U.S. patent number RE34,689 [Application Number 07/832,337] was granted by the patent office on 1994-08-09 for multiple projection television receiver.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pioneer Electronic Corporation. Invention is credited to Toshiya Wakasa.
United States Patent |
RE34,689 |
Wakasa |
August 9, 1994 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Multiple projection television receiver
Abstract
A multiple projection television receiver is made from of
identical modules, each of the modules each of which have three
cathode-ray tubes corresponding to the colors red, green and blue,
respectively. The modules are stacked vertically and horizontally
to form a single picture made from the modules. Each of the modules
has a screen in the front behind which is located a Fresnel lens.
The cathode-ray tubes project the picture through the Fresnel lens
onto the screen. Couplers which are attached to the top of all the
modules except the modules on the top row, which do not have
couplers on top, are U-shaped support members which interlock with
modules stacked on top. The height of the couplers may be larger
towards the rear so that the assembled multiple projection
television receiver is inclined forward. Engaging members extend
out and interlock with adjacent modules to horizontally fix the
television receiver modules.
Inventors: |
Wakasa; Toshiya (Tokyo,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Pioneer Electronic Corporation
(Tokyo, JP)
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Family
ID: |
12918579 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/832,337 |
Filed: |
February 7, 1992 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
280919 |
Dec 6, 1988 |
04903137 |
Feb 20, 1990 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Mar 8, 1988 [JP] |
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63-52574 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
348/383; 348/789;
353/94 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N
5/64 (20130101); H04N 9/12 (20130101); H04N
9/3147 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04N
9/12 (20060101); H04N 5/74 (20060101); H04N
005/74 () |
Field of
Search: |
;358/60,231,237,248,249,254 ;340/720 ;353/94,74,114
;348/383,789 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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60-16179 |
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Feb 1985 |
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JP |
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60-74891 |
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Apr 1985 |
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JP |
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61-68292 |
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May 1986 |
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JP |
|
Primary Examiner: Powell; Mark R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow,
Garrett & Dunner
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A multiple projection television receiver comprising a plurality
of projection television receiver modules, each including:
a Fresnel lens;
a screen located at the front of said receiver modules;
three cathode-ray tubes corresponding to the colors red, green and
blue, respectively, for projecting a picture from said tubes onto
said screen through said Fresnel lens;
means for vertically and horizontally coupling each module to other
modules wherein the front surfaces of said modules adjoining each
other are adjacent and located in substantially the same
plane.Iadd., wherein each of said modules further includes a recess
portion provided in the upper surface thereof and rearward of the
front surface,
and wherein said coupling means includes a coupler disposed in said
recess portion and a foot member disposed on the under surface of
said module,
said coupler and said foot member being configured and positioned
for cooperative engagement between the coupler of a lower module
and the foot member of a vertically adjacent upper
module.Iaddend..
2. .[.A multiple projection television receiver according to the
claim 1,.]. .Iadd.A multiple projection television receiver
comprising a plurality of projection television receiver modules,
each including:
a Fresnel lens;
a screen located at the front of said receiver module;
three cathode-ray tubes corresponding to the colors red, green and
blue, respectively, for projecting a picture from said tubes onto
said screen through said Fresnel lens;
means for vertically and horizontally coupling each module to other
modules wherein the front surfaces of said modules adjoining each
other are adjacent and located in substantially the same plane,
.Iaddend.wherein said coupling means includes vertical coupling
means for inclining forward the projection television receiver
modules in upper positions relative to the projection television
receiver modules in lower positions.
3. A multiple projection television receiver according to claim 1
wherein said coupling means includes couplers secured to the tops
of said modules except for the uppermost module wherein the upper
modules are placed on the couplers secured to the tops of the lower
modules.
4. A multiple projection television receiver according to claim 3
wherein said coupling means includes bolts engaged in tapped holes
provided at the bottoms of said upper modules, said bolts are
inserted into said couplers and are operable to adjust the position
of said upper modules back or forth relative to said lower
modules.
5. A multiple projection television receiver according to claim 1
wherein each of said plurality of projection television receiver
modules further includes .[.the.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.casing wherein
said screen is removably attached to the front portion of said
casing.
6. A multiple projection television receiver according to claim 5
wherein said .[.case.]. .Iadd.casing .Iaddend.includes a steel box
open at one end wherein said open end is surrounded by a thin steel
band for minimizing the portion of the multiple projection
television receiver which does not display any picture.
7. A multiple projection television receiver according to claim 6
wherein the box forms a shoulder inside of said .[.steel plate.].
.Iadd.thin steel band .Iaddend.and wherein said screen and said
Fresnel lenses are secured against said shoulder.
8. A coupling device for a multiple projection television receiver,
having a plurality of projection television receiver modules each
of which include three cathode-ray tubes corresponding to the
colors red, green and blue, respectively, wherein a picture is
projected from said tubes onto a screen through a Fresnel lens and
said projection television receiver modules are vertically coupled
to each other, comprising:
couplers secured to the tops of said modules except for the
uppermost module wherein the upper modules are placed on the
couplers secured to the tops of the lower modules; and
bolts engaged in tapped holes provided at the bottoms of said upper
modules, said bolts are inserted into said couplers and are
operable to adjust the position of said upper modules back or forth
relative to said lower modules.
9. A coupling device according to the claim 8, wherein the height
of each of the couplers is greater at the rear end of the coupler
than the front end thereof to incline the upper modules forward
relative to the lower modules. .Iadd.
10. A multiple projection television receiver comprising a
plurality of projection television receiver modules, each
including:
a Fresnel lens;
a screen located at the front of said receiver module;
means for projecting a picture onto said screen through said
Fresnel lens; and
means for vertically and horizontally coupling each module to other
modules wherein the front surfaces of said modules adjoining each
other are adjacent and located in substantially the same plane,
wherein each of said modules further includes a recess portion
provided in the upper surface thereof and rearward of the front
surface,
and wherein said coupling means includes a coupler disposed in said
recess portion and a foot member disposed on the under surface of
said module,
said coupler and said foot member being configured and positioned
for cooperative engagement between the coupler of a lower module
and the foot member of a vertically adjacent upper module.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.
11. A coupling device for a multiple projection television
receiver, having a plurality of projection television receiver
modules each of which includes projecting means, wherein a picture
is projected from said projecting means onto a screen through a
Fresnel lens and said projection television receiver modules are
vertically coupled to each other, comprising:
couplers secured to the tops of said modules except for the
uppermost module wherein the upper modules are placed on the
couplers secured to the tops of the lower modules; and
bolts engaged in tapped holes provided at the bottoms of said upper
modules, said bolts are inserted into said couplers and are
operable to adjust the position of said upper modules back or forth
relative to said lower modules. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
12. A module for forming a multiple projection television receiver
in which modules of the same construction are vertically coupled to
each other, said module comprising:
a Fresnel lens;
a screen, in the form of a substantially planar shape;
means for projecting an optical image onto the screen through said
Fresnel lens;
a casing having a forward portion for mounting said screen, a
rearward portion for mounting said projecting means, and an upper
portion; and
means disposed on said casing upper portion for coupling said
module to modules positioned horizontally adjacent to said module
and to a module positioned vertically above and adjacent said
module,
wherein said coupling means includes a coupler having an inclined
surface for spacing the vertically above adjacent module, said
inclined surface inclining downwardly in the forward direction.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.
13. A multiple projection television receiver comprising a
plurality of projection television receiver modules, each
including:
a Fresnel lens;
a screen located at the front of said receiver module;
means for projecting a picture onto said screen through said
Fresnel lens; and
means for vertically and horizontally coupling each module to other
modules wherein the front surfaces of said modules adjoining each
other are adjacent and located in substantially the same plane,
wherein said coupling means includes vertical coupling means for
including forward the projection television receiver modules in
upper positions relative to the projection television receiver
modules in lower positions. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
14. A multiple projection television receiver according to claim
10, wherein said coupling means includes couplers secured to the
tops of said modules except for the uppermost module wherein the
upper modules are placed on the couplers secured to the tops of the
lower modules. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. A multiple projection television
receiver according to claim 14, wherein said coupling means
includes bolts engaged in tapped holes provided at the bottoms of
said upper modules, said bolts are inserted into said couplers and
are operable to adjust the position of said upper modules back or
forth relative to said lower modules. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. A
multiple projection television receiver according to claim 10,
wherein each of said plurality of projection television receiver
modules further includes a casing wherein said screen is removable
attached to the front portion of said casing. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A
multiple projection television receiver according to claim 16,
wherein said casing includes a steel box open at one end wherein
said open end is surrounded by a thin steel band for minimizing the
portion of the multiple projection television receiver which does
not display any picture. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. A multiple projection
television receiver according to claim 17, wherein the box forms a
shoulder inside of said steel band and wherein said screen and said
Fresnel lenses are secured against said shoulder.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.19. A coupling device according to claim 11,
wherein the height of each of the couplers is greater at the rear
end of the coupler than the front end thereof to incline the upper
modules forward relative to the lower modules. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multiple projection television
receiver in which a plurality of projection television receiver
modules are vertically and horizontally coupled to each other.
