Projection Display Apparatus

A projection display apparatus in an xyz coordinate system with a z-axis coincident with an optical axis, an x-axis orthogonal to the z-axis, and a y-axis orthogonal to the z-axis and the y-axis, the optical axis forming the origin of the xy plane, the projection display apparatus having:

• a light source section for emitting light;
• a first lens array with convex lenses the shape of which, on a first plane orthogonal to the z-axis, is rectangular with long sides in the x-axis direction and short sides in the y-axis direction, arranged in an array with a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on the first plane, for uniformizing an illuminance distribution of the light emitted from the light source section;
• a second lens array with convex lenses the shape of which, on a second plane orthogonal to the z-axis, is rectangular with long sides in the x-axis direction and short sides in the y-axis direction, arranged in an array with a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on the second plane, disposed in a position, spaced apart from the first lens array, such that the individual convex lenses of the first lens array face the individual convex lenses of the second lens array, for uniformizing the illuminance distribution of the light transmitted through the first lens array;
• a light valve for receiving the light transmitted through the second lens array and outputting light modulated according to an image signal;
• a projection optical system for projecting the light output from the light valve onto a screen;
• and
• a light quantity adjusting means disposed between the first lens array and the second lens array for adjusting a quantity of the light received by the light valve;
• wherein the light quantity adjusting means comprises one pair or a plurality of pairs of light blocking members for blocking light in transit from the first lens array to the second lens array,
• one pair or a plurality of pairs of rotational axes for turnably supporting each of the light blocking members on the xy plane,
• a turning mechanism for turning the light blocking members, and
• a turning control unit for controlling operations of the turning mechanism;
• wherein, of the one pair or the plurality of pairs of light blocking members, the light blocking members constituting each pair have xy coordinates that are symmetric with respect to the origin;
• wherein, of the one pair or the plurality of pairs of rotational axes, the rotational axes constituting each pair have xy coordinates that are symmetric with respect to the origin;
• wherein edges of the light blocking members that lead in the turning direction when the light blocking members are turned in a direction that increases the quantity of light blocked by the light blocking members have a straight shape;
• and
• wherein the light blocking members and the rotational axes are positioned so that when the light blocking members turn so that said edges are aligned in the x-axis direction, the position in the y-axis direction of said edges differs from a position in the y-axis direction of joined edges of convex lenses of the second lens array that adjoin in the y-axis direction.

A projection display apparatus in an xyz coordinate system with a z-axis coincident with an optical axis, an x-axis orthogonal to the z-axis, and a y-axis orthogonal to the z-axis and the y-axis, the optical axis forming the origin of the xy plane, the projection display apparatus having:

• a light source section for emitting light;
• a first lens array with convex lenses the shape of which, on a first plane orthogonal to the z-axis, is rectangular with long sides in the x-axis direction and short sides in the y-axis direction, arranged in an array with a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on the first plane, for uniformizing an illuminance distribution of the light emitted from the light source section;
• a second lens array with convex lenses the shape of which, on a second plane orthogonal to the z-axis, is rectangular with long sides in the x-axis direction and short sides in the y-axis direction, arranged in an array with a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on the second plane, disposed in a position, spaced apart from the first lens array, such that the individual convex lenses of the first lens array face the individual convex lenses of the second lens array, for uniformizing the illuminance distribution of the light transmitted through the first lens array;
• a light valve for receiving the light transmitted through the second lens array and outputting light modulated according to an image signal;
• a projection optical system for projecting the light output from the light valve onto a screen;
• and
• a light quantity adjusting means disposed between the first lens array and the second lens array for adjusting a quantity of the light received by the light valve;
• wherein the light quantity adjusting means comprises one pair or a plurality of pairs of light blocking members for blocking light in transit from the first lens array to the second lens array,
• one pair or a plurality of pairs of rotational axes for turnably supporting each of the light blocking members on the xy plane,
• a turning mechanism for turning the light blocking members, and
• a turning control unit for controlling operations of the turning mechanism;
• wherein, of the one pair or the plurality of pairs of light blocking members, the light blocking members constituting each pair have xy coordinates that are symmetric with respect to the origin;
• wherein, of the one pair or the plurality of pairs of rotational axes, the rotational axes constituting each pair have xy coordinates that are symmetric with respect to the origin;
• wherein edges of the light blocking members that lead in the turning direction when the light blocking members are turned in a direction that increases the quantity of light blocked by the light blocking members have a straight shape;
• and
• wherein the light blocking members and the rotational axes are positioned so that when the light blocking members turn so that said edges are aligned in the y-axis direction, the position in the x-axis direction of said edges differs from a position in the x-axis direction of joined edges of convex lenses of the second lens array that adjoin in the y-axis direction.

