Projection display apparatus

Abstract

A projection display apparatus comprises an image forming element, and an imaging optical system made up of a plurality of reflectors for projecting an image formed by the image forming element to provide an enlarged version of the image, wherein at least one of the reflectors which make up the imaging optical system is movable for adjusting the focus, and the movable reflector is movable along a straight line non-parallel with the normal line of the image forming element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating an exemplary imaging optical system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an exemplary imaging optical system contained in a projection display apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the imaging optical system illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an imaging optical system of a comparative example;

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a positional relationship between the projection display apparatus and screen;

FIG. 6 is a partially omitted schematic side view showing the clearance between the third reflector and image light shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a partially omitted schematic side view showing the clearance between the third reflector and image light shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a partially omitted schematic side view illustrating another embodiment of an imaging optical system contained in a projection display apparatus of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a partially omitted schematic side view showing the clearance between the third reflector and image light shown in FIG. 4.

Claims

1. A projection display apparatus comprising: an image forming element; andan imaging optical system comprising a plurality of reflectors for projecting an image formed by said image forming element to provide an enlarged version of the image,wherein at least one of the reflectors in said imaging optical system is movable such that the focus can be adjusted, andwherein said movable reflector is movable along a straight line that is non-parallel with a normal line of said image forming element.

2. A projection display apparatus comprising: an image forming element; andan imaging optical system comprising a plurality of reflectors for projecting an image formed by said image forming element to provide an enlarged version of the image,wherein at least one of the reflectors in said imaging optical system is movable such that the focus can be adjusted,wherein said movable reflector is movable along a straight line that is non-parallel with a normal line of said image forming element, andwherein said movable reflector comprises a reflective surface having a radius of curvature which is the largest of the radii of curvature of the reflective surfaces of the reflectors which make up said imaging optical system.

3. The projection display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of reflectors comprises a first reflector on which light emitted from said image forming element first impinges, a second reflector on which light reflected by said first reflector impinges, a third reflector on which light reflected by said second reflector impinges, and a fourth reflector on which light reflected by said third reflector impinges, and wherein said third reflector comprises said movable reflector which is movable for adjusting the focus.

4. The projection display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of reflectors comprises a first reflector on which light emitted from said image forming element first impinges, a second reflector on which light reflected by said first reflector impinges, a third reflector on which light reflected by said second reflector impinges, and a fourth reflector on which light reflected by said third reflector impinges, and wherein said third reflector comprises said movable reflector which is movable for adjusting the focus.

5. The projection display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first reflector comprises a spherical reflective surface, and each of said second reflector, said third reflector, and said fourth reflector comprises an aspherical or a free-form reflective surface.

6. The projection display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first reflector comprises a spherical reflective surface, and each of said second reflector, said third reflector, and said fourth reflector comprises an aspherical or a free-form reflective surface.

7. The projection display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image light reflected by said movable reflector impinges on a next reflector in said plurality of reflectors, and wherein said movable reflector is movable such that a clearance is provided between said movable reflector and said image light reflected by said next reflector.

8. The projection display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said movable reflector is movable along a reference axis which is non-parallel with said normal line of said image tuning element, and wherein said reference axis exists in a place that includes an axis of symmetry of said plurality of reflectors.

9. The projection display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of reflectors comprises first through fourth reflectors, wherein an image light from said image forming element is reflected by the first reflector and impinges on the second reflector which reflects said image light,wherein an image light reflected by the second reflector impinges on the third reflector which reflects said image light,wherein an image light reflected by the third reflector impinges on the fourth reflector which reflects said image light in a direction toward a screen of said projection display apparatus.

10. The projection display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a light source; andan illumination optical system for directing light emitted from the light source to the image forming element

11. The projection display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a screen on which said enlarged image is formed.

12. The projection display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image fanning element comprises a liquid crystal panel.

13. The projection display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image forming element comprises a Digital Micro-mirror Device (DMD), said normal line comprising a normal line of a plane which approximates a surface of a micro-mirror in said DMD.

14. The projection display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of reflectors comprises a first reflector which receives image light from said image forming element, said first reflector comprising a glass material having a low coefficient of linear expansion and a spherical reflective surface.

15. The projection display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said first reflector comprises a polished reflector.

16. An imaging optical system for a projection display apparatus, said system comprising: a plurality of reflectors for projecting an image formed by an image forming element of said projection display apparatus to provide an enlarged version of the image,wherein at least one of the reflectors comprises a movable reflector which is movable along a straight line that is other than parallel with a normal line of said image forming element.