Projector comprising an expanding and contracting member having a temperature coefficient that counters the increase and decrease of a focal distance of a projection lens caused by temperature changes

• US 8,537,288 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2010
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Daisuke, Nakamura, Kunihisa, Utagawa, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Paul
• Application Number:
  US12/762,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20100265419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 349 5- 10, 353/85, 353/87, 353/100, 353/101, 353/119, 359/813, 359/814
• US Class Current: 349/5
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/008 with means for compensating for changes in temperature or for controlling the temperature; thermal stabilisation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1313 specially adapted for a particular application
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 3/00 Focusing arrangements of general interest for cameras, projectors or printers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3144 Cooling systems cooling of liquid crystal cells in general G02F1/133382; cooling of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/317 Convergence or focusing systems electronic adjustment of convergence H04N9/3185; convergence or focusing arrangements for cathode ray tubes H04N9/28; means for automatic focusing of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3197 using light modulating optical valves

Abstract

A projector includes: a display device which modulates illumination light; a projection lens which projects modulation light produced by the display device; and a holding device which has a holder member supporting the display device, a frame member supporting the projection lens and functions as a base capable of supporting the holder member, and an expanding and contracting member disposed between the frame member and the display device, wherein a temperature coefficient for the expansion and contraction of the expanding and contracting member in the direction of the optical axis of the projection lens corresponds to a temperature coefficient for the increase and decrease of the focal distance of the projection lens.

Claims

1. A projector comprising:

a display device which modulates illumination light;

a projection lens which projects modulation light produced by the display device;

a holding device which has a holder member supporting the display device;

a frame member supporting the projection lens and functions as a base capable of supporting the holder member; and

an expanding and contracting member disposed between the frame member and the display device, the expanding and contracting member being configured to move the display device relative to the projection lens, wherein

a temperature coefficient for an expansion and contraction of the expanding and contracting member in a direction of an optical axis of the projection lens corresponds to a temperature coefficient for an increase and decrease of a focal distance of the projection lens such that the increase and decrease of the focal distance of the projection lens caused by temperature changes is countered by the expansion and contraction of the expanding and contracting member.

2. The projector according to claim 1, wherein:

the expanding and contracting member is disposed between the holder member and the frame member;

the temperature coefficient for the increase and decrease of the focal distance of the projection lens is a negative value;

the temperature coefficient for the expansion and contraction of the expanding and contracting member is a positive value;

an optical path downstream end of the expanding and contracting member is connected with a part of the holder member; and

an optical path upstream end of the expanding and contracting member is connected with a part of the frame member.

3. The projector according to claim 2, wherein:

the frame member is fixed to a light guide as a light shielding support frame; and

the holder member is supported by the frame member via the expanding and contracting member.

4. The projector according to claim 3, wherein:

the expanding and contracting member is disposed on the frame member in such a manner as to be supported by the frame member; and

the holder member is disposed on the expanding and contracting member in such a manner as to be supported by the expanding and contracting member.

5. The projector according to claim 1, wherein:

the expanding and contracting member is disposed between the holder member and the frame member;

the temperature coefficient for the increase and decrease of the focal distance of the projection lens is a positive value;

the temperature coefficient for the expansion and contraction of the expanding and contracting member is a positive value;

an optical path downstream end of the expanding and contracting member is connected with a part of the frame member; and

an optical path upstream end of the expanding and contracting member is connected with a part of the holder member.

6. The projector according to claim 1, wherein:

the expanding and contracting member has a plurality of expanding and contracting element members; and

the plural expanding and contracting element members are connected and laminated in series.

7. The projector according to claim 1, wherein the display device has a liquid crystal light valve for respective colors receiving illumination lights in the respective colors, and a color combining prism which combines the lights in the respective colors modulated by the liquid crystal light valve for the respective colors to form the modulation light.

8. The projector according to claim 7, wherein:

the liquid crystal light valve for the respective colors is supported on a light entrance surface provided on the color combining prism; and

the color combining prism is supported by the holder member.

9. The projector according to claim 8, wherein:

the holder member has a support stand for supporting the color combining prism; and

the expanding and contracting member is disposed between the color combining prism and the support stand.

10. The projector according to claim 9, wherein;

the support stand has a fixing portion for positioning and fixing the expanding and contracting member, and a long hole having the longitudinal direction corresponding to the direction of the optical axis of the projection lens; and

the expanding and contracting member has a fixed portion fixed to the fixing portion, and a pin-shaped movable member inserted into the long hole such that the movable member can slide in the direction of the optical axis.

11. The projector according to claim 1, wherein the holder member supports a micro mirror type light valve.