Image projector including optical fiber which couples laser illumination to light modulator

An apparatus for projecting a color image onto a display screen comprising:

• a. a red laser source for producing a red laser illumination;
• b. a blue laser source for producing a blue laser illumination;
• c. a green laser source for producing a green laser illumination;
• d. a first optical fiber configured to carry the red laser illumination to a first downstream end of the first optical fiber;
• e. a second optical fiber configured to carry the green laser illumination to a second downstream end of the second optical fiber;
• f. a third optical fiber configured to carry the blue laser illumination to a third downstream end of the third optical fiber;
• g. a projector head comprising:
• i. means for modulating light which is driven by electronic means and coupled to the first, second, and third downstream ends of the first, second, and third optical fibers such that the means for modulating light modulates the red, green, and blue laser illuminations to produce red, green, and blue arrays of modulated pixels collectively comprising a first and second mode of laser light coming from the light modulator according to a control of the electronic means;
• and
• ii. an optical projection arrangement coupled to the light modulator such that the optical projection arrangement projects the red, green, and blue arrays of pixels onto the display screen to produce the color image;
• wherein the red laser source, the blue laser source, and the green laser source are optically coupled and mechanically isolated from the projector head.

An apparatus for projecting a color image comprising:

• a. first, second and third optical fibers, the first optical fiber transmitting a red laser light to a first fiber end, the second optical fiber transmitting a green laser light to a second fiber end, the third optical fiber transmitting a blue laser light to a third fiber end;
• b. a red laser source unit for generating the red laser light, configured such that the red laser light is transmitted into a source end of the first optical fiber;
• c. a green laser source unit for generating the green laser light, configured such that the green laser light is transmitted into a source end of the second optical fiber;
• d. a blue laser source unit for generating the blue laser light, configured such that the blue laser light is transmitted into a source end of the third optical fiber;
• e. a projector head comprising:
• i) first, second, and third micro-optics, the first micro-optics coupled to the first fiber end, the second micro-optics coupled to the second fiber end, and the third micro-optics coupled to the third fiber end;
• ii) first, second, and third grating light valves each driven by electronic means, the first grating light valve coupled to the first micro-optics and illuminated by the red laser light to produce a red linear array of pixels, the second grating light valve coupled to the second micro-optics and illuminated by the green laser light to produce a green linear array of pixels, and the third grating light valve coupled to the third micro-optics and illuminated by the blue laser light to produce a blue linear array of pixels;
• iii) combining optics combining diffracted and reflected light coming from the first, second, and third grating light valves, the combining optics forming a color linear array of pixels comprising the red, green, and blue linear arrays of pixels;
• iv) separating optics coupled to the combining optics and allowing a diffracted portion of the diffracted and reflected light to pass the separating optics;
• v) projection optics projecting the color linear array of pixels onto a display screen;
• and
• vi) scanning optics driven by the electronic means and scanning the color linear array of pixels over the display screen to produce the color image, wherein the projector head is optically coupled to and mechanically isolated from the red laser source unit, the green laser source unit and the blue laser source unit.

An apparatus for projecting a color image comprising:

• a. first, second and third optical fibers, the first optical fiber transmitting a red laser light to a first fiber end, the second optical fiber transmitting a green laser light to a second fiber end, the third optical fiber transmitting a blue laser light to a third fiber end;
• b. a red laser source unit for generating the red laser light, configured such that the red laser light is transmitted into a source end of the first optical fiber;
• c. a green laser source unit for generating the green laser light, configured such that the green laser light is transmitted into a source end of the second optical fiber;
• d. a blue laser source unit for generating the blue laser light, configured such that the blue laser light is transmitted into a source end of the third optical fiber;
• and
• e. a projector head comprising:
• i) first, second, and third micro-optics, the first micro-optics coupled to the first fiber end, the second micro-optics coupled to the second fiber end, and the third micro-optics coupled to the third fiber end;
• ii) combining optics coupled to the first, second, and third micro-optics;
• iii) means for sequentially illuminating the combining optics such that the red, green, and blue laser light sequentially and repeatedly illuminates the combining optics;
• iv) a grating light valve driven by electronic means and coupled to the combining optics such that the red, green, and blue laser light sequentially and repeatedly illuminate the grating light valve, the grating light valve producing sequential red, green, and blue linear arrays of pixels in response to the illumination by the red, green, and blue laser light;
• v) separating optics coupled to the grating light valve and allowing a diffracted portion of diffracted and reflected light to pass the separating optics;
• vi) projection optics projecting the sequential red, green, and blue linear array of pixels onto a display screen;
• and
• vii) scanning optics driven by the electronic means and scanning the sequential red, green, and blue linear array of pixels over the display screen to produce the color image, wherein the projector head is optically coupled to and mechanically isolated from the red laser source unit, the green laser source unit and the blue laser source unit.