, instructions for the assembly, installation, and/or use of projection screen apparatus 10 are provided with projection screen apparatus 10 or otherwise communicated to permit a person or machine to assemble, install and/or use projection screen apparatus 10. Such instructions may include a description of any or all portions of projection screen apparatus 10 and/or any or all of the above-described assembly, installation, and use of projection screen apparatus 10 or components of projection screen apparatus 10. The instructions may be provided on separate papers and/or on the packaging in which projection screen apparatus 10 is sold or shipped. These instructions may also be provided over the Internet or other communication system. Furthermore, the instructions may be embodied as text, pictures, audio, video, or any other medium or method of communicating instructions known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the present invention as described and defined in the following claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/670,663, filed Aug. 7, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/209,075 filed on Jul. 13, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/463,097, filed Aug. 19, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,395,615, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/739,339, filed Jan. 11, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,810,909, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/897,484, filed Oct. 4, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,358,464, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/115,351, filed May 5, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,808,702, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/526,951, filed Sep. 26, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,369,310, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/930,255, filed Aug. 31, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,113,332, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/327,421, filed Dec. 20, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,785,047, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16845242 | Apr 2020 | US |
| Child | 16952752 | US | |
| Parent | 16666505 | Oct 2019 | US |
| Child | 16845242 | US | |
| Parent | 16298230 | Mar 2019 | US |
| Child | 16666505 | US | |
| Parent | 15921157 | Mar 2018 | US |
| Child | 16298230 | US | |
| Parent | 15670663 | Aug 2017 | US |
| Child | 15921157 | US | |
| Parent | 15209075 | Jul 2016 | US |
| Child | 15670663 | US | |
| Parent | 14463097 | Aug 2014 | US |
| Child | 15209075 | US | |
| Parent | 13739339 | Jan 2013 | US |
| Child | 14463097 | US | |
| Parent | 12897484 | Oct 2010 | US |
| Child | 13739339 | US | |
| Parent | 12115351 | May 2008 | US |
| Child | 12897484 | US | |
| Parent | 10930255 | Aug 2004 | US |
| Child | 11526951 | US | |
| Parent | 10327421 | Dec 2002 | US |
| Child | 10930255 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11526951 | Sep 2006 | US |
| Child | 12115351 | US |
