Micro-optical device, spatial optical modulator and projector utilizing the micro-optical device

• US 7,561,336 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Takaura, Atsushi, Fujita, Kazuhiro, Miyagaki, Kazuya, Osaka, Takanobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben; Loha
• Application Number:
  US11/573,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20080094718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 359619-626, 359/742, 359/457, 359/458, 359/819, 359/820, 359/852, 359/859, 359/731, 359/449, 359/528, 359/542, 359/547, 359/548, 359/893, 362/61, 362/157, 362/268, 362/269, 362/277, 362/327, 362/333, 362/240, 362/238, 362/241, 362/244, 348/340, 348/E5.091, 348/E5.141, 343/753, 343/756, 343/910, 353/7, 353/32, 385/146
• US Class Current: 359/619
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/005 Projectors using an electronic spatial light modulator but not peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7441 the modulator being an array of liquid crystal cells

Abstract

A micro-optical device includes a plurality of minute optical elements each having a curved surface operable to condense incident light. The minute optical elements are arranged at constant intervals. The curved surface is expressed by two or more F values. Each of the minute optical elements is a transmission lens element having the curved surface including a substantially flat part at a center of the transmission lens element, wherein the curved surface is convex or concave.

Claims

1. A micro-optical device, comprising:

a plurality of minute optical elements each having a curved surface operable to condense incident light, said minute optical elements arranged at constant intervals, wherein the curved surface is expressed by two or more F values,

wherein each of the minute optical elements is a reflection mirror element having the curved surface including a substantially flat part, wherein said curved surface is concave.

2. The micro-optical device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a translucent flat layer obtained by laminating a translucent member on the concave curved surface, and flattening a surface of the translucent member.

3. A spatial optical modulator for performing a spatial optical modulation on light by a unit of one pixel in response to image information by utilizing the micro-optical device as claimed in claim 1 and for projecting the light as image light, wherein each of the minute optical elements is adjusted to a pixel position.

4. A projector utilizing the spatial optical modulator as claimed in claim 3, comprising a projection device configured to project the image light onto a screen, said image light projected from the spatial optical modulator.

5. The projector as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a pixel shifting device configured to shift a light path of a light flux projected from the spatial optical modulator.

6. A micro-optical device, comprising:

a plurality of minute optical elements each having a curved surface operable to condense incident light, said minute optical elements arranged at constant intervals, wherein the curved surface is expressed by two or more F values, wherein each of the minute optical elements is a transmission lens element having the curved surface including a substantially flat part at a center of the transmission lens element, wherein said curved surface is convex; and

a translucent flat layer on the convex curved surface having the substantially flat part, wherein a member made of a material different from a material of the minute optical elements is provided between the translucent flat layer and the minute optical elements.

7. A spatial optical modulator for performing a spatial optical modulation on light by a unit of one pixel in response to image information by utilizing the micro-optical device as claimed in claim 6 and for projecting the light as image light, wherein each of the minute optical elements is adjusted to a pixel position.

8. A projector utilizing the spatial optical modulator as claimed in claim 7, comprising a projection device configured to project the image light onto a screen, said image light projected from the spatial optical modulator.

9. The projector as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a pixel shifting device configured to shift a light path of a light flux projected from the spatial optical modulator.

10. A micro-optical device, comprising:

a plurality of minute optical elements each having a curved surface operable to condense incident light, said minute optical elements arranged at constant intervals, wherein the curved surface is expressed by two or more F values,

wherein each of the minute optical elements is a transmission lens element having the curved surface including a substantially flat part at a center of the transmission lens element, wherein said curved surface is convex, and

wherein the transmission lens element includes two of the F values, wherein a first F value F₁ is equal to or greater than 3.4, wherein a second F value F₂ is equal to or greater than 2.3 and equal to or less than 4.8, and wherein F₁ is greater than F₂.

11. A spatial optical modulator for performing a spatial optical modulation on light by a unit of one pixel in response to image information by utilizing the micro-optical device as claimed in claim 10 and projecting the light as image light, wherein each of the minute optical elements is adjusted to a pixel position.