Projection-type color display device

• US 4,850,685 A
• Filed: 08/18/1988
• Issued: 07/25/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Ono, Takeshi, Sonehara, Tomio, Nakamura, Junichi, Aruga, Shuji, Yajima, Akitaka, Kamakura, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/233,869
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 350/169, 350/170, 350/171, 350/172, 350/173, 350/174, 350/397, 350/398, 350/400, 350/401, 350/402, 350/403, 350/404, 350/331 R, 350/334, 350/352, 353/31, 353/34, 353/37, 358/60, 358/61
• US Class Current: 359/634
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1046 for use with transmissive spatial light modulators
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/149 using crossed beamsplitting surfaces, e.g. cross-dichroic cubes or X-cubes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3105 for displaying all colours simultaneously, e.g. by using two or more electronic spatial light modulators simultaneous projection in colour photography G03B33/10; beam splitting or combining systems per se G02B27/10

Abstract

A projection-type color display device. The display device includes a light source which provides light and a color separation member which receives the light and which separates the received light into the different colors of red, blue and green light. A light valve device receives the red, blue and green light and modulates the light to produce images. A color synthesis cube prism synthesizes the three monochromatic lights modulated by the light valve. A projection lens system projects the synthesized image onto a screen for viewing.

Claims

1. A projection-type color display device comprising a light source for producing light, collimating means for collimating said light, color separation means for receiving said light and for separating said received light into the different colors of red, blue and green light, transparent liquid crystal light valve means for receiving said red, blue and green transmissive light and for modulating said light, a color synthesis cube prism having a reflecting surface for synthesizing said three monochromatic lights modulated by said light valve means, said transparent liquid crystal light valve means and said reflecting surface of said color synthesis cube prism each having a polarizing axis, said polarizing axis of said transparent liquid crystal light valve means being coincident with the polarizing axis of the color synthesis cube prism, and retro-focus projection lens means for projecting said synthesized image.

2. The projection-type color display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light valve means includes an active matrix panel having a thin film transistor (TFT).

3. The projection-type color display device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising first and second polarizers, said light valve means being positioned intermediate said first and second polarizers, the polarization axis of said first and second polarizers being adjusted for the incident S wave of light which is vertical to the light incident surface of said color synthesis cube prism.

4. The projection-type color display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said color synthesis cube prism is composed of four rectangular cube prisms, dielectric films with first and second types of selective reflection characteristics being formed on the two perpendicular surfaces of each of said four rectangular prisms.

5. The projection-type color display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retro-focus projection lens means includes a lens in which the back focus distance Bf is longer than the focus distance f.

6. The projection-type color display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said color separation means includes a blue color filter, a green color filter and a red color filter.

7. The projection-type color display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said color separation means includes a dichroic mirror group.

8. The projection-type color display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said color separation means includes a color separation cube prism.

9. The projection-type color display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light valve means includes a first light valve for receiving said red light, a second light valve for receiving said blue light and a third light valve for receiving said green light.

10. The projection-type color display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transparent liquid crystal light valve means includes a substrate, and a peripheral line driver including a thin film transistor formed on said substrate.

11. The projection-type color display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said collimating means includes a condenser lens and an oval-type reflection mirror.

12. The projection-type color display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retro-focus projection lens means has 100% vignetting.