Optics: image projectors – Distortion compensation – For projection axis inclined to screen
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-15
2001-10-16
Dowling, William (Department: 2851)
Optics: image projectors
Distortion compensation
For projection axis inclined to screen
C353S119000, C248S157000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302543
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a projector that includes a main body having inside a projection optical system for forming an optical image corresponding to image information by optically processing a light beam emitted from a light source and projecting the magnified optical image onto a projection plane via a projection lens, and a plurality of feet protruding from the main body to support the main body.
2. Description of Related Art
There has been used a projector provided with a projection optical system for forming an optical image corresponding to image information by optically processing a light beam emitted from a light source and projecting the magnified optical image onto a projection plane via a projection lens. In such a projector, it is required to adjust the position of the image to be projected. The adjustment is generally made by changing the projection angle by tilting the projector body, or by changing the height of the projector body.
As a method of changing the inclination or height of the projector body, there is a suggestion of a method that uses the turn of a screw (screw method). That is, the height is adjusted by loosening and tightening the screw.
In this screw method, however, since the height is changed only by one pitch of a thread groove in one turn of the screw, a user is forced to turn the screw many turns to adjust the height to a particular height, which is considerably troublesome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a projector that has a projection optical system for forming an optical image corresponding to image information by optically processing a light beam emitted from a light source and projecting the magnified optical image onto a projection plane via a projection lens, and that also has a foot structure capable of achieving easy and speedy adjustment of the position of the image to be projected onto the projection plane (hereinafter referred to as the “projection image”).
The present invention provides a projector having a main body, and a plurality of feet protruding from the main body to support the main body, wherein the projector including a first adjuster for adjusting stepwise the amount of protrusion of at least one of the plurality of feet, and a second adjuster for arbitrarily and finely adjusting the amount of protrusion of at least one of the plurality of feet.
According to the present invention, since the projector includes the first and second adjuster, the amount of protrusion of the foot of the projector can be coarsely adjusted by the first adjusters, and, precisely adjusted by the second adjuster, making it possible to easily and speedily adjust the position of the projection image of the projector.
In the above structure, it is preferable that the adjustment by the first adjuster be made by operating a lever. In particular, it is preferable that the operating direction of the lever be the same as the raising direction of the main body of the projector.
Through the operation of the lever, operability in foot adjustment of the projector is enhanced. Moreover, when the operating direction of the lever is the same as the raising direction of the main body of the projector, the main body of the projector can be raised while operating the lever. Accordingly, it is possible to adjust the amount of protrusion of the foot from the main body according to the height of the raised projector, and to thereby enhance operability in foot adjustment.
It is preferable that the aforesaid lever be located in a cutout portion formed on the boundary between the base and the side of the main body, and that the leading end of the lever protrude from the side of the main body.
When the lever protrudes from the side of the projector main body, operability is enhanced since the position of the lever can be known by feeling on the side of the main body, and therefore the user can adjust the foot through the operation of the lever while viewing the projection plane.
Furthermore, when a plurality of the first adjuster are provided at almost symmetrical positions with respect to the center of gravity of the projector, since the user is allowed to raise the projector straight, it is possible to avoid a phenomenon in which the feet are asymmetrical in length during adjustment.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a projector including a main body, and a plurality of feet protruding from the main body to support the main body, wherein at least one of the plurality of feet is a rod-like member supported slidably in the protruding direction with respect to the main body. The foot is provided with a first adjuster for adjusting stepwise the amount of protrusion of the foot and a second adjuster for arbitrarily and finely adjusting the amount of protrusion of at least one of the plurality of feet.
The first adjuster has a plurality of recesses formed on the outer peripheral surface of the foot, and a retainer formed in the main body to be engaged with any of the recesses.
The plurality of recesses formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rod-like foot are, in short, recesses that can regulate the sliding of the foot with engagement with the retainer and can adjust stepwise the amount of protrusion of the foot from the main body. For example, they may be a plurality of recesses formed like a rack along the extending direction of the foot, or a plurality of recesses formed over the entire outer periphery of the foot in the radial cross-section.
According to the present invention, since the amount of protrusion of the foot can be adjusted stepwise according to the pitch of the recesses, the adjustment to the foot can be speedily made.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the main body of the projector be provided with a lever for engaging and disengaging the retainer and the recess.
That is, since the retainer and the recess can be engaged and disengaged only by operating the lever, operability in adjusting the foot of the projector is further enhanced.
Still furthermore, it is preferable that the aforesaid retainer include a retaining piece turnably supported in the main body by a shaft pin to engage with the recess, an urging member for keeping the recess and the retaining piece engaged by urging, and a control portion for disengaging the recess from the retaining piece through the operation of the lever.
In short, the urging member can keep the recess and the retaining piece engaged by urging, and may be, for example, an urging member using the force of restitution, such as a spring, or an urging member using gravity.
Since the retainer includes the urging member the engagement between the recess and the retaining piece is firmly held as long as no external force is applied by the control portion, and the protrusion of the foot is stably maintained. Moreover, since the aforesaid lever is operated only when disengaging the recess from the retaining piece, operability in adjusting the foot of the projector is remarkably enhanced.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the projector having the above structure further include a first regulator for restricting the foot from falling off the main body. In particular, it is preferable that the first regulator be provided on the foot where the first adjuster is provided.
Since the projector has the first regulator, when the amount of protrusion of the foot is adjusted stepwise by raising the projector body and simultaneously operating the lever, the foot does not fall off the main body, and handling of the projector is facilitated. When the foot is incorporated in the projector body, it does not fall off the main body, and assembly operability is thereby enhanced.
When the first regulator is provided on the foot where the first adjuster is provided, it is possible to prevent the foot from falling off the main body, regardless of assembly conditions of other components, which remarkably enhances assembly operability.
It is preferable that the foot with the above first adjuster be provided with a second adjuster
Arai Jun
Fujimori Motoyuki
Haba Shinji
Kuroda Akitoshi
Kurosawa Shogo
Dowling William
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Seiko Epson Corporation
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