Retractable Projection Screen Tab Tensioning and Textile Border
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Solution Overview
Problem
Retractable projection screens with non-reinforced vinyl material suffer from distortions due to uneven thickness differences between the screen and border, and reinforced screens do not benefit significantly from tab tensioning systems, necessitating a solution for a uniform textile or cloth border with an inexpensive tab tensioning system.
Innovation Solution
A retractable projection screen design featuring a textile or cloth border with a tab tensioning system, metal strips for increased flatness, and an adjustable coupling device, where the border and screen share similar thicknesses and the border is attached in a non-overlapping manner to minimize distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a non-reinforced vinyl screen is used, then the screen is easy to fold and roll, but the screen exhibits distortions and waviness due to lack of mechanical strength
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines non-reinforced vinyl screen material with a fabric border and tab tensioning system. The vinyl provides flexibility for folding and rolling, while the fabric border and tensioning tabs provide the necessary mechanical strength to prevent distortions and waviness during retraction.
2Shape
If a tab tensioning system is added to a non-reinforced vinyl screen, then the screen flatness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the tensioning system into discrete tabs attached at specific intervals along the screen edges. This segmentation allows the tensioning function to be distributed across multiple simple attachment points rather than requiring a complex continuous tensioning mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces fabric borders as an intermediary element between the vinyl screen and the tab tensioning system. The fabric border provides a stable attachment surface for the tensioning tabs and helps distribute the tension forces evenly across the screen edges.
3Strength
If the border material is thicker than the screen, then the border provides structural support, but the thickness difference causes distortion waves during retraction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully selects fabric border materials with thickness parameters that match or closely approximate the thickness of the vinyl screen. This parameter matching ensures that both the screen and border retract uniformly without creating distortion waves, while the fabric border still provides sufficient structural support.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If black paint is applied to the border, then light absorption is improved, but the thickness difference between screen and border causes visible distortion waves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the painted border approach with a fabric border material that inherently provides both the light absorption function and the thickness matching requirement. The fabric border achieves superior light absorption compared to paint while maintaining uniform thickness with the screen to prevent distortion waves.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a uniform and distortion-free retractable projection screen that effectively absorbs spill-over light and maintains flatness, overcoming the limitations of existing technologies by integrating a textile border with a tab tensioning system and metal strips for enhanced mechanical support.
Implementation Method 1
one or more tension cables, and one or more tension tabs. The tension cables have a top end and a bottom end, and the bottom end is connected to the weight bar. The tension tabs are connected to the tension cables such that they pull horizontally away from the screen and provide horizontal tension to the tension tabs and screen
Implementation Method 2
A common method to improve the flatness and reduce the distortion and noticeable waves in a retractable projection screens is through the use of a tab tensioning system. Current tab tensioning systems commonly employ the use of a weight bar along the bottom to pull the projection screen down in a uniform manner
Implementation Method 3
The border material is dark in color and has a high surface area texture. The border material for a non-reinforced vinyl screen are typically differentiated from the screen, or image surface, and painted black. The black paint absorbs some of the spill over projection light so this stray light is not reflected back in a distracting way to the audience viewing the projected image
Implementation Method 4
one or more strips of metal that increases the flatness of the screen. These strips of metal are attached to the screen just proximal to where the screen and tab connect
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of this invention disclose a retractable projection screen with a tab tensioning system, a textured textile border that is made from a different material as the screen, an adjustable coupling means, and a metal strip.