DEPLOYABLE PROJECTION SCREEN

• US 20060250692A1
• Filed: 05/05/2006
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: InFocus Corporation (Lap-Shun Hui, MBA)
• Inventors: Peterson, Mark D., Kuhn, Jason, Emery, William L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,397,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/443
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/10 Projectors with built-in or built-on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/58 collapsible, e.g. foldable; of variable area
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

Embodiments of apparatuses, methods and systems for deployable projection screens are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. A projection screen comprising:

screen material having a perimeter and optical attributes suitable to facilitate viewing of images projected thereon; and

a flexible frame attached to the screen material substantially at said perimeter to support the screen material when the projection screen is in an expanded projection state, and the flexible frame being further sufficiently flexible to allow the projection screen to be folded into a contracted storage state when transition forces are applied at a plurality of perimeter points, the projection screen in the contracted storage state occupying a surface area no more than 50% of a surface area occupied by the projection screen in the expanded projection state.

2. The projection screen of claim 1, wherein the projection screen further comprises:

a mechanical actuator coupled to the flexible frame and configured to provide the transition forces.

3. The projection screen of claim 2, further comprising:

a first anchor coupled to the flexible frame at a first perimeter point; and

a second anchor coupled to the flexible frame at a second perimeter point, substantially opposite the first perimeter point.

4. The projection screen of claim 3, wherein the mechanical actuator further comprises:

a rotating mechanism coupled to the first anchor and configured to contribute a rotational force to the transitional forces.

5. The projection screen of claim 4, wherein the mechanical actuator further comprises:

a first support coupled to the rotating mechanism; and

a second support coupled to the second anchor; and

the mechanical actuator configured to contribute a compressive force to the transitional forces by moving the first and second supports relative to one another.

6. The projection screen of claim 1, wherein the projection screen in the expanded projection state comprises a substantially elliptical, circular or rectangular aspect.

7. The projection screen of claim 1, wherein the flexible frame is configured to be folded over onto itself one or more times when the projection screen is in the contracted storage state.

8. A system comprising:

a projection screen configured to transition between an expanded projection state and a contracted storage state; and

a housing configured to house a projection device, to store the projection screen when in the contracted storage state, and to display the projection screen when in the expanded projection state in a manner to facilitate viewing of an image projected by the projection device.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a mechanical actuator configured to provide transitional forces to facilitate transition of the projection screen between the expanded projection state and the contracted storage state.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the projection screen comprises:

an inflatable frame; and

screen material coupled to the inflatable frame.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the mechanical actuator comprises a pump.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the projection screen comprises:

screen material having a perimeter and optical attributes suitable to facilitate viewing of images projected thereon; and

a flexible frame attached to the screen material substantially at said perimeter to support the screen material when the projection screen is in an expanded projection state, and the flexible frame being further sufficiently flexible to allow the projection screen to be folded into a contracted storage state when pushing forces are applied at a plurality of perimeter points, the projection screen in the contracted storage state occupying a surface area no more than 50% of a surface area occupied by the projection screen in the expanded projection state.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the projection screen comprises:

a substrate having a plurality of slats, wherein each of the plurality of slats is coupled to at least an adjacent one of the plurality of slats with a hinge; and

screen material coupled to the substrate.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the projection screen comprises:

first and second supporting structures; and

screen material coupled to the first and second supporting structures.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first and second supporting structures comprise first and second telescoping frame segments, respectively.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first and second supporting structures comprise first and second cables, respectively.

17. A method comprising:

transitioning a projection screen from a contracted storage state to an expanded projection state by applying transition forces to a plurality of perimeter points of a flexible frame of the projection screen, screen material, having optical attributes suitable to facilitate viewing of images projected thereon, attached to the flexible frame substantially at a perimeter of the screen material; and

projecting, with a projecting device, an image onto the projection screen while the projection screen is in the expanded projection state.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said applying of transitional forces includes:

applying at least one force chosen from a compressive force, a rotational force, or a retractive force to the plurality of perimeter points.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

operating the projection device from within a projector cavity of a housing.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said transitioning of the projection screen is done automatically.

21. A projection screen comprising:

a screen material, having optical attributes suitable to facilitate viewing of images projected thereon; and

a substrate coupled to the screen material and having a plurality of slats, wherein each of the plurality of slats is coupled to at least an adjacent one of the plurality of slates with a hinge, the substrate configured to transition between an expanded projection state and a contracted storage state.

22. The projection screen of claim 21, further comprising:

one or more bi-stable springs coupled to the substrate and configured to facilitate transition between the expanded projection state and the contracted storage state.

23. The projection screen of claim 21, wherein a first slat of the plurality of slats has an edge angled in a manner such that a surface of the first slat is substantially flush with a surface of an adjoining.

24. A projection screen comprising:

a first and a second cable; and

a screen material having a perimeter and optical attributes suitable to facilitate viewing of images projected thereon, the screen material suspended between the first and the second cable such that the perimeter is exposed in its entirety when the projection screen is in an expanded projection state.

25. The projection screen of claim 24, further comprising:

a storage structure, configured to store the screen material when the projection screen is in a contracted storage state.

26. A projection screen comprising:

a screen material having a first edge, a second edge, and optical attributes suitable to facilitate viewing of images projected thereon; and

a first and second telescoping frame segments coupled to the screen material at the first and second edges, respectively;

the first and second telescoping frame segments configured to extend to provide the projection screen in an expanded projection state and to contract to provide the projection screen in a contracted storage state.

27. The projection screen of claim 26, further comprising:

one or more braces coupled to the first and second telescoping frame segments and configured to provide crosswise support.