In a conventional multiple projection television receiver, screens
are provided with separate Fresnel lenses which are disposed on the
front of a box. Additionally, there are groups of cathode-ray
tubes. The groups correspond in number to the screens and each
group consists of three cathode-ray tubes which correspond to the
colors red, green and blue. These groups of cathode-ray tubes are
disposed at the rear of the box.
Since the plural groups of cathode-ray tubes and the screens equal
in number to the groups of the tubes are provided in a single box
in the conventional multiple projection television receiver, the
tubes and the screens need to be detached from the box and the box
must then be disassembled when the receiver is to be subjected to
transportation or the like. After transportation or the like, the
receiver must be assembled according to a reverse process of the
disassembly thereof. This assembly and/or disassembly of a multiple
projection television receiver is very troublesome.
The focusing directions of the Fresnel lenses provided behind the
screens are varied in order to equalize the illuminations from each
of the lenses for the center line among them. For example, if the
number of the screens is four, the foci of the lenses are placed on
the center line among the four screens. For these reasons, it is
necessary to take the positions of the lenses into consideration in
assembling the multiple projection television receiver. Therefore,
it requires some skill to assemble the receiver. Moreover the
lenses are not interchangeable, so they cannot be mass-produced and
are, therefore, expensive.
The screens are made flat overall in order to be disposed in the
box. For this reason, if the height of the multiple projection
television receiver is large, the illumination at the top and
bottom of the screen assembly is so low for some eye positions of
the viewer of the receiver that he cannot see a sharp picture of
uniform luminance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
multiple projection television receiver which solves the above
mentioned problems of the conventional multiple projection
television receiver.
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purpose of the
invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the multiple
projection television receiver of this invention comprises a
plurality of projection television receiver modules, each including
a Fresnel lens; a screen located at the front of said receiver
modules; three cathode-ray tubes corresponding to the colors red,
green and blue, respectively, for projecting a picture from the
tubes onto a screen through the Fresnel lens; and means for
vertically and horizontally coupling each module to other modules
wherein the front surface of said modules adjoining each other are
adjacent and located in substantially the same plane.
In the multiple projection television receiver provided in
accordance with the present invention, projection television
receiver modules, each of which have the same constitution and
include three cathode-ray tubes corresponding to the colors red,
green and blue so that a picture is projected from the tubes onto a
screen through a Fresnel lens, are vertically and horizontally
coupled to each other so that the front surface of the modules
adjoining each other are coincident with each other or located in
the same plane. It is preferable that the modules in upper
positions are inclined forward relative to the modules in lower
positions.
The projection television receiver modules can be vertically
coupled to each other by a coupling device in which couplers are
secured to the tops of the lower modules so that the upper modules
are placed on the couplers; and bolts engaged in tapped holes
provided at the bottoms of the upper modules are inserted into the
couplers so that the bolts can be tightened or loosened to move the
upper modules back or forth relative to the lower modules, for
adjustment. The height of each of the couplers may be greater at
the rear end of the coupler than at the front end thereof to
incline the upper modules forward relative to the lower
modules.
The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute
a part of this specification, illustrate one embodiment of the
invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the
principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of each of the modules of a
multiple projection television receiver according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a side view of the module according to the present
preferred embodiment;
FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the module according to the present
preferred embodiment;
FIG. 4(a) shows a plan view of the horizontal adjusting portion of
the module according to the present preferred embodiment;
FIG. 4(b) shows a rear view of the horizontal adjusting portion
according to the present preferred embodiment;
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the multiple projection
television receiver in an assembled state according to the present
preferred embodiment;
FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the multiple projection
television receiver in an alternative assembled state according to
the present preferred embodiment;
FIG. 7 shows a plan view of a section of the casing of the module
according to the present preferred embodiment; and
FIG. 8 shows a front view of the multiple projection television
receiver according too the present preferred embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred
embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
The preferred embodiment of a multiple projection television
receiver comprises a plurality of projection television receiver
modules A and a plurality of couplers B for coupling the modules to
each other vertically as shown in FIG. 5. Each of modules A
comprises a casing 1; three cathode ray tubes (not shown in the
drawings) provided in the rear portion of the casing corresponding
to the colors red, green and blue, respectively; a screen 2
(generally referred to as a lenticular lens) provided on the front
of the casing; and a Fresnel lens 13 shown in FIG. 7 provided
behind the screen. All the modules A have the same lenticular
lenses 2 and the same Fresnel lenses 13.
Two handholds 3 for carrying the module A are provided on each of
the right and left sides of the casing 1. Two hanger rings 4 for
suspending the module A while positioning it are provided on casing
1 near each of the right and left side edges of the top thereof.
Each of fasteners 5 has an engaging bar 5b which is moved back and
forth by turning a handle 5a up and down. Two fasteners 5 are
attached to the top of the casing 1 at one side edge of the top, as
shown in FIG. 3. Two stoppers 6 are attached to the top of the
casing 1 at the side edge opposite fasteners 5 on the top, as shown
in FIG. 3.
When the modules A are juxtaposed together, the handles 5a of the
fasteners 5 of one of the modules are turned up to move forth the
engaging bars 5b thereof so that engaging discs 5c thereof engage
stoppers 6 of the other adjacent module. When handles 5b of
fasteners 5 of the modules A juxtaposed together are thereafter
turned down, engaging bars 5b thereof are moved back so that the
engagement of engaging disks 5c thereof and stoppers 6 is made firm
and the modules are fastened to each other.
Feet 7' and 7 are secured to the corresponding front and rear
portions, respectively, of the bottom of casing 1 of each module A
so that the feet extend from one side to the other of the casing.
Hooks 8 for tentative attachment are provided on the bottom of the
casing 1 of each module A at both the side edges of the bottom
slightly behind the front feet 7'. Each of the rear feet 7 has two
screw insertion holes 7a at both the sides of the rear foot. A nut
7b is secured to one side of each rear foot 7 concentrically to the
screw insertion hole 7a.
Some of couplers B are secured to the tops of the modules A except
for the uppermost modules, and each include a pair of slender
members 9 secured to the top of casing 1 of the corresponding
module near the right and left side edges, respectively, of the top
by screws or the like. The cross section of each slender member 9
is U-shaped. The height of each slender member 9 is gradually
decreased from the rear end thereof toward the front end thereof.
Three reinforcing members 10 are welded to each slender member 9.
The rear reinforcing member 10 has two screw insertion holes 10a,
which coincide with the screw insertion holes 7a of the
corresponding rear foot 7. A nut 10b is secured to one side of the
rear reinforcing member 10 concentrically to the screw insertion
hole 10a corresponding to the screw insertion hole 7a at which the
nut 7b is not secured. The upper portion of each slender member 9
has a notch 9a, in which the corresponding rear foot 7 is
fitted.
The other couplers B are secured to the bottom of the lowermost
modules A, as shown in FIG. 2. The slender members 9' of these
couplers B are the same as those 9 of the preceding couplers B
except that the height of each of the slender members 9' is uniform
from the rear end thereof to the front end thereof. The slender
members 9' can be secured not only to lowermost modules A, but also
to the other modules A to couple them to each other in parallel
with each other.
A procedure of coupling all the projection television receiver
modules A to each other by the couplers B to assemble the multiple
projection television receiver will now be described. Slender
members 9 of couplers B are secured to the tops of modules A by
screws or the like except for the uppermost modules. The slender
members 9' of the other couplers B are secured to the bottoms of
the lowermost modules A to secure the modules to bases C by the
slender members, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. A television reception
means, a control circuit for sending out divided video signals to
the cathode-ray tubes, loudspeakers and so forth are housed in the
bases C.
The lowermost modules A juxtaposed together are coupled to each
other by the fasteners 5 and the stoppers 6 attached to the tops of
the casings 1 of the modules, so that no gap is made between the
modules. The second lowermost modules A are then placed on the
lowermost ones by hanging the second lowermost modules by hanger
rings 4 with a hoist or the like. At that time, the hooks 8
provided on the bottom of the second lowermost modules A are
engaged with the slender members 9 provided on the tops of the
lowermost modules A, and the feet 7 provided on the second
lowermost modules A, and the feet 7 provided on the second
lowermost modules are fitted in the notches 9a of the slender
members 9 provided on the lowermost modules.
After that, bolts 11 are inserted into the two screw insertion
holes 10a of each reinforcing member 10, one of the bolts is
engaged in the nut 10b secured to the reinforcing member and put at
the tip of the bolt in contact with the foot 7, and the other bolt
is engaged in the nut 7b, as shown in FIG. 4. It is possible that
one of the bolts 11 is tightened and the other is loosened to move
the foot 7 back or forth to displace the casing of the second
lowermost module A back or forth to make the front of the casing
adjacent and substantially coplanar with that of the casing of the
lowermost module A. The third lowermost modules A are thereafter
likewise fastened to the tops of the second lowermost modules A.
The modules A can thus be stacked at a desired number of
levels.
If the module of the multiple projection television receiver
provided in accordance with the present invention are vertically
coupled to each other by the coupling device having the couplers,
the height of each of which is greater at the rear end of the
coupler than at the front end thereof, the upper modules A are
inclined forward relative to the lower modules A as shown in FIG.
5. The resultant assembly is not completely planar but has a
forward inclination so that a viewer even at a short distance from
the multiple projection television receiver can see the pictures on
the upper modules in sharp focus. The vertical and horizontal
angles of the field of vision of the viewer to each module are
normally .+-.10.degree. and .+-.40.degree., respectively.
If a limited number of the modules A are coupled to each other as
shown in FIG. 6 or the multiple projection television receiver is
viewed from a relatively long distance, the upper modules do not
need to be inclined forward relative to the lower modules and
therefore all of the screens are located in the same plane. In that
case, modules A are coupled to each other by the couplers B having
slender members 9', the height of each of which is uniform from the
rear end of the member to the front end thereof.
The thickness of the thin front frame 14 of the casing 1 of each
module A, which is shown in FIG. 7, is set at 5.5 mm to minimized
the width of the portion of the multiple projection television
receiver which does not display any picture, shown in FIG. 8. For
that purpose, an aluminum box 19 and a steel plate 16 of 1.6 mm in
thickness are secured to each other by countersunk screws 18 to
constitute casing 1. The screen 2 made of a lenticular sheet 12 and
the Fresnel lens 13 are fitted on a rubber pad 15 and secured to
the casing by frame 14 and countersunk screws 17, so that the
screen can be detached from the front of casing 1, for replacement,
when the screen is scratched or damaged. The portion of the
multiple projection television receiver which does not display any
picture is thus made nearly negligible. This overcomes the
disadvantages of a picture on a multiple projection television
receiver wherein ordinary projection television receivers are
merely stacked together, and has a large area of at least 100 mm in
width which does not display any picture.
According to the present invention, projection television receiver
modules of the same construction can be easily vertically and
horizontally coupled to each other by couplers to assemble a
multiple projection television receiver, and can be easily
uncoupled from each other to disassemble the receiver for
transportation, storage or the like. Since any number of the
modules to be coupled to each other can be chosen, the size of the
receiver can be easily changed. The cost of the receiver is reduced
since the modules are substantially identical. Since a module on
the top of another module can be moved back and forth, i.e.,
horizontally, relative to the latter by manipulating the couplers,
the width of the boundary line between the front surfaces of the
screens of the modules adjoining each other can be minimized to
make the portion of the receiver which does not display any picture
nearly negligible. The screens of the receiver do not reflect
things located around the receiver, and the picture thereon is
flat. Couplers, the height of each of which is decreased from the
rear end thereof toward the front end thereof can be used to couple
the modules to each other to incline the upper modules forward
relative to the lower modules to enable a viewer to see a sharp
picture on the receiver regardless of the position of the viewer.
Desirable effects are thus produced.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various
modifications and variations can be made in the multiple projection
television receiver of the present invention without departing from
the scope or spirit of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the
present invention cover the modifications and variations of this
invention provided they come within the scope of the appended
claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *