Optical device and virtual image display apparatus

• US 9,618,744 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2014
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yonekubo, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Manikeu, Daniele
• Application Number:
  US14/556,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20150153569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 359629, 359633, 359630, 359631
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0125 Field-of-view increase by wavefront division
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0174 holographic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0081 with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the entrance or exit pupil
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/106 for splitting or combining a plurality of identical beams or images, e.g. image replication
• 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 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0056 for producing polarisation effects, e.g. by a surface with polarizing properties or by an additional polarizing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0096 the lights guides being of the hollow type

Abstract

A partially transmissive reflective film is provided on a second transparent substrate, and a reflector is provided on a first transparent substrate. The partially transmissive reflective film and the reflector are held parallel to each other with a predetermined spacing therebetween. Thereby, light is incident from a protrusion portion on which the reflector of the first transparent substrate is formed, the light is reflected by the partially transmissive reflective film and the reflector, and the incident light is guided by an air layer between the partially transmissive reflective film and the reflector. A refractive index of the air layer is lower than that of the second transparent substrate. A part of the guided light is extracted from the partially transmissive reflective film, and is emitted from the second transparent substrate on a side opposite to a surface on which the partially transmissive reflective film is provided.

Claims

1. An optical device comprising:

a first substrate;

a first reflective face that is disposed on one surface of the first substrate;

a second substrate that is made of a transmissive material; and

a partially transmissive reflective face that is disposed on one surface of the second substrate,

wherein the first reflective face is disposed to be spaced apart from the partially transmissive reflective face, in parallel with the partially transmissive reflective face,

wherein a refractive index of the second substrate is higher than a refractive index of a section between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face which are spaced apart, and

wherein light incident into the section between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face which are spaced apart is repeatedly reflected between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face, and at least a part of the light is transmitted through the partially transmissive reflective face and incident onto the second substrate, and is emitted as outgoing light from a surface different from a surface on which the partially transmissive reflective face of the second substrate is provided.

2. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein a gas, which has a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the second substrate, is enclosed between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face.

3. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein a spacer, which holds spacing between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face, is provided between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face.

4. The optical device according to claim 1, further comprising

an incidence section that causes light to be incident into a gap between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face,

wherein the incidence section is a section in which the second reflective face, which reflects the incident light toward the gap between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face, is provided on an extending portion which extends from an end portion of the first substrate or the second substrate.

5. The optical device according to claim 4,

wherein a transmittance of a portion of the partially transmissive reflective face, which is located on a side opposite to the incidence section, is higher than a transmittance of a portion of the partially transmissive reflective face which is located on a side of the incidence section.

6. The optical device according to claim 1, further comprising

a light blocking section that prevents outside light from being superimposed upon the outgoing light which is emitted from the second substrate.

7. The optical device according to claim 1,

wherein a polarization plate and a ¼

wavelength plate are provided at a position on a side of the partially transmissive reflective face opposite to the first reflective face.

8. A virtual image display apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 1; and

an image forming section that generates image light,

wherein the image forming section is disposed such that light, which is emitted from the image forming section, is incident into the section between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face which are spaced apart.

9. A virtual image display apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 2; and

an image forming section that generates image light,

wherein the image forming section is disposed such that light, which is emitted from the image forming section, is incident into the section between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face which are spaced apart.

10. A virtual image display apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 3; and

an image forming section that generates image light,

wherein the image forming section is disposed such that light, which is emitted from the image forming section, is incident into the section between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face which are spaced apart.

11. A virtual image display apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 4; and

an image forming section that generates image light,

wherein the image forming section is disposed such that light, which is emitted from the image forming section, is incident into the section between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face which are spaced apart.

12. A virtual image display apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 5; and

an image forming section that generates image light,

wherein the image forming section is disposed such that light, which is emitted from the image forming section, is incident into the section between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face which are spaced apart.

13. A virtual image display apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 6; and

an image forming section that generates image light,

wherein the image forming section is disposed such that light, which is emitted from the image forming section, is incident into the section between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face which are spaced apart.

14. A virtual image display apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 7; and

an image forming section that generates image light,

wherein the image forming section is disposed such that light, which is emitted from the image forming section, is incident into the section between the first reflective face and the partially transmissive reflective face which are spaced apart.

15. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising

a first optical device and a second optical device as the optical devices according to claim 1,

wherein the first optical device emits light, which is emitted from the image forming section, in an enlarged manner, along a first direction, and

wherein the second optical device emits light, which is emitted from the first optical device, in an enlarged manner, along a second direction intersecting with the first direction.

16. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising

a first optical device and a second optical device as the optical devices according to claim 2,

wherein the first optical device emits light, which is emitted from the image forming section, in an enlarged manner, along a first direction, and

wherein the second optical device emits light, which is emitted from the first optical device, in an enlarged manner, along a second direction intersecting with the first direction.

17. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising

a first optical device and a second optical device as the optical devices according to claim 3,

wherein the first optical device emits light, which is emitted from the image forming section, in an enlarged manner, along a first direction, and

wherein the second optical device emits light, which is emitted from the first optical device, in an enlarged manner, along a second direction intersecting with the first direction.

18. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a first optical device that is the optical device according to claim 1; and

a second optical device that is an optical device having a diffraction grating,

wherein the first optical device emits light, which is emitted from the image forming section, in an enlarged manner, along a first direction, and

wherein the second optical device emits light, which is emitted from the first optical device, in an enlarged manner, along a second direction intersecting with the first direction.

19. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a first optical device that is an optical device having a diffraction grating; and

a second optical device that is the optical device according to claim 1,

wherein the first optical device emits light, which is emitted from the image forming section, in an enlarged manner, along a first direction, and

wherein the second optical device emits light, which is emitted from the first optical device, in an enlarged manner, along a second direction intersecting with the first direction.

20. The virtual image display apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein at least a first incidence section and a second incidence section are provided as the incidence sections, and

wherein the image forming section causes light, which is modulated by different image signals, to be respectively incident onto the first incidence section and the second incidence section.