CN222636475U

CN222636475U - Lighting system and projector

Info

Publication number: CN222636475U
Application number: CN202421358405.8U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 简志雄; 林明坤
Original assignee: Qisda Optronics Suzhou Co Ltd; Qisda Corp
Current assignee: Qisda Optronics Suzhou Co Ltd; Qisda Corp
Priority date: 2024-06-14
Filing date: 2024-06-14
Publication date: 2025-03-18
Anticipated expiration: 2034-06-14

Abstract

The utility model provides an illumination system and a projector thereof, wherein the illumination system receives the color light of the light source module of the projector to form a projection light beam and comprises a lens array element, a digital micromirror element, a refractive element and a projection lens. The lens array element is arranged on the light output axis of the light source module to perform uniform light shaping on the color light transmitted from the light source module. The digital micromirror element has a micro-array reflection area for modulating the reflected color light to form a projection light beam emitted along the projection optical axis. The refractive element is arranged between the lens array element and the digital micromirror element to amplify the color light transmitted from the lens array element and guide the color light to be incident on the digital micromirror element and cover the micro-array reflection area. The projection lens is arranged on the projection optical axis to receive the projection light beam for image projection.

Description

Lighting system and projector thereof

Technical Field

The present utility model relates to an illumination system and a projector thereof, and more particularly, to an illumination system and a projector thereof for constructing a non-telecentric optical architecture.

Background

In projection systems, high quality projected images have wide application. In the prior art, illumination systems capable of providing high quality projected images are generally classified into telecentric optical architectures and non-telecentric optical architectures. The use of telecentric or near telecentric optical architecture for designing the illumination system results in high lens manufacturing costs, while the use of non-telecentric optical architecture for designing the illumination system generally results in a larger overall volume of the illumination system in order to ensure the quality of the projected image. As such, the conventional designs cannot realize high-quality projection images at low cost.

Therefore, how to efficiently generate high quality multiple colors of light and simultaneously achieve the requirements of reducing the volume of the illumination system and the cost of the lens are important issues in the arrangement of optical elements of the projector.

Disclosure of utility model

Therefore, an objective of the present utility model is to provide an illumination system and a projector thereof with a non-telecentric optical structure by disposing a refractive element between a lens array element and a digital micromirror element, so as to reduce the volume of the illumination system and the cost of the lens.

In order to achieve the above object, the present utility model provides an illumination system, which is adapted to provide a projection beam of a projector, the projector includes a light source module, the illumination system receives at least one color light provided by the light source module to form the projection beam, the illumination system includes:

The lens array element is arranged on the light-emitting axis of the light source module to uniformly shape the at least one color light transmitted from the light source module;

A digital micromirror element having a micro array reflection area for modulating and reflecting the at least one color light to form the projection beam and emitting along a projection optical axis;

A refraction element disposed between the lens array element and the digital micromirror element for amplifying the at least one color light transmitted from the lens array element and guiding the at least one color light to be incident on the digital micromirror element and covering the reflective area of the micro array, and

The projection lens is arranged on the projection optical axis and is used for receiving the projection light beam to project an image.

Preferably, the refraction element is a lens with positive diopter, the illumination system further comprises a refraction element arranged on the emergent optical axis to reflect the at least one color light transmitted from the lens array element so that the at least one color light travels along a reflection optical axis, and the refraction element is arranged on the reflection optical axis and is positioned between the refraction element and the digital micromirror element.

Further preferably, the optical path distance relationship between the refractive element and between the refractive element and the lens array element satisfies the following formula:

(B1+B2)/A=1~10;

Wherein B1 is an optical path distance from the lens array element to the refractive element along the light exit axis, B2 is an optical path distance from the refractive element to the refractive element along the reflection axis, and a is a width of the lens array element with respect to the light exit axis.

Preferably, the refractive element is a concave mirror.

Further preferably, the optical path distance relationship of the refractive element and the lens array element conforms to the following formula:

B3/A=1~10;

Wherein B3 is an optical path distance from the lens array element to the refractive element along the exit axis, and a is a width of the lens array element with respect to the exit axis.

Preferably, the lens array element has two optical surfaces respectively facing the light source module and the refractive element, and at least one of the two optical surfaces is formed with a lens array.

Preferably, the refraction element is disposed at a position for guiding the at least one color light to be incident from a long-side direction or a corner direction of the reflection area of the micro array.

