Projection lens and system including a reflecting linear polarizer

• US 6,172,813 B1
• Filed: 10/23/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Duke University
• Original Assignee: Duke University
• Inventors: Walker, Dale S., Tadic-Galeb, Biljana, Fischer, Robert E., Condra, Neil L., Merritt, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, HUY KIM
• Application Number:
  US09/177,932
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 359/738, 359/739, 359/740, 359/618, 359/627, 359/629, 359/630, 359/649
• US Class Current: 359/618
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/16 for use in conjunction with image converters or intensifiers , or for use with projectors, e.g. objectives for projection TV
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/22 Telecentric objectives or lens systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0025 for optical correction, e.g. distorsion, aberration
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1073 characterized by manufacturing or alignment methods
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/144 using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity G02B27/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/145 having sequential partially reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0087 with index gradient

Abstract

Projection lenses and projection lens systems are telecentric between an illumination subsystem and a set of imagers. The lenses and systems can exhibit color fringing correction, uniform imager illumination, athermalization, and component articulation for improved imaging. The lenses and systems may be employed in display apparatuses, such as folded display apparatuses that have decreased footprint size, but long effective projection lengths.

Claims

1. A projection lens apparatus, comprising:

a front lens unit;

a back lens unit optically coupled to the front lens unit;

a reflecting linear polarizer optically coupled to the front lens unit and the back lens unit and configured to adjustably direct illumination light that the reflecting linear polarizer receives from an illumination subsystem to the back lens unit; and

an imager optically coupled to the reflecting linear polarizer and configured to direct the illumination light to the reflecting linear polarizer as image light.

2. The projection lens apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflecting linear polarizer is configured to tilt and pivot to adjust the direction of the illumination light.

3. The projection lens apparatus of claim 1, further comprising adjustment screws, adjustment cams, and pivots disposed about the reflecting linear polarizer, wherein adjustment of the adjustment screws causes the cams to rotate, which causes the position of the reflecting linear polarizer to change.

4. The projection lens apparatus of claim 3, wherein adjustment of one adjustment screw causes one of the cams to rotate, which causes the reflecting linear polarizer to pivot about the pivots in one direction, and wherein adjustment of an additional adjustment screw causes an additional cam to rotate, which together with rotation of the one cam causes the reflecting linear polarizer to tilt in another direction.

5. The projection lens apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflecting linear polarizer is configured to be adjusted approximately ±

1°

in one angular direction and approximately ±

1°

in another angular direction.

6. The projection lens apparatus of claim 1, wherein adjustment of the reflecting linear polarizer adjusts the illumination light across the imager.

7. The projection lens apparatus of claim 1, further comprising adjustment screws whose adjustment causes the reflecting linear polarizer to be adjusted approximately ±

1°

in one angular direction.

8. The projection lens apparatus of claim 1, further comprising adjustment screws, wherein adjustment of one of the adjustment screws causes the reflecting linear polarizer to change by approximately ±

1°

from approximately 45°

relative to the back lens unit.

9. The projection lens apparatus of claim 1, further comprising adjustment screws, cams, adjusters, and pivots, wherein the adjustment screws, when rotated, rotate against the cams, which rotate against the adjuster to rotate or tilt the reflecting linear polarizer about the pivots.

10. The projection lens apparatus of claim 9, further comprising springs which bias the adjustment screws against the cams.

11. The projection lens apparatus of claim 1, wherein adjustments of the reflecting linear polarizer steers the illumination light to optimally illuminate the imager.

12. A projection lens apparatus, comprising:

a front lens unit;

a back lens unit disposed adjacent to the front lens unit along an optical axis of the projection lens apparatus;

an illumination subsystem that provides the projection lens apparatus with illumination light;

a reflecting linear polarizer that directs the illumination light received from the illumination subsystem to the back lens unit; and

an imager that receives the illumination light from the back lens unit and redirects the illumination light to the reflecting linear polarizer as image light, wherein the illumination subsystem comprises a field stop that is laterally adjustable to control the illumination of the imager with the illumination light.

13. The projection lens apparatus of claim 12, wherein adjustment of the field stop allows the imager to be optimally illuminated.

14. The projection lens apparatus of claim 12, wherein adjustment of the field stop causes the illumination light to be adjusted across the reflecting linear polarizer.

15. A method of adjusting illumination light in a projection lens apparatus, comprising:

directing illumination light from an illumination subsystem to a projection lens;

in the projection lens, redirecting the illumination light with a reflecting linear polarizer to an imager;

adjusting the illumination light to optimally illuminate the imager using an adjusting means; and

imparting an image on the illumination light using the imager.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of adjusting the illumination light to optimally illuminate the image using an adjusting means comprises adjusting the illumination light by adjustment of the reflecting linear polarizer, the adjustment means comprising the reflecting linear polarizer.

17. The method of claim 15, the step of adjusting the illumination light to optimally illuminate the image using an adjusting means comprises adjusting a field stop within the illumination subsystem, the adjustment means comprising the field stop.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the adjustment means comprises mechanical adjustment means.

19. A projection lens apparatus, comprising:

a front lens unit;

a back lens unit optically coupled to the front lens unit;

a reflecting linear polarizer optically coupled to the front lens unit and the back lens unit that receives the illumination light from an illumination subsystem and that directs the illumination light to the back lens unit; and

an imager optically coupled to the reflecting linear polarizer that receives the illumination light from the back lens unit and redirects the illumination light to the reflecting linear polarizer as image light, wherein the illumination subsystem comprises a field stop that is laterally adjustable to control the illumination of the imager with the illumination light.

20. The projection lens apparatus of claim 19, wherein adjustment of the field stop allows the imager to be optimally illuminated.

21. The projection lens apparatus of claim 19, wherein adjustment of the field stop causes the illumination light to be adjusted across the reflecting linear polarizer.