IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,883,218
Granted Patent B2
US 7,883,218 · App. 11/684,021 · Granted Feb 8, 2011

Projector having a light tunnel clip for suppressing positional deviation of a light tunnel

Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,883,218
App. No.
11/684,021
Granted
Feb 8, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A projector capable of preventing a light tunnel from positional deviation is obtained. This projector comprises a rectangular light tunnel having a hollow light guide path capable of passing light therethrough for shaping the light with the light guide path, an optical component holding member provided with a holding portion holding the light tunnel and a light tunnel clip including a first pressing portion and a second pressing portion pressing first and second surfaces, adjacent to each other, of the light tunnel toward the holding portion of the optical component holding member for holding the light tunnel in a pressed state, while the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion press positions of the first and second surfaces of the light tunnel located substantially on the same line perpendicular to the traveling direction of the light respectively.

Claims (58)

1. A projector comprising:

a rectangular light tunnel having a hollow light guide path capable of passing light therethrough for shaping said light with said light guide path;

an optical component holding member provided with a holding portion holding said light tunnel; and

a light tunnel clip including a first pressing portion and a second pressing portion pressing first and second surfaces, adjacent to each other, of said light tunnel toward said holding portion of said optical component holding member for holding said light tunnel in a pressed state, wherein

said first pressing portion and said second pressing portion press positions of said first and second surfaces of said light tunnel located substantially on the same line perpendicular to the traveling direction of said light respectively,

said optical component holding member includes a first engaging hole and a second engaging hole so arranged as to hold said light tunnel therebetween, and

said light tunnel clip includes a first engaging pawl and a second engaging pawl of a springy material engaging with said first engaging hole and said second engaging hole respectively.

2. The projector according to claim 1 , wherein

said second engaging pawl of said light tunnel clip is so formed as to nip an edge of said second engaging hole of said optical component holding member.

3. The projector according to claim 1 , wherein

said light tunnel clip further includes a mask portion for screening the outer periphery of an inlet of said light tunnel from said light, and

said optical component holding member integrally includes a positioning protrusion for positioning said light tunnel clip by coming into contact with said mask portion of said light tunnel clip.

4. The projector according to claim 3 , wherein

said optical component holding member further includes an opening for partially receiving said mask portion of said light tunnel clip.

5. The projector according to claim 1 , wherein

said holding portion of said optical component holding member includes projecting first and second support portions for supporting prescribed portions of third and fourth surfaces of said light tunnel respectively and an air inlet for cooling said light tunnel.

6. The projector according to claim 1 , wherein

said light tunnel clip is provided with two said first pressing portions, and

said two first pressing portions are so formed as to press first and second sides of said first surface of said light tunnel along the extensional direction of said light tunnel toward said holding portion of said optical component holding member respectively.

7. The projector according to claim 6 , wherein

said light tunnel clip is provided with two said second pressing portions,

said two second pressing portions are so formed as to press first and second sides of said second surface of said light tunnel along the extensional direction of said light tunnel toward said holding portion of said optical component holding member respectively,

said first pressing portion and said second pressing portion pressing said first sides along the extensional direction of said light tunnel respectively press positions located on a first line perpendicular to the traveling direction of said light, and

said first pressing portion and said second pressing portion pressing said second sides along the extensional direction of said light tunnel respectively press positions located on a second line perpendicular to the traveling direction of said light.

8. The projector according to claim 1 , wherein

said optical component holding member further includes a wall portion provided on said holding portion for regulating the position of said light tunnel on at least one side in the extensional direction of said light tunnel.

9. The projector according to claim 1 , wherein

said first pressing portion and said second pressing portion are rendered elastically deformable in the pressing directions respectively.

10. The projector according to claim 1 , wherein

said first pressing portion and said second pressing portion linearly come into contact with and press said first surface and said second surface of said light tunnel in directions intersecting with the extensional direction of said light tunnel respectively.

11. A projector comprising a rectangular light tunnel having a hollow light guide path capable of passing light therethrough for shaping said light with said light guide path and further having first, second, third and fourth surfaces, an optical component holding member holding said light tunnel and a light tunnel clip including a mask portion for screening the outer periphery of an inlet of said light tunnel from said light for fixing said light tunnel to said optical component holding member, wherein

said optical component holding member includes:

a holding portion holding said light tunnel,

a first engaging hole and a second engaging hole so arranged as to hold said light tunnel therebetween,

an opening for partially receiving said mask portion of said light tunnel clip,

a positioning protrusion integrally provided on said optical component holding member for positioning said light tunnel clip by coming into contact with said mask portion of said light tunnel clip,

projecting first and second support portions provided on said holding portion for supporting prescribed portions of said third and fourth surfaces of said light tunnel respectively, and

an air inlet provided on said holding portion for cooling said light tunnel,

said light tunnel clip includes:

a first pressing portion and a second pressing portion pressing said first and second surfaces, adjacent to each other, of said light tunnel toward said holding portion of said optical component holding member respectively, and

a first engaging pawl and a second engaging pawl of a springy material engaging with said first engaging hole and said second engaging hole respectively, and

said first pressing portion and said second pressing portion press positions of said first and second surfaces of said light tunnel located substantially on the same line perpendicular to the traveling direction of said light respectively.

12. The projector according to claim 11 , wherein

said second engaging pawl of said light tunnel clip is so formed as to nip an edge of said second engaging hole of said optical component holding member.

13. The projector according to claim 11 , wherein

said light tunnel clip is provided with two said first pressing portions, and

said two first pressing portions are so formed as to press first and second sides of said first surface of said light tunnel along the extensional direction of said light tunnel toward said holding portion of said optical component holding member respectively.

14. The projector according to claim 13 , wherein

said light tunnel clip is provided with two said second pressing portions,

said two second pressing portions are so formed as to press first and second sides of said second surface of said light tunnel along the extensional direction of said light tunnel toward said holding portion of said optical component holding member respectively,

said first pressing portion and said second pressing portion pressing said first sides along the extensional direction of said light tunnel respectively press positions located on a first line perpendicular to the traveling direction of said light, and

said first pressing portion and said second pressing portion pressing said second sides along the extensional direction of said light tunnel respectively press positions located on a second line perpendicular to the traveling direction of said light.

15. The projector according to claim 11 , wherein

said optical component holding member further includes a wall portion provided on said holding portion for regulating the position of said light tunnel on at least one side in the extensional direction of said light tunnel.

16. The projector according to claim 11 , wherein

said first pressing portion and said second pressing portion are rendered elastically deformable in the pressing directions respectively.

17. The projector according to claim 11 , wherein

said first pressing portion and said second pressing portion linearly come into contact with and press said first surface and said second surface of said light tunnel in directions intersecting with the extensional direction of said light tunnel respectively.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2007
From: YOSHIKAWA, TSUTOMU; OHTA, YUSUKE
To: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 018985/0381 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2006-077027 · Mar 20, 2006 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20070216871A1 · Sep 20, 2007