Projector

In combination for providing an image for projection,

• first means for providing a pair of spaced lights,
• condenser lens means for integrating the pair of spaced lights,
• second means for pre-polarizing the integrated lights from the condenser lens means,
• third means for separating the integrated lights from the second means into a plurality of paths each providing an individual wavelength component of the integrated lights, the individual wavelength components collectively providing the light,
• fourth means for selectively modulating the individual wavelength components of the light, and
• fifth means for combining the wavelength components after the selective modulation of the wavelength components.

In combination for providing an image for projection,

• first means for providing light,
• second means for pre-polarizing the light in a particular plane and for separating the light into first and second energy portions,
• third means for dividing the first energy portion of the pre-polarized light into a plurality of different paths each providing a component of the first energy portion of the light in an individual range of wavelengths,
• fourth means for operating on the components of the first energy portion of the light in the different paths to selectively modulate such components of the first energy portion of the light in individual ones of the different paths,
• fifth means for combining the modulated components of the first energy portion of the light,
• sixth means for processing the second energy portion of the pre-polarized light independently of the operation of the third, fourth and fifth means.

In combination for providing an image for projection,

• first means for providing light,
• second means for pre-polarizing the light in an S-plane and for dividing the light into first and second energy portions,
• third means for separating the first energy portion of the pre-polarized light in the S-plane into a plurality of paths each providing light in an individual range of wavelengths which cumulatively provide the light, each of the paths including an individual one of a plurality of mirrors, an individual one of a plurality of dichroic members and an individual one of a plurality of liquid crystal display panels,
• fourth means for selectively operating upon individual ones of the liquid crystal display panels to modulate the light in the paths including such individual ones of the liquid crystal display panels,
• fifth means for combining the light in the different paths after the modulation of the light in the paths including the individual ones of the liquid crystal display panels, and
• sixth means for processing the second energy portion of the pre-polarized light in the S-band independently of the operation of the third and fourth means.

In combination for providing an image for projection,

• first means for providing light,
• second means for pre-polarizing the light in a particular plane,
• third means for dividing the pre-polarized light into a plurality of paths each providing an individual range of wavelengths,
• each of the paths including an individual one of a plurality of liquid crystal display panels, each of the liquid crystal display panels having a pair of opposite surfaces each of which is non-rubbed to pass substantially all of the light in a particular range of wavelengths in a first state of operation of such liquid crystal display panel and to block any passage of light in a second state of operation of such liquid crystal display panel,
• means for selectively producing the first and second states of operation in each individual one of the liquid crystal display panels, and
• means for combining the light passing through the individual ones of the liquid crystal display panels after the selective production of the first and second states of operation in such individual ones of the liquid crystal display panels.

In combination for providing an image for projection,

• first means for providing light,
• second means for pre-polarizing the light in a particular plane,
• third means for dividing the pre-polarized light into a plurality of different paths each providing the pre-polarized light in an individual range of wavelengths,
• each of the paths including an individual one of a plurality of planar liquid crystal display members,
• each of the liquid crystal display members including pixels rotatable in its plane between a first disposition and a second disposition,
• each of the liquid crystal display members being rubbed in directions corresponding to the first and second dispositions of such liquid crystal display member,
• a plurality of fourth means each having a plurality of pixels and each associated with an individual one of the liquid crystal display members for operating in conjunction with the individual one of the liquid crystal display members to pass the light in the associated path in the first dispositions of the individual ones of the pixels in the liquid crystal display members and to prevent the passage of the light in the associated path in the second dispositions of the individual ones of the pixels in the liquid crystal display members,
• fifth means for selectively rotating individual ones of the pixels in the liquid crystal display members between the first and second dispositions, and
• sixth means for combining the light in the different paths after the selective rotation of the light in individual ones of the pixels in the liquid crystal display members between the first and second dispositions.

In combination for providing an image for projection,

• first means for providing light,
• second means for pre-polarizing the light,
• third means for dividing the light into a plurality of individual ranges of wavelengths,
• a plurality of fourth means each operative upon the light in an individual one of the ranges of wavelengths in the plurality for selectively passing such light,
• the plurality of fourth means including a plurality of liquid crystal display members, a plurality of first polarizers each operative to pass light in the P-plane and disposed on one side of an associated one of the liquid crystal display members and a plurality of second polarizers each operative to pass light in the S-plane and disposed on the other side of an associated one of the liquid crystal display members,
• each of the liquid crystal display members having opposite surfaces each with boundaries defining coordinate directions, one of the surfaces in each of the liquid crystal display members being rubbed in one of the co-ordinate directions and the other of the surfaces in each liquid crystal display member being rubbed in the other co-ordinate direction,
• each of the liquid crystal display members having pixels rotatable between first and second positions on an axis perpendicular to the planar configuration to provide for a passage of light in the first position and to prevent the passage of light in the second position,
• fifth means for modulating the pixels in each liquid crystal display member to rotate the light in individual ones of the pixels between the first position and the second position, and
• sixth means for combining the light from the plurality of fourth means after the selective passage of the pre-polarized light in the different ranges of wavelength by the third means and the modulation of the light in the individual ones of the pixels in the liquid crystal display members.

