JP7552329B2 - Image Projection Device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image projection device.

A technology is known that uses a handheld image projection device to project an image onto any projection surface.

Patent document 1 describes a projector that can be held in one hand and projects an image, and that houses an optical unit that projects an image onto a projection surface, a drive circuit that drives the optical unit, and a battery within the housing.

However, Patent Document 1 does not describe the placement of the optical unit, drive circuit, or battery, and does not take into consideration miniaturization of the device.

The present invention aims to realize a compact image projection device that is easy to hold.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an image projection device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a projection unit that irradiates light to project an image, a control unit that controls the operation of the projection unit, a battery that supplies power to the projection unit and the control unit, and a main body in which the projection unit, the control unit, and the battery are disposed, the main body having a convex portion that protrudes in the direction of an optical axis of the light, at least a part of the projection unit is disposed on the convex portion, and any two of the projection unit, the control unit, and the battery are arranged in parallel in the direction of the optical axis of the light. The projection unit, the control unit, and the battery are arranged within the main body, and any two of the projection unit, the control unit, and the battery are arranged in a vertical line within the main body , the main body has a bottom surface facing downward in the vertical direction and an upper surface facing upward in the vertical direction, the convex portion has an upper surface facing upward in the vertical direction, the upper surface of the main body and the upper surface of the convex portion are continuously connected so that the curvatures of the connected points match, and the surface where the upper surface of the main body and the upper surface of the convex portion are connected is curved so as to protrude on the side opposite to the bottom surface .

Image projection devices can be made compact and easy to hold.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image projection device according to an embodiment, as viewed from the z-positive side; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image projection device according to an embodiment, as viewed from the negative z direction; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image projection device according to an embodiment, as viewed from the x-negative direction; FIG. 1 is a front view of an image projection device according to an embodiment, as viewed from the x-positive direction. Exploded perspective view of an image projection device FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the image projection device is held; FIG. 1 is a side view showing a state in which the image projection device is held; Block diagram of an image projection device Block diagram of a modified example of an image projection device A longitudinal sectional view of an image projection device Enlarged cross-sectional view of the tripod mounting hole area FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the tripod mounting hole; Perspective cross-sectional view of the projection button area Side cross-sectional view near the power button A perspective view of the power button and the button group integrally molded part Diagram explaining how to attach integrally molded parts Diagram showing how to install the battery Cross-sectional view showing battery installation FIG. 13 is a diagram showing modified examples of the pattern on the operation surface of the dial. Perspective cross-sectional view showing the dial mounting position Cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the tip of the protrusion A diagram explaining how to attach the cover member FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a first modified example of the internal arrangement. FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a second modified example of the internal arrangement. FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a third modified example of the internal arrangement. FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a fourth modified example of the internal arrangement. FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a fifth modified example of the internal arrangement. FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a sixth modified example of the internal arrangement.

The following describes the embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. To facilitate understanding of the description, the same components in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

In the following description, the x, y, and z directions are perpendicular to each other. The x direction is the projection direction of the image projection device 1. The y direction is the left-right direction of the projected image of the image projection device 1, and is typically the horizontal direction. The z direction is the up-down direction of the projected image of the image projection device 1, and is typically the vertical direction.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the image projection device 1 according to the embodiment, as viewed from the z-positive side. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the image projection device 1 according to the embodiment, as viewed from the z-negative side. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the image projection device 1 according to the embodiment, as viewed from the x-negative side. Fig. 4 is a front view of the image projection device 1 according to the embodiment, as viewed from the x-positive side. Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the image projection device 1. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the image projection device 1 in a held state. Fig. 7 is a side view showing the image projection device 1 in a held state.

The image projection device 1 shown in Figures 1 to 7 is a so-called handheld image projection device that can be held by an operator in one hand to project an image.

The image projection device 1 comprises a main body 2, a projection unit 3, and a projection button 4 as a first button. The main body 2 is formed in a shape that can be held in one hand. The projection unit 3 projects an image by irradiating light to the outside. This light is called projected light, and this image is called a projected image. The projection button 4 switches the projection unit 3 between a projection state and a non-projection state in response to an operation input. The main body 2 is hollow, and the projection unit 3 and other components are housed inside the main body 2. The projection button 4 may have other functions in addition to the function of switching between the projection state and the non-projection state, and may perform other functions instead of the function of switching between the projection state and the non-projection state depending on the state of the image projection device 1.

The projection button 4 is disposed on the surface of the main body 2. The projection button 4 is an element for inputting operations such as pressing by physically contacting it with a finger or the like, and in the following description, the projection button 4 may also be referred to as the "operation unit 4" or "switch 4". In other words, the projection button 4 accepts operations by the operator. The projection button 4 is also connected to a switching unit 18 (see FIG. 8, etc.) provided on an electrical circuit. When the switching unit 18 operates in response to a user operation input to the projection button 4, the line 14 (see FIG. 8) is switched between energized and de-energized on the electrical circuit, thereby switching the projection unit 3 between a projection state and a non-projection state. The operation unit 4 and the switching unit 18 may be integrally formed as a single switch component, or may be disposed separately and electrically connected.

Note that the user operation input to the operation unit 4 includes, for example, a pressing operation. A pressing operation includes an operation of pressing a button, an operation of pressing and sliding, an operation of touching a touch panel, etc., and also includes an operation in which the operator recognizes that he or she has pressed the operation unit 4.

By operating the projection button 4, the operator can irradiate light L from the projection unit 3 at the timing desired by the operator, and can also stop irradiating light L.

The projection unit 3 is installed on the convex portion 2D at the tip of the x-positive direction of the main body 2 so that the projection direction is along the longitudinal direction (x-direction) of the main body 2. The convex portion 2D protrudes along the longitudinal direction (x-direction) of the main body 2. The convex portion 2D is formed integrally with the main body 2, and the internal space is connected. The relationship between the main body 2 and the convex portion 2D can also be said to be that the main body 2 has the convex portion 2D. The projection unit 3 is also provided with a lens portion 3A, and is installed so that the lens portion 3A is exposed from an opening 2C provided at the tip portion 2A in the x-positive direction of the convex portion 2D, and is installed on the main body 2 so that the up-down direction of the image projected from the lens portion 3A is along the z-direction and the left-right direction of the image is along the y-direction. When projecting light to the outside, the axis passing through the lens center of the lens portion 3A is defined as the optical axis L1. The projection unit 3 has optical elements such as lenses, and the "optical axis of the projection unit 3" is, for example, the optical axis center of these optical elements. It can also be said that the convex portion 2D protrudes along the optical axis of the projection unit 3.

The projection unit 3 also has a dial 15 for adjusting the focus, which is exposed to the outside through an opening provided in part of the protruding portion 2D. The operator can adjust the focus of the projected image by operating the dial 15.

Next, the internal structure of the image projection device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 5, the image projection device 1 includes the above-mentioned projection unit 3 housed inside the main body 2, a control board 6 (control unit), and a battery 7 (power source). The control board 6 and the battery 7 are substantially rectangular parallelepiped shaped, and are disposed inside the main body 2 with their heights decreasing in the vertical direction.

The control board 6 controls the operation of the projection unit 3. The control board 6 can be physically configured as a computer system in which a CPU, RAM, ROM, storage device, interface, etc. are connected via a bus. The various functions of the control board 6 are realized by loading specific computer software onto hardware such as the CPU and RAM, reading and writing data in the RAM and storage device under the control of the CPU, and operating other components such as the projection unit 3 and external devices via the interface.

The battery 7 is a plate-shaped secondary battery that supplies power to the projection unit 3 and the control board 6.

As shown in FIG. 1 etc., in addition to the projection button 4, a power button 11 as a second button and a button group 12 are provided on the surface of the main body 2 on the positive z side. The power button 11 is a button for switching on and off the power supply to the image projection device 1 and for operating the main power function. The power button 11 may have other functions in addition to the main power function, and may perform other functions instead of the main power function depending on the state of the image projection device 1.

The button group 12 includes multiple buttons for operating each function of the other projection device. The power button 11 is arranged on the negative x side of the projection button 4, and the button group 12 is arranged on the negative x side of the power button 11, with each button arranged along the y direction. The button group 12 is a group consisting of multiple buttons, and in this embodiment, it consists of three buttons.

As shown in FIG. 3, connectors 13 such as a USB connector and HDMI (registered trademark) are arranged so as to be exposed on the end surface 2B on the negative X-direction side of the main body 2, and are configured to be able to be connected to various external devices via wiring. The connectors 13 are installed, for example, on the control board 6.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, 6, and 7, the main body 2 has an upper tapered portion 21A and a lower tapered portion 22A. The upper tapered portion 21A is a tapered portion that tapers from the top surface of the main body 2 toward the side surface. The lower tapered portion 22B is a tapered portion that tapers from the bottom surface B of the main body 2 or the bottom surface 2E of the protruding portion 2D toward the side surface of the main body 2.

Providing the upper tapered portion 21A and the lower tapered portion 22B on the main body 2 in this way makes it easier for the user to hold the main body 2. Furthermore, handheld projectors (image projection devices 1) are often carried around in bags or clothing pockets. Tapering the upper tapered portion 21A and the lower tapered portion 22B makes it less likely that the corners of the device will get caught in a bag or pocket when taking it out or putting it back in.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper taper portion 21A and the lower taper portion 22B are provided around the entire periphery of the projector (image projection device 1), but they may be provided only around a portion of the periphery.

Figure 8 is a block diagram of the image projection device 1. As shown in Figure 8, the projection unit 3 has a light-emitting unit 31 and a display device 32. The light-emitting unit 31 has LEDs 31R, 31G, and 31B. The LEDs 31R, 31G, and 31B are light sources of red (R), green (G), and blue (B), respectively. The display device 32 is an image forming unit that forms a projection image through the light output from the light-emitting unit 31 and outputs it to the outside. In this embodiment, a DLP (Digital Light Processing) is used as the display device 32. In the following description, the "display device 32" may also be written as "DLP 32". Note that the light-emitting unit 31 and the DLP 32 may be replaced with other elements that can perform their respective functions. In other words, although an LED is used as the light-emitting unit 31, a halogen lamp or the like may also be used. Furthermore, although a DLP is used as the display device, a liquid crystal display device may also be used.

8, the information transmission system of the image projection device 1 is shown by a solid line, the power supply system is shown by a thick solid line, and the optical system is shown by a dotted line. As shown in FIG. 8, the information transmission system of the image projection device 1 outputs a control signal from the control board 6 to the light-emitting unit 31 of the projection unit 3 and the display device 32 (DLP). In addition, in the power supply system of the image projection device 1, power is first supplied from the battery 7 to the control board 6, and then power is supplied from the control board 6 to the light-emitting unit 31 of the projection unit 3 and the DLP 32 via the wiring 14. In particular, in this embodiment, a switching unit 18 is disposed on the wiring 14 between the control board 6 and the projection unit 3. The switching unit 18 can be switched between an on state and an off state by an operation input of the switch 4 as an operation unit. FIG. 8 shows the switching unit 18 in an off state.

When the switching unit 18 is in the ON state, it supplies power to the light-emitting unit 31 and DLP 32 of the projection unit 3, and when it is in the OFF state, it stops the power supply to the light-emitting unit 31 and DLP 32 of the projection unit 3. Meanwhile, regardless of whether the switching unit 18 is ON or OFF, power is always supplied to the control board 6 from the battery 7. This allows the switching unit 18 to switch between the projection state and non-projection state of the projection unit 3, i.e., between turning on/off the light-emitting unit 31 and operating/stopping the DLP 32, in response to an operation input to the operation unit 4, while maintaining the activated state of the control board 6.

In this way, the projection state and non-projection state of the projection unit 3 can be switched in response to switching between the on and off states of the switching unit 18 in response to the operation of the switch 4 (projection button 4) by the operator. Therefore, the image projection device 1 of this embodiment can be switched to a non-projection state as appropriate when image projection is not required even during operation, thereby reducing power consumption, extending the life of the projection unit 3, and reducing heat generation. In addition, since the control board 6 is maintained in an activated state even when the projection unit 3 is in a non-projection state, the projection unit 3 can start up more quickly when switching back to the projection state, compared to a configuration in which both the projection unit 3 and the control board 6 are stopped, such as in a conventional standby mode. This makes it possible to project images in a timely manner in response to the operator's switch operation, improving the operability of the device.

The projection button 4 is a push button switch. Therefore, while the operator is pressing the projection button 4 (i.e., while the operation unit 4 is being pressed), the projection unit 3 is in a projection state (the light-emitting unit 31 is on and the DLP 32 is in an operating state), and when the operator's hand leaves the switch 4 (i.e., when the operation unit 4 is not being pressed), the projection unit 3 is in a non-projection state (the light-emitting unit 31 is off and the DLP 32 is in a stopped state). This allows the timing when the operator wants to project an image to coincide with the timing when the switch 4 is pressed, providing the operator with a more intuitive feeling of operation using a so-called momentary switch. Furthermore, the switch 4 is a button for switching between projection and non-projection for the operator, and can also be called a projection button.

In the example of FIG. 8, the switching unit 18 switches between the presence and absence of power supply from the control board 6 to both the light-emitting unit 31 and the DLP 32, but the switching unit 18 may be disposed at a position on the wiring 14 where it can switch between the presence and absence of power supply to only one of the light-emitting unit 31 or the DLP 32. It is sufficient for the switching unit 18 to be able to switch between at least a projection state in which an image is projected from the projection unit 3 to the outside, and a non-projection state in which an image is not projected from the projection unit 3 to the outside.

Figure 9 is a block diagram of a modified example of the image projection device 1. The outline of the block diagram shown in Figure 9 is similar to that of Figure 5.

As another example of the configuration of the switching unit 18, as shown in FIG. 9, it has an MCU 18A that detects the pressing of the switch 4, and while it detects the pressing of the switch 4, as an example, it supplies power to the light-emitting unit 31 and the display device 32 so that the projection state is established. Then, while it does not detect the pressing, it does not supply power to the light-emitting unit 31 and the display device 32 so that the non-projection state is established. In this case, the control board 6 functions as a switching unit that switches between the projection state and the non-projection state.

In other words, in the configuration shown in FIG. 9, the control board 6 serves as a switching unit that switches between energized (on state) and de-energized (off state) lines 14 between the control board 6 and the projection unit 3 in response to an operational input from the switch 4 serving as an operating unit, and instead of the switching unit 18 provided on the line 14 in FIG. 8 and performing physical switching, the control board 6 performs the switching electrically.

The control board 6 can control the projection state and projection off state of the projection unit 3. The control board 6 has an MCU 18A (Micro Controller Unit) built in. The MCU 18A can detect the pressed/unpressed state of the switch 4 electrically connected to the control board 6.

Furthermore, in momentary mode, the control board 6 supplies power to the projection unit 3 via the line 14 while the switch 4 is pressed, based on the information on the pressed/unpressed state of the switch 4 detected by the MCU 18A, to set the projection unit 3 in the projection state.

In other words, in the case of the modified example shown in FIG. 9, the control board 6 functions as a switching unit that switches between supplying and not supplying power to the projection unit 3 in response to pressing the switch 4 (operation unit).

In FIG. 9, switch 4 is connected to ground (GND) and the pressed/unpressed state of switch 4 is detected by the change from the reference voltage, but this is not limited as long as the pressed/unpressed state of switch 4 can be detected.

Figure 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the image projection device 1. In the image projection device 1 according to the embodiment, the positional relationship between the projection unit 3, the control board 6, and the battery 7 housed in the main body 2 can be expressed succinctly as follows. That is, the projection unit 3 is installed in the convex portion 2D that protrudes from the main body 2 in the projection direction (x-positive direction, light) of the projection unit 3 (including a configuration in which at least a part of the tip side of the projection unit 3 is arranged in the convex portion 2D). Then, any two of the projection unit 3, the control board 6, and the battery 7 are arranged in the main body 2 in parallel in the direction of the optical axis of the light (x-direction), and any two of the projection unit 3, the control board 6, and the battery 7 are arranged in the main body 2 in parallel along the vertical direction (z-direction) of the projection image of the projection unit 3. And, of such positional relationships, particularly in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, the control board 6 is arranged on the opposite side of the projection direction (x-negative direction side) with respect to the projection unit 3, and the battery 7 is arranged below the control board 6 in the vertical direction. In other words, like the control board 6, the battery 7 is also located on the opposite side of the projection direction (negative x direction) from the projection unit 3.

By positioning the projection unit 3, control board 6, and battery 7 in this way, two of the optical unit (projection unit 3), control board 6 (control unit), and battery 7 are arranged side by side horizontally (x direction), and the remaining one is arranged overlapping the two horizontal ones in the vertical direction (z direction). With this configuration, the image projection device 1 can be miniaturized to a compact size that is easy to hold.

A partition member 8 is also disposed inside the main body 2. The partition member 8 separates at least the battery 7 from the projection unit 3 and the control board 6. In particular, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the partition member 8 is a plate-shaped member, and is disposed so that a first surface 85 faces the negative z direction of a pair of main surfaces, and a second surface 86 faces the negative z direction. The battery 7 is disposed on the first surface 85 side of the partition member 8, and the control board 6 and the projection unit 3 are disposed on the second surface 86 side opposite the first surface 85.

In this way, by dividing the internal space of the main body 2 so that only the battery 7 is housed in a separate room using the partition member 8, the LEDs of the optical unit of the projection unit 3 and the semiconductors of the control board 6 can be kept away from the heat emitted by the battery 7 and insulated from the heat.

As shown in FIG. 10, the upper surface of the main body 2 is preferably a curved surface that curves toward the bottom surface B along the projection direction (x direction). The shape of this curved surface can also be expressed as "curved so as to approach the bottom surface B from the x-axis direction in the cross-sectional shape viewed from the y direction" or "the center of curvature of the curved surface shape of the cross-section viewed from the y direction is in the direction of the bottom surface B rather than the position of the upper surface". Furthermore, the upper surface of the convex portion 2D is also a curved surface similar to the upper surface of the main body 2, and it is preferable that the curved surface of the upper surface of the main body 2 and the curved surface of the upper surface of the convex portion 2D are continuously connected. "Continuously connected" can also be said to mean that the curvatures of both curved surfaces at the connected points are approximately the same. These configurations also make it easier to hold. In other words, the upper surface of the main body 2 is curved so as to protrude toward the opposite side to the bottom surface B side (z positive direction side), and the upper surface of the convex portion 2D is also curved so as to protrude toward the opposite side to the bottom surface B side. The surface where the top surface of the main body 2 and the top surface of the protruding portion 2D are continuous is curved so as to protrude on the side opposite the bottom surface B.

As shown in FIG. 10, the main body 2 is provided with a tripod screw female thread portion 17 that opens onto the underside on the negative z side for attaching a tripod to the main body 2. The tripod screw female thread portion 17 (tapped hole) is disposed between the battery 7 and the projection unit 3 (or the control board 6). This provides the main body 2 with a tripod screw fixing function, and also allows space to be saved without increasing the size of the main body 2.

Furthermore, referring to FIG. 10, the female thread portion 17 for the tripod screw is arranged in a region that overlaps with the gap f in the x direction between the battery 7 and the projection unit 3 or control board 6 (projection unit 3 in the example of FIG. 10) that is arranged in parallel with the battery 7 along the projection direction, when viewed from above and below (z direction).

In other words, in the example of Figure 10, the gap f (circled space) between the battery 7 and the projection unit 3 arranged in parallel along the projection direction (x direction) and the portion of the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw on the negative x side of the axis L2 are arranged to overlap when viewed from the top-bottom direction (z direction). As another example, if the aforementioned gap f is equal to or greater than the diameter of the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw, the entire female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw can be arranged in a region that overlaps with this gap f when viewed from the top-bottom direction (z direction).

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10, the projection unit 3 is arranged so that at least a portion of the projection unit 3 overlaps the axial direction L2 of the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw. The angle α between the axial direction L2 of the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw and the optical axis direction L1 of the projection unit 3 is an acute angle. By arranging the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw so that it overlaps a portion of the projection unit 3, the extension of the main body dimension in the projection direction (x direction) can be further suppressed even if the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw is provided, and space can be saved.

Figure 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the tripod mounting hole (female threaded portion 17 for tripod screw). As shown in Figure 11, a step g is provided between the starting point of the female threaded portion 17 for tripod screw and the outer surface of the main body 2. In other words, the insertion surface of the female threaded portion 17 for tripod screw is positioned at a position recessed toward the inside of the main body (positive z direction side) with respect to the outer surface of the main body 2, and the mounting portion on the outer surface of the main body 2 is in surface contact with the tripod side. In this way, by recessing the tripod mounting hole by one step, when attaching the tripod holder (male thread side), the tripod holder can be received in a balanced manner on the flat surface of the main body exterior surface (bottom surface) without hitting the tripod mounting hole first.

Figure 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the tripod mounting hole. As shown in Figure 12, a part h of the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw may be inserted and arranged in the area in which the battery 7 is accommodated, which is partitioned by the partition member 8 inside the main body 2. As an example of realizing such a configuration, the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw is arranged so that the angle α between the axial direction L2 of the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw and the optical axis direction L1 of the projection unit 3 is a right angle. In this way, by arranging the part h of the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw overlapping with the room of the battery 7, it is possible to save space in the longitudinal direction (x direction) of the main body 2. Furthermore, if the axial direction L2 of the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw and the optical axis direction L1 of the projection unit 3 are orthogonal as shown in Figure 12, the main body 2 can be supported at the same angle as when projecting with one hand even when the main body 2 is installed on a tripod, so that projection close to that when operating with one hand is possible even when using a tripod. This makes it easier to use the tripod and allows for longer projection times than when the user holds the device, making the image projection device 1 easier to use.

Also, as shown in FIG. 12, the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw may be arranged to penetrate a part of the projection unit 3 (in other words, to be embedded into the interior of the projection unit 3). This makes it possible to suppress the extension of the main body dimensions in the vertical direction, even if the tip of the female threaded portion 17 for the tripod screw on the z positive side is arranged to overlap with the projection unit 3, thereby enabling space saving.

1, 6, 7, etc., the main body 2 is provided with a dial 15 for adjusting the focus of the projection image projected by the projection unit 3. The dial 15 is arranged on a protrusion 2F formed by rising convexly from the side surface 2H on the y-negative side of the convex portion 2D of the main body 2 to the y-negative side. Also, as shown as a hatched area in Figs. 2 and 7, a finger hook 2I for holding the main body 2 with one hand is arranged on the convex portion 2D. This finger hook 2I is arranged along the y-direction with a predetermined width in the x-direction on the surface 2E on the z-negative side of the convex portion 2D. For example, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, when the main body 2 is held with one hand H, the middle finger is arranged along this finger hook 2I. And, as shown in Fig. 7, the dial 15 and the finger hook 2I are arranged so that at least a part of them overlap when viewed from the vertical direction (z direction). The operation direction of the dial 15 is the vertical direction. By arranging the dial 15 in this manner, as shown in FIG. 6, for example, the dial 15 is positioned at a position that is easy to operate with the tip of the middle finger placed on the finger loop 2I when holding the device in one hand, and the dial 15 is arranged so that it rotates in a direction that makes it easy to operate. This makes it possible to operate the dial 15 with the tip of the middle finger while the middle finger is placed on the finger loop 2I, making it possible to hold the main body 2 and operate the dial 15 at the same time.

As shown in FIG. 4, the main body 2 has a first side surface (i.e., the end surface 2G of the protruding portion 2F) on which the dial 15 is provided, and a second side surface (i.e., the side surface 2H on the negative y direction side of the protruding portion 2D of the main body 2) that is disposed below the first side surface 2G and is recessed from the first side surface 2G. In other words, the main body 2 has a first side surface 2G in the short direction in the lateral direction on which the dial 15 is disposed, and a different second side surface 2H that forms a step below the first side surface 2G, and the lower end of the first side surface 2G is disposed below the optical axis center L1, and the distance d2 from the optical axis center L1 to the second side surface 2H is shorter than the distance d1 to the first side surface 2G. With this configuration, the surface 2H below the dial 15 is recessed by one step, making it easier to touch the dial 15 and adjust it.

Figure 13 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the projection button 4. As shown in Figure 13, the projection button 4 for inputting an operation to switch the projection unit 3 between a projection state and a non-projection state is provided on the surface of the main body 2. This projection button 4 is a movable member that moves downward when pressed. When moved downward, a protrusion provided on the underside of the button presses a switch provided on the control board 6, allowing the control board 6 to detect the pressing of the projection button 4.

As shown in FIG. 13, the outer edge 4A of the projection button 4 protrudes outward (upward, in the positive z direction in FIG. 13) from the surface of the main body 2. Because the projection button 4 is convex from the exterior surface (upper cover 21), the projection button 4 is easy to press. Note that it is not necessary for the entire outer edge 4A to protrude upward from the surface of the main body 2; it may be configured so that at least a portion of it protrudes.

As shown in FIG. 13, the center 4B of the projection button 4 is recessed from the surface of the main body 2. In other words, the upper surface of the pressing portion of the projection button 4 becomes concave from the outer periphery toward the center. In this way, the projection button 4 has a concave shape at the center, making it easy to press as the thumb fits snugly against it. The projection button 4 is the button that is pressed most frequently on the image projection device 1, and so it is differentiated from the other buttons.

Figure 14 is a side cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the power button 11. As shown in Figure 14, the power button 11 for inputting an operation to switch the power supply on and off is provided on the surface of the main body 2. This power button 11 is a movable member that moves downward when pressed. When moved downward, a protrusion provided on the underside of the button presses a switch provided on the switch board 23, allowing the switch board 23 to detect the pressing of the power button 11.

As shown in FIG. 14, the power button 11 is held by a ring-shaped support member 19 formed along its outer edge, and the outer end face 19A (z positive direction side) of the support member 19 is formed in an inclined shape that is recessed toward the inside of the main body 2 as it moves toward the center of the ring. As a result, the power button 11 is held by the inclined support member 19, and only the button can move to press the power switch on the switch board 23.

The power button 11 is recessed toward the inside of the main body 2 (negative z direction) with respect to the surface of the main body 2. The power button 11 is recessed further than the projection button 4, and the support member 19 has a sloped shape, which allows the height and shape of the power button to be differentiated from the projection button 4, preventing erroneous button presses. The outer edge of the support member 19 may be configured such that all or part of it protrudes outward (upward) from the surface of the main body 2.

Figure 15 is a perspective view of the integrally molded part 20 of the power button 11 and the button group 12. As shown in Figures 1 and 14, the button group 12 is provided on the surface of the main body 2. Each button in the button group 12 is also a movable member that moves downward when pressed. When moved downward, a protrusion on the underside of the button presses a switch provided on the switch board 23, allowing the switch board 23 to detect the pressing of any button in the button group 12.

As shown in FIG. 15, the button group 12 and the power button 11 are integrally formed as a single integrally molded part 20. The integrally molded part 20 has parts corresponding to the power button 11 and the button group 12, and a connecting part 20A connecting these parts. The connecting part 20A is fixed to the top cover 21, so that the power button 11 and the button group 12 can be moved individually.

The integrally molded part 20 is formed entirely from an elastic material, for example. Alternatively, the connecting part 20A and the button part may be molded from different materials, such as by molding the connecting part from resin and the button part from an elastic material such as rubber. In short, any material may be used as long as the power button 11 and the button group 12 can be moved independently.

16 is a diagram for explaining a method of attaching the integrally molded part 20. As shown in FIG. 16, the integrally molded part 20 is attached by being pressed against the upper cover 21 of the main body 2 by the switch board 23. The switch board 23 is provided with a power switch that is pressed by the power button 11 and a switch group that is pressed by the button group 12. The switch board 23 is attached to the upper cover 21 of the main body 2 by pressing the integrally molded part 20 that is joined from the inside of the upper cover 21 of the main body 2. Also, as shown in FIG. 16, a support member 19 is disposed between the integrally molded part 20 and the upper cover 21, and the part of the integrally molded part 20 where the power button 11 is located is fitted into the central hole of the support member 19. In this way, the power button 11, the button group 12, and the switch board 23 are attached to the upper cover 21 as a unit, and can be removed as a unit, improving maintainability.

As shown in FIG. 5, the projection unit 3, control board 6, and battery 7 are attached to the upper cover 21 of the main body 2 in a state where they are fixed to the partition member 8 and integrated together. The projection unit 3 is fixed to the projection unit installation section 81 arranged on the x-positive side and the z-positive side of the partition member 8. The control board 6 is fixed to the control board installation section 82 arranged on the x-negative side and the z-positive side of the partition member 8. The battery 7 is fixed to the battery installation section 83 arranged on the x-negative side and the z-negative side of the partition member 8. Then, the partition member 8 with the projection unit 3, control board 6, and battery 7 fixed to the projection unit installation section 81, control board installation section 82, and battery installation section 83, respectively, is connected and fixed to the upper cover 21.

With this configuration, the projection unit 3, control board 6, and battery 7 are pressed against and fixed to the partition member 8 to form an integrated unit, and can be attached and detached in the vertical direction (z direction) to the top cover 21 of the main body 2. Furthermore, by removing the bottom cover 22 from the main body 2, the image projection device 1 can be disassembled with the projection unit 3, control board 6, and battery 7 integrally connected to the top cover 21 via the partition member 8. Being able to remove them as a unit in this way improves maintainability (ease of replacement work). For example, it becomes easier to replace the battery 7 or to perform maintenance work by removing it once.

Figure 17 is a diagram explaining how to install the battery 7. Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view showing the installed state of the battery 7. As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the side surface of the battery 7 in the width direction (y direction) perpendicular to the up-down direction (z direction) is fixed to the partition member 8 via the elastic member 24A. For example, a sheet-like elastic member 24A of a predetermined thickness is placed on the surface of the inner wall of the battery installation section 83 of the partition member 8 that abuts against the side wall of the battery 7 when the battery 7 is installed. The elastic member 24A is, for example, rubber.

As shown in FIG. 18, when the battery 7 is installed, the elastic member 24A is interposed in the gap between the side wall of the battery 7 and the inner wall of the battery installation section 83, and the side of the battery 7 presses the elastic member 24A against the inner wall, so that the biasing force of the elastic member 24A is applied to the battery 7. This allows the battery 7 to be more firmly clamped by the inner wall of the battery installation section 83, so that the battery 7 can be more firmly fixed to the battery installation section 83 of the partition member 8. In addition, by using a configuration in which the elastic member 24A is clamped, the battery 7 can be easily removed from the battery installation section 83 of the partition member 8 when replacing the battery, as it is not fixed by screws or the like.

The battery 7 is also installed with an elastic member 24B between the upper surface or the lower surface in the vertical direction (z direction) and the partition member 8 or main body 2 that faces the surface. In the example of Fig. 17 and Fig. 18, the battery 7 is installed with an elastic member 24B interposed between the upper surface of the battery 7 and the battery installation part 83 of the partition member 8 that faces the upper surface. As shown in Fig. 18, the battery 7 is also installed with an elastic member 24B interposed between the lower surface of the battery 7 and the inner wall of the lower cover 22 of the main body 2 that faces the lower surface. By clamping the battery 7 with the elastic members 24B from both sides in the vertical direction in this way, it is possible to prevent the battery 7 from vibrating or moving relative to the main body 2. Note that the elastic member 24B may be arranged only on either the upper surface or the lower surface of the battery 7.

Figure 19 is a diagram showing a modified pattern on the operation surface of the dial 15. As described with reference to Figure 7 and the like, in this embodiment, the outer peripheral surface used for rotating the dial 15 is formed with a slit recessed toward the rotation axis L3 side of the dial 15, and the shape of the slit is a line formed along the axial direction. However, the shape of this slit may be other than linear. For example, as in the operation surfaces 15A, 15B, and 15C (outer peripheral surfaces of cylindrical dials) shown in (A), (B), and (C) of Figure 19, the shape of the slit may be a shape other than linear, such as a rhombus, ellipse, or circle. By having a slit on the dial 15, it is possible to easily hook a finger, improve the grip when turning the dial 15, and make it easier to turn.

Figure 20 is a perspective cross-sectional view showing the mounting position of the dial 15. As shown in Figure 20, the rotation axis L3 of the dial 15 is housed inside the outer surface of the main body 2 (in the example of Figure 20, on the y-positive side inside the main body 2 from the side surface 2G). This configuration reduces the protrusion of the dial 15 in the outer diameter direction, making it possible to save space.

As shown in FIG. 5, the speaker 16 is disposed inside the main body 2. The speaker 16 is fixed to the partition member 8. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the speaker 16 is disposed along the side of the battery 7 and is fixed by pressing it against the speaker mounting portion 84 adjacent to the battery mounting portion 83 of the partition member 8. For example, the speaker 16 is a pair, and is disposed on a pair of opposing side surfaces of the battery 7. When installed inside the main body 2, this pair of speakers 16 is disposed so as to emit sound in a direction (both sides in the y direction) perpendicular to the optical axis direction (x direction) of the projection unit 3.

The speaker 16 is fixed to the speaker installation portion 84 of the partition member 8 by pressing it through the elastic body 16A. The speaker 16 is covered with the elastic body 16A so that it is in contact with at least the speaker installation portion 84 of the partition member 8 through the elastic body 16A. The speaker 16 may be covered all around with the elastic body 16A. This allows the elastic body 16A to absorb vibrations from the outside, making the speaker 16 less susceptible to the effects of vibrations. In addition, the speaker 16 is pressed into the partition member 8 through the elastic body 16A rather than fixed with screws, making it easy to attach and detach the speaker 16 from the partition member 8.

Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the tip 2A of the convex portion 2D of the main body 2. Figure 22 is a diagram explaining a method of attaching the cover member 25. As shown in Figure 21, the projection unit 3 is arranged to project an image to the outside from an opening 2C provided in the lower cover 22 of the main body 2. A cover member 25 that protects the lens unit 3A of the projection unit 3 is provided in the opening 2C. As shown in Figure 22, the cover member 25 is inserted between a pair of vertical wall portions 26 that are erected on the inner wall of the lower cover 22 across the opening 2C, and is pressed and fixed into the gap between the support portion 27 formed by advancing from the x-negative side end face to the central opening 2C side along the y direction at the bottom of the pair of vertical wall portions 26 and the inner wall of the lower cover 22. As a result, as shown in Figure 21, the cover member 25 is arranged at a position farther away from the lens unit 3A in the projection direction (x-positive side). This configuration makes it possible to prevent scratches and dirt on the lens unit 3A of the projection unit 3. By covering the opening 2C through which the projection unit 3 projects an image with the cover member 25, it is possible to prevent the user's finger or a thin rod-shaped object from being inserted from outside, and it becomes impossible to directly touch the lens portion 3A of the projection unit 3 from outside.

The cover member 25 is transparent or translucent, and transmits the light projected from the projection unit 3. This allows the light projected from the lens unit 3A of the projection unit 3 to be projected without being blocked by the cover member 25. The cover member 25 can be made of a material such as a resin, such as acrylic, polycarbonate, or polystyrene, or glass.

As shown in FIG. 20 and other figures, the main body 2 is formed by mating an upper cover 21 arranged on the upper side in the vertical direction with a lower cover 22 arranged on the lower side. In the mating portion 28 between the upper cover 21 and the lower cover 22, an upper convex portion 29 extending along the upper mating surface of the upper cover 21 and protruding from the upper mating surface, and a lower convex portion 30 extending along the lower mating surface of the lower cover 22 and protruding from the lower mating surface, overlap along the extending direction of the upper mating surface and the lower mating surface (i.e., the x direction or the y direction). In the example of FIG. 20, the upper convex portion 29 is formed to protrude from the upper mating surface in the negative z direction, and the lower convex portion 30 is formed to protrude from the lower mating surface in the positive z direction, and are arranged to overlap when viewed from the y direction (the direction connecting the inside and outside on the side of the main body 2). This configuration allows the upper cover 21 and the lower cover 22 to fit securely together, effectively preventing the upper cover 21 and the lower cover 22 from shifting in the x and y directions when the main body 2 is being held and operated, allowing for more stable operation.

As described with reference to FIG. 14 etc., the power button 11 is held by an annular support member 19 formed along its outer edge. This support member 19 may be formed of a light-guiding material, and a light source that illuminates the support member 19 may be disposed inside the main body 2. This allows the user to be more clearly informed of the position of the power button 11. As described above, as shown in FIG. 20, the upper convex portion 29 and the lower convex portion 30 overlap the mating portion 28 of the upper cover 21 and the lower cover 22, preventing light leakage from the gap in the mating portion 28.

Modified examples of the internal arrangement of the main body 2 of the image projection device 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 23 to 28. Fig. 23 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a first modified example of the internal arrangement. In the first modified example shown in Fig. 23, the partition member 8A separates the battery 7, the projection unit 3, and the control board 6 from each other inside the main body 2. In the configuration of the embodiment shown in Fig. 10 and other figures, the battery 7 can be a heat source, so a configuration is shown in which only the battery 7 is separated from the other elements in a separate room. However, the projection unit 3 and the control board 6 can also be separate heat sources. Therefore, by dividing the internal space so that the battery 7, the projection unit 3, and the control board 6 are arranged in separate rooms inside the main body 2 as shown in Fig. 23, the impact of heat generation from one element on the other elements can be further reduced.

Furthermore, any two of the projection unit 3, control board 6, and battery 7 may be arranged in parallel in the direction of the optical axis of the light from the projection unit 3, and any two may be arranged along the vertical direction of the projection image of the projection unit 3. Therefore, an arrangement other than the arrangement shown in FIG. 10, etc., in which only the projection unit 3 is in the front (positive x-direction side), the control board 6 is in the upper rear (negative x-direction side), and the battery 7 is in the lower rear may be used. Specific examples of such arrangements are shown below.

Figure 24 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a second modified internal layout. In the second modified example shown in Figure 24, the partition member 8B houses only the projection unit 3 in the protruding portion 2D at the front of the main body 2, and places the battery 7 at the top and rear of the main body 2 relative to the projection unit 3, and the control board 6 below the battery 7.

Figure 25 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a third modified internal layout. In the third modified example shown in Figure 25, the partition member 8C accommodates the projection unit 3 and control board 6 in the protruding portion 2D at the front of the main body 2, with the control board 6 located above the projection unit 3 and the battery 7 located behind the main body 2 relative to the projection unit 3.

Figure 26 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a fourth modified internal layout. In the fourth modified example shown in Figure 26, the partition member 8D houses the projection unit 3 and control board 6 in the protruding portion 2D at the front of the main body 2, the control board 6 is disposed below the projection unit 3, and the battery 7 is disposed behind the main body 2 with respect to the projection unit 3.

Figure 27 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a fifth modified internal arrangement. In the fifth modified example shown in Figure 27, the partition member 8E houses the projection unit 3 and battery 7 in the protruding portion 2D at the front of the main body 2, the battery 7 is disposed below the projection unit 3, and the control board 6 is disposed behind the main body 2 with respect to the projection unit 3.

Figure 28 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a sixth modified internal arrangement. In the sixth modified internal arrangement shown in Figure 28, the partition member 8F accommodates the projection unit 3 and the battery 7 in the protruding portion 2D at the front of the main body 2, with the battery 7 located above the projection unit 3 and the control board 6 located behind the main body 2 relative to the projection unit 3.

The present embodiment has been described above with reference to specific examples. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. Design modifications to these specific examples made by a person skilled in the art are also included within the scope of the present disclosure as long as they have the features of the present disclosure. The elements of each of the above-mentioned specific examples, as well as their arrangement, conditions, shape, etc., are not limited to those exemplified and can be modified as appropriate. The elements of each of the above-mentioned specific examples can be combined in different ways as appropriate, as long as no technical contradictions arise.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Image projection device 2 Main body 2D Convex portion 21 Upper cover 22 Lower cover 3 Projection portion 4 Projection button 4A Outer edge portion 4B Center portion 6 Control board (control portion)
7 Battery 8, 8A to 8F Partition member 11 Power button 12 Button group 15 Dial
16 Speaker 16A Elastic body 17 Female thread for tripod screw 19 Support member 20 Integral molded part 23 Switch board 24A, 24B Elastic member 25 Cover member L Light L1 Optical axis L2 Axis of tripod mounting hole L3 Dial axis d1 Distance between protrusion and optical axis d2 Distance between side of main body and optical axis

Patent No. 4994744

Claims (30)

a projection unit that projects an image by irradiating light;
A control unit that controls an operation of the projection unit;
a battery for supplying power to the projection unit and the control unit;
a main body in which the projection unit, the control unit, and the battery are disposed;
In an image projection device having
The main body has a protrusion protruding in the optical axis direction of the light,
At least a part of the projection portion is disposed on the protruding portion,
Any two of the projection unit, the control unit, and the battery are arranged in parallel in the direction of the optical axis of the light in the main body,
Any two of the projection unit, the control unit, and the battery are arranged vertically in the main body ,
The main body has a bottom surface facing downward in the vertical direction and a top surface facing upward in the vertical direction,
The protrusion has an upper surface facing upward in the up-down direction,
the upper surface of the main body and the upper surface of the convex portion are continuously connected to each other so that the curvatures of the connected portions match each other;
A surface where the upper surface of the main body and the upper surface of the convex portion are continuous is curved so as to protrude toward the opposite side to the bottom surface side.
Image projection device. A partition member is provided inside the main body,
The partition member separates at least the battery from the projection unit and the control unit.
The image projection device according to claim 1 . the control unit is disposed on an opposite side of the projection unit in a projection direction of the projection unit,
The battery is disposed below the control unit in the up-down direction.
The image projection device according to claim 2 . the battery is disposed on a first surface side of the partition member, and the control unit and the projection unit are disposed on a second surface side opposite to the first surface.
The image projection device according to claim 3 . The partition member divides the battery, the projection unit, and the control unit into separate compartments inside the main body.
The image projection device according to any one of claims 2 to 4. The main body has a female thread for a tripod screw,
The female screw portion for the tripod screw is arranged in an area that overlaps a gap between the battery and the projection unit or the control unit that is arranged in parallel with the battery along the direction of the optical axis of the light when viewed from the up-down direction.
The image projection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The main body has a female thread for a tripod screw,
The female screw portion for the tripod screw is disposed between the battery and the projection unit or the control unit that is disposed in parallel with the battery along the direction of the optical axis of the light.
The image projection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. a dial for adjusting a focus of the image projected by the projection unit;
The dial is disposed on a side surface of the protrusion,
A finger hook for holding the main body with one hand is disposed on the protruding portion,
the dial and the finger hook portion are arranged to at least partially overlap each other when viewed from the up-down direction,
The operation direction of the dial is the up and down direction.
The image projection device according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The main body has a first side surface on which the dial is provided, and a second side surface that is disposed below the first side surface and is recessed with respect to the first side surface.
The image projection device according to claim 8. The projection unit is disposed so that at least a portion of the projection unit overlaps with an axial direction of the female screw portion for a tripod screw, and an angle between the axial direction of the female screw portion for a tripod screw and an optical axis direction of the projection unit is an acute angle.
8. The image projection device according to claim 6 or 7. a part of the female threaded portion for a tripod screw is disposed in a region in the main body, the region being partitioned by a partition member and in which the battery is housed;
The image projection device according to claim 10. The angle between the axial direction of the female screw portion for the tripod screw and the optical axis direction of the projection unit is a right angle.
8. The image projection device according to claim 6 or 7. A step is provided between the start point of the female screw portion for the tripod screw and the outer surface of the main body.
13. The image projection device according to claim 6, 7, or 10 to 12. a projection button for inputting an operation for switching between a projection state and a non-projection state of the projection unit is provided on a surface of the main body;
The outer edge of the projection button protrudes from the surface.
The image projection device according to any one of claims 1 to 13. The center of the projection button is recessed from the surface.
The image projection device according to claim 14. A power button for inputting an operation to switch the power supply on and off is provided on the surface of the main body,
The power button is held by an annular support member formed along its outer edge, and the outer end surface of the support member is formed in an inclined shape that is recessed toward the inside of the main body as it moves toward the center of the annulus.
The image projection device according to any one of claims 1 to 15. The power button is recessed relative to the surface of the main body.
17. The image projection device according to claim 16. a group of buttons is provided on the surface of the main body, and the group of buttons and the power button are a single integrally molded part;
18. The image projection device according to claim 16 or 17. a switch board on which a power switch to be pressed by the power button and a group of switches to be pressed by the group of buttons are provided,
The switch board is attached to the main body by pressing the integrally molded parts from the inside of the main body.
20. The image projection device according to claim 18. The main body is formed by combining an upper cover disposed on the upper side in the vertical direction and a lower cover disposed on the lower side,
A partition member is provided inside the main body,
the projection unit, the control unit, and the battery are fixed to the partition member and attached to the upper cover;
The image projection device according to any one of claims 1 to 19. A partition member is provided inside the main body,
The battery has a widthwise side surface perpendicular to the up-down direction, the widthwise side surface being fixed to the partition member via an elastic member.
The image projection device according to any one of claims 1 to 20. The battery is installed with an elastic member interposed between an upper surface on the upper side or a lower surface on the lower side in the vertical direction and the partition plate or the main body facing the upper surface or the lower surface.
22. The image projection device according to claim 21. the main body has a dial for adjusting a focus of the image projected by the projection unit,
A slit is formed on the outer peripheral surface used for rotating the dial, the slit being recessed toward the rotation shaft of the dial;
The shape of the slit includes diamond, circle, ellipse, and line.
The image projection device according to any one of claims 1 to 22. the main body has a dial for adjusting a focus of the image projected by the projection unit,
The rotation axis of the dial is housed inside the outer surface of the main body.
The image projection device according to any one of claims 1 to 23. A speaker disposed inside the main body,
The speaker is fixed to a partition member.
The image projection device according to any one of claims 1 to 24. The speaker is surrounded by an elastic body and is fixed to the partition member by being pressed against the elastic body.
26. The image projection device according to claim 25. The main body is formed by combining an upper cover disposed on the upper side in the vertical direction and a lower cover disposed on the lower side,
At the mating portion between the upper cover and the lower cover, an upper convex portion extending along the upper mating surface of the upper cover and protruding from the upper mating surface, and a lower convex portion extending along the lower mating surface of the lower cover and protruding from the lower mating surface, are superimposed along the extending direction of the upper mating surface and the lower mating surface.
The image projection device according to any one of claims 1 to 26. A power button for inputting an operation to switch the power supply on and off is provided on the surface of the main body,
The power button is supported by an annular support member formed along an outer edge of the power button.
The support member is made of a light-guiding material, and a light source for illuminating the support member is disposed inside the body.
28. The image projection device according to claim 27. The main body is formed by combining an upper cover disposed on the upper side in the vertical direction and a lower cover disposed on the lower side,
the projection unit is disposed to project an image to the outside through an opening provided in the lower cover,
A cover member for protecting a lens of the projection unit is pressed and fixed to the lower cover in the opening,
The cover member is disposed at a position farther away from the lens in the projection direction of the projection unit.
The image projection device according to any one of claims 1 to 28. The cover member is transparent or translucent and transmits light projected from the projection unit.
30. The image projection device according to claim 29.

Images