Preferably, the angle of the cone of light of the projection beam incident on the projection lens from the dmd is greater than 3 degrees.

Preferably, the lens array element and the refractive element are disposed in a single piece between the light source module and the digital micromirror element.

Preferably, the light source module comprises:

a light guide lens set disposed on the light output axis, and

At least one light source is arranged at a position corresponding to the light guide lens group so as to emit the at least one color light to the light guide lens group, so that the at least one color light is guided by the light guide lens group to enter the lens array element along the emergent axis, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode light source or a laser light source.

In order to achieve the above object, the present utility model further provides a projector, comprising:

A light source module for providing at least one color light, and

In the above-mentioned illumination system, the illumination system receives at least one color light provided by the light source module to form a projection beam.

Compared with the prior art, the illumination system and the projector provided by the utility model are used for receiving at least one color light provided by the light source module of the projector so as to form a projection beam. The illumination system comprises a lens array element, a digital micro-mirror element, a refraction element and a projection lens. The refraction element is arranged between the lens array element and the digital micro-mirror element to construct a non-telecentric optical structure, so that the occupied volume of the illumination system is further reduced, and the lens cost of the illumination system is reduced.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a simplified side view of a projector according to another embodiment of the present utility model;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the refractive element and the digital micromirror element of FIG. 1;

Fig. 3 is a simplified side view of a projector according to another embodiment of the present utility model.

Detailed Description

For a further understanding of the objects, construction, features, and functions of the utility model, reference should be made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

Certain terms are used throughout the description and claims to refer to particular components. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that manufacturers may refer to a component by different names. The description and claims do not take the form of an element differentiated by name, but rather by functional differences. In the following description and in the claims, the terms "include" and "comprise" are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean "include, but not limited to.

The use of ordinal numbers such as "first," "second," "third," etc., in the description is intended to modify a component, by itself, and does not by itself connote any preceding ordinal number, nor does it connote an ordering of one component relative to another, or a ordering of manufacturing methods, but rather is used merely for distinguishing between one component having a given name and another component having the same name.

Referring to fig. 1, which is a simplified side view of a projector 10 according to an embodiment of the utility model, in the embodiment of the utility model, the projector 10 may include a light source module 100A and an illumination system 12, the light source module 100A includes a light source 110 and a light guide set 140, the light guide set 140 includes a color separation film 141, a color separation film 142, a first lens 143, a second lens 144, and a third lens 145, wherein the first lens 143 is disposed between the first light source 110A and the color separation film 141, the second lens 144 is disposed between the second light source 110B and the color separation film 141, the third lens 145 is disposed between the third light source 110C and the color separation film 142, and the first lens 143, the second lens 144, and the third lens 145 generally refer to lenses having a light converging function for changing the color light characteristics of the light source 110.

The light source 110 is configured to emit an illumination beam L having at least two different colors of light. As shown in fig. 1, the light source 110 includes a first light source 110A for emitting a first color light LA, a second light source 110B for emitting a second color light LB different from the first color light LA, and a third light source 110C for emitting a third color light LC different from the first color light LA and the second color light LB. The first color light LA, the second color light LB, and the third color light LC are combined into an illumination light beam L.

In the present embodiment, the light source 110 includes three light sources capable of emitting different color lights. In some embodiments, the first light source 110A, the second light source 110B, and the third light source 110C may be light emitting diode light sources, and the first color light LA is red light, the second color light LB is green light, and the third color light LC is blue light. In some embodiments, the light source 110 may include more than two light sources emitting light with different colors, such as two or more than three light sources, and the utility model is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the illumination beam L includes two or more of red light, blue light, green light. In addition, the present utility model may also be modified to provide a single-color light beam by using a single-light-source design (i.e., the light source 110 may include only a light source emitting a single color light) according to practical design requirements.

The color separation film 141 is disposed at a position opposite to the first light source 110A and the second light source 110B in a relatively inclined manner (preferably, the relative inclination angle of the color separation film 141 is equal to 45 °, but is not limited thereto), so as to reflect the second color light LB and allow the first color light LA to penetrate, such that the first color light LA and the second color light LB combine and are incident on the color separation film 142. The color separation film 142 is disposed at a position opposite to the third light source 110C in a relatively inclined manner (preferably, the relative inclination angle of the color separation film 142 is equal to 45 °, but is not limited thereto), so as to reflect the first color light LA and the second color light LB and allow the third color light LC to penetrate, so that the third color light LC and the first color light LA and the second color light LB combine along the light output axis O to form an illumination beam L for incidence to the lens array element 14.

As shown in fig. 1, the illumination system 12 of the projector 10 receives an illumination beam L provided by a light source module 100A to form a projection beam B, and the illumination system 12 may include a lens array element 14, a refractive element 16, a refractive element 18, a digital micromirror element 20, and a projection lens 22, wherein the lens array element 14, the refractive element 16, and the refractive element 18 are disposed between the light source module 100A and the digital micromirror element 20 in a single configuration.

The lens array 14 is disposed on the light output axis O of the light source module 100A to uniformly shape the illumination beam L transmitted from the light source module 100A, so as to generate light beam splitting, beam shaping and light spot superposition effects. In this embodiment, the lens array element 14 is preferably a fly eye lens or other similar device, but not limited thereto, and the lens array element 14 has two optical surfaces facing the light source module 100A and the refractive element 16, respectively, at least one of which is formed with a lens array 15 (the lens array element 14 is shown in fig. 1 with the lens array 15 formed on the optical surfaces facing the light source module 100A and the refractive element 16, but not limited thereto, and a single-sided lens array design may be adopted). As for the description of the design of the array structure of the lens array element 14, it is common in the prior art and may vary according to the practical application of the projector 10, and is not repeated herein and is not limited to fig. 1.

The refraction element 16 is disposed between the lens array element 14 and the Digital micromirror element 20, and the Digital micromirror element 20 is preferably a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) and has a Micro array reflective area 21 for modulating the reflected illumination beam L to form a projection beam B to be emitted along the projection optical axis P, that is, after being uniformly shaped by the lens array element 14, the illumination beam L emitted by the light source module 100A is incident on the Digital micromirror element 20 through the refraction element 16, and then the Digital micromirror element 20 converts the illumination beam L into the projection beam B. Specifically, the refractive element 16 generally refers to a lens having a light converging function to allow the illumination light beam L to be projected onto the digital micromirror element 20. In some embodiments, the refractive element 16 is a lens with positive refractive power for magnifying the illumination beam L from the lens array element 14 and directing the illumination beam L to the digital micromirror element 20 and covering the micro-array reflective area 21.

In this embodiment, the illumination beam L emitted from the light source module 100A is incident on the refractive element 18 before being incident on the refractive element 16. The refraction element 16 is disposed on the reflection optical axis R and between the refraction element 18 and the dmd 20, and the refraction element 18 is disposed on the exit optical axis O to reflect the illumination beam L transmitted from the lens array element 14, so that the illumination beam L travels along the reflection optical axis R. In some embodiments, the refractive element 18 may be a plane mirror or a curved mirror, or may have similar functions, but the utility model is not limited thereto. Thereby, the illumination beam L is reflected by the refraction element 18, passes through the refraction element 18, and then is incident on the digital micromirror element 20.

Further, in the present embodiment, the angle of the light cone (light cone) of the projection beam B incident from the dmd 20 to the projection lens 22 is preferably greater than 3 degrees, and the optical path distance relationship between the refractive element 18 and the refractive element 16 and the lens array element 14 conforms to the following formula, so as to construct a non-telecentric optical architecture in the projector 10.

(B1+B2)/A=1~10。

Where B1 is the optical path distance of the illumination beam L from the lens array element 14 to the refractive element 18 along the exit optical axis O, B2 is the optical path distance of the illumination beam L from the refractive element 18 to the refractive element 16 along the reflection optical axis R, and a is the width of the lens array element 14 with respect to the exit optical axis O.

In a preferred embodiment, (b1+b2)/a=1 to 6, so as to further reduce the volume of the illumination system 12 and further reduce the cost of the illumination system 12.

By the single configuration of the refraction element 16 and the refraction element 18 and the limited design of the optical path distance ratio, the present utility model can ensure that the refraction element 16 and the refraction element 18 can be properly disposed relatively close to the digital micromirror element 20 to construct a non-telecentric optical structure, thereby further reducing the volume occupied by the illumination system 12 and the lens cost of the illumination system 12, and avoiding the occurrence of the condition that the refraction element 16 and the digital micromirror element 20 interfere with each other to affect the projection imaging quality or damage the elements. It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 2 (a), the refractive element 16 is preferably disposed at a position where the guiding illumination beam L is incident from the long side direction e of the micro-array reflective area 21, but the present utility model is not limited thereto, and the design shown in fig. 2 (b) may also be adopted, that is, the refractive element 16 may be disposed at a position where the guiding illumination beam L is incident from the corner direction c of the micro-array reflective area 21, and what configuration is adopted depends on the actual manufacturing and application requirements of the illumination system 12.

