JPH06331912A - Liquid prism adjusting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify constitution and to reduce assembling cost by supporting a transparent plate by a lens barrel through a spherical bearing, coupling a lever with the transparent plate or the inner race of the spherical bearing, and moving the leading edge of the lever forward and backward in the axial direction of the lens barrel. CONSTITUTION:The transparent plates 4a to 4d of liquid prisms 2A and 2B are supported by the inner race 6a of the spherical bearing 5 fitted in the lens barrel 1, and a guide hole 9 extended in the axial direction of the lens barrel is formed in the lens barrel 1. Driving parts 11 and 13 driving and moving the leading edge of the lever 6b forward and backward in the axial direction of the lens barrel 1 in a state where the leading edge of the lever 6b coupled with the transparent plates 4a to 4d or the inner race 6a is inserted through the guide hole 9 so that it can slide are provided. Since the transparent plates 4a to 4d whose rotational angle is adjusted are supported by the lens barrel 1 through the bearing 5, they can rotate around an axial center passing the center of the bearing 5, and are surely supported in the lens barrel.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid prism adjusting device for adjusting an optical path deflection angle of a liquid prism.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in a multi-projection apparatus aiming at high resolution, high brightness and large screen by projecting multi images by individual projectors, an optical path conversion element is used to make the positions of the optical axes parallel. It has been attempted to move the image to displace the position of the image (image shift), or change the direction of the optical axis to move the position of the image (image tilt).

The liquid prism is a device for enclosing a transparent liquid between two transparent plates and tilting the other transparent plate with respect to one transparent plate to deflect the optical path. For example, FIGS. As shown in each principle diagram of (1), the optical axis can be translated or deflected by using two liquid prisms (VAP) 100A and 100B.

That is, as shown in FIG. 10, each of the transparent plates 102a and 102 of the two liquid prisms 101A and 101B.
When b, 102c, and 102d are all parallel to each other, the light ray incident from the left side in the figure goes straight and is emitted to the right side.

From this state, as shown in FIG. 11, by rotating the two central transparent plates 102b and 102c around the x-axis (axis perpendicular to the plane of the drawing) passing through the rotation center 103, By deflecting the optical axis by the first liquid prism 100A and deflecting the optical axis deflected by the second liquid prism in the opposite direction, the outgoing optical axis can be translated (shifted) with respect to the incident optical axis. it can. The parallel movement amount (shift amount) of the output optical axis with respect to the input optical axis is the transparent plate 102b.
-By adjusting the rotation angle of 102c, it can be arbitrarily adjusted within a certain range.

Further, as shown in FIG. 12, three transparent plates 102a to 102c on the incident side are made parallel to each other, and one transparent plate 102d on the outgoing side is rotated around an x-axis center passing through another rotation center. Then, the light traveling straight through the first liquid prism 100A is deflected (agitated) by the second liquid prism 100B. This deflection angle (orbiting angle) can be arbitrarily adjusted within a certain range by the rotation angle of the transparent plate 102d.

In the optical path conversion element used in the multi-projection device, similar to the shift adjustment around the x-axis and the tilt adjustment, the same shift adjustment is performed around the y-axis center (the vertical axis in the figure). A tilt adjustment is performed.

As described above, the optical path changing element that can perform the shift adjustment and the tilt adjustment about the x-axis center and the y-axis center includes the transparent plates 102b to 102 of the liquid prisms 100A and 100B.
An adjusting mechanism called a jimble mechanism is provided in order to adjust the rotation angle of d to adjust the deflection direction of the optical path.

This gimble mechanism has transparent plates 102b and 10b, as shown in the sectional views of FIGS. 13 and 14, for example.
2c is held coaxially, and the x-axis rotating ring 106 rotatably supported by the lens barrel 105 about the x-axis center and the y-axis center via the x-rotating shaft 104 and the transparent plates 102b and 102c. Axial rotating ring 106 and x rotating shaft 104
Is held rotatably around the x-axis center via
The lens barrel 10 is rotatable about the y-axis center via the rotation shaft 107.
5, and a y-axis rotating ring 108 that supports 5 is provided.

The y-rotating shaft 107 is projected to the outside of the lens barrel 105, and the lever 1 fixed to the protruding tip end portion thereof.
09 supporting the lens barrel 105 on the y-axis shift motor 110
Is driven to rotate around the y rotary shaft 107 via the worm 111 and the worm gear 112, so that the y rotary shaft 108, the x rotary shaft 104, and the x rotary shaft 10 are rotated.
6. The transparent plates 102b and 102c are rotated around the y-axis.

Although not shown, the x-rotating shaft 104 penetrates the y-axis rotating ring 108 and projects to the outside of the lens barrel 105. The x-rotating shaft 104 passes through a lever, a worm gear, and a worm, and then extends along the x-axis. The x-axis rotating ring 106, the transparent plates 102b and 1 are driven by a shift motor.
02c is rotated around the x-axis center.

The transparent plate 102d is held by an x-axis rotating ring 113 which is rotatably supported by the lens barrel 105 around the x-axis and the y-axis via the x-axis, and the y-axis tilt motor 1
Worm 118, Worm Gear 117, Lever 1 at 19
16, the y-axis rotary ring 114, the x-axis rotary shaft, and the x-axis rotary ring 113 are driven to rotate about the y-axis center, and a worm, a worm gear, and
X via the lever, x-axis and x-axis rotary ring 113
It is driven to rotate about its axis.

[0013]

In this conventional optical path conversion element, the mechanism for adjusting the rotation angles of the transparent plates 102b to 102d has an x-axis rotating ring 1 that rotates about the x-axis center.
06.113 and y-axis rotating ring 1 that rotates around the y-axis center
08.114 is a complicated mechanism and has a large number of parts, and there is a tendency that the assembling cost is high.

An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid prism adjusting device which solves this problem and has a simple structure.

[0015]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the first liquid prism adjusting device of the present invention supports the transparent plate of the liquid prism on the inner race of the spherical bearing fitted in the lens barrel. , A guide hole extending in the axial direction is formed in the lens barrel, and the tip of the lever connected to the transparent plate or the inner race is slidably inserted into the guide hole. It is characterized in that a drive unit for driving the shaft back and forth is provided.

Further, in the second liquid prism adjusting device of the present invention, the transparent plate of the liquid prism is supported on the inner race of the spherical bearing fitted in the lens barrel, and one end of the inner race is opposed to the transparent plate. A cam that forms an inclined cam receiving surface, rotates about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the lens barrel and passes through the center of rotation of the spherical bearing, and is received by the cam surface; and a drive unit that drives this cam. Is provided.

[0017]

In the present invention, since the transparent plate whose rotation angle is adjusted is supported by the lens barrel via the spherical bearing, it can be rotated around the x-axis center and the y-axis center passing through the center of the spherical bearing, and
It will be surely supported by the lens barrel.

In the first liquid prism adjusting apparatus of the present invention, the transparent plate or the inner race is provided with a lever extending in one or both of the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction, and the tip of the lever is attached to the lens barrel by the drive unit. By moving back and forth in the axial direction, the transparent plate and the inner race are rotated around one or both of the x-axis center and the y-axis center.

In the second liquid prism adjusting apparatus of the present invention, when the cam is rotated by the drive unit, the inner race rotates about its rotation center.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An optical path changing element according to an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 1 and 2, an entrance side liquid prism 2A, an exit side liquid prism 2B, and a lens 3 are housed inside a lens barrel 1 of this optical path changing element. To be done.

The transparent plate 4a on the outer side of the liquid prism 2A on the incident side is attached to the lens barrel 1 via the spherical bearing 5 with respect to the x-axis center (axis perpendicular to the paper surface) and the y-axis center (upper and lower axes in the figure). It is rotatably supported around.

Further, the transparent plate 4b on the inside of the liquid prism 2A on the incident side and the liquid prism 2B on the outgoing side facing the transparent plate 4b.
The inner transparent plate 4c is rotatably supported by the lens barrel 1 via another spherical bearing 6 around the x-axis and the y-axis.

A transparent plate 4d outside the prism 2B on the exit side
And the lens 3 are fixed to the lens barrel 1.

The transparent plates 4a, 4 of the liquid prism 2A
The peripheral portions of b are connected by bellows 7a, and the transparent plate 4a
The space surrounded by 4b and the bellows 7a is filled with the transparent liquid 8a. In addition, the transparent plates 4c and 4d of the liquid prism 2B
The peripheral portions of the are connected by bellows 7b, and transparent plates 4c and 4
The space surrounded by d and the bellows 7b is filled with the transparent liquid 8b. The space between the transparent plates 2b and 2c inside the liquid prisms 2A and 2B is sealed by an inner race 6a of the spherical bearing 6.

The spherical bearings 5 and 6 are connected to or integrally formed with the inner races 5a and 6a, respectively, and extend to the outside of the lens barrel 1 in the y-axis direction.
The lens barrel 1 is formed with a guide groove 9 for guiding the levers 5b and 6b to move the lens barrel 1 in the axial direction.

On the outside of the lens barrel 1, a transparent plate 4a on the outside of the liquid prism 2A on the incident side is rotationally driven around the x axis.
An x-axis shift adjusting mechanism that rotationally drives the driving unit 11 of the axis tilt adjusting mechanism 10, the transparent plate 4b inside the liquid prism 2A on the incident side and the transparent plate 4c inside the liquid prism 2B on the emitting side around the x-axis center. 12 and the drive unit 13 are arranged side by side in the axial direction of the lens barrel 1.

That is, the L-shaped flanges 14a and 14b are fixed to both outsides of the guide grooves 9, and the x-axis tilt motor 11a of the x-axis tilt adjusting mechanism 10 is directly connected to the entrance-side flange 14a. Drive gear 11
b is supported, and the drive shaft 11 is attached to the flange 14a.
c is screwed so that it can be advanced and retracted. A driven gear 11d meshing with the drive gear 11b is fixed to the outer end of the drive shaft 11c, and when the x-axis tilt motor 11a is normally rotated, the drive shaft 1 is rotated.
1c is screwed inward (outgoing side), and x-axis tilt motor 11
When a is reversed, the drive shaft 11c is screwed outward (incident side).

By pressing the tip of the lever 5b against the inner end of the drive shaft 11c with a spring 11e,
As the drive shaft 11c moves back and forth, the tip of the lever 5b moves back and forth, so that the lever 5b, the inner race 5a of the spherical bearing 5, and the transparent plate 4a rotate about the center of the spherical bearing 5 about the x-axis. ing.

An x-axis shift motor 13a of the x-axis shift adjusting mechanism 12 and a drive gear 13b directly connected to the x-axis shift adjusting mechanism 12 are supported by the flange 14b on the exit side.
The drive shaft 13c is screwed onto the 4b so as to be able to advance and retract. A driven gear 13d meshing with the drive gear 13b is fixed to the outer end of the drive shaft 13c. When the x-axis shift motor 13a is normally rotated, the drive shaft 13c is screwed inward (incident side), and the x-axis shift motor 13a. When the rotation is reversed, the drive shaft 13c is screwed outward (outgoing side).

By pressing the tip of the lever 6b against the inner end of the drive shaft 13c with the spring 13e, the tip of the lever 6b advances and retreats as the drive shaft 13c moves forward and backward.
The lever 6b, the inner race 6a of the spherical bearing 6, and the transparent plate 6a rotate around the center point 15 of the spherical bearing 6 about the x axis.

The x-axis tilt motors 11a and x
The axis shift motor 13a is, for example, a stepping motor,
It is composed of a motor that can precisely control the rotation angle of a motor with an encoder.

