Modular rear projection television having an airtight upper cabinet

• US 5,929,945 A
• Filed: 09/30/1996
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Katsuhiro, Horiuchi, Hiroshi, Negishi, Noriaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRINICH, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US08/723,539
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 348/825, 348/836, 348/838-839, 348/842
• US Class Current: 348/825
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

One kind of housing has been formed for rear projection televisions of each screen size in inches and it has not been possible to change the size in inches for such a housing. This has reduced productivity and results in a cost increase. An upper cabinet and a lower cabinet of a rear projection television are formed separately. A screen and a mirror are provided on the upper cabinet. A main component portion for a television comprising video devices, driving and control circuits, an optical unit including a projection lens, and a light source is provided on the lower cabinet. Upper cabinets of different screen sizes in inches are assembled with a common lower cabinet to allow rear projection televisions of various sizes in inches to be easily manufactured.

Claims

1. A rear projection television comprising:

an upper cabinet having a screen and a mirror therein and being void of air outlets; and

a lower cabinet accommodating video devices, driving and control circuits, and an optical unit having a projection lens therein, said lower cabinet including;

a fan,

a front air inlet,

a rear air outlet,

an enclosure having a support plate for dividing said enclosure into a rear sub-enclosure communicating with said rear air outlet and a front sub-enclosure communicating with said front air inlet,

said support plate having a port for supporting said fan therein, and said support plate adapted to support said video devices in said front sub-enclosure,

said front sub-enclosure having an opening formed so that said projection lens extends therethrough forming a snug fit therewith,

said fan circulating air from said front air inlet to said rear air outlet cooling said video devices supported in said front sub-enclosure,

wherein said upper cabinet and said lower cabinet are separably formed, a focus of said projection lens is adapted to be variably adjusted to focus on a selected size of a predetermined number of standard screen sizes of said upper cabinet, and said upper cabinet is detachably attached to said lower cabinet, and

said upper cabinet has a bottom wall having a lens opening formed to receive a portion of said projection lens and a flange portion so that said upper cabinet forms an airtight seal with said lower cabinet when said upper cabinet is attached to said lower cabinet, thereby preventing dust from entering said upper cabinet.

2. The rear projection television according to claim 1, wherein a filter is detachably disposed on said front air inlet.

3. The rear projection television according to claim 1, wherein said lower cabinet has a light source mounting portion at a front side thereof and said light source is detachably mounted on said light source mounting portion.

4. The rear projection television according to claim 1, wherein said upper cabinet further comprises a top wall, a side wall, and a rear wall.

5. The rear projection television according to claim 4, wherein said rear wall is formed at an inclination determined by a relation between said screen mounted on a front side of said upper cabinet and a reflection of an image projected from said projection lens.

6. The rear projection television according to claim 4, wherein said mirror is mounted on an inside surface of said rear wall and an inclination of said mirror is adjustable.

7. The rear projection television according to claim 1, wherein a speaker is disposed at a front side of said lower cabinet.

8. The rear projection television according to claim 1, further comprising a speaker, a light source, and a grill, wherein said speaker, said front air inlet and said light source are disposed at a front side of said lower cabinet and covered by said grill.