← Back to Patent Explorer
US5179398A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Projector and image adjustment method

Assignee: Pentax Corp
•
Filing: 1991-10-01
•
Granted: 1993-01-12
•
Expires: 2011-10-01
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Light beams containing image information from a plurality of liquid crystal panels are converged by condensing lenses. The converged light beams are combined by dichroic mirrors and projected onto a screen by a single projecting lens. The liquid crystal panels and condensing lenses are supported by an adjusting unit, and can be moved independently, in the direction of their respective optical axes.

Inventors

  • 👤 Takashi Iizuka

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 03:56
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N9/00; H04N9/12; H04N9/31; H04N9/3102; H04N9/3105; H04N9/3141; H04N9/317

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 147 words
A projector comprising: a plurality of image forming means for forming an image according to the wavelength of a light beam passing therethrough; a plurality of condensing lenses each defining an optical axis and corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of image forming means for converging the light beam from said respective image forming means; a single projecting lens for projecting the converged light beams from said condensing lenses onto a projection screen; light beam combining means provided between said condensing lenses and said projection lens for combining the light beams from said plurality of image forming means in order to impinge them on said projecting lens; and a plurality of adjusting mechanisms for supporting each of said plurality of image forming means and said condensing lenses such that they can be moved independently of each other in the direction of their respective optical axes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 147 words
A projector comprising: a plurality of image forming means for forming an image according to the wavelength of a light beam passing therethrough; a plurality of condensing lenses each defining an optical axis and corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of image forming means for converging the light beam from said respective image forming means; a single projecting lens for projecting the converged light beams from said condensing lenses onto a projection screen; light beam combining means provided between said condensing lenses and said projection lens for combining the light beams from said plurality of image forming means in order to impinge them on said projecting lens; and a plurality of adjusting mechanisms for supporting each of said plurality of image forming means and said condensing lenses such that they can be moved independently of each other in the direction of their respective optical axes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
A projector according to claim 1, wherein said image forming means are impinged by light beams of mutually differing wavelengths.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
A projector according to claim 2, wherein said light beam combining means comprises dichroic mirrors.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 49 words
A projector according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting mechanisms comprise adjusting units for movably supporting each of said image forming means and said condensing lenses such that they can be moved together and the relative distance between said condensing lens and said image forming means can be adjusted.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
A projector according to claim 1, wherein said image forming means comprises a liquid crystal panel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 167 words
A projector comprising: separating means for separating a light beam from a single optical source according to the wavelength of the light beam; a plurality of image forming means for forming an image according to the wavelength of a light beam from said separation means; a plurality of condensing lenses each defining an optical axis and corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of image forming means for converging the images from said respective image forming means; a single projecting lens which projects the images converged by said condensing lenses onto a projection screen; light beam combining means provided between said condensing lenses and said projecting lens for combining the images from said plurality of image forming means so as to cause them to impinge on said projecting lens; and a plurality of adjusting mechanisms for movably supporting said plurality of image forming means and said condensing lenses such that they can be moved independently of each other in the direction of their respective optical axes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 167 words
A projector comprising: separating means for separating a light beam from a single optical source according to the wavelength of the light beam; a plurality of image forming means for forming an image according to the wavelength of a light beam from said separation means; a plurality of condensing lenses each defining an optical axis and corresponding to a respective one of said plurality of image forming means for converging the images from said respective image forming means; a single projecting lens which projects the images converged by said condensing lenses onto a projection screen; light beam combining means provided between said condensing lenses and said projecting lens for combining the images from said plurality of image forming means so as to cause them to impinge on said projecting lens; and a plurality of adjusting mechanisms for movably supporting said plurality of image forming means and said condensing lenses such that they can be moved independently of each other in the direction of their respective optical axes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 16 words
A projector according to claim 6, wherein said image forming means comprises a liquid crystal panel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 87 words
An image adjustment method for use with a projector, wherein images from at least one image forming device are converged by a corresponding condensing lens that defines an optical axis, caused to impinge on a projecting lens and formed on a projection screen, comprising: adjusting the focus by moving said image forming device in the direction of the optical axis of said corresponding condensing lens; and adjusting the magnification by moving said condensing lens relative to said image forming device in the direction of the optical axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 87 words
An image adjustment method for use with a projector, wherein images from at least one image forming device are converged by a corresponding condensing lens that defines an optical axis, caused to impinge on a projecting lens and formed on a projection screen, comprising: adjusting the focus by moving said image forming device in the direction of the optical axis of said corresponding condensing lens; and adjusting the magnification by moving said condensing lens relative to said image forming device in the direction of the optical axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 16 words
A projector according to claim 6, wherein said light beam combining means comprises a dichroic prism.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 26 words
A projector according to claim 6, wherein one of said plurality of image forming means is provided for each light beam separated by said separating means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4861142A Cited
US4989954A Cited
US5047847A Cited
US4981352A Cited
US5060058A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-01-12 1996-07-13 1997-01-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-01-12 2000-07-13 2001-01-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-01-12 2004-07-13 2005-01-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag