LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS AND PROJECTOR

• US 20120229780A1
• Filed: 03/06/2012
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: SATO, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 8,814,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/85
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0057 in the form of a laser diode array, e.g. laser diode bar semiconductor laser arrays with beam combining arrangement H01S5/4012
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0994 Fibers, light pipes optical fibers per se G02B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1033 having a single light modulator for all colour channels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/48 Laser speckle optics
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0263 with positional variation of the diffusing properties, e.g. gradient or patterned diffuser
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/204 using secondary light emission, e.g. luminescence or fluorescence using different colours G03B33/00; if related to video signals H04N9/3197
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/208 Homogenising, shaping of the illumination light

Abstract

A light source apparatus is provided comprising:

• • a plurality of light sources shining light of different wavelength bands and different luminous intensity distributions;
  • groups of collective lenses collecting light from the light sources;
  • a light guiding device adapted to distribute uniformly the illuminance of the light collected from the light sources;
  • a light guiding optical system collecting the light collected from the light sources to the same optical axis to illuminate the light on to an entrance port of the light guiding device;
  • a diffuse plate wheel disposed at the entrance port of the light guiding device and comprising a plurality of segments of different coefficients of diffusion which are arranged in a circumferential direction;
  • a motor for rotating the diffuse plate wheel; and
  • a light source control device which controls the rotation of the diffuse plate wheel.

Claims

1. A light source apparatus comprising:

a plurality of light sources which illuminate light of different wavelength bands and different luminous intensity distributions;

groups of collective lenses which collect light from the plurality of light sources;

a light guiding device which is disposed on an axis of light collected together from the plurality of light sources and is adapted to distribute uniformly the illuminance of the light collected from the plurality of light sources;

a light guiding optical system which collects the light collected from the plurality of light sources to the same optical axis to illuminate the light on to an entrance port of the light guiding device;

a diffuse plate wheel which is disposed at the entrance port of the light guiding device and which comprises a plurality of segments of different coefficients of diffusion which are arranged in a circumferential direction;

a motor for rotating the diffuse plate wheel; and

a light source control device which controls the rotation of the diffuse plate wheel in synchronism with the illumination of the plurality of light sources.

2. A light source apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the number of light sources and the number of segments of different coefficients of diffusion are the same.

3. A light source apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the coefficient of diffusion of one of the segments is zero.

4. A light source apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

one of the segments of different coefficients of diffusion is a diffuse plate to which a blasting treatment is applied.

5. A light source apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

one of the segments of different coefficients of diffusion is a diffuse plate which contains a diffuse material.

6. A light source apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

one of the light sources is configured by a laser diode which emits laser light as excitation light and a luminescent member which emits luminescent light when the luminescent member is irradiated by laser light emitted from the laser diode.

7. A light source apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

at least one of the light sources include a light emitting diode.

8. A light source apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein

at least one of the light sources include a light emitting diode which emits light of red wavelength band or a light emitting diode which emits light of blue wavelength band.

9. A light source apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein

the luminescent material emits light of green wavelength band when the luminescent material is irradiated by laser light emitted from the laser diode.

10. A light source apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the light sources are laser diodes.

11. A projector comprising:

a light source apparatus;

a display device;

a light source side optical system which guides light emitted from the light source apparatus to the display device;

a projection side optical system which projects an image emitted from the display device on to a screen; and

a projector control unit which controls the light source apparatus and the display device, wherein

the light source apparatus is the light source apparatus set forth in claim 1 which comprises a light source which emits light of red wavelength band, a light source which emits light of blue wavelength band and a light source which emits light of green wavelength band as the plurality of light sources.