Convertible projection assembly and method

• US 20050168707A1
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Martin, Kirt D., Ruiter, Joel T., Feldpausch, Thomas G.
• Application Number:
  US10/769,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20050168707A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/79
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/00 Projectors or projection-type viewers; Accessories therefor devices for changing pictures G03B23/00

Abstract

A convertible projection assembly and method, the assembly including a support structure, a translucent screen member including a viewing front surface and an oppositely facing rear surface, the screen member releasably mountable to the support structure and a reflecting member forming an internal surface and an oppositely facing external surface, the internal surface of the reflecting member at least in part forming a reflecting surface, the reflecting member releasably mounted to the support structure such that the reflecting surface at least in part faces the rear surface of the screen member.

Claims

1. A convertible projection assembly comprising:

at least a first support member including at least a first portion adjacent a projecting space that is bound on a first side by a screen receiving space;

at least a first accessory member removably supportable by the first portion so as to reside substantially within at least one of the projecting space and the screen receiving space, the first accessory member removable from the at least one of the projecting space and the screen receiving space to provide a substantially unobstructed space;

a screen member including oppositely facing front and rear surfaces, the screen member releasably supportable by the support member within the screen receiving space; and

a projector unit supportable by the support member to project an image, when the first accessory member is removed from the at least one of the projecting space and the screen receiving space, the projected image passing through the projecting space and subtending the rear surface of the screen member.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further including a reflecting member including a reflecting surface, the reflecting member supportable by at least one of the support member and the screen member with the reflecting surface forming an angle with the rear surface and an angle with a trajectory of the projected image, the projected image reflecting off the reflecting surface and toward the rear surface of the screen member.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the first accessory member is a first shelf member having a first support surface, when the shelf member is supported by the first portion of the support member, the first shelf member substantially within the projecting space and the support surface facing substantially upward.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the assembly includes an upper sub-set of shelf members, the first shelf member being one of the upper sub-set of members, the upper sub-set of members simultaneously supportable by the first portion of the support member at spaced apart locations along the first portion of the support member within the projecting space, each of the upper sub-set members removable from the projecting space to provide a substantially unobstructed projecting space.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the support member includes a lower portion below the first portion and adjacent a lower space, the assembly further including a lower sub-set of shelf members supportable at spaced apart locations along the lower portion within the lower space.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein each of the shelf members is releasably supportable by the support member.

7. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the support member includes a lower portion below the first portion and adjacent a lower space, the assembly further including at least a second shelf member having a support surface, the second shelf member supportable by the lower portion within the lower space with the second shelf member support surface facing substantially upward, the projector unit positionable on the support surface of the second shelf member.

8. The assembly of claim 3 further including at least a second support member having a first portion that is adjacent the projecting space, the first and second support members forming a first pair of spaced apart support members where the projecting space is at least partially to a first side of the first portions of the first pair of members, the first shelf member supportable by both of the first portions of the first pair members and the screen member supportable by both of the first portions of the first pair members.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the screen receiving space is between the first portions of the first pair members and the projection space is substantially to a first side of the first member pair.

10. The assembly of claim 9 further including at least first and second coupler members supportable by the first and second support members at different locations along the lengths of the first portions, the first shelf member supportable by the first and second coupler members substantially within the projecting space and the screen member supportable by the first and second coupler members within the screen receiving space.

11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein each of the first portions of the first pair members forms a plurality of pin holes spaced along its length, each coupler member including a pin receivable within the holes, the screen member including first and second slot members that open downwardly to receive and be supported by the first and second pins, respectively, when the pins are received within the holes.

12. The assembly of claim 11 further including at least third and fourth pins receivable within the pin holes, the screen member including third and fourth slot members that open downwardly to receive and be supported by the third and fourth pins, respectively, when the pins are received within the holes.

13. The assembly of claim 9 wherein, when the shelf member is supported by the support members, the shelf member at least partially resides within the projection space and at least partially resides within the screen receiving space.

14. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the projecting space is substantially to a first side of the first member pair and the screen receiving space is to a second side of the first member pair opposite the first side.

