Projection optical system, magnification projection optical system, magnification projection apparatus, and image projection apparatus

• US 7,441,908 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Takaura, Atsushi, Fujita, Kazuhiro, Sakuma, Nobuo
• Primary Examiner(s): KOVAL, MELISSA J
• Application Number:
  US11/345,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20060126032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 353/30, 353/31, 353/34, 353/37, 353/69, 353/70, 353/74, 353 77- 79, 353/98, 353/102, 353/99, 359656-661, 359726-731, 359/739, 359/649, 359/650, 359/663, 359/668, 359/449
• US Class Current: 353/99
• 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 17/0816 off-axis or unobscured systems in which not all of the mirrors share a common axis of rotational symmetry, e.g. at least one of the mirrors is warped, tilted or decentered with respect to the other elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0848 off-axis or unobscured systems in which not all of the mirrors share a common axis of rotational symmetry, e.g. at least one of the mirrors is warped, tilted or decentered with respect to the other elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0852 having a field corrector only
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066

Abstract

A projection optical system for use in an image projection apparatus illuminating a light valve forming an image in accordance with a modulating signal with illumination light from a light source. The projection optical system includes first and second optical systems arranged along an optical path defining an upstream-downstream direction in the order described from upstream to downstream on the downstream side of the light valve. The first optical system includes at least one dioptric system and has positive power. The second optical system includes at least one reflecting surface having power and has positive power. The image formed by the light valve is formed as an intermediate image in the optical path, and the intermediate image is magnified and projected.

Claims

1. A projection optical system for use in an image projection apparatus illuminating a light valve forming an image in accordance with a modulating signal with illumination light from a light source, the projection optical system comprising:

first and second optical systems arranged along an optical path defining an upstream-downstream direction in an order described from upstream to downstream on a downstream side of the light valve,

wherein the first optical system includes at least one dioptric system and has positive power;

the second optical system includes at least one reflecting surface having positive power; and

the image formed by the light valve is formed as an intermediate image in the optical path in the first and second optical systems, and the intermediate image is magnified and projected.

2. The projection optical system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a negative-power optical element for bringing a position where the intermediate image is formed close to a positive-power reflecting surface of the second optical system, the negative-power optical element being provided on an upstream side of the intermediate image in the optical path.

3. The projection optical system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second optical system includes at least the positive-power reflecting surface and a negative-power reflecting surface.

4. The projection optical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second optical system includes at least one reflecting surface including a free-form surface.

5. The projection optical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a reflecting surface that reflects a light beam after forming the intermediate image first includes a free-form surface.

6. The projection optical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first optical system includes only the dioptric system.

7. The projection optical system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one dioptric system includes a refracting surface of an aspheric figure.

8. The projection optical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first optical system includes a reflecting surface having a rotational symmetry axis and the dioptric system.

9. The projection optical system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one dioptric system includes a refracting surface of an aspheric figure.