Optical illumination system and projection display apparatus using the same

An optical illumination system comprising:

• a radiation source;
• condensing means for converting beams of light radiation from the radiation source into a single luminous flux;
• a first lens array comprising a plurality of first lenses disposed in a two-dimensional array;
• and a second lens array comprising a plurality of second lenses disposed in a two-dimensional array and paired with said first lenses, respectively,
• the first lens array being optically disposed between said condensing means and said second lens array so as to divide the single luminous flux formed by the condensing means into a plurality of partial luminous fluxes of the same number as that of the first lenses, and so that each of the first lenses converges a respective one of the partial luminous fluxes onto an aperture of the second lens paired therewith, each of the second lenses having a magnification which causes the partial luminous fluxes to be magnified onto superimposed finite regions to be illuminated, at least one of said lens arrays having a substrate, and at least some of the lenses of said one of the lens arrays having convex surfaces, adjacent ones of said convex surfaces in the array being alternately disposed on opposite sides of said substrate.

An optical illumination system comprising:

• a radiation source;
• condensing means for converting beams of light radiating from the radiation source into a single luminous flux;
• a first lens array comprising a plurality of first lenses disposed in a two-dimensional array;
• and a second lens array comprising a plurality of second lenses disposed in a two-dimensional array and paired with said first lenses, respectively,
• the first lens array being optically disposed between said condensing means and said second lens array so as to divide the single luminous flux formed by the condensing means into a plurality of partial luminous fluxes of the same number as that of the first lenses, and so that each of the first lenses converges a respective one of the partial luminous fluxes onto an aperture of the second lens paired therewith, each of the second lenses having a magnification which causes the partial luminous fluxes to be magnified onto surperimposed finite regions to be illuminated, and each of said lenses of the second lens array consisting of a Fresnel lens.

An optical illumination system comprising:

• a radiation source;
• condensing means for converting beams of light radiating from the radiation source into a single luminous flux;
• a first lens array comprising a plurality of first lenses disposed in a two-dimensional array;
• and a second lens array comprising a plurality of second lenses disposed in a two-dimensional array and paired with said first lenses, respectively,
• the first lens array being optically disposed between said condensing means and said second lens array so as to divide the single luminous flux formed by the condensing means into a plurality of partial luminous fluxes of the same number as that of the first lenses, and so that each of the first lenses converges a respective one of the partial luminous fluxes onto an aperture of the second lens paired therewith, each of the second lenses having a magnification which causes the partial luminous fluxes to be magnified onto superimposed finite regions to be illuminated, and one of said lens arrays being formed of transparent silicon rubber.

A projection display apparatus comprising:

• an optical illumination system including a radiation source, condensing means for converting beams of light radiating from the radiation source into a single luminous flux, a first lens array comprising a plurality of first lenses disposed in a two-dimensional array, and a second lens array comprising a plurality of second lenses disposed in a two-dimensional array and paired with said first lenses, respectively;
• and an optical projection system including a light modulator on which an optical image illuminated by said optical illumination system is produced, and optical projection means for enlarging the illuminated optical image on the light modulator and for projecting the enlarged optical image onto a screen,
• the first lens array being optically disposed between said condensing means and said second lens array so as to divide the single luminous flux formed by the condensing means into a plurality of partial luminous fluxes of the same number as that of the first lenses, and so that each of the first lenses converges a respective one of the partial luminous fluxes onto an aperture of the second lens paired therewith, each of the second lenses having a magnification which causes the partial luminous fluxes to be magnified onto superimposed finite display regions of said light modulator, each of the second lenses having an aperture larger than the cross section of the partial luminous flux converged onto the second lens, the aperture of at least one of the second lenses having a different configuration than that of the aperture of another one of the second lenses, and the effective region of the second lens array, formed by all of the apertures of the second lenses, approximately inscribing a circle.

A projection display apparatus comprising:

• radiation source means for radiating beams of light including at least the three primary colors;
• condensing means for converting the beams of light radiating from the radiation source into a single luminous flux;
• a first lens array comprising a plurality of first lenses arrayed in two dimensions;
• a second lens array comprising a plurality of second lenses disposed in a two-dimensional array and paired with said first lenses, respectively;
• color separating means for separating beams transmitted through the second lens array into beams of light each of a respective one of the three primary colors;
• three light modulating means for forming three optical images each corresponding to a respective one of the three primary colors;
• optical projection means for synthesizing and enlarging the optical images formed on the three light modulating means and for projecting the enlarged synthesized optical image onto a screen;
• and a mirror disposed in an optical path between said first lens array and said second lens array,
• the lengths of the optical paths between the second lens array and each of said three light modulating means being equal, the first lens array being optically disposed between said condensing means and said second lens array so as to divide the single luminous flux formed by the condensing means into a plurality of partial luminous fluxes of the same number as that of the first lenses, and so that each of the first lenses converges a respective one of the partial luminous fluxes onto an aperture of the second lens paired therewith, each of the second lenses having a magnification which causes the partial luminous fluxes to be magnified onto superimposed finite display regions of each of the light modulating means, each of the second lenses having an aperture larger than the cross section of the partial luminous flux converged onto the second lens, the aperture of at least one of the second lenses having a different configuration than that of the aperture of another one of the second lenses, and the effective region of the second lens array, formed by all of the apertures of the second lenses, approximately inscribing a circle.