GB2056703A - Projector provided with an operating device - Google Patents

Description

SPECIFICATION Projector provided with an operating device This invention relates to an operating device for projectors, said device having a portable remote control element provided with operating buttons. Projectors with remote control are known. Where these projectors are concerned, the remote control element having the control buttons is connected to the projector via a cable. This connecting cable may be visually unattractive and furthermore, may constitute a burden because it reposes in the area of the feet which is substantially darker than the screen during projection and may therefore, easily be overlooked, with the result that one may stumble over it and consequently pull the projector off the table. Accessory devices comprising a transmitter and receiver which can be used as remote control means are also known. These accessory devices have the disadvantage that the receiver has to be connected externally to the projector via a lead making an additional repository area necessary and the entire arrangement bulky and visually unappealing. To this must be added the disadvantage that unless an additional storage space is provided, this accessory device cannot be transported or located in the projector box, which generally makes handling more difficult. The object of the present invention is to provide the projector with an operating device which, according to the wishes of the user, may be used either for remote cable control or close control, as well as for cordless remote or close operation without the need for additional space in the projector. - According to the invention, this object is achieved by so constructing a signal transmitter and a signal receiver that both can be inserted simultaneously in the space normally provided for the remote cable control in the projector, and connecting the receiver to the socket provided for the cable. The invention firstly possesses the advantage of providing a remote control which requires no additional cable for the receiver. The invention has the further advantage that this remote control can be fully integrated into the projector so that the signal transmitter and the signal receiver can be accommodated in the space normally provided for the remote control and its cable. Afurther advantage of the invention lies in the fact that the remote control requires no special conversion parts or conversion work but can be installed by the retailer or can be subsequently converted by the customer or by the user of the projector. All that is necessary is to remove the remote control element orovided.with the remote control buttons and the associated cable of the conventional remote control device and to insert the signal receiver according to the invention in the cable storage compartment and connect it to the existing connecting socket. For the rest, if at any time the signal transmitter or the signal receiver of the remote control device according to the invention requires to be serviced or repaired, then it goes without saying that during the time it is being serviced or repaired the old cable remote control device can be used, a fact which must be regarded as a further advantage of the invention. According to a further feature of the invention, the signal transmitter handpiece is constructed to accommodate the operating keyboard of the cablesupplied remote control element. This further feature of the invention affords the advantage that one and the same operating keyboard can be used both for the conventional cable-supplied remote control device and also for the remote control device according to the invention. According to a further feature of the invention, the signal transmitter is an infra-red transmitter and the signal receiver is an infra-red receiver. However, ultrasonic transmitters and ultrasonic receivers may also be used within the scope of the claims. Expediently, the receiver is made shorter than the length of the cable storage compartment and provided with a plug projecting from its side which is towards the cable socket. This further feature is particularly expedient if the socket is provided in an end face of the cable storage space. It is possible for the signal transmitter to be inserted in the cable storage compartment at right-angles to its longitudinal axis and then displaced in the direction of its longitudinal axis sufficiently forthe plug located on the signal receiver to engage in the socket and the desired connection established. In the case of yet a furtherfeature of the invention, the receiver has recess into which the transmitter can be inserted. Advantageously, contact pins project from the receiver into the recess. Upon insertion of the transmitter into the recess, these contact pins enter sockets in the transmitter and supply the latter with electric current. Preferably, an eye on the transmitter and at least part of a sensor on the receiver are provided in two areas which are opposite each other when the transmitter is inserted in the recess in the receiver. This further feature of the invention permits of stationary use of the transmitter as an operating element. The invention will be described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a section through a part of a projector with a conventional cable-operated control device; Figure 2 is a cross-section similar to that of Figure 1, through a part of a projector with a remote control device according to the invention; and Figure 3 shows a section through a further embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 shows, in cross-section, a projector side wall 10 and a housing wall 12 which between them form a cable storage compartment 14. The upper part of this cable compartment 14 contains a remote control handpiece 16 having operating buttons 18. The remote control handpiece 16 is connected to the projector via a cable 20, a plug 22 and a socket 24. This plug-and-socket connection 22, 24 serves for the supply of current to the remote control hand- piece 16 and for transmitting remote control signals to the projector. Figure 2 likewise shows, in cross-section, a projector side wall 10, housing wall 12, compartment 14 and a socket 24. In Figure 2, the compartment 14 contains an infra-red signal receiver 26 which, in the section illustrated, is of angle shape with its lefthand portion 28 (as viewed in the drawing) projecting upwardly. A part ofthe upper surface and a part of the right-hand surface of this angled portion 28 are provided with a sensor face 30. The upper surface of the angled portion 28 of the infra-red receiver is located at substantially the same level as the upper surface of the projector side wall 10. The recess formed between the base part of the infra-red receiver and its angled portion 28 accommodates an infra-red transmitter 34 having a substantially rectangular cross-section.The underside of this infra-red transmitter rests on the top of the base part of the infra-red receiver 26. Two contact pins 36 and 38 project upwardly from the infra-red receiver 26 and enter sockets (not shown) of complementary form provided in the infra-red transmitter 34 to supply the latter with electric current. The surface of the infra-red transmitter 34 is provided with operating buttons 18. Furthermore, the infra-red transmitter 34 contains a battery 42. A recess 44 is provided in the left-hand side of the infra-red transmitter 34 and contains a transmitter eye 46. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, when the infra-red transmitter 34 is mounted on the infra-red receiver 26 in the compartment 14, this transmitter eye 46 is directly opposite the sensor face 30. The device shown in Figure 2 operates in the same way as the known remote control device shown in Figure 1. When the remote control handpiece, namely the infra-red transmitter 34 is inserted in the compartment 14, the transmitter eye 46 is directly opposite the sensor face 30. Thus, this latter directly receives all the operating signals. As this occurs the infra-red receiver 26 is supplied with powerthrough the socket 24, and the infra-red transmitter 34, with its battery 42 automatically disconnected, is at the same time supplied with current through the contact pins 36, 38. For remote control of the projector, it is necessary only to remove the operating handpiece, namely the infra-red trnsmitter 34, the battery 42 of which is then automatically switched on. The sensor 30 extends not only over a part of the vertical surface of the angled portion 28 ofthe infra-red receiver 26 but also over a part of its upper surface. In this way, it is guaranteed that the sensor 30 and thus the infra-red receiver 26 will reliably receive signals from the infra-red transmitter, regardless of where, in the room, the signal transmitter 34 is operated. Figure 3 shows a section through a further embodiment of the invention in which, as far as possible, the same reference numerals as used in Figure 2 have been used for corresponding parts. In this embodiment, two contact pins 36 and 38 again project into the recess defined by the signal receiver 26 and, when the signal transmitter 34 is inserted in this recess, they enter corresponding sockets in the transmitter to supply it with electric current. In this embodiment, the signal transmitter 34 is inserted in the recess with the transmitter eye 46 remote from the sensor 30. This arrangement is intended to illustrate that when the operating device is being used as a local control device, the transmission of signals does not take place through the transmitter eye 46 and the sensor face 30.This transmission instead occurs through a further contact pin 47 which projects from the signal receiver 26 into the recess for insertion in a correspondingly constructed socket in the signal transmitter 34 when the latter is inserted in said recess. In this assembled condition of the device, the transmitter eye is automatically disconnected. This embodiment of the invention has, the advantage that it is particularly economical in terms of energy consumption. In this embodiment, signal transmission can take place by means of coded signals.

