Method for manufacturing projection optical system and projection optical system

• US 20070002284A1
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta OPTO Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta OPTO Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Imaoka, Masayuki, Matsuura, Atsushi, Hatano, Takuji
• Application Number:
  US11/475,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20070002284A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/78
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/145 Housing details, e.g. position adjustments thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/208 Homogenising, shaping of the illumination light
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/28 Reflectors in projection beam in illumination beam G03B21/2066

Abstract

A projection optical system has lower and upper pedestal components to which a plurality of mirrors are attached. Of the mirrors, a concave mirror is placed closest to a DMD, and a convex mirror is next to the concave mirror. A position and an inclination of the convex mirror is fixed. At least three axes for a position and an inclination of the concave mirror is adjusted.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a projection optical system having a plurality of mirrors which reflect an image light modulated by an image formation device so as to be projected onto a screen, comprising:

attaching the mirrors to a pedestal, the mirrors including a first mirror placed closest to the image formation device on an optical path traveling from the image formation device to the screen and a second mirror placed next to the first mirror on the optical path;

fixing a position and an inclination of the second mirror; and

adjusting at least three axes for a position and an inclination of the first mirror.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a light beam passing an optical path traveling through a center of the image formation device and a center of an aperture of the projection optical system to a center of the screen is defined as a reference light beam,

wherein an axis passing an intersection between the reference light beam and the first mirror, existing in an incidence plane of the reference light beam to the first mirror, and directed to a direction between an incident direction of the reference light beam to the first mirror and a reflection direction of the reference light beam from the first mirror is defined as a first axis,

wherein an axis parallel to the incidence plane of the reference light beam to the first mirror and perpendicular to the first axis is defined as a second axis,

wherein an axis perpendicular to the first and second axes is defined as a third axis, and

wherein the adjustment of the position and the inclination of the first mirror includes a translation along the first axis, a rotation around the second axis, and a rotation around the third axis.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

attaching the image formation device to the pedestal; and

adjusting a position of the image formation device by a translation of the image formation device along a short side thereof and a movement of the image formation device along a long side thereof after the adjustment of the position and the inclination of the first mirror.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

adjusting the position of the image formation device by a rotation of the image formation device around an axis along a normal axis of the image formation device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second mirror is fixed to a mirror holder which is to be fixed to the pedestal after the second mirror is fixed, and

wherein the mirror holder is fixed to the pedestal after adjustment of at least three axes for a position and an inclination of the second mirror to the mirror holder.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the second mirror is a spherical surface mirror, and

wherein the adjustment of at least three axes for the position and the inclination of the second mirror to the mirror holder comprising:

attaching the mirror holder to a jig of a collimator; and

displacing and/or rotating the second mirror with respect to the mirror holder so as to keep an amount of decentration measured by the collimator within a predetermined tolerance level.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the adjustment of at least three axes for the position and the inclination of the second mirror to the mirror holder comprising:

providing a master engine to which at least the first mirror and a chart are fixed in a manner where adjustments of positions and inclinations have been completed,

attaching the mirror holder to the master engine;

projecting the chart on the screen through the projection optical system constructed in the master engine; and

displacing and/or rotating the second mirror with respect to the mirror holder on the basis of an image of the chart projected on the screen.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the adjustment of at least three axes for the position and the inclination of the second mirror to the mirror holder comprising:

attaching the mirror holder to a jig of a length gauge; and

displacing and/or rotating the mirror with respect to the mirror holder so as to keep positions of at least two end faces of the mirror holder measured by the length gauge within a predetermined tolerance level.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein an image formation device holder to which the image formation device is attached is mounted on the pedestal in such a way that an inclination between a mounting reference plane for mounting the image formation device holder on the pedestal and the image formation surface of the image formation device is not more than ⅙

degree.

9. A method for manufacturing a projection optical system having a plurality of mirrors which reflect an image light modulated by an image formation device so as to be projected onto a screen, comprising:

attaching the mirrors to a pedestal, the mirrors including a first mirror placed closest to the image formation device on an optical path traveling from the image formation device to the screen and a second mirror placed next to the first mirror on the optical path;

fixing a position and an inclination of the image formation device; and

adjusting at least three axes for a position and an inclination of the first mirror.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein a light beam passing an optical path traveling through a center of the image formation device and a center of an aperture of the projection optical system to a center of the screen is defined as a reference light beam,

wherein an axis passing an intersection between the reference light beam and the first mirror, existing in an incidence plane of the reference light beam to the first mirror, and directed to a direction between an incident direction of the reference light beam to the first mirror and a reflection direction of the reference light beam from the first mirror is defined as a first axis,

wherein an axis parallel to the incidence plane of the reference light beam to the first mirror and perpendicular to the first axis is defined as a second axis,

wherein an axis perpendicular to the first and second axes is defined as a third axis, and

wherein the adjustment of the position and the inclination of the first mirror includes a translation along the first axis, a translation along the second axis, and a translation along the third axis.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein an axis passing an intersection between the reference light beam and the second mirror, existing in an incidence plane of the reference light beam to the second mirror, and directed to a direction between an incident direction of the reference light beam to the second mirror and a reflection direction of the reference light beam from the second mirror is defined as a fourth axis,

wherein an axis parallel to the incidence plane of the reference light beam to the second mirror and perpendicular to the fourth axis is defined as a fifth axis,

wherein an axis perpendicular to the fourth and fifth axes is defined as a sixth axis, and

wherein at least one of first and second adjustments is executed after adjustment of the position and the inclination of the first mirror, the first adjustment including the translation of the first mirror along the first axis by an amount and a translation of the second mirror along the fifth axis by same amount, the second adjustment including the translation of the first mirror along the third axis by an amount and a translation of the second mirror along the sixth axis by same amount.

13. A projection optical system, comprising:

a plurality of mirrors which reflect an image light modulated by an image formation device so as to be projected onto a screen, which includes a first mirror placed closest to the image formation device on an optical path traveling from the image formation device to the screen and a second mirror placed next to the first mirror on the optical path;

a pedestal on which the image formation device, the first mirror, and the second mirror are mounted; and

a mirror adjustment mechanism for supporting the first mirror so that the first mirror can be translated along a first axis, rotated around a second axis, and rotated around a third axis with respect to the pedestal, the first axis being an axis passing an intersection between the reference light beam and the first mirror, existing in an incidence plane of the reference light beam to the first mirror, and directed to a direction between an incident direction of the reference light beam to the first mirror and a reflection direction of the reference light beam from the first mirror, the second axis being an axis parallel to the incidence plane of the reference light beam to the first mirror and perpendicular to the first axis, and the third axis being an axis perpendicular to the first and second axes.

14. The projection optical system according to claim 13, wherein the mirror adjustment mechanism comprises:

a mirror holder for holding the first mirror;

a mirror holder base fixed onto the pedestal;

a holder retainer for retaining the mirror holder onto the mirror holder base in such a way as to allow parallel translation of the mirror holder in the first axis direction but to restrict translation of the mirror holder in the second and third axes directions; and

a positioning mechanism capable of positioning at least three portions of the mirror holder with respect to the mirror holder base in the first axis direction, the three portions being disposed symmetrically with respect to a first symmetric axis parallel to the second axis passing a center of the first mirror and a second symmetric axis parallel to the third axis passing the center of the first mirror.

15. A projection optical system according to claim 13, further comprising an optical path length adjustment mechanism which includes:

a pair of wedge-type optical elements placed between the image formation device and the first mirror and having inclined surfaces inclined with respect to a normal direction of a image formation surface and contacted with each other; and

a position adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting relative positions of the optical elements with maintaining the inclined surfaces being in contact with each other.

16. The projection optical system according to claim 13 further comprising a focus adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of the image formation device in a normal direction of the image formation surface with respect to the first mirror.

17. The projection optical system according to claim 16, wherein the focus adjustment mechanism comprises:

an image formation device holder for holding the image formation device;

an attachment member fixed to the pedestal;

a supporting mechanism for supporting the image formation device holder to the attachment member so as to be moved forward and backward with respect to the image formation device holder;

a urging member for elastically urging the imager formation device holder toward a direction where the image formation device holder approaches the attachment member; and

a adjustment member rotatably held between the image formation device holder and the attachment member for moving the image formation device holder in a direction away from the attachment member against an urging force of the urging member according to a rotational position thereof.

18. A projection optical system, comprising:

a plurality of mirrors which reflect an image light modulated by an image formation device so as to be projected onto a screen, which includes a first mirror placed closest to the image formation device on an optical path traveling from the image formation device to the screen and a second mirror placed next to the first mirror on the optical path;

a pedestal on which the image formation device, the first mirror, and the second mirror are mounted; and

a mirror adjustment mechanism for supporting the first mirror so that the first mirror can be translated along a first axis, translated along a second axis, and translated along a third axis with respect to the pedestal, the first axis being an axis passing an intersection between the reference light beam and the first mirror, existing in an incidence plane of the reference light beam to the first mirror, and directed to a direction between an incident direction of the reference light beam to the first mirror and a reflection direction of the reference light beam from the first mirror, the second axis being an axis parallel to the incidence plane of the reference light beam to the first mirror and perpendicular to the first axis, and the third axis being an axis perpendicular to the first and second axes.

19. The projection optical system according to claim 18,

wherein the mirror adjustment mechanism comprises:

a first adjustment plate mounted on the pedestal displaceably in the first axis direction;

a second adjustment plate mounted on the first adjustment plate displaceably in the third axis direction; and

a mirror holder for holding the first mirror mounted on the second adjustment plate displaceably in the second axis direction.

20. A projection optical system according to claim 18, further comprising an optical path length adjustment mechanism which includes:

a pair of wedge-type optical elements placed between the image formation device and the first mirror and having inclined surfaces inclined with respect to a normal direction of a image formation surface and contacted with each other; and

a position adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting relative positions of the optical elements with maintaining the inclined surfaces being in contact with each other.

21. The projection optical system according to claim 18 further comprising a focus adjustment mechanism for adjusting a position of the image formation device in a normal direction of the image formation surface with respect to the first mirror.

22. The projection optical system according to claim 21, wherein the focus adjustment mechanism comprises:

an image formation device holder for holding the image formation device;

an attachment member fixed to the pedestal;

a supporting mechanism for supporting the image formation device holder to the attachment member so as to be moved forward and backward with respect to the image formation device holder;

a urging member for elastically urging the imager formation device holder toward a direction where the image formation device holder approaches the attachment member; and

a adjustment member rotatably held between the image formation device holder and the attachment member for moving the image formation device holder in a direction away from the attachment member against an urging force of the urging member according to a rotational position thereof.