Two Dimensional Image Forming Device

• US 20080165401A1
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kasazumi, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,646,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/196
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/48 Laser speckle optics

Abstract

A two dimensional image forming device includes: a laser light source (1) which is a coherent light source; a prism array (2) that changes the traveling direction of a beam exiting from the laser light source (1); a driving portion (3) that rotates the prism array (2); a rod integrator (4) that guides the exiting beam deflected on the prism array (2) while allowing the beam to undergo internal reflection; a projection optical system (5) that projects the exiting end face of the rod, integrator (4) onto a two dimensional spatial light modulation element (7); and a projection lens (8) that projects light exiting from the two dimensional spatial light modulation element (7) onto a specific plane within a space.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A two dimensional image forming device, characterized by comprising:

at least one laser light source;

a beam deflection portion for changing a traveling direction of a light beam emitted from the laser light source;

a driving portion for driving the beam deflection portion to change timewise a traveling direction of the light beam exiting from the beam deflection portion;

a rod integrator that guides the light beam deflected by the beam deflection portion to an exiting end thereof while allowing the light beam to undergo internal reflection;

a first projection optical system that projects the light beam exiting from the rod integrator;

a two dimensional spatial light modulation element that modulates the light beam exiting from the first projection optical system; and

a second projection optical system that projects light exiting from the two dimensional spatial light modulation element onto a specific plane.

14. The two dimensional image forming device according to claim 13, wherein:

the beam deflection portion includes a prism array in which microscopic prisms are arrayed two dimensionally.

15. The two dimensional image forming device according to claim 13, wherein:

the beam deflection portion includes a lenticular lens having optical axes disposed to be substantially orthogonal to each other.

16. The two dimensional image forming device according to claim 15, wherein the lenticular lens includes:

a first substrate on which is formed a first lenticular lens that deflects, in a horizontal direction, the light beam exiting from the beam deflection portion; and

a second substrate on which is formed a second lenticular lens that deflects, in a vertical direction, the light beam exiting from the beam deflection portion.

17. The two dimensional image forming device according to claim 15, wherein:

the lenticular lens includes a substrate, on one of surfaces of which is formed a first lenticular lens that deflects, in a horizontal direction, the light beam exiting from the beam deflection portion and on the other surface of which is formed a second lenticular lens that deflects, in a vertical direction, the light beam exiting from the beam deflection portion.

18. The two dimensional image forming device according to claim 13, wherein:

the beam deflection portion includes a diffusing plate.

19. The two dimensional image forming device according to claim 18, wherein:

the diffusing plate is formed of a pseudorandom diffusing plate.

20. The two dimensional image forming device according to claim 13, wherein:

the beam deflection portion includes a lens.

21. The two dimensional image forming device according to claim 13, wherein:

the beam deflection portion and the driving portion include a movable mirror that drives the mirror two dimensionally.

22. The two dimensional image forming device according to claim 13, wherein:

the two dimensional spatial light modulation element is a reflective two dimensional spatial light modulation element.

23. The two dimensional image forming device according to claim 13, wherein:

the laser light source includes three laser light sources that respectively generate blue light, green light, and red light; and

the beam deflection portion, the rod integrator, the first projection optical system, and the two dimensional spatial light modulation element are disposed individually for each of the three laser light sources.

24. The two dimensional image forming device according to claim 13, wherein:

the laser light source includes three laser light sources that respectively generate blue light, green light, and red light;

light combining portion for combining rays of light from the three laser light sources is further included; and

the rays of light combined in the light combining portion go incident on the beam deflection portion.