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US 10,477,194 B2Granted
Two imager projection device
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsJoseph C. Carls, Craig R. Schardt, Duane E. Preiss, Dwight E. Baldwin
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Abstract
The present disclosure describes optical elements and optical devices that use the optical elements to allow the output of two imagers to be combined onto a single optical axis. Each of the two imagers can be based on alternate polarization directions, and the disclosed embodiments can enable high contrast 3D projectors without requiring either time or polarization sequencing. The present disclosure further describes projection systems that include the optical devices.
Claims11
An imaging device, comprising:
- a first reflective polarizer laminate disposed to intercept an unpolarized input light and reflect a first polarization direction of the unpolarized input light toward a first imager and transmit a second polarization direction of the light, wherein the first reflective polarizer laminate comprises a polymeric multilayer first reflective polarizer aligned to the first polarization direction adjacent a first half-wave retarder and a third reflective polarizer aligned to the first polarization direction adjacent a third half-wave retarder;
- a second imager disposed facing the first imager such that the first reflective polarizer laminate is between the first and the second imager;
- and
- a second reflective polarizer laminate disposed to intercept the unpolarized input light and reflect the second polarization direction of the unpolarized input light toward the second imager and transmit the first polarization direction of the light, wherein the second reflective polarizer laminate comprises a polymeric multilayer second reflective polarizer aligned to the first polarization direction adjacent a second half-wave retarder and a fourth reflective polarizer aligned to the first polarization direction adjacent a fourth half-wave retarder;
- wherein the first polarization direction of the unpolarized input light reflects from the first imager, is reflected from the second and fourth reflective polarizers, and exits the imaging device as a first imaged second polarization direction light, and the second polarization direction of the unpolarized input light reflects from the second imager, is reflected by the first and third reflective polarizers, and exits the imaging device as a second imaged first polarization direction light.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.