IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING THE SAME

• US 20150116799A1
• Filed: 10/27/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Someno, Yoshihiro
• Application Number:
  US14/524,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20150116799A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/9
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0127 comprising devices increasing the depth of field
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0103 comprising holographic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/02 Details of features involved during the holographic process; Replication of holograms without interference recording
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2205 using downstream optical component
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2294 Addressing the hologram to an active spatial light modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0232 Mechanical components or mechanical aspects not otherwise provided for corresponding details, see subgroups of G03H2227/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2284 Superimposing the holobject with other visual information
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49007 Indicating transducer

Abstract

A reddish collimated beam and a greenish collimated beam respectively emitted from one and another light emitters are separately radiated to different conversion regions of a phase modulation array. In the phase modulation array, phases of components of light are converted through a plurality of pixels, thereby obtaining a modulated beam that is an interfered beam. An image of the modulated beam is formed on a screen to generate a holographic image. The one light emitter and the other light emitter are each configured as a separate block, stacked one on top of another on a reference base, and separately positioned and secured.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a laser unit;

a collimating lens that converts a laser beam emitted from the laser unit into a collimated beam;

a phase modulation array that modulates a phase of the collimated beam to generate a holographic image; and

a positioning block,

wherein the laser unit is positioned at and secured to the positioning block,

wherein the positioning block has an optical path that allows the laser beam emitted from the laser unit to pass therethrough, and

wherein a position of the collimating lens in an optical axis direction is adjusted and the collimating lens is secured in the optical path.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the optical path has walls that oppose each other, and the walls have respective holding and sliding flat surfaces spaced apart from and oppose each other, and

wherein the position of the collimating lens is adjusted in the optical axis direction and the collimating lens is secured while the collimating lens is pinched between the holding and sliding flat surfaces that oppose each other.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first positioning member and a second positioning member that secure the laser unit to an attachment surface of the positioning block,

wherein the first positioning member abuts the attachment surface and secured to the attachment surface after a position of the first positioning member has been adjusted in a plane perpendicular to a specified optical axis set in the positioning block, and

wherein the laser unit is held by the second positioning member, and the second positioning member is secured to the first positioning member after a tilt of a radiation direction of the laser beam has been adjusted relative to the first positioning member.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reference base,

wherein a plurality of the positioning blocks are provided, the plurality of positioning blocks including a first positioning block and a second positioning block,

wherein a plurality of the laser units are provided,

wherein a plurality of the collimating lenses are provided,

wherein the plurality of the positioning blocks support the respective laser units and the respective collimating lenses,

wherein the first positioning block is disposed on and secured to a first positioning reference surface formed on the reference base, a second positioning reference surface is formed on the first positioning block, and the second positioning block is disposed on and secured to the second positioning reference surface, and

wherein the laser beam emitted from each of the laser units supported by a corresponding one of the first positioning block and the second positioning block is radiated toward the phase modulation array.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a first adjustment spacer and a second adjustment spacer,

wherein the first adjustment spacer is interposed between the reference base and the first positioning block, and the first positioning block is secured after a level thereof has been adjusted, and

wherein the second adjustment spacer is interposed between the first positioning block and the second positioning block, and the second positioning block is secured after a level thereof has been adjusted.

6. A method of assembling an image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus including a laser unit, a collimating lens that converts a laser beam emitted from the laser unit into a collimated beam, a phase modulation array that modulates a phase of the collimated beam to generate a holographic image, and a positioning block, the method comprising:

adjusting a position of the laser unit relative to the positioning block and securing the laser unit; and

adjusting a position of the collimating lens in an optical axis direction and securing the collimating lens in an optical path formed in the positioning block.

7. The method according to claim 6,

wherein, in the adjusting of the position of the laser unit and securing of the laser unit, a position of a light emitting point of the laser unit is adjusted, and after that, a tilt of the laser beam emitted from the laser unit is adjusted and the laser unit is secured to the positioning block.

8. The method according to claim 6, comprising:

providing a reference base,

providing a plurality of the positioning, the plurality of positioning blocks including a first positioning block and a second positioning block,

providing a plurality of the laser units,

providing a plurality of the collimating lenses,

positioning the laser units at and secured to the respective positioning blocks, and positioning the collimating lenses at and secured to the respective positioning blocks,

wherein the first positioning block, to which one of the laser units is secured, is disposed on a first positioning reference surface of the reference base, and the second positioning block, to which another of the laser units is secured, is disposed on a second positioning reference surface formed on an upper surface of the first positioning block, and

wherein positions of the first positioning block and the second positioning block are adjusted so that the laser beams emitted from the laser units, which are each supported by a corresponding one of the first positioning block and the second positioning block, are radiated to respective specified regions of the phase modulation array, and

securing the first positioning block and the second positioning block.

9. The method according to claim 8,

providing a first adjustment spacer and a second adjustment spacer,

wherein, when the first positioning block and the second positioning block are disposed, adjusting a level of the first positioning block by interposing the first adjustment spacer between the reference base and the first positioning block, and adjusting a level of the second positioning block by interposing the second adjustment spacer between the first positioning block and the second positioning block.