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US 6,785,047 B1Granted
Tensioned projection screen apparatus
AssigneeDraper, Inc.
InventorKenneth M. Risher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A projection apparatus is disclosed for displaying an image projected by a projector. The projection screen apparatus includes a frame, a screen, and a screen coupler configured to couple the screen to the frame.
Claims44
A projection screen apparatus for use with a projector configured to project an image to be watched by a viewer, the projection screen apparatus comprising
- a perimeter frame,
- a projection screen tensioned on the perimeter frame and having a substantially blank display surface configured to display images projected by a projector, and
- a screen coupler coupled to the perimeter frame and the projection screen, the screen coupler including an interactive member, the interactive member of the screen coupler being coupled to the perimeter frame at a first predefined position to couple the projection screen to the perimeter frame, the screen coupler being moveable to a second predefined position coupled to the perimeter frame, movement of the interactive member from the first predefined position to the second predefined position increasing the tension in the substantially blank display surface.
A projection screen apparatus for use with a projector configured to project an image to be watched by a viewer, the projection screen apparatus comprising
- a perimeter frame,
- a projection screen tensioned on the perimeter frame and having a substantially blank display surface configured to display images projected by a projector,
- a screen coupler coupled to the perimeter frame and the projection screen, the screen coupler including an interactive member, the interactive member of the screen coupler being coupled to the perimeter frame at a first position to couple the projection screen to the perimeter frame, the screen coupler being moveable to a second position coupled to the perimeter frame, movement of the interactive member from the first position to the second position increasing the tension in the substantially blank display surface, and
- a wall support coupler coupled to the perimeter frame and adapted to support the perimeter frame on a wall of a structure, the substantially blank display surface defining a plane having a first side and an opposite second side, and the wall support coupler being positioned on the first side of the plane and the screen coupler being positioned on the second side of the plane.
1 more element
A projection screen apparatus for use with a projector configured to project an image to be watched by a viewer, the projection screen apparatus comprising
- a perimeter frame,
- a projection screen tensioned on the perimeter frame and having a substantially blank display surface configured to display images projected by a projector, and
- a screen coupler coupled to the perimeter frame and the projection screen, the screen coupler including an interactive member, the interactive member of the screen coupler being coupled to the perimeter frame at a first position to couple the projection screen to the perimeter frame, the screen coupler being moveable to a second position coupled to the perimeter frame, movement of the interactive member from the first position to the second position increasing the tension in the substantially blank display surface, the projection screen being stretchable over a period of time introducing a sag to the substantially blank display surface that noticeably distorts the quality of the images displayed by the projector, movement of the interactive member from the first position to the second position substantially removing the sag from the substantially blank display surface.
A projection screen apparatus for use with a projector configured to project an image to be watched by a viewer, the projection screen apparatus comprising
- a perimeter frame,
- a projection screen tensioned on the perimeter frame and having a substantially blank display surface configured to display images projected by a projector,
- a screen coupler coupled to the perimeter frame and the projection screen, the screen coupler including an interactive member, the interactive member of the screen coupler being coupled to the perimeter frame at a first position to couple the projection screen to the perimeter frame, the screen coupler being moveable to a second position coupled to the perimeter frame, movement of the interactive member from the first position to the second position increasing the tension in the substantially blank display surface, at least one of the interactive member of the coupler and the perimeter frame defining an undercut groove configured to draw the interactive member of the coupler toward the perimeter frame as tension is applied to the projection screen.
A projection screen apparatus comprising
- a perimeter frame,
- a screen tensioned on the perimeter frame, the screen having a substantially flat display portion and a perimeter portion coupled to the display portion and the perimeter frame, the perimeter portion extending in a first linear direction, and
- a screen coupler configured to couple the screen to the perimeter frame, the screen coupler extending in the first linear direction and including an end coupled to the perimeter portion of the screen and an interactive member moveable from a first position coupled to the perimeter frame to a second position coupled to the perimeter frame to increase the tension in the display portion of the screen, the coupler applying tension to the screen in a second linear direction, the end of the coupler being positioned between the interactive member of the coupler and the perimeter portion of the screen along the second linear direction.
A projection screen apparatus comprising
- a perimeter frame,
- a screen tensioned on the perimeter frame, the screen having a substantially flat display portion and a perimeter portion coupled to the display portion and the perimeter frame, the perimeter portion extending in a first linear direction, and
- a screen coupler configured to couple the screen to the perimeter frame, the screen coupler extending in the first linear direction and including an end coupled to the perimeter portion of the screen and an interactive member moveable from a first position coupled to the perimeter frame to a second position coupled to the perimeter frame to increase the tension in the display portion of the screen, the end of the coupler being positioned between the interactive member of the coupler and the perimeter portion of the screen, the projection screen overlapping a wall of the perimeter frame the interactive member of the coupler extending toward the wall of the perimeter frame.
A projection screen apparatus comprising
- a perimeter frame,
- a screen tensioned on the perimeter frame, the screen having a substantially flat display portion and a perimeter portion coupled to the display portion and the perimeter frame, and
- a screen coupler configured to couple the screen to the perimeter frame, the screen coupler including an end coupled to the perimeter portion of the screen and an interactive member moveable from a first position coupled to the perimeter frame to a second position coupled to the perimeter frame to increase the tension in the display portion of the screen, the end of the coupler being positioned between the interactive member of the coupler and the perimeter portion of the screen, the interactive member of the coupler extending toward the display portion of the projection screen.
A projection screen apparatus comprising
- a perimeter frame having a plurality of frame members,
- a projection screen having a viewable portion tensioned on the perimeter frame and a plurality of perimeter portions overlapping different frame members of the perimeter frame, and
- a plurality of screen couplers configured to couple the perimeter portions of the screen to the frame members of the perimeter frame, the screen couplers including an interactive member moveable from a first position on the frame member of the perimeter frame providing a first amount of tension in the projection screen to a second position on the frame member of the perimeter frame providing a second amount of tension in the projection screen that is greater than the first amount of tension in the projection screen, the plurality of screen couplers extending along a majority of the length of the perimeter portions of the projection screen.
A projection screen apparatus comprising
- a perimeter frame having a plurality of frame members,
- a projection screen having a viewable portion tensioned on the perimeter frame and a plurality of perimeter portions overlapping different frame members of the perimeter frame, and
- a plurality of screen couplers configured to couple the perimeter portions of the screen to the frame members of the perimeter frame, the screen couplers including an interactive member moveable from a first position on the frame member of the perimeter frame providing a first amount of tension in the projection screen to a second position on the frame member of the perimeter frame providing a second amount of tension in the projection screen that is greater than the first amount of tension in the projection screen, the perimeter portion overlapping the wall of the perimeter frame defining a plane having a first side and an opposite second side, the wall of the perimeter frame overlapped by the perimeter portion of the projection screen and the interactive member of the coupler being positioned on the first side of the plane.
A projection screen apparatus comprising
- a perimeter frame having a plurality of extended frame members, a first of the plurality of frame members having a first end and a second end spaced apart from the first end, the first and second ends cooperating to define a length of the frame member,
- a substantially blank projection screen, and
- a screen coupler coupled to the frame member and the screen, the screen coupler having a length greater than or equal to the length of the frame member.
A projection screen apparatus for use with a projector configured to project an image to be watched by a viewer, the projection screen apparatus comprising
- a perimeter frame,
- a projection screen including a front display surface positioned to face toward a viewer of a projected image, the display surface defining a plane having a first display side and a second side opposite the first side, and
- a coupler positioned on the first display side of the plane to couple the projection screen to the perimeter frame, the coupler including an interactive member configured to couple with the perimeter frame, the interactive member of the coupler being movable from a first position coupled to the perimeter frame to a second position coupled to the perimeter frame to increase the tension in the screen.
A method for correcting sag in a projection screen apparatus, the method comprising the steps of
- providing an installed projection screen apparatus including a perimeter frame, a projection screen tensioned on the frame, and a coupler configured to couple the projection screen on the perimeter frame, the projection screen having a sag developed over a period of time after the initial installation of the projection screen on the perimeter frame, and
- providing for movement of the position of the coupler relative to the perimeter frame to increase the tension in the screen to substantially remove the sag from the screen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.