Off-state light baffle for digital projection
First Claim
1. A light modulation assembly for a digital projection apparatus comprising:
- a solid-state light source that provides an illumination beam;
a spatial light modulator disposed in the path of the illumination beam, the spatial light modulator having a plurality of tiltable micro-mirrors, each micro-mirror being actuable to tilt with respect to a tilt axis between a first tilt position that provides on-state light and a second tilt position that provides off-state light, wherein the micro-mirrors deflect the illumination beam along an optical axis to provide the on-state light when they are at the first tilt position, and the micro-mirrors deflect the illumination beam away from the optical axis to provide the off-state light when they are at the second tilt position, and wherein the micro-mirrors deflect the illumination beam along an arced path defining a deflection plane as they are tilted between the first tilt position and the second tilt position; and
a light baffle disposed alongside the optical axis and in the path of the off-state light from the micro-mirrors, the light baffle having a light-trapping surface adapted to absorb the off-state light from the micro-mirrors on the spatial light modulator, the light-trapping surface having a plurality of channels extending in a lengthwise direction, wherein each channel is defined by protruding fins that extend outward from the light-trapping surface at an oblique fin angle with respect to the deflection plane, the lengthwise direction of the channels being substantially parallel to the deflection plane.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A light modulation assembly for a digital projection apparatus comprising: a solid-state light source that provides an illumination beam; a spatial light modulator having a plurality of tiltable micro-mirrors, each micro-mirror being actuable to tilt with respect to a tilt axis between a first tilt position that provides on-state light and a second tilt position that provides off state light, and wherein the micro-mirrors deflect the illumination beam along an arced path defining a deflection plane as they are tilted between the first tilt position and the second tilt position; and a light baffle disposed alongside the optical axis and in the path of the off state light from the micro-mirrors, the light baffle having a light-trapping surface adapted to absorb the off-state light from the micro-mirrors on the spatial light modulator, the light-trapping surface having a plurality of protruding fins that extend outward from the light-trapping surface at an oblique angle.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A light modulation assembly for a digital projection apparatus comprising:
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a solid-state light source that provides an illumination beam; a spatial light modulator disposed in the path of the illumination beam, the spatial light modulator having a plurality of tiltable micro-mirrors, each micro-mirror being actuable to tilt with respect to a tilt axis between a first tilt position that provides on-state light and a second tilt position that provides off-state light, wherein the micro-mirrors deflect the illumination beam along an optical axis to provide the on-state light when they are at the first tilt position, and the micro-mirrors deflect the illumination beam away from the optical axis to provide the off-state light when they are at the second tilt position, and wherein the micro-mirrors deflect the illumination beam along an arced path defining a deflection plane as they are tilted between the first tilt position and the second tilt position; and a light baffle disposed alongside the optical axis and in the path of the off-state light from the micro-mirrors, the light baffle having a light-trapping surface adapted to absorb the off-state light from the micro-mirrors on the spatial light modulator, the light-trapping surface having a plurality of channels extending in a lengthwise direction, wherein each channel is defined by protruding fins that extend outward from the light-trapping surface at an oblique fin angle with respect to the deflection plane, the lengthwise direction of the channels being substantially parallel to the deflection plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification