Liquid crystal cells – elements and systems – Particular structure – Holder – support – frame – or housing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-01
2003-07-01
Ngo, Julie (Department: 2871)
Liquid crystal cells, elements and systems
Particular structure
Holder, support, frame, or housing
C353S119000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06587167
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a unit for mounting an electro-optical device, such as a liquid crystal panel, to a prism, such as a dichroic prism or a polarization beam splitter, and to a projector using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
An example of a conventional projector relating to the present invention in which an electro-optical device, such as a liquid crystal panel, is mounted to a prism is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-10994. Thus, the art disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-10994 will be briefly described with reference to an exploded view of FIG.
9
.
A liquid-crystal-panel unit
70
R is mounted to a light-incident surface
72
R of a prism composition
72
of a projector. The panel unit
70
R is composed of an innermost fixed frame body
76
bonded and fixed to the light-incident surface
72
R of the prism composition
72
, an outermost panel frame body
73
for accommodating and holding a liquid crystal panel
80
R, and an intermediate frame body
77
disposed between the fixed frame body
76
and the panel frame body
73
. The panel frame body
73
has a first frame body
74
and a second frame body
75
, and further, holds the liquid crystal panel
80
R by sandwiching between these frame bodies
74
and
75
.
Engaging projections
77
b
projected outward from four corners of the intermediate frame body
77
are fitted and bonded into engaging holes
74
b
formed in four corners of the panel frame body
73
(the first frame body
74
thereof), and a spacer
78
having a substantially triangular prism shape is interposed between the intermediate frame body
77
and the panel frame body
73
so as to bond and fix the intermediate frame body
77
and the panel frame body
73
.
Process steps for obtaining the above construction will be described hereinbelow with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG.
10
.
That is, the fixed frame body
76
is first located on the light-incident surface
72
R of the prism composition
72
, and is bonded and fixed by an adhesive agent (S
1
). Then, the intermediate frame body
77
is located outside the bonded and fixed fixed frame
76
, and is fixed by inserting four screws
79
into tapped holes
77
a
and
76
a
(S
2
).
Thereafter, an adhesive agent is charged into the engaging holes
74
b
that are formed in the first frame body
74
of the panel frame body
73
in which the liquid crystal panel
80
R is accommodated and held, and the panel frame body
73
is attached to the intermediate frame body
77
by fitting the engaging projections
77
b
of the intermediate frame body
77
into the engaging holes
74
b
(S
3
).
Next, the liquid crystal panel
80
R is turned on in this state (S
4
), and focus adjustment and alignment adjustment of the liquid crystal panel
80
R are performed (S
5
and S
6
). These steps S
4
to S
6
are performed to adjust the position of the liquid crystal panel
80
R on the optical axis and the position of inclination relative to the position of the liquid crystal panel
80
R.
Next, the adhesive agent charged in the engaging holes
74
b
is hardened to temporarily fix the intermediate frame body
77
and the panel frame body
73
(S
7
). Thereafter, a shift amount of the position of pixels of the liquid crystal panel
80
R is checked (S
8
). Consequently, when the shift amount is beyond an allowable range (bad), the panel frame body
73
is removed (S
13
), and the procedure returns to the aforementioned step S
3
.
On the other hand, when the shift amount is within the allowable range (good), the adhesive agent is applied to the spacer
78
(S
9
), and the spacer
78
is mounted to a predetermined guide section formed between the temporarily fixed intermediate frame body
77
and the panel frame body
73
(S
10
). Then, by hardening the adhesive agent among the spacer
78
, the panel frame body
73
, and the intermediate frame body
77
, the panel frame body
73
is actually fixed to the prism composition
72
(S
11
).
In the case of the above conventional device, however, the fixed frame body fixed to the prism projects over the outer periphery of the prism in order to secure a fixing screw hole, whereby a reduction in size of the device is hindered. In addition, since the structure requires the fixed frame body and the intermediate frame body, a further reduction in size of the prism unit is hindered.
Furthermore, many fixing devices and steps are required for fixing the liquid crystal-panel-unit to the prism, such as screws for fixing the fixed frame body and the intermediate frame body, a projection of the intermediate frame body and a hole of the panel frame body for temporarily fixing the panel frame body and the intermediate frame body, and a spacer and an adhesive agent for actually fixing the panel frame body and the intermediate frame body. Therefore, there is room for improvement from the viewpoints of operation efficiency and positioning accuracy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, the present invention proposes a projector capable of fixing an electro-optical device and a prism only by several fixing pins and an adhesive agent instead of a conventional fixed frame plate and a spacer to thereby achieve a reduction in size of the projector, simplification and an improvement in the efficiency of the fixing operation of the light synthesizer and the electro-optical device, and an increase in positioning accuracy.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs a projector having an electro-optical device for modulating light, a prism to which the electro-optical device is mounted, and a projection lens for projecting modulated light. The projector may further include an electro-optical device frame body for holding the electro-optical device and having a plurality of holes provided in the periphery thereof, and fixing pins each having a flat part on one end surface thereof and inserted into the holes. The light-incident surface of the prism and the flat part of each of the fixing pins are fixed by an adhesive agent, and the insides of the holes of the electro-optical device frame body and an outer peripheral surface of each of the fixing pins are also fixed by an adhesive agent.
In addition, an electro-optical device-mounting unit for mounting an electro-optical device for modulating light to a prism, may include an electro-optical device frame body for holding the electro-optical device and having a plurality of holes provided in the periphery thereof. Fixing pins each having a flat part on one end surface thereof are inserted into the holes. A light-incident surface of the prism and the flat part of each of the fixing pins may be fixed by an adhesive agent, and the insides of the holes of the electro-optical device frame body and an outer peripheral surface of each of the fixing pins may be fixed by an adhesive agent.
According to these structures, the fixed frame body that has protruded from the periphery of the conventional prism is not required, so that a reduction in size of the device is achieved and moreover, it is possible to narrow a clearance between the prism and the electro-optical device frame body to a suitable range (within 3 mm, preferably 1 mm to 2 mm). Furthermore, since the number of assembling components is reduced and the fixing pins are placed in the holes, the positioning operation of the electro-optical device frame body is facilitated, and efficiency of fixing operation of the electro-optical device is improved. In addition, it is found from experiments that the fixing pins can be easily removed from the prism.
In addition, the contour of the electro-optical device frame body may be located at or inside of the outer periphery of the light-incident surface of the prism. According to this, the electro-optical device can be fixed at the inside of the outer periphery of the prism, and a reduction in size of the device can be achieved according to the size of the prism.
Also, the electro-optical device frame body may have substantially
Fujimori Motoyuki
Kitabayashi Masashi
Ngo Julie
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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