Claims (12)

1. A projector provided with an operating device having a portable remote control element with operating buttons, characterised by the provision of a signal transmitter and a signal receiver which are so constructed that both can at the same time be inserted, instead of the usual cable-supplied remote control, into the space normally provided in the projector for the cable-supplied remote control, the signal receiver being connected to the socket which is normally provided for the cable.

2. A projector according to Claim 1, characterised in that the signal receiver has a sensor extending up to the level of the cover on which the cable-supplied remote control is normally disposed.

3. A projector according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the signal transmitter is formed to accommodate the operating keyboard of the usual cable-operated control element.

4. A projector according to Claim 1, characterised in that the signal transmitter is an infra-red transmitter and the signal receiver is an infra-red receiver.

5. A projector according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the signal transmitter is an ultrasonic transmitter and the signal receiver is an ultrasonic receiver.

6. A projector according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the signal receiver is shorter in length than the length of the cable accommodating space and in that a projecting plug is provided on the side ofthe receiver which is towards the cable socket.

7. A projector according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in thatthe signal receiver has a recess into which the signal transmitter can be inserted.

8. A projector according to Claim 7, characterised by contact pins projecting from the signal receiver into its recess, which contact pins, upon insertion of the signal transmitter, enter sockets constructed in the latter, to supply it with electric current.

9. A projector according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that an eye is provided on the signal transmitter and a sensor is provided on the signal receiver at locations which are directly opposite each other when the signal transmitter is inserted into the recess in the signal receiver.

10. A projector according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised by a further contact pin which projects from the signal receiver into its recess and upon insertion of the signal transmitter makes contact with a socket constructed in the latter and establishes a signal connection between the signal receiver and the signal transmitter.

11. A projector according to Claim 9, characterised in that the signal connection transmits coded signals.

12. A projector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as shown in Figure 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawing.