IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS

• US 20130050832A1
• Filed: 08/27/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Inoguchi, Kazutaka, Tohara, Masakazu
• Granted Patent: US 9,030,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/629
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features

Abstract

An image display apparatus includes a plurality of display elements each configured to display an original image, and an observation optical system configured to introduce light fluxes from the plurality of display elements to an exit pupil via a plurality of optical units, and to present a combined image. When a decentering section of each optical unit is defined as a section formed by a principal ray of the light flux introduced to the same image point in the combined image when the principal ray is reflected, the plurality of optical units are arranged so that decentering sections of the plurality of optical units are parallel. The plurality of display elements includes two neighboring display elements, and display planes of the two display elements partially display the same image.

Claims

1. An image display apparatus comprising:

a plurality of display elements each configured to display an original image; and

an observation optical system configured to introduce light fluxes from the plurality of display elements to an exit pupil via a plurality of optical units, and to present a combined image,

wherein when a decentering section of each optical unit is defined as a section formed by a principal ray of the light flux introduced to the same image point in the combined image when the principal ray is reflected, the plurality of optical units are arranged so that decentering sections of the plurality of optical units are parallel, and

wherein the plurality of display elements include two neighboring display elements, and display planes of the two display elements partially display the same image.

2. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic circuit substrate mounted with and configured to drive the two display elements.

3. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein exit surfaces of the plurality of optical units form the same optical plane.

4. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein two optical units corresponding to the two display elements are formed as two separate members and jointed together.

5. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein two optical units corresponding to the two display elements are formed as part of one optical element.

6. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the observation optical system includes a first optical element and a second optical element,

wherein incident surfaces of a plurality of optical units of the first optical element are located on opposite side of those of the second optical element, and

wherein each of the plurality of optical units of the first optical element and the plurality of optical units of the second optical element include optical units that has a common decentering section.

7. The image display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a display plane of a display element that corresponds to the first optical element and a display plane of a display element that corresponds to the second optical element partially display the same image.

8. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a light-intensity controller configured to control a light intensity on the exit pupil corresponding to a portion that displays the same image in the plurality of display elements.

9. The image display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein light fluxes from the first optical element and the second optical element to the same image point in the combined image have an overlap on the exit pupil.

10. The image display apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a light-intensity controller configured to control a light intensity of the overlap on the exit pupil.

11. An image display apparatus comprising:

a plurality of display elements each configured to display an original image; and

an observation optical system configured to introduce light fluxes from the plurality of display elements to an exit pupil via a plurality of optical units, and to present a combined image,

wherein when a decentering section of each optical unit is defined as a section formed by a principal ray of the light flux introduced to the same image point in the combined image when the principal ray is reflected, the plurality of optical units are arranged so that a line of intersections between the decentering sections of the plurality of optical units does not accord with a line that is made by connecting a center of the exit pupil and an arbitrary point in the combined image, and

wherein the plurality of display elements include two neighboring display elements, and display planes of the two display elements partially display the same image.

12. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising an electronic circuit substrate mounted with and configured to drive the two display elements.

13. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein exit surfaces of the plurality of optical units form the same optical plane.

14. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein two optical units corresponding to the two display elements are formed as two separate members and jointed together.

15. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein two optical units corresponding to the two display elements are formed as part of one optical element.

16. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the observation optical system includes a first optical element and a second optical element,

wherein incident surfaces of a plurality of optical units of the first optical element are located on opposite side of those of the second optical element, and

wherein each of the plurality of optical units of the first optical element and the plurality of optical units of the second optical element include optical units that has a common decentering section.

17. The image display apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a display plane of a display element that corresponds to the first optical element and a display plane of a display element that corresponds to the second optical element partially display the same image.

18. The image display apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a light-intensity controller configured to control a light intensity on the exit pupil corresponding to a portion that displays the same image in the plurality of display elements.

19. The image display apparatus according to claim 16, wherein light fluxes from the first optical element and the second optical element to the same image point in the combined image have an overlap on the exit pupil.

20. The image display apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a light-intensity controller configured to control a light intensity of the overlap on the exit pupil.