# US 10,871,656 B2 · Beam diameter expanding device and display device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,656 B2 - Document ID: US10871656B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/696,739 - Filed: 2017-09-06 - Published: 2018-03-29 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-26 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Mitsutaka Ide - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871656B2 ## CPC - G02B 27/0977: {Reflective elements} - G02B 6/0031: {Reflecting element, sheet or layer} - G02B 6/02066: {Gratings having a surface relief structure, e.g. repetitive variation in diameter of core or cladding} - G02B 6/12004: {Combinations of two or more optical elements} - G02B 27/0081: {with means for altering, e.g. enlarging, the entrance or exit pupil} - G02B 27/0172: {characterised by optical features} - G02B 27/0905: {Dividing and/or superposing multiple light beams} - G02B 27/1093: {for use with monochromatic radiation only, e.g. devices for splitting a single laser source} - G02B 27/148: {including stacked surfaces having at least one double-pass partially reflecting surface} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A beam diameter expanding device includes a first optical element and a second optical element. The first optical element expands a beam diameter of a light beam entering through a first incident face by expanding in a first direction, and emits the expanded light beam from a first emission face. The second optical element expands a beam diameter of the light beam that entered through a second incident face in a state expanded in beam diameter in the first direction by the first optical element, by expanding in a second direction, and emits the expanded light beam from a second emission face. A width of the first incident face in the second direction (the direction of beam diameter expansion by the second optical element) is narrower than a width of the second incident face in the first direction (the direction of beam diameter expansion by the first optical element). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A beam diameter expanding device comprising: a first optical element including a first incident face provided at one end of the first optical element and a first emission face provided at another end of the first optical element, the first emission face and the first incident face being separate from and opposed to each other, the first optical element expanding a beam diameter of a light beam that has entered through the first incident face by expanding in a first direction, and emitting the light beam from the first emission face; and a second optical element including a second incident face provided at one end of the second optical element and a second emission face provided at another end of the second optical element, the second emission face and the second incident face being separate from and opposed to each other, the second optical element expanding a beam diameter of the light beam that has entered through the second incident face in a state in which the beam diameter has been expanded in the first direction by the first optical element, by expanding in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and emitting the light beam from the second emission face; and the beam diameter expanding device configured such that a width of the first incident face in the second direction is narrower than a width of the second incident face in the first direction, wherein the first optical element includes a first partially reflective layer having a first end and a second end that are separate from and opposed to each other in a length direction of the first optical element; the first end of the first partially reflective layer intersects the first incident face; the second end of the first partially reflective layer intersects the first emission face; the second optical element includes a second partially reflective layer having a third end and a fourth end that are separate from and opposed to each other in a length direction of the second optical element; the third end of the second reflective layer intersects the second incident face; the fourth end of the second partially reflective layer intersects the second emission face; when viewed from a direction parallel with the first partially reflective layer, the first incident face overlaps the first emission face; and when viewed from a direction parallel with the second partially reflective layer, the second incident face overlaps the second emission face. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The beam diameter expanding device according to claim 1, wherein: the first optical element has a stacked layer structure of light-transmissive layers and partially reflective layers that includes the first partially reflective layer alternately stacked along the first direction and disposed between reflection faces that face each other along the first direction; and the second optical element has a stacked layer structure of light-transmissive layers and partially reflective layers that includes the second partially reflective layer alternately stacked along the second direction and disposed between reflection faces that face each other along the second direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A display device comprising: the beam diameter expanding device of claim 2; a light source that emits the light beam; a scanning section that scans the light beam emitted from the light source by scanning in the first direction and the second direction to form an image; and a deflection member that deflects the light beam scanned by the scanning section so as to cause the light beam to be incident on an eye of a user; the beam diameter expanding device being disposed on a light path between the light source and the deflection member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The display device according to claim 3, wherein: the beam diameter expanding device is disposed on a light path between the scanning section and the deflection member; and the scanning section is configured such that a scanning range in the first direction for the light beam is wider than a scanning range in the second direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The display device according to claim 4, wherein the scanning section defines an angle of view in a horizontal direction of the image by the scanning range in the first direction, and defines an angle of view in a vertical direction of the image by the scanning range in the second direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The beam diameter expanding device according to claim 1, wherein a light blocking layer surrounding an emission region of the light beam is provided to at least one of the first emission face or the second emission face. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A display device comprising: the beam diameter expanding device of claim 6; a light source that emits the light beam; a scanning section that scans the light beam emitted from the light source by scanning in the first direction and the second direction to form an image; and a deflection member that deflects the light beam scanned by the scanning section so as to cause the light beam to be incident on an eye of a user; the beam diameter expanding device being disposed on a light path between the light source and the deflection member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The beam diameter expanding device according to claim 1, wherein: the first optical element has a parallelogram profile in cross-section with the first incident face and the first emission face configured by inclined faces; and the second optical element has a parallelogram profile in cross-section with the second incident face and the second emission face configured by inclined faces. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A display device comprising: the beam diameter expanding device of claim 8; a light source that emits the light beam; a scanning section that scans the light beam emitted from the light source by scanning in the first direction and the second direction to form an image; and a deflection member that deflects the light beam scanned by the scanning section so as to cause the light beam to be incident on an eye of a user; the beam diameter expanding device being disposed on a light path between the light source and the deflection member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The display device according to claim 9, wherein: the beam diameter expanding device is disposed on a light path between the scanning section and the deflection member; and the scanning section is configured such that a scanning range in the first direction for the light beam is wider than a scanning range in the second direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The display device according to claim 10, wherein the scanning section defines an angle of view in a horizontal direction of the image by the scanning range in the first direction, and defines an angle of view in a vertical direction of the image by the scanning range in the second direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The beam diameter expanding device according to claim 1, wherein: the first optical element has a trapezoidal profile in cross-section with the first incident face and the first emission face configured by inclined faces; and the second optical element has a trapezoidal profile in cross-section with the second incident face and the second emission face configured by inclined faces. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A display device comprising: the beam diameter expanding device of claim 12; a light source that emits the light beam; a scanning section that scans the light beam emitted from the light source by scanning in the first direction and the second direction to form an image; and a deflection member that deflects the light beam scanned by the scanning section so as to cause the light beam to be incident on an eye of a user; the beam diameter expanding device being disposed on a light path between the light source and the deflection member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The display device according to claim 13, wherein: the beam diameter expanding device is disposed on a light path between the scanning section and the deflection member; and the scanning section is configured such that a scanning range in the first direction for the light beam is wider than a scanning range in the second direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The display device according to claim 14, wherein the scanning section defines an angle of view in a horizontal direction of the image by the scanning range in the first direction, and defines an angle of view in a vertical direction of the image by the scanning range in the second direction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A display device comprising: the beam diameter expanding device of claim 1; a light source that emits the light beam; a scanning section that scans the light beam emitted from the light source by scanning in the first direction and the second direction to form an image; and a deflection member that deflects the light beam scanned by the scanning section so as to cause the light beam to be incident on an eye of a user; the beam diameter expanding device being disposed on a light path between the light source and the deflection member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The display device according to claim 16, wherein: the beam diameter expanding device is disposed on a light path between the scanning section and the deflection member; and the scanning section is configured such that a scanning range in the first direction for the light beam is wider than a scanning range in the second direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The display device according to claim 17, wherein the scanning section defines an angle of view in a horizontal direction of the image by the scanning range in the first direction, and defines an angle of view in a vertical direction of the image by the scanning range in the second direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The beam diameter expanding device according to claim 1, wherein the first emission face of the first optical element and the second incident face of the second optical element face each other across a gap. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The beam diameter expanding device according to claim 1, wherein the first direction intersects the direction parallel with the first partially reflective layer, and the second direction intersects the first direction and the direction parallel with the second partially reflective layer.