Scattering type liquid crystal device

A liquid crystal device for controlling scattering of light beams made incident upon a plurality of portions of a scattering type liquid crystal layer thereof, said liquid crystal device comprising:

• a lens array having lenses disposed to correspond to said portions of said liquid crystal layer, said lenses converging said light beam to said corresponding portions of said liquid crystal layer;
• a mask for shielding scattered light transmitted from said liquid crystal layer and as well as allowing non-scattered light to pass through, said mask having a plurality of aperture portions formed to correspond to said portions of said liquid crystal layer so as to allow said non-scattered light transmitted from said corresponding portions to pass through, wherein said lens array converges said light beams onto the side of said liquid crystal layer adjacent to said mask, wherein said lens array acts to focus said light beam to a focal plane of said lens array, wherein said mask is disposed on said focal plane, and wherein said mask is formed on a first surface of a transparent plate adjacent to said liquid crystal layer and a second surface of said transparent plate opposing said first surface has a concave lens array, said concave lens array of said transparent plate having lenses disposed to correspond to said aperture portions of said mask so as to diverge said non-scattered light transmitted from said corresponding aperture portion.

A projector for projecting an image formed by an illuminated liquid crystal light valve to a projection optical system,

• said projector comprising improvements;
• said light valve controls scattering of light made incident upon each of a plurality of portions of a scattering type liquid crystal layer so that said image is formed;
• a first lens array is provided which has lenses disposed to correspond to said portions of said liquid crystal layer, each of said lenses causing said light beam transmitted from said corresponding portions of said liquid crystal layer to travel toward a focal plane;
• a mask is provided which shields scattered light transmitted from said first lens array and allows non-scattered light to pass through, said mask having a plurality of apertures which are disposed along said focal plane to correspond to said lenses of said first lens array so as to allow said non-scattered light transmitted from said corresponding lenses to pass through;
• and
• a second lens array is provided which has lenses which are disposed to correspond to said apertures of said mask, each of said lenses substantially collimating said non-scattered light transmitted from said corresponding apertures of said mask so as to cause it to travel toward said optical system, wherein said light valve comprises a reflecting type light which is illuminated by said light valve from said optical system side.

A projection type display apparatus comprising:

• a liquid crystal display panel;
• an illuminating means for illuminating said liquid crystal display panel;
• and
• a projecting optical system for projecting an image formed by said liquid crystal display panel by light from said liquid crystal display panel onto a screen
• wherein said liquid crystal display panel comprises:
• a liquid crystal layer including scattering type liquid crystal;
• a first lens array disposed at a light outgoing side of said liquid crystal layer said first lens array having lenses each of which corresponds to a pixel of said liquid crystal layer;
• a mask disposed at a light outgoing side of said first lens array having a light-shielding area and an aperture array having aperture portions, each of which corresponds to a lens of said first lens array;
• and
• a second lens array disposed at a light outgoing side of said mask, said second lens array having lenses each of which corresponds to one of said aperture portions;
• wherein each pixel of said liquid crystal layer makes a light beam incident on said each pixel scatter or transmit through said each pixel according to an input signal;
• wherein each lens of said first lens array has a positive refracting power, makes said scattered light beams from each pixel converge onto a light-shielding area of said mask and makes said transmitted light beams from said each pixel converge onto each of said apertures of said mask;
• and
• wherein each lens of said second lens array has a positive refracting power and makes said transmitted light beam from said each pixel from each of said aperture portions of said mask direct to said projecting optical system.