Overhead projector for flat panel display capability

An overhead projector for displaying an image within a flat panel display matrix of a display assembly, said overhead projector comprising:

• an illuminated display screen for radiating light through said flat panel display matrix to project said image on a receiving surface;
• a pair of tracks positioned on opposite sides of said illuminated display screen for supporting said display assembly thereon;
• an air inlet vent positioned adjacent to said illuminated display screen for providing passage to an air current to flow within a channel formed by a top surface of said display screen, side walls of said pair of tracks, and a surface of said display assembly facing said illuminated display screen when said display assembly is positioned on said pair of tracks;
• a fan for causing said air current to flow through said air inlet vent, wherein said air current is for cooling said flat panel display matrix;
• and
• a pair of clamps positioned adjacent to said illuminated display screen for mating with receiving holes within said display assembly for positioning and securing said display assembly with respect to said illuminated display screen.

A display system comprising:

• (a) a flat panel display subsystem, said flat panel display subsystem comprising
• (i) a flat panel display matrix having a first surface for viewing during direct monitoring and an opposite surface for viewing during overhead projection monitoring;
• (ii) a light source positioned along two opposite edges of said flat panel display matrix for providing back-light for said flat panel display matrix;
• and
• (iii) a removable door assembly, adapted for insertion into and removal from said display subsystem, said removable door assembly comprising a light pipe for optically coupling with said light source to uniformly illuminate said flat panel display matrix with said back-light when said removable door assembly is inserted into said display subsystem;
• and
• (b) an overhead projector for displaying an image within said flat panel display matrix of said flat panel display subsystem, said overhead projector comprising:
• (i) an illuminated display screen for radiating light through said flat panel display matrix to project said image on a receiving surface;
• (ii) a pair of tracks positioned on opposite sides of said illuminated display screen for supporting said display assembly thereon;
• and
• (iii) an air inlet vent positioned adjacent to said illuminated display screen for providing passage to an air current to flow within a channel formed by a top surface of said display screen, side walls of said pair of tracks, and a surface of said display assembly facing said illuminated display screen when said display assembly is positioned on said pair of tracks.

A method of displaying an image onto a receiving surface using an overhead projector and a flat panel display matrix, said method comprising the steps of:

• radiating light through a display screen of said overhead projector to illuminate said a flat panel display matrix to project said image on said receiving surface;
• supporting and aligning said flat panel display matrix with a pair of tracks positioned on opposite sides of said display screen of said overhead projector;
• forming an air passage channel out of a top surface of said display screen of said overhead projector, side walls of said pair of tracks, and a surface of said display matrix facing said display screen when said display matrix is positioned on said pair of tracks;
• causing an air current to flow through said air passage and through an air inlet vent of said overhead projector by using a fan, wherein said air current is for cooling said flat panel display matrix;
• sensing whether or not a removable back-lighting assembly is present within a display assembly and generating a first signal indicative thereof, said display assembly containing said flat panel display matrix and a pair of light sources mounted on opposite sides of said flat panel display matrix;
• and
• in response to said first signal being at a first state, automatically turning off said pair of light sources and also displaying said image on said viewing surface from right to left, said first state indicative of said removable back-lighting assembly removed from said display assembly.