The present invention pertains to projection screen systems, and, in particular, to a projection screen system casing that houses a roller around which the projection screen is wound.
Projection screen systems in numerous forms are gaining frequent application in a variety of venues, including conference rooms and home entertainment systems. Projection screen systems typically include a protective casing that mounts and houses a roller around which is wrapped a projection screen. Depending on the direction of rotation of the roller, the projection screen either unwinds from around the roller to descend below the casing to a lowered, viewing arrangement, or winds around the roller to a raised, storage position. This roller rotation may be performed manually or by an electrically powered motor attached to the roller.
In some projection screen systems, the casing is installed at a visible location within the room, such as on a vertical wall at a height slightly below the ceiling. In casings of these systems, the room facing facade or fascia of the casing is frequently designed so as to be removable from the remainder of the casing. This fascia removability facilitates access to the system componentry housed within the casing, which in turn potentially reduces the time and therefore the labor costs associated with repairing or maintaining the system. Moreover, this fascia removability enables a given fascia to be replaced with a differently colored or textured fascia should the room in which the projection screen system is installed be redecorated.
One known projection screen system casing that includes a removable fascia is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,296,964. That casing advantageously allows for the fascia to be removed without the use of any tools. While that casing is useful in a wide range of situations, one disadvantage of that casing design is that the casing end caps fit over the ends of the fascia when assembled. Although this end cap construction aids in preventing the fascia from unintentionally being detached from the remainder of the casing, the end caps must be removed prior to removal of the fascia. In certain situations, such as when little clearance space is present between the room walls and the ends of the casing, the need to remove the end caps may significantly complicate fascia removal. Still further, the overlapping of the fascia by the end caps may not be aesthetically pleasing to some customers.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a projection screen system casing that overcomes these and other shortcomings of the prior art.