15. The assembly of claim 8 further including at least a second pair of support members, each of the second member pair having a first portion that is adjacent the projecting space, the second member pair spaced apart from each other and spaced apart from the first member pair where the projecting space is substantially between the first and second member pairs, the first shelf member supportable by the first portions of each of the support members in the first and second member pairs.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the screen member includes a screen edge and the reflecting member is secured to the screen edge.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the reflecting member is hingedly connected to the screen edge.

18. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the screen edge is a top edge when the screen member is supported by the first portion of the support member.

19. The assembly of claim 17 further including at least a second pair of support members, each of the second member pair having a first portion that is adjacent the projecting space, the second pair members spaced apart form each other and the second member pair spaced apart from the first member pair where the projecting space is substantially between the first and second member pairs, the reflecting member positionable to extend generally downward from the screen edge and toward the second pair of support members and also supportable by at least one of the second pair members.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein each of the second pair members forms at least one pin hole, the assembly further including first and second rear pins receivable within the pin holes and extending therefrom toward each other, a portion of the reflecting member supportable by the rear pins.

21. The assembly of claim 20 wherein each of the first portions of the first pair members and the second pair members forms a plurality of pin holes spaced along its length, the assembly further including at least first and second front pins receivable within the holes formed by the first pair members, the first shelf member supportable by the front and rear pins substantially within the projecting space, the screen member including first and second slot members that open downwardly to receive and be supported by the first and second front pins, respectively, within the screen receiving space.

22. The assembly of claim 21 further including at least third and fourth front pins receivable within the pin holes, the screen member including third and fourth slot members that open downwardly to receive and be supported by the third and fourth pins, respectively.

23. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the screen member includes a screen edge and the reflecting member is secured to the screen edge.

24. The assembly of claim 23 wherein the reflecting member is hingedly connected to the screen edge and the screen edge is a top edge when the screen member is supported by the first portion of the support member.

25. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the reflecting member is rotatable about the hinged edge between at least first and second positions, when in the first position, the reflecting member substantially parallel to the screen member, when in the second position, the reflecting member forming an angle with the screen member.

26. The assembly of claim 24 further including at least a second pair of support members, each of the second member pair having a first portion that is adjacent the projecting space, the second pair members spaced apart form each other and the second member pair spaced apart from the first member pair where the projecting space is substantially between the first and second member pairs, the reflecting member positionable to extend generally downward from the screen edge and toward the second pair of support members and also supportable by at least one of the second pair members.

27. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the screen member is translucent.

28. The assembly of claim 27 wherein the front surface of the screen member is an erasable marker surface.

29. The assembly of claim 1 further including a substantially horizontal guide member rigidly secured to the support member along one of the top and bottom edges of the screen receiving space, the screen member mountable to the guide member for movement between a first position where the screen member is within the screen receiving space and a second position where the screen member is in a storage space adjacent the screen receiving space.

30. The assembly of claim 29 wherein the guide member includes a track member that extends to at least one side of the screen receiving space along an edge of the storage space and the screen member includes a coupler received for sliding motion by the track member.

31. The assembly of claim 30 wherein the track member is positioned along a top edge of the screen receiving space and the top edge of the storage space.

32. The assembly of claim 31 further including at least second and third support members, the second support member spaced apart from the first support member and on opposite sides of the screen receiving space, the third support member spaced apart from the second support member and on a side of the storage space opposite the second support member, the track member also rigidly secured to each of the first and second support members.

33. The assembly of claim 32 wherein the second and third support members form part of a book shelf assembly.

34. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the first accessory member is an easel board having a first surface, when the easel board is supported by the first portion of the support member, the easel board within the screen receiving space and the first surface substantially vertically oriented.

35. The assembly of claim 34 wherein the easel board includes an erasable whiteboard surface.

36. The assembly of claim 34 wherein the projecting space is substantially on a first side of the first support member and the screen receiving space is substantially on a second side of the first support member opposite the first side.

37. The assembly of claim 34 further including a coupler assembly for separately coupling each of the screen member and the easel board to the support structure.

38. The assembly of claim 34 wherein the support member includes wheels at a lower end.

39. The assembly of claim 34 wherein the screen member is translucent and includes an erasable markable front surface.

40. The assembly of claim 34 wherein the first support member is a rectilinear member having an upper edge and wherein the reflecting member converges toward the upper edge.

41. The assembly of claim 40 wherein the first support member forms an opening that defines the screen receiving space.

42. A shelving and display assembly for use with a projector unit that projects a projection image along a trajectory, the assembly comprising:

a shelving assembly including at least first and second support members and a plurality of shelf members supportable substantially within a projecting space by the support members, at least a first sub-set of the shelf members removable from the projecting space to form an essentially unobstructed projecting space bound on one side by a screen receiving space;

a projection screen member including oppositely facing front and rear surfaces, the screen member releasably mountable to the first and second support members within the screen receiving space;

a reflecting member including a reflecting surface, when the sub-set of shelf members is removed from the projecting space, the reflecting member supportable by at least one of the screen member and the support members at least partially within the projecting space with the reflecting surface forming an angle with the rear surface; and

a projector support member linked to at least one of the support members and forming at least one surface for supporting the projector unit outside the projecting space;

wherein, when the first sub-set of the shelves is removed from the projecting space, the screen member is supported in the screen receiving space, the reflecting member is supported by one of the support members and the screen member and the projecting unit is received on the projector support member, an image projected by the projector unit is reflected off the reflecting surface and passes through the projecting space toward the rear surface of the screen member.

43. The assembly of claim 42 wherein each of the first and second support members forms a plurality of pin holes along its length and the screen member includes at least first and second slot members that form slots that face downwardly when the screen member is mounted to the support members, the assembly further including at least first and second pins, first ends of each pin receivable within the holes and second ends of each pin receivable within the slots to mount the screen member to the support members.

44. The assembly of claim 42 wherein the screen member includes third and fourth slot members that form slots that face downwardly when the screen member is mounted to the support members, the assembly further including at least third and fourth pins having first ends receivable within the holes and second ends receivable within the slots of the third and fourth slot members to mount the screen member to the support members.

45. The assembly of claim 42 wherein the pin hole that receives the first pin is one of a first sub-set of pin holes that forms a first front hole line, the pin hole that receives the second pin is one of a second sub-set of pin holes that forms a second front hole line, one of the support members forming at least a first rear pin hole that is spaced apart from the first front hole line, the assembly further including a first rear pin having a first end receivable within the rear pin hole and a second end that extends from the rear pin hole and supports a lower end of the reflecting member when the reflecting member is supported by the one of the support members and the screen member.

46. The assembly of claim 45 wherein one of the support members forms at least a second rear pin hole that is spaced apart from the second front hole line and opposite the first rear pin hole, the assembly further including a second rear pin having a first end receivable within the second rear pin hole and a second end that extends from the second rear pin hole and that also supports a lower end of the reflecting member when the reflecting member is supported by the one of the support members and the screen member.

47. The assembly of claim 46 wherein the support member that forms the first rear pin hole forms a first rear hole line including a plurality of holes spaced along the support member and the support member that forms the second rear pin hole forms a second rear hole line including a plurality of holes spaced along the support member, the assembly including sets of four pins for each of the shelf members in the first subset where each set of four pins is receivable within a set of four pin holes to support an associated shelf within the projecting space.

48. A projector screen assembly for use with a projector unit and a support structure, the projector unit supportable by the support structure for projecting a projection image along a projection path, the assembly comprising:

a screen assembly including;

a projection screen member including oppositely facing front and rear surfaces and a screen edge; and

a reflecting member including a reflecting surface, the reflecting member mounted to the screen member along the screen edge with the reflecting surface facing at least partially in the direction of the rear surface;

wherein, the screen assembly is releasably mountable to the support structure such that the front surface is at least partially vertically oriented, the reflecting surface is at least partially within the projection path and reflects the projected image along a reflected path and the rear surface forms an angle with the reflecting surface such that the reflected image is directed at the rear surface.

49. The assembly of claim 48 wherein the reflecting member is hingedly secured to the screen edge so that the angle between the reflecting member and the screen member is alterable.

50. The assembly of claim 49 wherein the screen member is a translucent screen member and wherein the front surface is an erasable marker surface

51. An easel-screen assembly comprising:

an easel support structure at least in part defining a projecting space bound on one side by a screen receiving space;

a reflecting member mounted to the easel support structure along one boundary of the projecting space, the reflecting member including an at least partially reflecting internal surface facing the projecting space and an oppositely facing external side, the external side for presenting information; and

a translucent screen member including a front viewing surface and an oppositely facing rear surface, the screen member receivable within the screen receiving space such that the rear surface forms an angle with the reflecting surface.

52. The assembly of claim 51 wherein the external side includes an external surface that is a writable/erasable whiteboard surface.

53. The assembly of claim 51 further including an accessory tray mounted to the external side of the reflecting member.

54. The assembly of claim 53 wherein the external side has a lower edge and wherein the tray is mounted along the lower edge of the external side.

55. The assembly of claim 51 further including an accessory tray mounted to the front surface of the screen member.

56. The assembly of claim 55 wherein the front surface has a lower edge and wherein the tray is mounted along the lower edge of the front surface.

57. The assembly of claim 56 further including an accessory tray mounted to the external side of the reflecting member.

58. The assembly of claim 52 further including an accessory tray mounted along a lower edge of the external surface.

59. The assembly of claim 51 for use on a substantially flat ambient surface and, wherein, each of the front surface and the external side form a similar angle with the ambient surface when the screen member is received within the screen receiving space.

60. The assembly of claim 59 wherein each of the front surface and the external side forms an angle between 60 and 75 degrees with respect to the ambient surface when the screen member is received within the screen receiving space.

61. The assembly of claim 51 wherein each of the reflecting member and the screen member include an upper edge and wherein the upper edges of the reflecting member and the screen member are secured together.

62. The assembly of claim 51 wherein the support structure includes a substantially planar front member including front and rear surfaces, the front member forming the screen receiving space, the screen member receivable within the screen receiving space with the rear surface of the screen member facing in the same direction as the rear surface of the front member.

63. The assembly of claim 51 further including a supporting member linked to the support structure for supporting a projector.

64. The assembly of claim 63 further including a projector positionable on the supporting member to project images along a trajectory that reflects off the reflecting surface and onto the rear surface of the screen member.

65. The assembly of claim 64 wherein the projector is positionable on the supporting member substantially below the screen receiving space.

66. The assembly of claim 64 wherein the projector is removable from the supporting member.

67. The assembly of claim 64 wherein the support structure is open to at least one side to facilitate access to the supporting member.

68. The assembly of claim 51 wherein the screen member is secured within the screen receiving space.

69. The assembly of claim 68 further including a whiteboard member supportable adjacent the front surface at least in part by at least one of the front surface and the support structure.

70. The assembly of claim 69 further including a tray that extends along the length of a lower edge of the screen member, the whiteboard member supportable on a top surface of the tray.

71. The assembly of claim 69 further including a retaining means linked to at least one of the front surface and the support structure for retaining the whiteboard adjacent the front surface.

72. The assembly of claim 51 wherein the screen member is removable from the screen receiving space, the assembly further including a whiteboard member positionable within the screen receiving space when the screen member is removed from the screen receiving space.

73. The assembly of claim 72 where the facing internal surface and the rear surface of the front member form a storage space for receiving at least the screen member when the screen member is removed from the screen receiving space.

74. The assembly of claim 51 wherein the front surface of the screen member forms a markable/erasable whiteboard surface.

75. The assembly of claim 51 further including wheels mounted to the bottom of the support structure to facilitate movement of the assembly.

76. The assembly of claim 51 wherein the support structure is substantially open below the screen member and the reflecting member.

77. The assembly of claim 76 further including a supporting member linked to the support structure for supporting a projector below the screen member.

78. The assembly of claim 77 further including a projector positionable on the supporting member to project images along a trajectory that reflects off the reflecting surface and onto the rear surface of the screen member.

79. An easel-screen assembly comprising:

an easel support structure;

a translucent screen member including a viewing front surface and an oppositely facing rear surface;

a reflecting member forming an internal surface and an oppositely facing external surface, the internal surface of the reflecting member at least in part forming a reflecting surface;

wherein, the screen member and the reflecting member are mounted to the support structure on opposite sides of a projecting space with the rear surface facing the reflecting surface.

80. The assembly of claim 79 for use on a substantially flat ambient surface wherein the front surface forms an acute angle with the ambient surface.

81. The assembly of claim 80 wherein the external surface of the reflecting member also forms an acute angle with the ambient surface and wherein the angles formed by the external surface and the front surface with the ambient surface are substantially identical.

82. The assembly of claim 81 wherein the angles formed by the external surface and the front surface with the ambient surface are each between 60 and 75 degrees.

83. The assembly of claim 79 wherein the support structure includes a projector supporting member and the support structure supports the screen member above the supporting structure thereby facilitating substantially unimpeded access to the supporting structure.

84. The assembly of claim 83 wherein the screen member includes a lower edge and wherein the assembly further includes a tray mounted along the lower edge of the screen member.

85. The assembly of claim 79 wherein the support structure is open to lateral sides thereby allowing substantially unimpeded access to a space between the screen member and the reflecting member.

86. The assembly of claim 79 wherein the front surface is substantially vertical.

87. The assembly of claim 79 for use on a substantially flat ambient surface wherein the angle of the reflecting member with respect to the ambient surface is alterable.

88. The assembly of claim 79 further including an rear member mounted to the support structure, the reflecting member juxtaposed between the screen member and the rear member.

89. The assembly of claim 88 for use on a substantially flat ambient surface wherein an external surface of the rear member forms an acute angle with the ambient surface.

90. The assembly of claim 79 wherein the reflecting member angle with the screen member is adjustable.

91. A presentation assembly comprising:

a support structure;

a translucent screen member including a viewing front surface and an oppositely facing rear surface, the screen member mountable to the support structure; and

a reflecting member forming an internal surface and an oppositely facing external surface, the internal surface of the reflecting member at least in part forming a reflecting surface, the reflecting member one of mountable to the support structure and mountable to the screen member such that the reflecting surface at least in part faces the rear surface of the screen member;

wherein, when the screen member is mounted to the support structure and the reflecting member is one of mounted to the support structure and mounted to the screen member, the reflecting member and the screen member form a projecting space therebetween and the sides of the support structure are substantially open thereby facilitating access to the projecting space.

92. The assembly of claim 91 wherein screen member is releasably mountable to the support structure.

93. The assembly of claim 91 wherein the reflecting member is one of releasably mountable to the screen member and releasably mountable to the support structure.

94. The assembly of claim 92 wherein the screen member and reflecting member are mounted to the support structure.

95. The assembly of claim 91 wherein the support structure includes a cart having a top surface and wherein the screen member and reflecting member are releasably mountable to the top surface.

96. The assembly of claim 95 further including wheels mounted to the underside of the cart.

97. The assembly of claim 91 wherein the support structure includes at least one substantially vertical support member of a shelf assembly.

98. The assembly of claim 91 for use on a substantially flat ambient surface wherein the support structure includes an easel support structure and wherein each of the screen member and the reflecting member form an acute angle with the ambient surface.

99. A method for use with a shelf assembly including an upright support structure and a plurality of removable shelves that are supportable by the support structure in substantially horizontal juxtapositions within a projecting space, the method for converting a shelf assembly to a rear projection assembly and comprising the steps of:

removing the shelves from within the projecting space;

supporting a screen member on the upright support structure with a front screen member surface substantially vertically upright; and

supporting a reflecting member having a reflecting surface via at least one of the support structure and the screen member with the reflecting surface forming an angle with the screen member surface; and

positioning a projector unit with respect to the reflecting surface so that the a projected image from the projector is directed along a trajectory that reflects off the reflecting surface and toward the rear surface of the screen member.