Band-pass filter and image display apparatus

• US 20060103937A1
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Endo, Takeshi, Tanijiri, Yasushi, Noda, Tetsuya, Ueda, Hiroaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,095,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/589
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/28 Interference filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements

Abstract

A band-pass filter has a reflecting optical element having a fixed reflection angle selection region for wavelengths of a given region, and has an optical path such that reflection is performed at least once and transmission is performed at least once at the reflecting optical element.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A band-pass filter comprising:

first and second reflecting optical elements, each of the first and second reflecting optical elements having a fixed reflection angle selection region for wavelengths of a given region,

the band-pass filter being configured such that an optical path of an incident light beam causes first a first transmission of the incident light beam by the first reflecting optical element and subsequently a first reflection of the incident light beam by the second reflecting optical element,

wherein a wavelength distribution of the incident light beam is narrowed by the first transmission of the incident light beam and is cut by the first reflection of the incident light beam.

24. The band-pass filter of claim 23, wherein each of the first and second reflecting optical elements is selected from the group consisting of a volume-phase holographic optical element, a multilayer film and a multilayer filter.

27. The band-pass filter of claim 23, wherein the band-pass filter is configured such that the optical path of the incident light beam further causes a second reflection of the incident light beam by the first reflecting optical element after the first reflection of the incident light beam with an angle of incidence different from an angle of incidence of the first transmission of the incident light beam, and the wavelength distribution of the incident light beam is cut by the second reflection of the incident light beam.

29. The band-pass filter of claim 27, wherein the band-pass filter is configured such that the optical path of the incident light beam further causes a second transmission of the incident light beam by the second reflecting optical element after the second reflection of the incident light beam with an angle of incidence different from an angle of incidence of the first reflection of the incident light beam, and the wavelength distribution of the incident light beam is cut by the second transmission of the incident light beam.

30. The band-pass filter of claim 23,

wherein characteristics of fixed reflection angle selection regions of the respective first and second reflecting optical elements have different dominant wavelengths of reflected light with respect to the same incidence angle, and

wherein the first and second reflecting optical elements are arranged parallel to each other.

32. The band-pass filter of claim 23,

wherein characteristics of fixed reflection angle selection regions of the respective first and second reflecting optical elements are the same, and

wherein the first and second reflecting optical elements are arranged non-parallel to each other.

25. A band-pass filter comprising:

first and second reflecting optical elements, each of the first and second reflecting optical elements having a fixed reflection angle selection region for wavelengths of a given region,

the band-pass filter being configured such that an optical path of an incident light beam causes first a first reflection of the incident light beam by the first reflecting optical element and subsequently a first transmission of the incident light beam by the second reflecting optical element,

wherein a wavelength distribution of the incident light beam is narrowed by the first reflection of the incident light beam and is cut by the first transmission of the incident light beam.

26. The band-pass filter of claim 25, wherein each of the first and second reflecting optical elements is selected from the group consisting of a volume-phase holographic optical element, a multilayer film and a multilayer filter.

28. The band-pass filter of claim 25, wherein the band-pass filter is configured such that the optical path of the incident light beam further causes a second reflection of the incident light beam by the second reflecting optical element before the first reflection of the incident light beam, and the wavelength distribution of the incident light beam is narrowed by the second reflection of the incident light beam.

31. The band-pass filter of claim 25,

wherein characteristics of fixed reflection angle selection regions of the respective first and second reflecting optical elements have different dominant wavelengths of reflected light with respect to the same incidence angle, and

wherein the first and second reflecting optical elements are arranged parallel to each other.

33. The band-pass filter of claim 25,

wherein characteristics of fixed reflection angle selection regions of the respective first and second reflecting optical elements are the same, and

wherein the first and second reflecting optical elements are arranged non-parallel to each other.