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`U8005293244A
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`5,293,244
`
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`Mar. 8, 1994
`
` .
`
`United States Patent
`
`[19]
`
`Kawaguchi
`
`[54] REAR PROJECI‘ION TYPE TELEVISION
`UNIT
`
`4,843,477
`4,918,535
`
`.................... 358/248
`6/1989 Mizutani et a1.
`4/1990 Grabis eta]. ........................ 353/231
`
`[75]
`
`Inventor: Yoshihiro Kawaguchi, Tokyo, Japan
`Assignec;
`Pioneer Electronic Corponfion,
`T°ky°’ “Pa”
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`6324-4091
`Japan .............................
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`5/74
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 859,252
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Mar. 26, 1992
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`[63]
`
`Continuation of Ser. No. 631,317, Dec. 21, 1990.
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`[30]
`Jul. 13, 1990 [JP]
`Japan ............................... 2-74631[U]
`
`[51]
`
`Int. Cl.5 ...................... .. H04N 5/72; H04N 5/64;
`H04N 5/655
`[52] US. Cl. ................................... .. 348/789; 312/72;
`348/787
`
`[58] Field of Search ............... .. 358/231, 237, 254, 60,
`358/245, 249, 248; 312/72, 263, 265.1;
`455/346—351; H04N 5/72, 5/64—5/655
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`9/1983 Runco ............................... .. 358/237
`4,403,815
`4,481,512 11/1984 Tscheulin eta].
`..... .. 455/346
`
`4,707,746 11/1987 Nishikawa ................ ..
`358/231
`4,807,292 2/ 1989 Sorscher .
`4,820,224 4/1989 Lemche ............................. .. 358/248
`4,836,625
`6/1989 Catta .............................. .. 312/2651
`
`The Trooper, American Video Communication, 1986.
`
`Primary Examiner—James J. Groody
`Assistant Examiner—Glenton B. Burgess
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Sughrue, Mion, Zinn,
`Macpeak & Seas
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A rear projection type television unit comprises a tele-
`vision body having an outer casing in which electric
`and optical parts are accommodated and a front panel
`detachably attached to a front portion of the television
`body so as to entirely cover the front portion thereof.
`The television of the structure described above is ac-
`commodated in a wall structure of a chamber so that the
`front surface of the front panel lies on the same level as
`that of a front surface of the wall structure when the
`television body is accommodated in a wall structure.
`The television unit is safely and stany supported in the
`recessed portion formed in the wall structure by sup-
`port members such as angle members secured to the side
`portions of the television body by engaging the same
`with support members secured to the wall structure.
`
`8 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
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`P.1
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`KAWASAKI-1
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`P. 1
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`KAWASAKI-1022
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`

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`US. Patent
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`Mar. 8, 1994
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`Sheet 1 of 3
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`5,293,244
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`P.2
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`P. 2
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`US. Patent
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`Mar. 8, 1994
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`Sheet 2 of 3
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`5,293,244
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`NV
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`14
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`27
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`17
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`III
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`FIG.2
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`33
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`US. Patent
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`Mar. 8, 1994
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`Sheet 3 of 3
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`3
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`FIGS
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`P.4
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`P. 4
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`2
`and the supporting members are engaged with members
`secured to the wall structure.
`According to the rear projection type television unit
`of the structure described above, the front panel is de-
`tachably secured to the front portion of the television
`body, so that the panel can be exchanged with another
`one in conformity with decoration or interior of the
`chamber in which the television unit is disposed. In
`another aspect, the rear projection type television unit is
`accommodated in a recessed portion formed in the wall
`structure of the chamber in a manner such that the
`television body is first accommodated in the wall struc-
`ture and then the front panel is attached to the front
`portion of the television unit so that the front surface of
`the front panel lies on the same level as that of the wall
`surface, thus the space of the chamber being effectively
`utilized. The television unit can be exactly and stably
`positioned in the recessed portion of the wall structure
`by engaging the support members secured to the outer
`surface of the television body to the support members
`secured to the wall structure. This invention may be
`also effectively utilized for the commercially sold rear
`projection type television unit.
`In another aspect, there is provided a rear projection
`type television unit comprising a rear projection type
`television, an accommodating portion formed in a wall
`structure, the accommodating portion accommodating
`the rear projection type television and supporting mem-
`bers for supporting the rear projection type television in
`the accommodating portion.
`In a preferred embodiment, the rear projection type
`television comprises a panel having a screen and not
`detachably secured to a body, and the supporting mem—
`bers comprise first angle members secured to the rear
`projection type television and second angle members
`secured to the accommodating portion, the first angle
`members being supported to the second angle members.
`According to the rear projection type television unit
`of the structure described above, a commercially sold
`rear projection type television can be accommodated in
`the wall structure of the chamber.
`
`REAR PROJECTION TYPE TELEVISION UNIT
`
`This is a continuation of application Ser. No.
`07/631,317 filed Dec. 21, 1990.
`
`5
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`10
`
`15
`
`This invention relates to a rear projection type televi-
`sion unit particularly capable of being accommodated in
`a wall structure of a house and the like.
`A rear projection type television unit generally in-
`cludes cathode ray tubes (CRT) respectively for pro-
`jecting red (R), green (G) and blue (B) colors and color
`light beams emitted from the respective CRT are irradi-
`ated on the rear surface of a screen attached to a cabinet
`of the body of the television to thereby form or realize
`a color image on the front surface of the screen. Such
`rear projection type television unit is set in a chamber of
`ordinary domestic houses or business building.
`However, the rear projection type television unit of 20
`this kind has generally a large size cabinet, thus occupy-
`ing substantial space for the setting thereof in the room
`of the house, thus being inconvenient.\Moreover, when
`such a large size television unit is set in an ordinary
`house, it may be impossible to observe the television
`screen with a suitable predetermined distance being
`kept between a viewer and the screen of the television
`unit.
`Furthermore, in another aspect, the cabinet or front
`panel of the television cannot be usually exchanged
`with another one even in a case where various decora-
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`25
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`3O
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`tions provided on the surface of the cabinet or front
`panel do not match with the decorations or interiors in
`the room, thus being also inconvenient.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`35
`
`An object of this invention is to substantially elimi-
`nate defects of drawbacks encountered in the prior art
`described above and to provide a rear projection type
`television unit having a front panel to be detachable
`secured to a television body so as to match with decora—
`tion or interior in a room in which the televisiOn unit is
`arranged.
`.
`Another object of this invention is to provide a rear
`projection type television unit disposed in a wall of a
`room so as to effectively utilize a space in the room.
`These and other objects can be achieved according to
`this invention, in one aspect, there is provided a rear
`projection type television unit comprising a television
`body having an outer casing in which electric and opti-
`cal parts are accommodated and a front panel detach-
`ably attached to a front portion of the television body so
`as to entirely cover the front portion thereof.
`In another aspect, there is provided a rear projection
`type television unit of the type which is accommodated
`in an accommodating portion formed in a wall structure
`of a chamber, comprising a television body having an
`outer casing which is accommodated in the wall struc-
`ture and in which electric and optical parts are accom-
`modated and a front panel detachany attached to a
`front portion of the television body so as to entirely
`cover the front portion thereof, the front panel having a
`front surface lying on the same level as that of a surface
`of the wall structure when the television body is accom-
`modated in the accommodating portion.
`In a preferred embodiment, the television unit further
`comprises supporting members such as angle members
`for supporting the television body to the wall structure
`
`45
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`P5
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`vision unit. The television body 2 comprises an outer
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`For a better understanding of this invention and to
`show how the same is carried out, reference is now
`made, by way of preferred embodiments, to the accom-
`panying drawings, in which:
`FIG. 1 is a developed perspective view of a rear
`projection type television unit according to one em—
`bodiment of this invention;
`FIG. 2 is a brief sectional view showing a condition in
`which the television unit shown in FIG. 1 is accommo-
`dated in a wall structure; and
`FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 representing
`another embodiment according to this invention.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`FIGS. 1 and 2 represent a first embodiment of a rear
`projection type television unit according to this inven-
`tion.
`Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a
`wall structure of a chamber of an ordinary domestic
`house or business building and a recess having substan-
`tially rectangular structure is formed in the wall struc—
`ture 1 as an accommodating portion 3 for receiving or
`accommodating a body 2 of a rear projection type tele-
`
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`P. 5
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`3
`casing 4 having a rectangular structure in which are
`accommodated electric parts and optical parts for form-
`ing color images on the front surface of a screen 5 of the
`television unit.
`The outer casing 4 having both side surfaces 6 and 7
`to which substantially L-shaped angle members 8 and 9
`as support members for supporting the body 2 of the
`television unit in the accommodating portion 3 are se-
`cured so as to project outwardly from the side surfaces
`6 and 7. Through holes for the insertion of fastening
`members such as bolts 10 and 11 are formed on the front
`sides of the angle members 8 and 9. The casing 4 also
`has a front portion 12 as an opening to which a transpar-
`ent plate 13 for protecting the electric and optical parts
`arranged therein is secured. A front panel 14 for en-
`tirely covering the front portion of the television body
`2 is detachany attached to the front portion thereof at
`four corners by engaging members 15. The engaging
`members 15 are engaged with four recesses 16 formed
`in the panel 14 to thereby detachany mount the panel
`14 to the casing 4. The television unit is disposed in the
`accommodating portion 3 of the wall\structure 1 so that
`the surface of the panel 14, after assemblying the televi-
`sion unit, is on the same level as that of the wall surface
`17 of the wall structure 1. Since the body 2 of the televi-
`sion unit is accommodated in the accommodating por-
`tion 3 and the front surface thereof is covered by the
`panel 14, any decoration is not effected to the all sur-
`faces of the television body 2, but the exposed surface of
`the panel 14 can be decorated so as to match with the
`interior in the chamber. A control means 18 such as
`switch element electrically connected to the electric
`parts and optical parts in the television body 2 is pro-
`vided for the panel 14, and a speaker, not shown,
`is
`disposed at a portion inside the wall surface 17. It is
`desired that at least either one of the screen 5, speaker
`and the control means 18 is disposed to the panel 14, but
`all of these members may be attached to the body 2 of
`the television unit, and in the latter case, no electric
`connection element exists between the body 2 and the
`panel 14, thereby the panel 14 being easily detachable.
`The television unit accommodating portion 3 formed
`in the wall structure 1 has substantially a rectangular
`shape having both side portions 21 and 22. The inner
`shape of the wall structure is formed so as to correspond
`to the outer configuration of the television body 2.
`Angle members 23 and 24 each having an L-shape cross
`section are secured to the corresponding side portions
`21 and 22 and the angle members 23 and 24 are engaged
`with the angle members 8 and 9 secured to the body 2
`of the television unit so as to stably set and support the
`television body 2 in the accommodating portion 3 of the
`wall structure 1. The angle members 23 and 24 have
`through holes 25 and 26 respectively through which
`fastening members such as bolts 10 and 11 are inserted.
`The assemblying processes of the rear projection type
`television unit of the structure described above will be
`explained hereunder.
`First, electric elements or parts such as cables for
`input and output signals, power source codes and the
`like are electrically connected to the body 2 of the
`television unit. The body 2 is then accommodated in the
`accommodating portion 3 formed in the wall structure 1
`as shown in FIG. 1. In the accommodated state, the
`angle members 8 and 9 of the television body 2 are
`mounted to the angle members 23 and 24 of the wall
`structure 1. The bolt 10 is inserted through the hole 25
`of the angle member 23 and clamped with a nut to
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`thereby fasten the angle member 8 to the angle member
`23 and,
`in the like manner,
`the bolt 11 is inserted
`through the hole 26 of the angle member 24 and
`clamped with a nut to thereby fasten the angle member
`9 to the angle member 24, whereby the body 2 of the
`television unit is positioned in the accommodating por-
`tion 3 in the wall structure 1.
`
`The panel 14 is thereafter mounted to the front por-
`tion 12 of the casing 4 of the television body 2 in the
`manner such that the panel 14 and the television body 2
`are electrically connected by means of cables, for exam-
`ple, and the engaging members 15 secured to the four
`comers of the front portion 12 of the casing 4 are en-
`gaged with the recesses 16 respectively formed in the
`panel 14. The panel 14 has an outer configuration
`slightly larger than the front portion 12 of the casing 4
`so that the panel 14 is fitted to the stepped portion 27
`(FIG. 2) formed on the wall surface 17 of the wall struc-
`ture 1 when the television body 2 thus assembled is
`accommodated in the accommodating portion 3. Ac-
`cordingly, the front surface of the panel 14 lays on the
`same level of the wall surface 17, thus giving favorable
`appearance.
`As described above and as shown in FIG. 2, the rear
`projection type television unit 31 is completely embed-
`ded in the wall structure 1, so that no space is required
`for the location of the television unit'3l in the chamber,
`thus the chamber being effectively utilized. In the thus
`arranged rear projection type television unit 31, the
`color beams emitted from a CRT lens block 32 as one of
`electric and optical parts are reflected by a reflecting
`plate 33 as optical parts and then projected on the rear
`surface of the screen 5, whereby the color image is
`formed on the front surface of the screen 5.
`According to the rear projection type television unit
`of the described embodiment of this invention, the har-
`mony of the chamber with the television unit can be
`maintained without changing the television unit by
`suitably selecting the panel 14 having the decoration
`matching with the interior of the chamber. Moreover,
`since the television body 2 provided with the electric
`and optical elements or parts are accommodated in the
`accommodating portion 3 of the wall structure 1, the
`television body 2 can be protected, thus improving the
`safe maintenance thereof.
`In addition, it is not necessary to decorate the televi-
`sion body itself, so that the manufacturing cost of the
`television body is reduced. The safeness of the televi-
`sion body 2 can be further improved by constructing
`the outer casing 4 with a refractory material.
`In a modification, even in a case where the television
`body 2 in which the electric and optical elements or
`parts are accommodated is set in the chamber without
`locating the same in the wall structure, the panel 14 may
`be optionally selected so as to match with the interior in
`the chamber by utilizing a panel being detachable to the
`front portion of the television body 2. In this modifica-
`tion, it may be necessary to decorate the side surfaces of
`the television body 2 so as to match with the decoration
`of the panel attached thereto and the interior in the '
`chamber.
`FIG. 3 represents a second embodiment of the rear
`projection type television unit according to this inven-
`tion,
`in which like reference numerals are added to
`members or portions corresponding to those shown
`with respect to the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.
`Referring to FIG. 3, a commercially sold rear projec-
`
`tion type television 40 which is of the type being set in
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`P. 6
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`

`5
`the chamber is accommodated in the accommodating
`portion 3 formed in the wall structure 1. The assembly-
`ing working of the television 40 in the accommodating
`portion 3 is carried out by fastening the second angle
`members 23 and 24 secured to the accommodating por-
`tion 3 with the first angle members 8 and 9 secured to
`the rear projection type television 40. In the second
`embodiment, a panel 43 to which a screen 42 and a
`control means 44 are attached is secured to the body 41
`of the television 40 so as to cover the whole surface of
`the front portion thereof, but the panel 43 is not detach-
`ably secured. According to this embodiment, the com-
`mercially sold type rear projection type television unit
`can be accommodated in the accommodating portion
`formed in the wall structure.
`It is to be understood that this invention is not limited
`
`to the described preferred embodiments and many other
`changes and modifications may be made without de-
`parting from the scopes of the appended claims.
`What is claimed is:
`
`1. A rear projection type television unit of the type
`which is accommodated in an accomrnodating portion
`recessed in a wall of a room, comprising:
`a television body having an outer casing which is
`recessed in the wall and in which electric and opti-
`cal parts are accommodated and having an engag-
`ing member; and
`a front panel detachably attached to a front portion of
`said television body so as to entirely cover the front
`portion thereof, said front panel being provided
`with a hole with which said engaging member is
`engaged, said front panel integrally including con—
`trol circuitry and a control panel having an opera-
`tional element for controlling an operation of said
`television unit, a screen on which color images are
`formed, and a portion adapted to cover a loud-
`speaker, said front panel further having a front
`surface disposed along the same plane as that of a
`surface of the wall when the television unit is ac-
`
`commodated in the accommodating portion of the
`wall.
`2. A rear projection type television unit according to
`claim 1, further comprising means for attaching said
`front panel to the front portion of said television body at
`corner portions thereof.
`3. A rear projection type television unit according to
`claim 1, further comprising first angle members secured
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`5,293,244
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`6
`to both side surfaces of the television body, said first
`angle members including fastening members being en-
`gaged with holes formed in said second angle members
`secured to both inner side portions of the accommodat-
`ing portion so as to stably set and support the television
`body int he accommodating portion.
`4. A rear projection type television unit according to
`claim 1, wherein four engaging members are respec-
`tively disposed in four corner portions of the television
`body and four holes are respectively formed in for cor-
`ner portions of the front panel at portions correspond-
`ing to the location of the four engaging members, re-
`spectively.
`5. In a combination of a rear projection type televi-
`sion and a structure to be fitted in a recessed portion
`formed in a wall of a room for accommodating the rear
`projection type television therein,
`the improvement
`wherein said rear projection type television comprises a
`television body having an outer casing which is fitted in
`the recessed portion formed in the wall of a room and in
`which electric and optical parts are accommodated and
`having an engaging member, and a front panel detach-
`ably attached to a front portion of the television body so
`as to entirely cover the front portion thereof, said front
`panel being provided with a hole with which said en-
`gaging member is engaged, said front panel integrally
`including control circuitry for controlling an operation
`of said television unit, a screen on which color images
`are formed, and a portion adapted to cover a loud-
`speaker, said front panel further having a front surface
`disposed along substantially the same plane as the sur-
`face of the wall when the television is fitted in the re-
`cessed portion of the wall.
`6. A combination according to claim 5, wherein said
`front panel is detachably attached to the front portion of
`said television body at corner portions thereof.
`7. A combination according to claim 5, wherein said
`television body is provided with a first connector and
`said structure is provided with a second connector
`which is engageable with said first connector when said
`television body is fitted in the recessed portion of the
`wall.
`
`8. A combination according to claim 7, wherein said
`first and second connectors comprise angle members
`secured to side portions of said television body and said
`structure.
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