A projection display apparatus in an xyz coordinate system with a z-axis coincident with an optical axis, an x-axis orthogonal to the z-axis, and a y-axis orthogonal to the z-axis and the y-axis, the optical axis forming the origin of the xy plane, the projection display apparatus having:

• a light source section for emitting light;
• a first lens array with convex lenses the shape of which, on a first plane orthogonal to the z-axis, is rectangular with long sides in the x-axis direction and short sides in the y-axis direction, arranged in an array with a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on the first plane, for uniformizing an illuminance distribution of the light emitted from the light source section;
• a second lens array with convex lenses the shape of which, on a second plane orthogonal to the z-axis, is rectangular with long sides in the x-axis direction and short sides in the y-axis direction, arranged in an array with a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on the second plane, disposed in a position, spaced apart from the first lens array, such that the individual convex lenses of the first lens array face the individual convex lenses of the second lens array, for uniformizing the illuminance distribution of the light transmitted through the first lens array;
• a polarization conversion element disposed facing the second lens array;
• a light valve for receiving the light transmitted through the polarization conversion element and outputting light modulated according to an image signal;
• a projection optical system for projecting the light output from the light valve onto a screen;
• and
• a light quantity adjusting means disposed between the first lens array and the second lens array for adjusting a quantity of the light received by the light valve;
• wherein the light quantity adjusting means comprises one pair or a plurality of pairs of light blocking members for blocking light in transit from the first lens array to the second lens array,
• one pair or a plurality of pairs of rotational axes for turnably supporting each of the light blocking members on the xy plane,
• a turning mechanism for turning the light blocking members, and
• a turning control unit for controlling operations of the turning mechanism;
• wherein, of the one pair or the plurality of pairs of light blocking members, the light blocking members constituting each pair have xy coordinates that are symmetric with respect to the origin;
• wherein, of the one pair or the plurality of pairs of rotational axes, the rotational axes constituting each pair have xy coordinates that are symmetric with respect to the origin;
• wherein edges of the light blocking members that lead in the turning direction when the light blocking members are turned in a direction that increases the quantity of light blocked by the light blocking members have a straight shape;
• wherein the polarization conversion element has a plurality of light-transmitting regions with long dimensions oriented in the x-axis direction and a plurality of non-light-transmitting regions with long dimensions oriented in the x-axis direction disposed alternately in the y-axis direction in a surface on the second-lens-array side, for separating light that passes through the second lens array and is received by the light-transmitting regions into first polarized light and second polarized light, outputting the separated first polarized light, converting the separated second polarized light into the first polarized light, and outputting the converted light;
• and
• the light blocking members and the rotational axes are positioned so that when the light blocking members turn so that said edges are aligned in the x-axis direction, the position in the y-axis direction of said edges differs from positions in the y-axis direction in which the non-light-transmitting regions are present.

A projection display apparatus in an xyz coordinate system with a z-axis coincident with an optical axis, an x-axis orthogonal to the z-axis, and a y-axis orthogonal to the z-axis and the y-axis, the optical axis forming the origin of the xy plane, the projection display apparatus having:

• a light source section for emitting light;
• a first lens array with convex lenses the shape of which, on a first plane orthogonal to the z-axis, is rectangular with long sides in the x-axis direction and short sides in the y-axis direction, arranged in an array with a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on the first plane, for uniformizing an illuminance distribution of the light emitted from the light source section;
• a second lens array with convex lenses the shape of which, on a second plane orthogonal to the z-axis, is rectangular with long sides in the x-axis direction and short sides in the y-axis direction, arranged in an array with a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns on the second plane, disposed in a position, spaced apart from the first lens array, such that the individual convex lenses of the first lens array face the individual convex lenses of the second lens array, for uniformizing the illuminance distribution of the light transmitted through the first lens array;
• a polarization conversion element disposed facing the second lens array;
• a light valve for receiving the light transmitted through the polarization conversion element and outputting light modulated according to an image signal;
• a projection optical system for projecting the light output from the light valve onto a screen;
• and
• a light quantity adjusting means disposed between the first lens array and the second lens array for adjusting a quantity of the light received by the light valve;
• wherein the light quantity adjusting means comprises one pair or a plurality of pairs of light blocking members for blocking light in transit from the first lens array to the second lens array,
• one pair or a plurality of pairs of rotational axes for turnably supporting each of the light blocking members on the xy plane,
• a turning mechanism for turning the light blocking members, and
• a turning control unit for controlling operations of the turning mechanism;
• wherein, of the one pair or the plurality of pairs of light blocking members, the light blocking members constituting each pair have xy coordinates that are symmetric with respect to the origin;
• wherein, of the one pair or the plurality of pairs of rotational axes, the rotational axes constituting each pair have xy coordinates that are symmetric with respect to the origin;
• wherein edges of the light blocking members that lead in the turning direction when the light blocking members are turned in a direction that increases the quantity of light blocked by the light blocking members have a straight shape;
• wherein the polarization conversion element has a plurality of light-transmitting regions with long dimensions oriented in the x-axis direction and a plurality of non-light-transmitting regions with long dimensions oriented in the y-axis direction disposed alternately in the x-axis direction in a surface on the second-lens-array side, for separating light that passes through the second lens array and is received by the light-transmitting regions into first polarized light and second polarized light, outputting the separated first polarized light, converting the separated second polarized light into the first polarized light, and outputting the converted light;
• and
• wherein the light blocking members and the rotational axes are positioned so that when the light blocking members turn so that said edges are aligned in the x-axis direction, the position in the x-axis direction of said edges differs from positions in the x-axis direction in which the non-light-transmitting regions are present.