Projector and lamp unit

• US 6,467,911 B1
• Filed: 10/06/1999
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Ueyama, Masayuki, Nagata, Hideki, Sawai, Yasumasa, Kawabata, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): DOWLING, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US09/413,311
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 353/87, 353/85, 353/72, 353/122, 362/226, 362/254, 362/285, 362/287
• US Class Current: 353/87
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/00 Fastening of component parts of lighting devices, e.g. shades, globes, refractors, reflectors, filters, screens, grids or protective cages of light sources or light holders F21V19/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/107 using hinge joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/10 Projectors with built-in or built-on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2046 Positional adjustment of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2053 Intensity control of illuminating light controlled by video signal processing H04N5/74 or H04N9/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3144 Cooling systems cooling of liquid crystal cells in general G02F1/133382; cooling of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/315 Modulator illumination systems general applications of lighting devices F21V; general optical systems G02B; lamp houses for projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3155 for controlling the light source light source control per se H05B35/00 – H05B47/00; control of an illumination source for displays in general G09G3/3406

Abstract

A projector has a liquid crystal display panel for displaying an image, a lamp for illuminating the liquid crystal display panel, and a projection optical system for projecting light modulated by the image displayed. The lamp is held by a member whose position is variable to allow fitting of different types of lamp. The projector acquires data related to the lamp currently fitted and controls the light emission of the lamp on the basis of that data. The data includes the life of the lamp, so that the projector prevents the lamp to be lit longer than its remaining life. The remaining life is updated in accordance with how long the lamp has been lit. In addition to the lamp that is lit, an auxiliary lamp may be fitted so that the lamp that is lit can be switched to the auxiliary lamp as required. The lamp is formed into a single lamp unit together with a reflector or a casing to prevent the user from touching the lamp. The lamp is accessible for replacement only when it is in a predetermined position, where the lamp is never allowed when hot.

Claims

1. A holding mechanism for holding a light source in a projector, comprising:

a data reader for reading data related to the light source from the light source;

a holding member for holding the light source; and

an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of the light source by moving the holding member.

2. A holding mechanism as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the light source on a basis of the data read by the data reader.

3. A holding mechanism as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the holding member is made capable of holding light sources of different shapes by being formed substantially in a V-like shape so as to hold the light source as if pinching it.

4. A holding mechanism as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the holding member is made capable of holding light sources of different shapes by being provided with a member that has a recessed portion formed thereon and that is so arranged as to hold the light source as if pinching it.

5. A light source for use in an image projection apparatus, comprising:

a light-emitting portion;

a held portion that is held by the image projection apparatus when the light source is fitted in a predetermined position in the image projection apparatus; and

data holding means for holding position-related data so as to allow a center of the light-emitting portion to be located at a previously specified position when the light source is fitted in the predetermined position.

6. A light source as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the data holding means is a member provided on the held portion so as to be used for positioning.

7. A light source as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the data holding means is a data storage medium on which data related to a position of the light-emitting portion are stored.

8. A light source as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a reflector arranged around the light-emitting portion,

wherein the light source forms a single unit together with the reflector.

9. A projection-type image display apparatus, comprising:

a lamp output varying device for varying intensity of light output from a lamp;

a modulation device for performing modulation on the light output from the lamp in accordance with color components of an image; and

a controller for varying how the modulation device performs modulation in accordance with the intensity of the light output from the lamp so as to keep a white balance of a displayed image substantially constant irrespective of the intensity of the light output from the lamp.

10. A projection-type image display apparatus as claimed in claim 9,

wherein the controller makes relatively smaller a proportion of a red component of the image when the intensity of the light output from the lamp is high.

11. A projection-type image display apparatus as claimed in claim 9,

wherein the controller makes relatively larger a proportion of a red component of the image when the intensity of the light output from the lamp is low.

12. A projection-type image display apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

an operation section for receiving from a user an instruction for setting hues of the displayed image.

13. A projector comprising:

a light source;

a reflector arranged around the light source;

an image display device for performing spatial modulation on illumination light emitted from the light source on a basis of an image signal so as to form an optical image; and

a projection optical system for projecting the optical image on a projection screen,

wherein the light source is interchangeable with a light source of a different type, and

wherein the projector is further provided with;

an input section for inputting data in accordance with what type of light source is currently fitted; and

a controller for performing a predetermined operation on a basis of the input data.

14. A projector as claimed in claim 13,

wherein interchanging of the light source is achieved without interchanging of the reflector for reflecting the illumination light emitted from the light source.

15. A projector as claimed in claim 13,

wherein the light source forms a single unit together with the reflector for reflecting the illumination light emitted from the light source, and

wherein interchanging of the light source is achieved by interchanging of the unit.

16. A projector as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of the light source,

wherein the controller adjusts the position of the light source through the adjustment mechanism in accordance with the input data.

17. A projector as claimed in claim 13,

wherein the controller controls how the image display device performs modulation of the illumination light in accordance with the input data.

18. A projector as claimed in claim 17,

wherein the controller adjusts hues of a displayed image by controlling how the image display device performs modulation of the illumination light.

19. A projector for projecting an image by using light from a light source, comprising:

a holding member for holding the light source;

input means for inputting data in accordance with what type of light source is currently fitted; and

an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of the light source by moving the holding member,

wherein the adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the light source on a basis of the input data.

20. A projector as claimed in claim 19, further comprising:

a controller for controlling hues of the projected image in accordance with the input data.

21. A projector as claimed in claim 19,

wherein the holding member is made capable of holding light sources of different shapes by being formed substantially in a V-like shape so as to hold the light source as if pinching it.

22. A projector as claimed in claim 19,

wherein the holding member is made capable of holding light sources of different shapes by being provided with a member that has a recessed portion formed thereon and that is so arranged as to hold the light source as if pinching it.