Patent Publication Number: US-2005116127-A1

Title: Multi-axis adjusting apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a multi-axis adjusting apparatus, and more particularly to a multi-axis adjusting apparatus for a rear projection display device.  
      2. Description of Related Art  
      Please refer to  FIG. 1 . An image beam is provided by a conventional rear projection display device and projected to a reflecting mirror  4  through an optical engine assembly  3  in a housing  2 , and then projected onto and displayed at a screen  5  after being reflected by the reflecting mirror  4 . But, the production tolerances and the assembly tolerances exist in the optical engine assembly  3 , the reflecting mirror  4  and the screen  5  cause the image beam not able to be aligned with the screen  5  so that the deformation of image is generated.  
      The conventional solution is shown in  FIG. 2 . An adjusting apparatus  10  is installed below the optical engine assembly. The adjusting apparatus  10  comprises a base seat  11 , a X-axis sliding seat  12 , a Y-axis sliding seat  13  and a rotating seat  14  stacked in a sequence on the base seat  11 , in which the optical engine assembly  3  is fixed on the rotating seat  14  and the lens thereof is disposed parallel to the Y-AXIS. The X-axis sliding seat  12  is driven by rotating a first adjusting element  121  to move along the X-axis so as to attain to the rightward or leftward movement relative to the screen  5  of the image adjustment, as an image  5 A shown in  FIG. 3  shows. And, the Y-axis sliding seat  13  is driven by revolving a second adjusting element  131  to move along the Y-axis so as to attain to the amplification ratio of the image adjustment. Further, the rotating seat  14  is pushed by revolving a third adjustment element  141  to rotate around the Y-axis so as to revise the deformed image caused by the rotating angle of the plane of the screen  5 , as a image  5 C shown in  FIG. 3  shows. However, the conventional adjusting apparatus  10  allows the image to do rightward and leftward, amplification and contraction, and deformed adjustments on the picture of the screen  5  only can attain to the alignment of the image to the screen. As to the unequal length of the optical path of the projected image to cause an image deformation (e.g. upward and downward trapezoid or leftward and rightward deformation) when a leftward and right or frontward and rearward slanting generated in the optical engine assembly  3 , the adjusting apparatus mentioned above cannot be used to provide the deformation adjusting function. Therefore, the problem concerning the adjustment of the image deformation is still expected to be improved.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      One object of the present invention is to provide a multi-axis adjusting apparatus, enabling leftward and rightward, frontward and rearward adjustments to be done on an optical engine assembly so as to attain to the adjustment of an image deformation by installing first and second rotating seats.  
      For attaining to the object mentioned above, a multi-axis adjusting apparatus according to the present invention comprises a base seat and a first rotating seat, a second rotating seat and an elevating seat mounted in a sequence on the base seat. One end of the first rotating seat is pivotally connected to the base seat, and propping faces and first adjusting elements are disposed on the flank side of another end thereof. One end of the second rotating seat is pivotally connected to the first rotating seat, and second adjusting elements are installed below another end thereof. The elevating seat has a fixing seat and movable seat, in which an adjusting rod passed through with an eccentric wheel is pivotally connected on the fixing seat and the top face of the eccentric wheel is propped against the movable seat so as to allow the elevation movement of the movable seat to be controlled by changing the axial pitch of the eccentric wheel. After the optical engine assembly is mounted on the elevating seat, the first and second rotating seats can be rotated around a pivoting axis by revolving the first and the second rotating elements so as to adjust the leftward, the rightward, the frontward or the rearward inclined angles of the optical engine assembly to attain to the revision of the image deformation. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view, showing an optical system of a rear projection display apparatus of the prior art.  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view, showing a structure of a multi-axis adjusting apparatus of the prior art.  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view, showing a state of an image displayed on a screen of a rear projection display apparatus of the prior art.  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view, showing a multi-axis adjusting apparatus according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is an explosive view, showing a multi-axis adjusting apparatus according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view, showing the action of a first rotating seat according to the present invention.  
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  are schematic views, showing a state of an elastic plate after adjusting when a first rotating seat is adjusted according to the present invention.  
       FIG. 8  is a schematic view, showing an action of a second rotating seat according to the present invention.  
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  are schematic views, showing an action of an elevating seat according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Please refer to  FIG. 4 . A multi-axis adjusting apparatus  20  comprises a base seat  21  and a first rotating seat  22 , a second rotating seat  23  and an elevating seat  24  mounted in a sequence on the base seat  21 , in which an optical engine assembly  3  is mounted on the elevating seat  24 . The optical engine assembly  3  can be a single optical engine or an optical engine with an adjusting apparatus of the conventional technology mentioned above.  
      Please refer to  FIG. 5 . The base seat  21  is a rectangular base plate  211 ; a through hole  212  is disposed in one end of the rectangular base plate  211  and a fixing plate  213  is perpendicularly upward disposed on each of the two sides of another side thereof. A screw hole  2131  is disposed in the fixing plate  213  and an adjusting element is passed through the screw hole  2131 .  
      The first rotating seat  22  is mounted on the rectangular base plate  211  of the base seat  21 ; the rotating seat  22  has a rectangular fist base plate  221  and a first side plates  222  respectively disposed on the two sides of one end thereof. A through hole  2221  with a central axis parallel to a Y-axis is disposed in the upper end of the first side plate  222 . A pivoting hole  223  with a central axis parallel to a Z-axis located between the two first side plate  222  is disposed in the first base plate  221 , and a propping face  224  is disposed at each of the two sides of another end of the first base plate  221  relative to the fixing plate  213  of the base seat  21 . An arc guide groove  225  is disposed at the neighborhood of one of the propping faces  224 , a “ ” shape elastic plate  228  is installed on the arc guide groove  225 , and a through hole  2282  is disposed in a top face  2281  of the elastic plate  228  for a guide element  2283  to pass through the through hole  2282  and then pass through the arc guide groove  225 , one end thereof is finally screwed in the rectangular base plate  211  of the base seat  21  so as to guide the first rotating seat  22  to rotate around the pivoting hole  223  relatively to the base seat  21 . The installment of the “ ” shape elastic plate  228  is used to control conveniently the clamping force on the first base plate  221  by means of the Z direction deformation amount of the elastic plate  228 . A reverse L shape plate  226  is fixed on the first base plate  221  between the two sides of the propping faces  224  and a gap  2262  is allowed to exist between a top face  2261  of the plate  226  and the first base plate  221 . A screw hole  2263  is disposed in the top face  2261  of the reverse L shape plate  226  and a fixing element  227  is passed through it. A pivoting rod  229  is passed upward through the through hole  212  and the pivoting hole  223  from below the base seat  21 , and an elastic clamping washer  2291  is then used to limit the free end of the pivoting rod  229  to get the first rotating seat  22  to be pivotally connected to the base seat  21 . And, one end of the first adjusting element  214  is propped against the propping face  224  after being passed through the screw hole  2131  from outside so as to push the first rotating seat  22  to rotate around the central axis (i.e. Z-axis) of the pivoting hole  223 .  
      Please refer to  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6  is a top view showing an adjusting apparatus according to the present invention, and  FIGS. 7A and 7B  are cross sectional views along line A-A shown in  FIG. 6 . The figures show the working condition of the first rotating seat  22 . After the guide element  2283  is loosened (as  FIG. 7A  shows), rotate the first adjusting element  214 ′ at one side to cause one end thereof to prop against the propping face  224  of the first rotating seat  22  to push the first rotating seat  22  to rotate around the pivoting hole  223  clockwise to a predetermined position (i.e. a first rotating seat  22 ′ shown with a dotted line in  FIG. 6 ), and finally revolve the guide element  2283  tightly (as  FIG. 7B  shows) to complete the fixation of the first rotating seat  22 . And vice versa, revolve a first adjustment element  214 ″ at another side to cause the first rotating seat  22  to be rotated counterclockwise so as to attain to the adjustment of the Z-axis rotating angle of the first rotating seat  22 .  
      Please refer to  FIG. 5 . The second rotating seat  23  is mounted on the first rotating seat  22 . The second rotating seat  23  comprises a rectangular second base plate  231 , in which a second side plate  232  is disposed at each of the two sides of one end of the second base plate  231  corresponding to the first side plate  222 . Pivoting holes  2321  matched up with the through holes  222  are disposed in the upper ends of the side plate  232 , a pivoting rod  233  is passed through the through hole  2221  and the pivoting hole  2321  from the outside of the first side plate  222 , and an elastic clamping washer  2331  is then used to limit the free end of the pivoting rod  233  so as to get the second rotating seat  23  to be pivotally connected to the first rotating seat  22 . Furthermore, another end of the second base plate is placed in the gap  2262  of the reverse L shape plate  226 , and the fixing element  227  is propped against the upper end face of the second base plate  231 . A second adjusting element  234  is passed through the base seat  21  from the bottom thereof and passed through the first rotating seat  22  after being screwed in the rectangular base plate  211  to prop against the lower end face of the second base plate  231 . The second rotating seat  233  is driven to rotate around the central axis (i.e. Y-axis) of the pivoting hole by revolving the second adjusting element  234 .  
      Please refer to  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 8  is a side view showing an adjusting apparatus. The figure shows the action situation of the second rotating seat. Revolve the second adjusting element  234  below the second base plate  21  to move upward after the first rotating seat  22  and the base seat  21  are locked and connected by the guide element  234  to allow one end thereof to be propped against the lower end face of the second base plate  231  to push the second rotating seat  23  to be rotated around the pivoting hole  2321  clockwise. And vise versa, revolve the second adjusting element  234  to move it downward to cause the second rotating seat  23  to be rotated counterclockwise around the pivoting hole  2321  by its own gravity. The fixing element  227  is screwed to prop against the upper end face of the second base plate after the second the rotating seat  23  is rotated to a predetermined position so as to thrust the second base plate  231  to fix with the second adjusting element. Thereby, the adjustment of the Y-axis rotating angle rotating angle of the second rotating seat  23  can be attained.  
      Please refer to  FIGS. 5 and 9 A.  FIGS. 5 and 9 A are cross sectional views along line B-B shown in  FIG. 6 . The elevating seat  24  is mounted and fixed on the second rotating seat  23 . The elevating seat  24  comprises a movable seat  241  and fixing seat  242 , in which the movable seat  241  is a hollow parallelepiped and a partition plate  2411  is installed levelly in the movable seat  241 . A multiple of columns  2412  are projected downward from the partition plate  2411  and a stepwise hole  2413  with an area larger at the top and smaller at the bottom is passed through in each column  2412 . A plurality of rectangular guide grooves are disposed in each of the opposite side faces of the movable  241 , in which the longitudinal direction of the rectangular guide groove  2414  is parallel to the elevating direction of (i.e. Z direction) the movable seat  241 . And, the fixing seat  242  is a “U” shape body and engaged below the movable seat  241 . An adjusting shaft  2422  engaged with an eccentric wheel  2421  at the center thereof is pivotally disposed at the two opposite side faces and parallel to the X-axis, in which the top face of the eccentric wheel  2421  is propped against the lower surface of the partition plate  2411 . A plurality of fixing holes  2423  matched up with the rectangular guide grooves  2414  is disposed in the side faces of the fixing seat  242  relative to the rectangular guide grooves  2414 . Guide elements  2424  are passed through the rectangular guide grooves  2414  to allow one ends of them are engaged in the fixing holes and another ends of them are located on the rectangular guide grooves  2414  so as to guide the movable seat  242  to move along the Z-axis relatively to the fixing seat  242 . A plurality of fixing holes  2426  relative to the positions and the numbers of the stepwise holes  2413  are disposed in the bottom face  2425  of the fixing seat  242 . A fixing element  2427  is passed through each stepwise hole  2413  to the degree that one end thereof is locked and fixed in the fixing hole  2426  after being engaged with an elastic element  2428  and another end thereof is limited in the stepwise hole  2413  to cause the top face of the eccentric wheel  2421  to be propped against the lower surface of the partition plate  2411  tightly.  
      As to the action situation of the elevating seat  24 , revolve the adjusting shaft  2422  to drive the eccentric wheel  2421  to rotate so as to cause the top of the eccentric wheel  2421  to push the lower surface of the partition plate  2411  and cause the movable seat  241  to move up and down relatively to the fixing seat  242  by operating in coordination with the distance change of the axle center of the eccentric wheel  2421  and the lower surface of the partition plate  2411  and utilizing the matching guidance of the guide elements  2424  and the rectangular guide grooves  2414 . That the movable seat  241  is in an elevating state is shown in  FIG. 9A  and that the movable seat  241  is in a descending state is shown in  FIG. 9B . Thereby, the adjustment of the Z-axis elevating height of the elevating seat  24  can be attained.  
      After the assembly of the multi-axis adjusting apparatus  20  according to the present invention is completed, the optical engine assembly can be mounted on the elevating seat  24  and the lens thereof is disposed facing to the X-axis. The angle (i.e. the leftward and the rightward inclined angle of the optical engine assembly  3 ) between the image of the optical engine assembly  3  and the screen plane is changed so as to attain to the adjustment of the leftward and rightward trapezoid deformations of the image when the first adjusting element  214  is revolved. The angle (i.e. the frontward and the rearward inclined angle of the optical engine assembly  3 ) between the image of the optical engine assembly  3  and the normal plane of the screen is changed so as to attain to the adjustment of the upward and downward trapezoid deformations of the image when the second adjusting element  214  is revolved. The image of the optical engine assembly is caused to move up and down relatively to the screen to adjust the upward or downward location thereof so as to align it with the screen. Therefore, the Z axial rotating angle, the Y axial rotating angle and the Z axial linear movement of the optical engine assembly can be quickly adjusted to attain to the adjustment of the trapezoid deformation and the screen alignment of the image from the optical engine assembly only by respectively revolving the first adjusting element  214 , the second adjusting element  234  and the adjusting shaft  2422 .  
      Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.