Illuminating device and projector utilizing the same

An illuminating apparatus comprising:

• a light source having first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas;
• and
• an illuminating optical system for directing the light from said light source toward an object to be illuminated, wherein said first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas are positioned on the optical axis of said illuminating optical system;
• wherein said illuminating optical system is constructed in such a manner that multiple rays of light emitted from a point in said first high-luminance light-emitting area are imaged on a central area of said illuminated object such that said multiple rays of light converge at one point in said central area and that multiple rays of light emitted from respective points in each of said first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas are imaged on a peripheral area of said illuminated object such that said multiple rays of light emitted from said respective points in each of said first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas converge at points in said peripheral area.

A projector comprising:

• a white light source having first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas;
• an illuminating optical system for receiving a white light from said light source, wherein said first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas are positioned on the optical axis of said illuminating optical system;
• color separation means for separating said white light into component lights of red, green and blue;
• three modulation means for forming image lights respectively corresponding to said component lights of red, green and blue;
• color synthesis means for synthesizing said image lights;
• and
• a projection optical system for projecting thus synthesized image lights;
• wherein said illuminating optical system is constructed in such a manner that multiple rays of light emitted from a point in said first high-luminance light-emitting area are imaged on a central area of said modulation means such that said multiple rays of light converge at one point in said central area and that multiple rays of light emitted from respective points in each of said first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas are imaged on a peripheral area of said modulation means such that said multiple rays of light emitted from said respective points in each of said first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas converge at points in said peripheral area.

A projector comprising:

• a light source having first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas;
• an illuminating optical system for directing light from said light source toward an object to be illuminated, provided with a reflector of a first focal length, wherein said first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas are positioned on an optical axis of said illuminating optical system;
• a projection optical system for projecting the light emerging from said illuminated object;
• and
• an optical element provided in the vicinity of said optical axis and having a second focal length smaller than said first focal length;
• wherein said light source, said illuminating optical system and said optical element are positioned in such a manner that light from said first high-luminance light-emitting area, emerging from said reflector, and light from said second high-luminance light-emitting area, emerging from said optical element, illuminate a peripheral area of said illuminated object.

An illuminating apparatus comprising:

• a light source having first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas;
• an illuminating optical system provided with a reflector of a first focal length, for directing light from said light source toward an object to be illuminated, wherein said first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas are positioned on an optical axis of said illuminating optical system;
• and
• an optical element provided in the vicinity of said optical axis and having a second focal length smaller than said first focal length;
• wherein said light source, said illuminating optical system and said optical element are positioned in such a manner that light from said first high-luminance light-emitting area, emerging from said reflector, and light from said second high-luminance light-emitting area, emerging from said optical element, illuminate a peripheral area of said illuminated object.

A projector comprising:

• a white light source having first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas;
• an illuminating optical system provided with a reflector of a first focal length for reflecting a white light from said light source, wherein said first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas are positioned on an optical axis of said illuminating optical system;
• color separation means for separating said white light into component lights of red, green and blue;
• three modulation means for forming image lights respectively corresponding to said component lights of red, green and blue;
• color synthesis means for synthesizing said image lights;
• a projection optical system for projecting thus synthesized image lights;
• and
• an optical element provided in the vicinity of said optical axis and having a second focal length smaller than said first focal length;
• wherein said light source, said illuminating optical system and said optical element are positioned in such a manner that light from said first high-luminance light-emitting area, emerging from said reflector, and light from said second high-luminance light-emitting area, emerging from said optical element, illuminate a peripheral area of said illuminated object.

A projector comprising:

• a light source;
• an illuminating optical system for illuminating an object to be illuminated with light from said light source, wherein said light from said light source includes a plurality of light beams each of which illuminates a corresponding off axis point on said object;
• a projection optical system for receiving said plural light beams through said object and for projecting an image of said object, said projection optical system having a plurality of pupils each of which is defined in accordance with a vignetting for the light beam from each off axis points on said object;
• and means for controlling an incident angle, to said object, of a ray at a center of gravity of each of said light beams such that the ray at the center of gravity of each light beam is substantially directed to a center of the corresponding pupil of said plural pupils.

A projector comprising:

• a white light source:
• color separation means for separating a white light from said white light source into component lights of red, green and blue;
• three modulating means for forming image lights respectively corresponding to said component lights of red, green and blue, wherein each of said component lights includes a plurality of light beams each of which illuminates a corresponding off axis point on said modulating means;
• color synthesis means for synthesizing said image lights of red, green and blue;
• a projection optical system for receiving thus synthesized image lights of red, green and blue, each of which includes said plural light beams illuminating the off axis points on said modulating means, said projection optical system having a plurality of pupils each of which is defined in accordance with a vignetting for the light beams from each off axis points on said modulating means;
• and means for controlling an incident angle, to said modulating means of a ray at a center of gravity of each of said light beams such that the ray at the center of gravity of each light beams is directed to a center of corresponding pupil of said plural pupils.

A projector comprising:

• a light source having first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas:
• an illuminating optical system for directing light, from said light source, toward an object to be illuminated, wherein said first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas are positioned on an optical axis of said illuminating optical system;
• and
• a projection optical system for projecting the light emerging from said illuminated object;
• wherein said illuminating optical system is constructed in such a manner that a central area of said illuminated object is illuminated by a light beam from said first high-luminance light-emitting area, and a peripheral area of said illuminated object is illuminated by light beams from said first and second high-luminance light emitting areas;
• wherein said illuminating optical system includes:
• a reflector for reflecting the light from said light source;
• and
• a lens positioned in the path of the light emerging from said reflector, said lens being provided with an entrance face having a positive refractive power only in the vicinity of the optical axis of said illuminating optical system and being free from refractive power in other areas, and an exit face having a positive power over the entire area.

A projector comprising:

• a light source having first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas;
• an illuminating optical system for directing light, from said light source, toward an object to be illuminated, wherein said first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas are positioned on an optical axis of said illuminating optical system;
• and
• a projection optical system for projecting the light emerging from said illuminated object;
• wherein said illuminating optical system is constructed in such a manner that a central area of said illuminated object is illuminated by a light beam from said first high-luminance light-emitting area, and a peripheral area of said illuminated object is illuminated by light beams from said first and second high-luminance light emitting areas;
• wherein said illuminating optical system includes:
• a main elliptical mirror having a first focal point in said first high-luminance light-emitting area and a second focal point on the axial point of said illuminated object;
• and
• a sub elliptical mirror having a focal point on an axial point displaced from said first focal point of said main elliptical mirror toward said illuminated object.

A projector comprising:

• light source having first and second high-luminance light emitting areas;
• an illuminating optical system for directing light, from said light source, toward an object to be illuminated, wherein said first and second high-luminance light-emitting areas are positioned on an optical axis of said illuminating optical system;
• and
• a projection optical system for projecting the light emerging from said illuminated object;
• wherein said illuminating optical system is constructed in such a manner that a central area of said illuminated object is illuminated by a light beam from said first high-luminance light-emitting area, and a peripheral area of said illuminated object is illuminated by light beams from said first and second high-luminance light emitting areas;
• wherein said illuminating optical system includes:
• a reflector for reflecting the light from said light source;
• and
• a lens provided in the path of light emerging from said reflector, said lens having a negative refractive power in the peripheral area thereof and being free from refractive power in other areas.