The projection lens 22 is disposed on the projection optical axis P and adapted to project the projection beam B onto a projection screen (not shown) to form an image for viewing by a user. In the present embodiment, the projection lens 22 may include a combination of one or more optical lenses having diopters, such as various combinations of non-planar lenses including biconcave lenses, biconvex lenses, meniscus lenses, convex-concave lenses, plano-convex lenses, and plano-concave lenses. The form and type of the projection lens 22 are not limited in the present utility model.

After the illumination light beams L are converged on the digital micromirror device 16, the digital micromirror device 16 can sequentially convert the different color light beams in the illumination light beams L into corresponding projection light beams B and transmit the projection light beams B to the projection lens 22, so that the image frame projected by the projection light beams B converted by the digital micromirror device 16 can be a color frame.

In some embodiments, the configuration of the light source module and the refractive element design adopted by the projector of the present utility model are not limited to the above embodiments, for example, please refer to fig. 3, which is a simplified side view of a projector 10' according to another embodiment of the present utility model, wherein the elements in the embodiment and the elements in the embodiment have the same reference numerals, which represent the same or similar structures and functions, and the related description thereof will be analogized with reference to the above embodiments and will not be repeated herein. As can be seen from fig. 3, in this embodiment, the projector 10' includes a light source module 100A ' and an illumination system 12', the light source module 100A ' includes a light source 110' and a light guide lens set 140', and the light source 110' is configured to emit an illumination beam L ', wherein the illumination beam L ' has at least two different colors. As shown in fig. 3, the light source 110' includes a first light source 110A ' for emitting a first color light LA ', a second light source 110B ' for emitting a second color light LB ' different from the first color light LA ', and a third light source 110C ' for emitting a third color light LC ' different from the first color light LA ' and the second color light LB. The first color light LA ', the second color light LB', and the third color light LC 'are combined into an illumination light beam L'.

In the present embodiment, the light source 110' includes three light sources capable of emitting different color lights. In some embodiments, the first light source 110A ', the second light source 110B', and the third light source 110C 'may be laser light sources, while the first color light LA' is red light, the second color light LB 'is green light, and the third color light LC' is blue light. For example, the first light source 110A ' may include a plurality of arrayed red light laser diodes, the second light source 110B ' may include a plurality of arrayed green light laser diodes, and the third light source 110C ' may include a plurality of arrayed blue light laser diodes, but the utility model is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the light source 110' may include more than two light sources emitting different colors, such as two or more than three light sources, and the utility model is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the illumination beam L' includes two or more of red light, blue light, green light. In addition, the present utility model may also be modified to provide a single-color light beam by employing a single-light-source design (i.e., the light source 110' may include only a light source emitting a single color light) according to practical design requirements.

The light guide set 140' includes a color separator 146, a color separator 147, and a color separator 148. The color separation film 148 may be disposed at a position opposite to the third light source 110C ' (preferably, the relative inclination angle of the color separation film 148 is equal to 45 °, but is not limited thereto) for reflecting the third color light LC ', and the color separation film 147 may be disposed at a position opposite to the second light source 110B ' (preferably, the relative inclination angle of the color separation film 147 is equal to 45 °, but is not limited thereto) for reflecting the second color light LB ' and allowing the third color light LC ' to pass therethrough, such that the second color light LB ' combines with the third color light LC '. The color separation film 146 may be disposed at a position opposite to the first light source 110A 'in a relatively inclined manner (preferably, the relative inclination angle of the color separation film 146 is equal to 45 °, but is not limited thereto), so as to reflect the first color light LA' and allow the second color light LB 'and the third color light LC' to penetrate, such that the first color light LA 'and the second color light LB' and the third color light LC 'combine to form an illumination light beam L' incident on the lens array element 14.

As shown in fig. 3, the illumination system 12 'receives the illumination beam L' provided by the light source module 100A 'to form a projection beam B', and the illumination system 12 'may include a lens array element 14, a refractive element 16', a digital micromirror element 20, and a projection lens 22, wherein the lens array element 14 and the refractive element 16 'are disposed between the light source module 100A' and the digital micromirror element 20 in a single piece configuration. In this embodiment, the refraction element 16' may be a concave mirror for reflecting the illumination beam L ' to the digital micromirror element 20 and covering the micro-array reflection area 21, that is, after the lens array element 14 is shaped uniformly, the illumination beam L ' emitted from the light source module 100A ' may be incident to the digital micromirror element 20 through the refraction element 16', and then the digital micromirror element 20 converts the illumination beam L ' into the projection beam B '.

