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:
Sep. 24, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 19, 2001
Sea-Huang Lee, Hsinchu, TW;
Chang Ting Liu, Hsinchu, TW;
Optoma Corporation, , TW;
Abstract
A projector having a first housing, a second housing, a projector mainframe, a lamp module and a connector pair is disclosed. The removabl lamp module is installed in the first housing which forms part of the projector housing. The projector mainframe is enclosed in the second housing which forms the other part of the projector housing. The connector pair comprises a first half connector and a second half connector, which can be fixed to or separated from each other. The first half connector connected to the lamp module is movable with respect to the second half connector fixed to the projector mainframe. When the first and second half connector are mechanically coupled, the lamp module is then mechanically coupled with the projector mainframe such that the projector can be successfully assembled. As an actuating element fixed to the lamp module activates a switch button installed in the projector mainframe, the electrical connection between the lamp module and the projector mainframe can be established simultaneously with their mechanical coupling. The actuating element and the switch button constitute an interlock switch for the projector of the invention. On the other hand, when the first and second half connector are mechanically decoupled, the lamp module can then be mechanically decoupled and simultaneously disconnected electrically from the projector mainframe. A method of safely installing the lamp module into the projector mainframe or removing the lamp module from the projector mainframe is also disclosed. The method achieves the mechanical coupling or decoupling and the electrical connection or disconnection for the lamp module and the projector mainframe, via the interlock switch.