In combination for providing an image for projection,

• first means for providing light,
• second means for pre-polarizing the light in a particular plane,
• third means for separating the pre-polarized light into a plurality of ranges of wavelengths,
• the third means including a plurality of liquid crystal display members each constructed and disposed to pass the light in an individual one of the ranges of wavelengths,
• each of the liquid crystal display members having first and second opposite surfaces, each of the opposite surfaces of each of the liquid crystal display members being rubbed in a particular direction to dispose molecules on such surface in a direction dependent upon the direction in which such surface is rubbed,
• each of the liquid crystal display members being disposed to receive the light in an individual one of the ranges of wavelengths in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the molecules on the surface receiving such light are disposed,
• fourth means for selectively operating upon individual ones of the liquid crystal display members to control the passage through such liquid crystal display members of light in the range of wavelengths incident upon such liquid crystal display members, and
• fifth means for combining the light from the liquid crystal display members after the selective operation of the fourth means upon the individual ones of the liquid crystal display members.

In a combination for providing an image for projection,

• first means for providing light,
• second means for pre-polarizing the light in an S-plane,
• third means for dividing the pre-polarized light into components individually representing different wavelengths of the light and cumulatively representing the light,
• fourth means for selectively modulating the individual components of the light,
• fifth means for recombining the selectively modulated individual components of the light to provide the image for projection, and
• wherein the fourth means including a plurality of liquid crystal display panels each for an individual component of the light, each of the liquid crystal display panels having an aperture for passing the light and a border around the aperture, the displays being disposed with the apertures in a substantially abutting relationship.

In a combination for providing an image for projection,

• first means for providing light,
• second means for pre-polarizing the light in an S-plane,
• third means for dividing the pre-polarized light into components individually representing different wavelengths of the light and cumulatively representing the light,
• fourth means for selectively modulating the individual components of the light,
• fifth means for recombining the selectively modulated individual components of the light to provide the image for projection,
• the third means being constructed and disposed to provide the light paths with substantially equal lengths from the first means to the fourth means,
• the third means including a plurality of liquid crystal display panels each for an individual component of light, each of the display panels having an aperture for passing the light and a border around the aperture,
• the display panels being disposed in an overlapping relationship such that the boundaries between the apertures and the borders of pairs of the liquid crystal displays abut each other.

In a combination for providing an image for projection,

• first means for providing light,
• pre-polarizer means responsive to the light for passing the light in an S-polarized plane,
• second means including a plurality of mirrors, a plurality of dichroic members and a plurality of liquid crystal display panels disposed relative to one another to direct individual components of the light into different paths all of substantially equal lengths, individual ones of the mirrors, the dichroic members and the liquid crystal display panels being rotated from the planar positions defining for such mirror, dichroic members and liquid crystal display panels the paths of equal lengths for the different components of the light, thereby to enhance in the second means a compact relationship of the mirrors, the dichroic members and the liquid crystal display panels in the plurality,
• third means for modulating in individual ones of the liquid crystal display panels the components of the light passing through such individual ones of such liquid crystal display panels,
• fourth means for recombining the components of the light modulated by the liquid crystal display panels in the plurality,
• each of the different paths including an individual one of the mirrors in the plurality, an individual one of the dichroic members in the plurality and an individual one of the liquid crystal display panels in the plurality, and
• each of the liquid crystal display panels having an aperture and a border around the aperture, the liquid crystal display panels in the plurality being disposed in a relationship in which pairs of liquid crystal display panels have a transverse relationship to each other and overlap each other by a distance corresponding substantially to the dimensions of the borders in such liquid crystal display panels.

In a combination for providing an image for projection,

• first means for providing light,
• pre-polarizer means responsive to the light for passing the light in an S-polarized plane,
• second means including a plurality of mirrors, a plurality of dichroic members and a plurality of liquid crystal display panels disposed relative to one another to direct individual components of the light into different paths all of substantially equal lengths, individual ones of the mirrors, the dichroic members and the liquid crystal display panels being rotated from the planar positions defining for such mirrors, dichroic members and liquid crystal display panels the paths of equal lengths for the different components of the light, thereby to enhance in the second means a compact relationship of the mirrors, the dichroic members and the liquid crystal display panels in the plurality,
• third means for modulating in individual ones of the liquid crystal display panels the components of the light passing through such individual ones of such liquid crystal display panels,
• fourth means for recombining the components of the light modulated by the liquid crystal display panels in the plurality,
• each of the different paths including an individual one of the mirrors in the plurality, an individual one of the dichroic members in the plurality and an individual one of the liquid crystal display panels in the plurality, and
• each of the liquid crystal display panels having an aperture and having means disposed at the periphery of the aperture for controlling the operation of such liquid crystal display panel, the liquid crystal display panels in the plurality being disposed in a relationship in which pairs of liquid crystal display panels have a transverse relationship to each other and overlap each other by a distance to cover the controlling means at the peripheries of the displays.

In a combination for providing an image for projection,

• first means for providing light,
• second means for pre-polarizing the light in a particular plane,
• third means for providing for the pre-polarized light a plurality of paths each receiving the pre-polarized light in a particular range of wavelengths, each of the paths including an individual one of a plurality of mirrors and an individual one of a plurality of dichroic means,
• a plurality of fourth means each including a liquid display panel for selectively modulating the range of wavelength components in individual ones of the different paths, and
• fifth means for combining the pre-polarized light in the different paths after the selective modulation of the ranges of wavelengths in such paths by the individual ones of the liquid crystal display panels in such paths,
• the mirrors, the dichroic means and the liquid crystal display panels having particular dispositions relative to one another to provide equal distances between the first and fifth means in the different paths and individual one of the mirrors, the dichroic means and the liquid display means being changed from such particular dispositions to enhance the compactness of the combination without materially affecting the quality of the image provided by the fifth means in accordance with the selective modulations of the individual wave length components in the different paths,
• the pre-polarizer means being operative to split the pre-polarized light into two parts,
• the third, fourth and fifth means being operative on one part of the light, and
• means for processing the other part of the light independently of the operation of the third, fourth and fifth means.