IP Library Granted Patent US 11,599,014
Granted Patent B2
US 11,599,014 · App. 17/197,743 · Granted Mar 7, 2023

Projection direction change device and image projection system

Inventors: Takaaki Abe (Osaka, JP); Ken Mashitani (Osaka, JP); Junji Masumoto (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
G03B21/28G02B7/1821G03B21/142H04N9/317
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,599,014
App. No.
17/197,743
Granted
Mar 7, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A projection direction change device includes a mirror that reflects light emitted from a projection lens unit of a projector, a mirror support part that rotatably supports the mirror around a first axis and a second axis, a first drive part that rotary drives the mirror around the first axis, and a second drive part that rotary drives the mirror around the second axis. An intersecting point of the first and second axes is positioned closer to the projection lens unit than a geometric barycenter of the mirror is.

Claims (29)

1. A projection direction change device, comprising:

a mirror that reflects light emitted from a projection lens unit of a projector;

a mirror support part that rotatably supports the mirror around a first axis and a second axis;

a first drive part that rotary drives the mirror around the first axis;

a second drive part that rotary drives the mirror around the second axis; and

a mirror frame to which the mirror is attached,

wherein an intersecting point of the first and second axes is positioned closer to the projection lens unit than a geometric barycenter of the mirror is, and

wherein weight balance of the mirror frame has been adjusted so that a barycenter of the mirror frame to which the mirror has been attached is positioned closer to the intersecting point of the first and second axes than the geometric barycenter of the mirror is.

2. The projection direction change device of claim 1 ,

wherein the mirror support part rotatably supports the mirror frame to which the mirror has been attached around the first and second axes.

3. The projection direction change device of claim 2 , wherein the weight balance of the mirror frame has been adjusted so that the barycenter of the mirror frame to which the mirror has been attached is positioned at the intersecting point of the first and second axes.

4. The projection direction change device of claim 3 , wherein the mirror frame includes a rib for adjusting the weight balance.

5. The projection direction change device of claim 2 , wherein the mirror frame has a through hole for adjusting the weight balance.

6. The projection direction change device of claim 1 , wherein the mirror has a hexagonal shape in which a side closer to the projection lens unit is shorter than a side that is opposite to the projection lens unit and is counter to the side closer to the projection lens unit.

7. The projection direction change device of claim 1 , further comprising a mirror controller that indicates a drive amount of the mirror to the first and second drive parts.

8. The projection direction change device of claim 7 , further comprising an attitude sensor that detects a state of an attitude of the mirror,

wherein the mirror controller adjusts a drive amount of the mirror based on the state of an attitude.

9. The projection direction change device of claim 1 , further comprising a position adjustment mechanism that allows the mirror to be displaced along a direction of projection from the projection lens unit.

10. An image projection system comprising:

the projection direction change device of claim 7 ;

the projector that projects an image;

an image output device that outputs an image to the projector; and

a controller that sends a command signal about the attitude of the mirror to the mirror controller and outputs an image output signal synchronized with the command signal to the image output device.

11. The image projection system of claim 10 ,

wherein the projector includes a lens driver that moves some or all lenses in the projection lens unit along or in parallel with a projection direction, and

wherein the lens driver adjusts a projection function of the projector in collaboration with drive control of the mirror of the projection direction change device based on a command signal from the controller.

12. The image projection system of claim 11 , wherein the lens driver performs zoom adjustment of the projection lens unit.

13. The image projection system of claim 11 , wherein the lens driver performs focus adjustment of the projection lens unit.

14. The image projection system of claim 11 , wherein the lens driver performs shift adjustment of the projection lens unit.

Assignments (3)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Feb 24, 2026
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC PROJECTOR & DISPLAY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 074988/0945 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Feb 24, 2026
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 074984/0429 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 22, 2021
From: ABE, TAKAAKI; MASHITANI, KEN; MASUMOTO, JUNJI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 057248/0325 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2020-041942 · Mar 11, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210286250A1 · Sep 16, 2021