Liquid crystal projector including a polaration rotating element

• US 5,299,036 A
• Filed: 11/08/1991
• Issued: 03/29/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Remote Access LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Thomson-CSF (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Huignard, Jean-Pierre, Nicolas, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRICE, RONALD
• Application Number:
  US07/789,596
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 359/40, 359/41, 359/63, 353/31, 353/33, 353/34, 353/121, 353/122
• US Class Current: 349/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7441 the modulator being an array of liquid crystal cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3167 for polarizing the light beam polarizing optical systems per se G02B27/28

Abstract

Disclosed is an image projector of the type in which an LCD matrix screen is illuminated by two polarized beams after 90° rotation of the direction of polarization of one of these two beams. Each of the two polarized beams is reflected at least once towards an optical axis on which the matrix screen is centered and at least once again towards the matrix screen. Furthermore, the image projector has means to make each beam polarized, so that each polarized beam forms an image of the light source before illuminating the matrix screen. The two polarized beams may thus be oriented towards the matrix screen in forming a small angle with one another, thus enabling the use of a projection objective with a small aperture.

Claims

1. An image projector comprising:

at least one source of light;

a liquid crystal matrix screen;

a polarization direction rotating element;

a polarization separator separating the light into first and second polarized beams having directions of polarization that are orthogonal with respect to each other, the first and second polarized beams being modulated by the liquid crystal matrix screen after one of said first and second polarized beams has passed through the polarization direction rotating element;

first means for achieving at least two reflections for each of said first and second polarized beams, said first means including first and second reflectors for reflecting the first and second polarized beams, respectively, toward an optical axis on which the liquid crystal matrix screen is centered and third and fourth reflectors for reflecting the first and second polarized beams, respectively, toward the liquid crystal matrix screen; and

second means for converging the first and second polarized beams on at least a part of the paths of the first and second polarized means between the polarization separator and the liquid crystal matrix screen, so that each of said first and second polarized beams forms an image of the light source between the third and fourth reflectors and the liquid crystal matrix screen.

2. An image projector according to claim 1, wherein the polarization separator has a polarization separating surface, the plane of which is perpendicular to the plane of the liquid crystal matrix screen and contains said optical axis on which the liquid crystal matrix screen is centered.

3. An image projector according to claim 2, wherein said first and second reflectors are positioned symmetrically with respect to the optical axis on which the liquid crystal matrix screen is centered.

4. An image projector according to claim 1, wherein said first and second reflectors are mirrors.

5. An image projector according to claim 4, wherein said second means comprise first and second convergent lenses.

6. An image projector according to claim 5, wherein said first and second convergent lenses are positioned between the polarization separator and the first and second reflectors.

7. An image projector according to claim 4, wherein the first and second reflectors are parabolic mirrors.

8. An image projector according to claim 1, wherein the polarization rotating element is a liquid crystal cell of the 90°

nematic helix type.

9. An image projector according to claim 4, wherein the third and fourth reflectors are formed on the faces of a m prism.

10. An image projector according to claim 4, wherein a field lens is positioned in the vicinity of the liquid crystal matrix screen between said liquid crystal matrix screen and the third and fourth reflectors.

11. An image projector according to claim 4, wherein a relay lens is positioned in the vicinity of the third and fourth reflectors between the third and fourth reflectors and the matrix screen.

12. An image projector comprising:

a light source;

a plurality of monochromatic devices, wherein each of said monochromatic devices includes;

a liquid crystal matrix screen;

a polarization direction rotating element;

a polarization separator separating the light into first and second polarized beams having directions of polarization that are orthogonal with respect to each other, the first and second polarized beams being modulated by the liquid crystal matrix screen after one of said first and second polarized beams has passed through the polarization direction rotating element;

first means for achieving at least two reflections for each of said first and second polarized beams, said first means including first and second reflectors for reflecting the first and second polarized beams toward an optical axis on which the liquid crystal matrix screen is centered and third and fourth reflectors for reflecting the respective first and second polarized beams toward the liquid crystal matrix screen; and

second means for converging the first and second polarized beams on at least a part of the paths of the first and second polarized beams between the polarization separator and the liquid crystal matrix screen, so that each of said first and second polarized beams forms an image of the light source between the third and fourth reflectors and the liquid crystal matrix screen.

13. An image projector according to claim 12, wherein said polarization separator, said polarization direction rotating element, and said first and second means are included in a separating-orienting unit.

14. An image projector according to claim 12, wherein said liquid crystal display screen is included in a modulator unit.

17. An image projector according to claim 12, further comprising a dichroic color separating device, wherein each of said monochromatic devices includes a modulation unit corresponding to a different specific color.

18. An image projector according to claim 17, wherein the modulation units cooperate with a single projection objective lens by means of a reuniting dichroic device.

19. An image projector according to claim 17, wherein the modulation units cooperate with a plurality of respective projection objective lenses.

20. An image projector according to claim 18, wherein the modulation units are arranged around the reuniting dichroic device, at equal distances from the reuniting dichroic device, and wherein said image projector further comprises third means for forming images of intermediate sources between at least one of the modulation units and the dichroic color separation device.

15. An image projector comprising:

a light source;

a plurality of modulator units, each including a liquid crystal matrix screen; and

a separating-orienting unit including;

a polarization direction rotating element;

a polarization separator separating the light into first and second polarized beams having directions of polarization that are orthogonal with respect to each other, first and second polarized beams being modulated by the liquid crystal matrix screen after one of said first and second polarized beams has passed through the polarization direction rotating element;

first means for achieving at least two reflections for each of said first and second polarized beams, said first means including first and second reflectors for reflecting the first and second polarized beams toward an optical axis on which the liquid crystal matrix screen is centered and third and fourth reflectors for reflecting the respective first and second polarized beams toward the liquid crystal matrix screen; and

second means for converging the first and second polarized beams on at least a part of the paths of the first and second polarized beams between the polarization separator and the liquid crystal matrix screen, so that each of said first and second polarized beams forms an image of the light source between the third and fourth reflectors and the liquid crystal matrix screen.

16. An image projector according to claim 15, wherein each monochromatic device cooperates with a different projection device.

21. An image projector according to claim 16, further comprising a dichroic color separating device, for selectively separating a plurality of colors from said light source and projecting individual colors of said plurality of colors to respective ones of said plurality of modulator units.