The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 13, 1998
Filed:
Jan. 22, 1997
Ernesto Melquades Rodriguez, Round Rock, TX (US);
William Edward Haushalter, Austin, TX (US);
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A compact electronic projector has a display assembly, such as a liquid crystal display panel and associated Fresnel lenses, which is mounted inside the projector body so as to rotate between a storage position in which the display assembly is generally parallel with the projection axis of the device, and a deployed position in which the display assembly is disposed at an oblique angle (such as 90.degree.) with respect to the projection axis. The assembly can thus be rotated to occupy the voids needed for expansion and contraction of the optical beams when the projector is in use, which voids have no useful function when the projector is not in use, and are thus available for component storage. This feature enables saving of a substantial volume of space, making the closed unit compact and easily transported. A linkage may further be provided to cause a projection lens to extend at least partially outside of the body in the deployed position, and to cause the projection lens to retract back inside the body in the storage position. In one embodiment, the body has doors movable between an open position, when the display assembly is in its deployed position, and a closed position, when the display assembly is in its storage position, and the display assembly extends through the doors in the deployed position. An adjustable rear foot may be used to adjusting the pitch angle of the projection axis.