Although not shown in the figure, the x-axis tilt adjusting mechanism 10 and the x-axis shift adjusting mechanism 12 are different in phase from each other by 90 ° about the axis of the lens barrel 1 to adjust the x-axis tilt adjusting mechanism. A y-axis tilt adjusting mechanism and a y-axis shift adjusting mechanism that are configured similarly to the 10 and x-axis shift adjusting mechanism 12 are provided.

Thus, in this embodiment, the transparent plate 4a
Since 4b and 4c are supported by the lens barrel 1 through the spherical bearings 5 and 6, the transparent plates 4a, 4b, and 4c can be more reliably supported by the lens barrel 1 than the jimble mechanism to improve the adjustment accuracy. In addition, the structure is simplified and the assembling cost can be reduced.

Further, since the tilt adjusting mechanism 10 and the shift adjusting mechanism 12 in the 1-axis direction, for example, the x-axis direction, are arranged side by side in the axial direction of the lens barrel 1, they are mutually arranged.
The installation space can be made smaller than that of the conventional one, which is arranged in two directions symmetrical with respect to the axis center of.

Further, in this embodiment, the drive shaft 11c.1
Since the levers 5b and 6b are pressed against the 3c by the springs 11e and 13e, the levers 5b and 6b can be made to accurately follow the operation of the drive shafts 11c and 13c, and the drive gears 11b and 13b and the driven gear 11d.・ Backlash between 13d, drive shaft 11c ・ 13c and flange 14a ・ 1
It is possible to perform high-precision tilt adjustment and shift adjustment by eliminating the influence of backlash with 4b.

In the x-axis shift adjusting mechanism 22 according to another embodiment of the present invention shown in the side view of FIG. 3 and the sectional views of FIGS. 4 and 5, the rotary ring 23b of the drive unit 23 is rotatable on the lens barrel 1. The tip of the lever 6b is inserted into the slanted long hole 23c formed in the rotary ring 23b, and the tip of the lever 6b is mirrored by rotating the rotary ring 23b by the x-axis shift motor 23a. The cylinder 1 is moved back and forth in the axial direction.

In the x-axis tilt adjusting mechanism 20, the inner race 25a of the spherical bearing 25 that supports the transparent plate 4a.
A cam receiving surface 25b that is inclined with respect to the transparent plate 4a is formed. The drive portion 21 has a cam 21c that is received by the cam receiving surface 25b, and is mounted on the lens barrel 1 so as to be rotatable about an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the lens barrel 1 and passing through the rotation center of the spherical bearing 25. A supported cam ring 21b is provided. Then, the cam ring 21b is rotationally driven by an x-axis tilt motor 21a provided outside the lens barrel 1, whereby the cam 21 is rotated.
The value of c changes, the inner race 25a and the transparent plate 4
The inclination angle of a changes.

The other construction, operation and effect of this embodiment are the same as those of the above-mentioned one embodiment, and therefore their explanation is omitted to avoid duplication.

In another embodiment of the present invention, shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 6 and the cross-sectional view of FIG. 7, an x-axis shift adjustment mechanism 32 and x is provided.
The shaft tilt adjusting mechanism 30 is the x-axis shift adjusting mechanism 20 of the previous example.
It is constructed in the same way as.

That is, the inner race 36a of the spherical bearing 36 is formed with the transparent plate 4b and the cam receiving surface 36b inclined with respect to the transparent plate 4c, and the cam ring 33b rotatably supported by the barrel 1 has the cam receiving surface 36a. A cam 33c that is received by the inner ring 36a and the transparent plates 4b and 4c can be adjusted by rotating the cam ring 33b by an x-axis shift motor 33a.

