Rear projection television optics
First Claim
1. A rear projection optical system for forming an image at an at least partially transmissive viewing panel from a first beam emitted from a projection lens, comprising:
- a curved mirror for receiving the first beam and reflecting a second beam;
a first substantially planar mirror for receiving the second beam and reflecting a third beam; and
a second substantially planar mirror for receiving the third beam and reflecting a fourth beam;
wherein the at least partially transmissive viewing panel receives the fourth beam.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The optical path for a rear projection television is disclosed, having emission from a projection lens, an optional reflection from a turning mirror, reflection from a curved mirror, reflection from one or two flat mirrors, and projection onto the rear surface of a viewing screen. When two flat mirrors are present, there is one flat mirror parallel to the screen near the rear of the television cabinet, and the other flat mirror perpendicular to the screen near the top or the bottom of the cabinet. When only one flat mirror is present, it is located near the top or bottom of the cabinet, and is inclined with a small but finite angle toward the screen. The optional turning mirror can allow the lens barrel to be located in an otherwise unused part of the cabinet, and can further reduce the size of the cabinet. The pedestal height divided by the screen height may be less than roughly 1/10, and the casing depth divided by the screen height may be less than roughly ⅓.
23 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A rear projection optical system for forming an image at an at least partially transmissive viewing panel from a first beam emitted from a projection lens, comprising:
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a curved mirror for receiving the first beam and reflecting a second beam;
a first substantially planar mirror for receiving the second beam and reflecting a third beam; and
a second substantially planar mirror for receiving the third beam and reflecting a fourth beam;
wherein the at least partially transmissive viewing panel receives the fourth beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A rear projection optical system for forming an image at an at least partially transmissive viewing panel from a first beam emitted from a projection lens, comprising:
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a curved mirror for receiving the first beam and reflecting a second beam; and
a substantially planar mirror for receiving the second beam and reflecting a third beam, the substantially planar mirror being non-parallel to the at least partially transmissive viewing panel;
wherein the at least partially transmissive viewing panel receives the third beam. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A rear projection television, comprising:
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a casing having a projection screen;
a projection lens that does not include any curved mirrors; and
an optical path from the projection lens to the projection screen, the optical path including exactly one curved mirror and at least one substantially planar mirror that is non-parallel to the at least partially transmissive viewing panel. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A rear projection television, comprising:
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a casing having a casing depth and a casing front surface, the casing front surface having a bottom edge;
a projection screen embedded in and surrounded by the casing front surface, the projection screen having a screen height;
a projection lens; and
an optical path extending between the projection lens and the projection screen, the optical path being entirely inside the casing;
wherein a pedestal height is formed between the bottom of the projection screen and the bottom edge of the casing front surface;
wherein the pedestal height divided by the screen height is less than roughly 1/10;
wherein the casing depth divided by the screen height is less than roughly ⅓
; and
wherein the optical path includes at most three reflections. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification