Electro-optical device, and projector and electronic apparatus including the same

Abstract

An electro-optical device includes a liquid crystal device; a holder that holds the liquid crystal device; and an incident window bored through the holder, the incident window allowing a light beam emitted from a light source to be transmitted therethrough to the liquid crystal device. A window frame of the incident window has low reflectivity portions having a low reflectivity of diagonal light toward the liquid crystal device, the diagonal light being included in the light beam directed to the window frame.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a color liquid crystal projector according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a holder that holds a liquid crystal light valve, the holder being attached to a dichroic prism.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the holder and the liquid crystal light valve.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a holding frame.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of portion VI in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a diagram of a geometric model for use in an analysis simulation.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing a distribution of amounts of light entering the liquid crystal light valve, which are obtained by the analysis simulation.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, corresponding to FIG. 6, according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, corresponding to FIG. 6, according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, corresponding to FIG. 6, according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a front view of the holding frame according to a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIV-XIV in FIG. 13.

Claims

1. An electro-optical device comprising: a liquid crystal device; anda holder that holds the liquid crystal device, the holder including a window frame having an incident window through which a light beam emitted from a light source is transmitted to the liquid crystal device, the window frame having a low reflectivity portion with a low reflectivity with respect to diagonally incident light of the light beam from the light source.

2. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the low-reflectivity portions are formed at edge portions of an incident side of the window frame by sharpening the edge portions.

3. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the low-reflectivity portions are formed at walls of the window frame by tapering the walls parallel to a tilt angle of the diagonal light or at an angle greater than the tilt angle so that the walls extend toward the liquid crystal device.

4. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the low-reflectivity portions are formed at edge portions of an incident side of the window frame by fabricating the edge portions to have a recessed cross section.

5. The electro-optical device according to claim 1, wherein the low-reflectivity portions are formed by forming a low-reflectivity layer around a periphery of the window frame.

6. The electro-optical device according to claim 5, wherein the low-reflectivity layer is formed by a painting, coating, or plating process using a material with a high light absorptivity.

7. A projector comprising: an electro-optical device according to claim 1;a light source that emits a light beam to the electro-optical device; anda projection lens that enlarges and projects an image from the electro-optical device onto a screen.