IMAGE PROJECTION DEVICE

• US 20110194035A1
• Filed: 02/10/2011
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: OKURA, Kenichiro, AIZAWA, Jyunichi
• Application Number:
  US13/024,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20110194035A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/744
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/08 Catadioptric systems used in non-imaging applications G02B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/10 Projectors with built-in or built-on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/147 Optical correction of image distortions, e.g. keystone
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

An image projection device that includes an optical projection system including: a projection lens arranged with an optical axis thereof shifted with respect to a light modulation device to project the light beam obliquely onto the screen; a flat mirror that reflects the light beam from the projection lens, has a rotation center on a side thereof on which a light beam having a long path from the projection lens to the screen is reflected, rotates around the rotation center and adjusts an angle of the light beam; and a curved mirror that reflects and magnifies the light beam from the flat mirror, has a rotation center on a side thereof on which a light beam having a short path from the projection lens to the screen is reflected, rotates around the rotation center and adjusts the angle of the light beam.

Claims

1. An image projection device, comprising:

an optical illumination system that includes a light source;

a light modulation device that receives an image signal, and modulates a light beam emitted from the optical illumination system in accordance with the image signal; and

an optical projection system that magnifies and projects modulated light received from the light modulation device onto a screen for displaying an image,

wherein the optical projection system comprises;

a projection lens that is arranged with an optical axis thereof shifted with respect to the light modulation device in order to project the light beam obliquely onto the screen, and magnifies and projects the modulated light received from the light modulation device;

a flat mirror that reflects the light beam output from the projection lens, has a rotation center on a side thereof on which a light beam having a long path from the projection lens to the screen is reflected, rotates around the rotation center and adjusts an angle of the light beam; and

a curved mirror that reflects and magnifies the light beam received from the flat mirror, has a rotation center on a side thereof on which a light beam having a short path from the projection lens to the screen is reflected, rotates around the rotation center and adjusts the angle of the light beam.

2. The image projection device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation center of the flat mirror is a rotation axis parallel to the screen.

3. The image projection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a holder for the flat mirror that holds the flat mirror;

first and second protrusions that are a pair of cylinders coaxially protruding from two sides of the holder for the flat mirror and serving as the rotation axis;

a base member that has V-shaped grooves into which the respective first and second protrusions are fitted; and

elastic members that urge the respective first and second protrusions in a direction of the V-shaped grooves.

4. The image projection device according to claim 3, further comprising:

an elastic member that is brought into contact with the holder for the flat mirror and urges the holder for the flat mirror in a rotational direction;

an adjustment screw that is brought into contact with the holder for the flat mirror or a component mounted on the holder for the flat mirror in a direction of stopping rotation of the holder for the flat mirror, wherein

an angle of the flat mirror is adjustable by turning the adjustment screw around.

5. The image projection device according to claim 1, wherein a reflection surface of the curved mirror is rotationally symmetrical with respect to the optical axis of the projection lens.

6. The image projection device according to claim 1, further comprising a holder for the curved mirror provided with a cone-shaped receiving portion, wherein

a first spherical protrusion arranged on the curved mirror and having a spherical tip is brought into contact with the receiving portion, and the curved mirror is supported by the holder for the curved mirror so as to rotate in all directions around the first spherical protrusion that serves as a pivot.

7. The image projection device according to claim 6, wherein

the curved mirror includes a second spherical protrusion and a third spherical protrusion that have spherical tips at symmetrical positions outside the reflection surface of the curved mirror on the side on which the light beam having the long path up to the screen is reflected, and

the angle of the curved mirror is adjustable around the rotation axis that passes a center of the pivot of the first spherical protrusion by adjusting heights of adjustment screws that are brought into contact with the tips of the second and the third spherical protrusions.

8. The image projection device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a third protrusion, a fourth protrusion, and a fifth protrusion arranged at positions on a back side of the curved mirror corresponding to respective positions of the first spherical protrusion, the second spherical protrusion, and the third spherical protrusion;

three elastic members corresponding to the third protrusion, the fourth protrusion, and the fifth protrusion arranged to urge the curved mirror against the holder for the curved mirror; and

three retaining members that press the elastic members down.

9. The image projection device according to claim 8, wherein a stroke of backward and forward movement of the third protrusion is shorter than a length of a portion of the first spherical protrusion inserted into the corresponding receiving portion.

10. The image projection device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a sixth protrusion that is arranged in center of an end portion of the curved mirror on an opposite side of the curved mirror with respect to the first spherical protrusion, in substantially parallel to a rotation axis that runs center of the first spherical protrusion, and has a cylindrical circumference of 180 degrees or greater in a circumferential direction; and

guides that nip the cylindrical circumference of the sixth protrusion in a left-right direction.