Optical lens system, image display apparatus, micro-lens array, liquid crystal display device, and liquid crystal display apparatus of projection-type

An image display apparatus, comprising a light source and a micro-lens array in which micro-lenses to which the light from the light source is directed are provided in a two-dimensional manner is arranged so that, when the micro-lens has a curved surface satisfying an inequality of (n2/n1)×sin(θ max)≧1, where n1 indicates an index of refraction of a medium constituting one side of the curved surface of the lens, n2 (n1<n2) indicates an index of refraction of a medium constituting the other side of the curved surface of the lens, θ indicates an incident angle of the light with respect to a plane-normal of the curved surface of the lens when the light from the light source is directed to the curved surface of the lens of the micro-lens from a side of the medium having the index of refraction of n2, and θ max indicates a maximum value of the angle θ in the curved surface of the micro-lens, the micro-lens array is provided so that the light from the light source is directed to the micro-lens from the side of the medium having the index of refraction of n1, an image display device which modulates the light from the micro-lens array in accordance with the image signal is provided on a side of a surface, from which the light is projected, of the micro-lens array, and the respective micro-lenses of the micro-lens array are provided so as to correspond to the respective pixels of the image display device, and each micro-lens is provided so as to converge the light from the light source to a aperture section of its corresponding pixel.

A liquid crystal display device for use with a micro-lens array,

• the micro-lens array comprising:
• a micro-lens supporting substrate which has a plurality of micro-lens sections, on a first surface, each micro-lens section having a convex surface that becomes a micro-lens, and
• a cover glass bonded to the first surface of the micro-lens supporting substrate via a resin having an index of refraction which is smaller than that of the micro-lens section,
• the micro-lens supporting substrate being provided so that a second surface which is a surface opposite to the first surface is polished so as to have a predetermined thickness,
• an opposite substrate having at least a transparent conductive layer and an alignment layer and an active matrix substrate being provided on the second surface of the micro-lens supporting substrate so that they are combined with each other via a liquid crystal layer.

A liquid crystal display device for use with a micro-lens array,

• the micro-lens array comprising:
• a micro-lens supporting substrate which has a plurality of micro-lens sections, on a first surface, each micro-lens section having a concave surface that becomes a micro-lens, and
• a cover glass bonded to the first surface of the micro-lens supporting substrate via a resin having an index of refraction which is greater than that of the micro-lens section,
• the cover glass being provided so that a surface, opposite to a surface which is bonded to the micro-lens supporting substrate, is polished so as to have a predetermined thickness,
• the surface of the cover glass that has been polished having at least a transparent conductive layer and an alignment layer and an active matrix substrate being provided on a second surface, which is a surface opposite to the first surface of the micro-lens supporting substrate so that they are combined with each other via a liquid crystal layer.

A liquid crystal display apparatus of projection-type, comprising:

• a light source;
• and
• a micro-lens array to which the light of the light source is directed,
• the micro-lens array comprising:
• a micro-lens supporting substrate which has a plurality of micro-lens sections, on a first surface, each micro-lens section having a convex surface that becomes a micro-lens, and
• a cover glass bonded to the first surface of the micro-lens supporting substrate via a resin having an index of refraction which is smaller than that of the micro-lens section,
• the micro-lens supporting substrate being provided so that a second surface which is a surface opposite to the first surface is polished so as to have a predetermined thickness,
• the liquid crystal display apparatus of projection-type further comprising:
• a liquid crystal display device in which an opposite substrate having at least a transparent conductive layer and an alignment layer and an active matrix substrate are provided on the second surface of the micro-lens supporting substrate so that they are combined with each other via a liquid crystal layer;
• light incident means for directing the light to the micro-lens array from a side of the cover glass;
• and
• projection means for projecting the light from the liquid crystal display device.

A liquid crystal display apparatus of projection-type, comprising:

• a light source;
• and
• a micro-lens array to which the light of the light source is directed,
• the micro-lens array comprising:
• a micro-lens supporting substrate which has a plurality of micro-lens sections, on a first surface, each micro-lens section having a concave surface that becomes a micro-lens, and
• a cover glass bonded to the first surface of the micro-lens supporting substrate via a resin having an index of refraction which is greater than that of the micro-lens section,
• the cover glass being provided so that a surface, opposite to a surface which is bonded to the micro-lens supporting substrate, is polished so as to have a predetermined thickness,
• the liquid crystal display apparatus of projection-type further comprising:
• a liquid crystal display device in which the substrate of the cover glass that has been polished having at least a transparent conductive layer and an alignment layer and an active matrix substrate are provided on a second surface, which is a surface opposite to the first surface, of the micro-lens supporting substrate so that they are combined with each other via a liquid crystal layer;
• light incident means for directing the light to the micro-lens array from a side of the cover glass;
• and
• projection means for projecting the light from the liquid crystal display device.