Projector, projection unit, and interactive board

• US 8,955,981 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Morikuni, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, SULTAN U.
• Application Number:
  US13/428,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20120249979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 353/30, 353/31, 353/34, 353/37, 353/38, 353/88, 353/98, 353/99, 353/100, 353/101, 348744-747, 348/E5.137, 348/E9.027, 359/217.1, 359/219.2, 359/443, 349/5, 349 7- 9
• US Class Current: 353/38
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0896 with variable magnification or multiple imaging planes, including multispectral systems systems with only refractive elements G02B15/14
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/10 Projectors with built-in or built-on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/147 Optical correction of image distortions, e.g. keystone
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2073 Polarisers in the lamp house peculiar to electronic spatial light modulators H04N9/3197
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/62 Translucent screens

Abstract

A projector includes: a main body section including a light source, a display surface illuminated by light from the light source, and an emission optical system adapted to emit light from the display surface; and a projection unit adapted to project light from the display surface toward an irradiated surface, the light being emitted from the emission optical system, wherein the projection unit includes an image plane control optical system adapted to change the light emitted from the emission optical system to light forming an image plane of the display surface tilted with respect to the display surface, and an angle-widening mirror with a concave surface having positive power and adapted to reflect light forming an image plane of the display surface tilted with respect to the display surface and widen an angle of the light.

Claims

1. A projector comprising:

a main body section having a light source, a display surface illuminated by light from the light source, and an emission optical system adapted to emit light from the display surface; and

a projection unit adapted to project light from the emission optical system toward an irradiated surface, the light being emitted from the display surface,

the projection unit including;

an image plane control optical system adapted to change the light emitted from the emission optical system to light forming an image plane of the display surface tilted with respect to the display surface, the image plane control optical system including a plurality of lenses,

a master lens that adapted to perform middle and long distance projection in a first range, and adapted to perform ultra-short projection in a second range, the second range being a range that is lower than the first range, and

an angle-widening mirror with a concave surface having positive power and adapted to reflect light forming an image plane of the display surface tilted with respect to the display surface and widen an angle of the light; and

the main body section being arranged to be detachably attached to the projector or moved within the projector and the main body section projecting light to the irradiated surface alone.

2. The projector according to claim 1, wherein

the projection unit includes a variable power optical system adapted to vary magnification of the image forming the image plane of the display surface tilted with respect to the display surface, the variable power optical system including the plurality of lenses.

3. The projector according to claim 2, wherein

the variable power optical system is a contraction optical system adapted to relatively contract the image forming the image plane of the display surface tilted with respect to the display surface.

4. The projector according to claim 1, wherein

the projection unit images the image plane of the display surface tilted with respect to the display surface on the irradiated surface parallel to the display surface.

5. The projector according to claim 1, wherein

the emission optical system can be switched between

a normal display state in which an image forming the image plane of the display surface parallel to the display surface is imaged within a first range with a relatively long distance along an optical axis, and

a macro display state in which an image forming the image plane of the display surface parallel to the display surface is imaged within a second range with a relatively short distance along the optical axis.

6. The projector according to claim 1, wherein

the main body section is detachably attached to the projector.

7. The projector according to claim 1, wherein

the emission optical system and the projection unit are arranged so as to have respective optical axes aligned with each other.

8. The projector according to claim 7, wherein

the emission optical system and the projection unit constitute a shift optical system adapted to make the light from the display surface proceed while being shifted from the optical axis.

11. An interactive board comprising:

the projector according to claim 1; and

a screen display section including the irradiated surface, and adapted to make it possible to write other information on the irradiated surface,

wherein the main body section including the emission optical system out of the projector is detachably attached.

12. An interactive board comprising:

the projector according to claim 2; and

a screen display section including the irradiated surface, and adapted to make it possible to write other information on the irradiated surface,

wherein the main body section including the emission optical system out of the projector is detachably attached.

13. An interactive board comprising:

the projector according to claim 3; and

a screen display section including the irradiated surface, and adapted to make it possible to write other information on the irradiated surface,

wherein the main body section including the emission optical system out of the projector is detachably attached.

14. An interactive board comprising:

the projector according to claim 4; and

a screen display section including the irradiated surface, and adapted to make it possible to write other information on the irradiated surface,

wherein the main body section including the emission optical system out of the projector is detachably attached.

15. An interactive board comprising:

the projector according to claim 5; and

a screen display section including the irradiated surface, and adapted to make it possible to write other information on the irradiated surface,

wherein the main body section including the emission optical system out of the projector is detachably attached.

16. An interactive board comprising:

the projector according to claim 6; and

a screen display section including the irradiated surface, and adapted to make it possible to write other information on the irradiated surface,

wherein the main body section including the emission optical system out of the projector is detachably attached.

17. An interactive board comprising:

the projector according to claim 7; and

a screen display section including the irradiated surface, and adapted to make it possible to write other information on the irradiated surface,

wherein the main body section including the emission optical system out of the projector is detachably attached.

18. An interactive board comprising:

the projector according to claim 8; and

a screen display section including the irradiated surface, and adapted to make it possible to write other information on the irradiated surface,

wherein the main body section including the emission optical system out of the projector is detachably attached.

9. A projection unit used in a projector in combination with a main body section including a light source, a display surface irradiated with light from the light source, and an emission optical system adapted to emit light from the display surface, and adapted to project the light from the emission optical system, which is emitted from the display surface, toward an irradiated surface, the main body section being arranged to be detachably attached to the projector or moved within the projector and the main body section projecting light to the irradiated surface alone, the projection unit comprising:

an image plane control optical system adapted to change the light emitted from the emission optical system to light forming the image plane of the display surface tilted with respect to the display surface, the image plane control optical system including a plurality of lenses, a master lens that adapted to perform middle and long distance projection in a first range, and adapted to perform ultra-short projection in a second range, the second range being a range that is lower than the first range, and an angle-widening mirror with a concave surface having positive power and adapted to reflect light forming an image plane of the display surface tilted with respect to the display surface, and widen the angle of the light.

10. The projection unit according to claim 9, further comprising:

a variable power optical system including the plurality of lenses and adapted to vary magnification of the image forming the image plane of the display surface tilted with respect to the display surface.