Illuminating optical system for projector including condenser lens and field lens

An illuminating optical system for a projector including a light source and a plurality of display panels, said illuminating optical system comprising:

• first integrating means that includes a plurality of lens cells for dividing a luminous flux emitted by the light source into a plurality of partial luminous fluxes and for condensing the respective partial luminous fluxes;
• second integrating means that includes a plurality of lens cells on which the respective partial luminous fluxes are incident;
• polarization converting means for uniformizing polarizing directions of the luminous fluxes having passed through the respective lens cells of said second integrating means;
• and
• color separating means for separating each of the luminous fluxes from said polarization converting means into a plurality of color lights of different wavelengths, wherein a field lens and a condenser lens are arranged between said polarization converting means and said color separating means,
• wherein said field lens superimposes, on said plurality of display panels, the luminous fluxes that have passed through the respective lens cells of said first integrating means, and
• wherein said condenser lens is located closer to said color separating means, and
• wherein a distance between said condenser lens and said field lens is equal to a synthesized focal distance provided in an optical unit including said condenser lens and said field lens.

An illuminating optical method for a projector including a light source and a plurality of display panels, said illuminating optical method comprising:

• dividing, by a first integrator that includes a plurality of lens cells, a luminous flux emitted by the light source into a plurality of partial luminous fluxes and condensing the respective partial luminous fluxes;
• making incident, on a second integrator that includes a plurality of lens cells, the respective partial luminous fluxes;
• uniformizing, by a polarization converting element, polarizing directions of the luminous fluxes having passed through the respective lens cells of said second integrator;
• and
• separating, by a color separating unit, each of the luminous fluxes from said polarization converting element into a plurality of color lights of different wavelengths, wherein a field lens and a condenser lens are arranged between said polarization converting element and said color separating unit,
• wherein said field lens superimposes, on said plurality of display panels, the luminous fluxes that have passed through the respective lens cells of said first integrator, and
• wherein said condenser lens is located closer to said color separating unit, and
• wherein a distance between said condenser lens and said field lens is equal to a synthesized focal distance provided in an optical unit including said condenser lens and said field lens.