Further, in the present embodiment, the optical path distance relationship between the refractive element 16 'and the lens array element 14 conforms to the following formula, thereby constructing a non-telecentric optical architecture in the projector 10'.

B3/A=1~10。

Where B3 is the optical path distance of the illumination beam L 'from the lens array element 14 along the exit optical axis O to the refractive element 16', and a is the width of the lens array element 14 relative to the exit optical axis O.

In a preferred embodiment, B3/a=1 to 6, so as to further reduce the size of the illumination system 12 and further reduce the cost of the illumination system 12.

By the single configuration of the refractive element 16' and the proportional limit of the optical path distance, the present utility model can ensure that the refractive element 16' can be properly disposed relatively close to the digital micromirror element 20 to construct a non-telecentric optical structure, thereby further reducing the volume occupied by the illumination system 12' and the lens cost of the illumination system 12', and avoiding the occurrence of the projection imaging quality or the element damage caused by the structural interference/collision between the refractive element 16' and the digital micromirror element 20.

In this way, after the illumination light beam L 'is converged on the dmd 16 through the refraction element 16', the dmd 16 can sequentially convert different color lights in the illumination light beam L 'into corresponding projection light beams B' and transmit the projection light beams B 'to the projection lens 22, so that the image frame projected by the projection light beams B' converted by the dmd 16 can be a color frame. For other designs of the projector 10' (such as the incident direction of the refractive element with respect to the reflective area of the micro-array), the description thereof will be made by analogy with the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

In summary, the illumination system and the projector provided by the utility model receive at least one color light provided by the light source module of the projector to form a projection beam. The illumination system comprises a lens array element, a digital micro-mirror element, a refraction element and a projection lens. The lens array element is arranged on the light-emitting axis of the light source module to carry out light homogenizing shaping on the color light transmitted from the light source module. The digital micromirror device has a micro array reflection area for modulating the reflected color light to form a projection beam emitted along the projection optical axis. The refraction element is arranged between the lens array element and the digital micro-mirror element to construct a non-telecentric optical framework for amplifying the color light transmitted from the lens array element, guiding the color light to enter the digital micro-mirror element and covering the micro-array reflection area. The projection lens is arranged on the projection optical axis and is used for receiving the projection light beam to project an image. Thus, the occupied volume of the lighting system is further reduced, and the lens cost of the lighting system is reduced.

The utility model has been described with respect to the above-described embodiments, however, the above-described embodiments are merely examples of practicing the utility model. It should be noted that the disclosed embodiments do not limit the scope of the utility model. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the utility model.

Claims

1. An illumination system adapted to provide a projection beam of a projector, the projector comprising a light source module, the illumination system receiving at least one color light provided by the light source module to form the projection beam, the illumination system comprising:

2. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the refractive element is a lens having a positive refractive power, the illumination system further comprises a refractive element disposed on the exit axis to reflect the at least one color light transmitted from the lens array element such that the at least one color light travels along a reflection axis, the refractive element disposed on the reflection axis and between the refractive element and the dmd.

3. The illumination system of claim 2, wherein the refractive element and the lens array element have an optical path distance relationship according to the following formula:

(B1+B2)/A=1~10;

4. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the refractive element is a concave mirror.

5. The illumination system of claim 4 wherein the optical path distance relationship between the refractive element and the lens array element satisfies the following equation:

B3/A=1~10;

6. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the lens array element has two optical surfaces facing the light source module and the refractive element, respectively, at least one of the two optical surfaces being formed with a lens array.

7. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the refractive element is disposed to direct the at least one color light to be incident from a long side or a corner of the microarray reflective area.

8. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the angle of the cone of light from the dmd incident on the projection lens is greater than 3 degrees.

9. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the lens array element and the refractive element are disposed in a single piece arrangement between the light source module and the dmd.

10. The illumination system of claim 1, wherein the light source module comprises:

a light guide lens set disposed on the light output axis, and

11. A kind of projector, which is used to make the projector, characterized by comprising:

A light source module for providing at least one color light, and

The illumination system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, which receives at least one color light provided by the light source module to form a projection beam.