The inner race 35 of the spherical bearing 35
A cam receiving surface 35b inclined with respect to the transparent plate 4a is formed on a, and a cam ring 31b is rotatably supported by the lens barrel 1.
A cam 31c, which is received by the cam receiving surface 35a, is formed, and the inclination angle of the inner race 35a and the transparent plate 4a can be adjusted by rotationally driving the cam ring 31b by the x-axis shift motor 31a.

Other constitutions, functions and effects of this embodiment are the same as those of the previous two examples, and therefore their explanations are omitted to avoid duplication.

In each of the above embodiments, the transparent plate 4b and the transparent plate 4c are configured to be held by the common spherical bearings 6 and 36. For example, in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. As shown, these two transparent plates 4b
4c through separate spherical bearings 45 and 46, respectively.
Inner race 4 of both spherical bearings 45 and 46
3a or more connecting rods 4 for 5a and 46a
It is also possible to connect the two transparent plates 4b and 4c in parallel with each other by connecting them at 7, and to change their rotation angles. In this case, one inner race 45a, 46
When the rotation angle of a is driven by the drive unit, the other inner races 45a and 46a are interlocked, and the transparent plates 4b and 4c rotate about the rotation centers 45b and 46b of the respective inner races 45a and 46a. .

[0045]

As described above, according to the first liquid prism adjusting device of the present invention, the transparent plate is supported by the lens barrel via the spherical bearing, so that the transparent plate can be formed with a simple structure. The lens barrel can be rotatably supported around the x-axis and the y-axis, and the lever is connected to the inner race of the transparent plate or spherical bearing, and the tip of the lever is in the axial direction of the lens barrel. Since it is sufficient to provide a drive unit for moving the actuator back and forth, the configuration is simple and the assembly cost can be significantly reduced.

Further, according to the second liquid prism adjusting apparatus of the present invention, since the transparent plate is supported by the lens barrel through the spherical bearing, the transparent plate can be arranged with a simple structure in the x-axis center and the y-axis center. Can be supported on the lens barrel so that it can rotate around
Since the cam receiving surface is formed on the inner race, and the cam that can be received by the cam receiving surface and the drive unit that rotationally drives the cam are provided, the configuration is simple and the assembly cost can be significantly reduced. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention when not in operation.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention during a shift operation.

FIG. 3 is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention when not in operation.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention during a shift operation.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention when not in operation.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention during a shift operation.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention when not in operation.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of still another embodiment of the present invention during a shift operation.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an optical path conversion element using two liquid prisms when non-conversion.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of an optical path shifting action of the optical path conversion element.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of an optical path tilting action of the optical path conversion element.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional optical path conversion element when not in operation.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional optical path conversion element during a shift action.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 lens barrel 2A liquid prism 2B liquid prism 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d transparent plate 5 spherical bearing 5a inner race 5b lever 6 spherical bearing 6a inner race 6b lever 9 guide groove 11 drive unit 13 drive unit 21 drive unit 21c cam 23 drive Part 25 Spherical bearing 25a Inner race 25b Cam receiving surface 31 Drive part 31a Cam 33 Drive part 33c Cam 35 Spherical bearing 35a Inner race 35b Cam receiving surface 36 Spherical bearing 36a Inner race 36b Cam receiving surface

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A transparent plate of a liquid prism is supported on an inner race of a spherical bearing fitted in a lens barrel, and a guide hole extending in the axial direction of the liquid prism is formed in the lens barrel, and the transparent plate or the inner race is connected to the guide hole. A liquid prism adjusting device, characterized in that a drive portion is provided which slidably inserts a tip end portion of the lever into a guide hole, and which drives the tip end portion of the lever forward and backward in the axial direction of the lens barrel. 2. A transparent plate of a liquid prism is supported by an inner race of a spherical bearing fitted in a lens barrel, and a cam receiving surface inclined with respect to the transparent plate is formed at one end of the inner race. A liquid prism adjusting device comprising: a cam that rotates about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation and that passes through the center of rotation of a spherical bearing and is received by the cam surface; and a drive unit that drives the cam. .