TWI838675B - Light path adjustment mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

A light path adjustment mechanism includes a base, a frame, a carrier, a first coil, a second coil and a magnet. The frame is connected to the base by a first pair of flexible members, and the carrier is provided in the frame and connected to the frame by a second pair of flexible members. The magnet has a first side and a second side, the first coil is located on the first side, and the second coil is located on the second side.

Description

Optical path adjustment mechanism

The present invention relates to an optical path adjustment mechanism.

In recent years, various image display technologies have been widely used in daily life. In an image display device, for example, an optical path adjustment mechanism can be set to change the optical path of light in the device to provide various effects such as improving imaging resolution and improving picture quality. However, the number of components, weight, and volume of the conventional optical path adjustment mechanism are large, making it difficult to further miniaturize. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an optical path adjustment mechanism design with a simple structure, high reliability, and the ability to significantly reduce weight and volume.

The "Prior Art" section is only used to help understand the content of the present invention. Therefore, the content disclosed in the "Prior Art" section may contain some knowledge that does not constitute the common knowledge in the relevant technical field. The content disclosed in the "Prior Art" section does not mean that the content or the problems to be solved by one or more embodiments of the present invention have been known or recognized by the common knowledge in the relevant technical field before the application of the present invention.

Other purposes and advantages of the present invention can be further understood from the technical features disclosed in the present invention. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the following is a detailed description of the embodiments and the attached drawings as follows.

According to one viewpoint of the present invention, an optical path adjustment mechanism includes a base, a frame, a support seat, a first coil, a second coil and a magnet. The frame is connected to the base via a first pair of flexible parts, the support seat is disposed in the frame and connected to the frame via a second pair of flexible parts, the first coil is disposed in the frame, and the second coil is disposed in the support seat. The magnet has a first side and a second side, the first coil is disposed on the first side and the second coil is disposed on the second side. In the thickness direction of the magnet, the thickness of the first coil at least partially overlaps the thickness of the magnet, and the total number of magnets in the optical path adjustment mechanism is 1.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an optical path adjustment mechanism includes a base, a frame, a support seat, a first coil, a second coil, a magnet, and a magnet seat. The frame is connected to the base via a first pair of flexible parts, the support seat is disposed in the frame and connected to the frame via a second pair of flexible parts, the first coil is disposed in the frame, and the second coil is disposed in the support seat. The magnet has a first side, the first coil and the second coil are both located on the first side, and the shortest distance from the first side of the magnet to the support seat is greater than the height of the second coil relative to the support seat. The magnet seat is used to accommodate the magnet, the top surface of the magnet seat is substantially L-shaped, the magnet has an appearance corresponding to the accommodation space of the magnet seat, and the total number of magnets in the optical path adjustment mechanism is 1.

According to the above viewpoints of the present invention, since the actuator that allows the optical element to swing in two different axial directions only needs to use one magnet, the number of actuator components and the required layout space can be reduced, and the overall weight, volume and manufacturing cost of the optical path adjustment mechanism can be reduced.

Other purposes and advantages of the present invention can be further understood from the technical features disclosed in the present invention. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the following is a detailed description of the embodiments and the attached drawings as follows.

100, 200: Optical path adjustment mechanism

110: Carrier seat

120:Framework

130: Base

152: The first pair of flexible parts

154: Second pair of flexible parts

162: Magnet

162a: First side

162b: Second side

162c: bottom side

164: First coil

166: Second coil

172:Magnetic seat

180:Optical components

260: Projection lens

310: Lighting system

312: Light source

312R, 312G, 312B: LEDs

314: Beam

314a: Sub-image

316: Light combining device

317: Fly-eye lens array

318: Optical component set

319: Total internal reflection prism

320: Light valve module

350: Screen

400, 410: Optical device

d1, d2, D: distance

H: Height

N, S: magnetic poles

P, Q: axis

FIG1A is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an optical path adjustment mechanism of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG1B is a planar schematic diagram of the optical path adjustment mechanism of FIG1A, and FIG1C is a schematic diagram illustrating the force actuation direction of the coil of the optical path adjustment mechanism.

Figure 2 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the optical path adjustment mechanism of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG3A is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the optical path adjustment mechanism of FIG2 at another viewing angle, and FIG3B is a planar schematic diagram of FIG3A.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of an optical path adjustment mechanism of an embodiment of the present invention applied to an optical system.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an optical path adjustment mechanism of another embodiment of the present invention applied to an optical system.

The above-mentioned other technical contents, features and effects of the present invention will be clearly presented in the detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the drawings below. The directional terms mentioned in the following embodiments, such as up, down, left, right, front or back, etc., are only referenced to the directions of the attached drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are used for explanation and are not used to limit the present invention.

The disclosure in the following embodiments discloses an optical path adjustment mechanism, which can be used in different optical systems (such as display devices, projection devices, etc.) to adjust or change the optical path to provide effects such as improving imaging resolution, improving image quality (eliminating dark areas, softening image edges), etc. without limitation, and the setting position and configuration method of the optical path adjustment mechanism in the optical system are completely unlimited.

FIG1A is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an optical path adjustment mechanism of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG1B is a planar schematic diagram of the optical path adjustment mechanism of FIG1A. Please refer to FIG1A and FIG1B simultaneously, the optical path adjustment mechanism 100 may include a carrier 110, a frame 120, a base 130, a first pair of flexible members 152 and a second pair of flexible members 154. In this embodiment, the frame 120 is adjacent to the base 130 and substantially surrounds the support base 110. The first pair of flexible members 152 connects the base 130 and the frame 120 and defines a first direction (the direction in which the first axis P extends). The second pair of flexible members 154 connects the support base 110 and the frame 120 and defines a second direction (the direction in which the second axis Q extends). The first direction is different from the second direction. For example, the first direction may be perpendicular to the second direction as shown in FIG. 1A but is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, the support base 110, the frame 120, the first pair of flexible members 152 and the second pair of flexible members 154 may be located at substantially the same horizontal height and may be composed of the same sheet-like elastic member, for example, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the optical path adjustment mechanism 100 may include an optical element 180, which may be disposed on the support 110 and may be, for example, a lens. The lens only needs to provide an effect of deflecting light, and its form and type are not limited, and may be, for example, a lens or a mirror. Furthermore, the optical path adjustment mechanism 100 further includes a magnet 162, a first coil 164, and a second coil 166. In this embodiment, the first coil 164 is disposed on the frame 120, and the second coil 166 is disposed on the support 110. The magnet 162 may be fixed to a magnet seat 172, and the magnet seat 172 may be fixed to the base 130. Please refer to FIG. 1A again. The magnet 162 can generate a fixed magnetic field. When the first coil 164 is energized, the current of the first coil 164 generates a magnetic field and interacts with the fixed magnetic field of the magnet 162, so that the first coil 164 can be moved by force. The relationship between the force direction of the coil's wire, the magnetic field direction of the magnet, and the current direction of the coil can be determined by the right hand open palm rule with reference to FIG. 1C. As shown in FIG. 1C, taking the first coil 164 as an example, use the right hand to point the thumb toward the current direction of the first coil 164, and then point the other four fingers toward the magnetic field direction of the magnet 162. According to the right hand open palm rule, the direction facing the palm is the force direction of the wire of the first coil 164. Therefore, since the first coil 164 is connected to the frame 120, the first coil 164 can move together with one side of the frame 120 when it is powered on and subjected to force, thereby causing the frame 120 and the optical element 180 thereon to swing back and forth around the first axis P formed by the first pair of flexible members 152. Similarly, since the second coil 166 is connected to the support base 110, the second coil 166 can move together with one side of the support base 110 when it is powered on and subjected to force, thereby causing the support base 110 and the optical element 180 thereon to swing back and forth around the second axis Q formed by the second pair of flexible members 154. Furthermore, since the first pair of flexible members 152 and the second pair of flexible members 154 can be used as a rotating shaft to transmit the power for swinging the optical element 180, the first pair of flexible members 152 and the second pair of flexible members 154 can also be regarded as a transmission mechanism. As shown in FIG1B , the first pair of flexible members 152 connected between the base 130 and the frame 120 can be parallel to the X-axis direction, and the second pair of flexible members 154 connected between the support base 110 and the frame 120 can be parallel to the Y-axis direction. The frame 120 and the optical element 180 can swing back and forth with the first pair of flexible members 152 (X-axis direction) as the axis, and the support base 110 and the optical element 180 can swing back and forth with the second pair of flexible members 154 (Y-axis direction) as the axis. Therefore, the optical element 180 can produce a swing angle range in two different axial directions, and reciprocate or rotate to different positions to deflect the incident light to different directions, thereby obtaining the effect of adjusting or changing the optical path of the light. For example, the optical element 180 can be quickly swung in two different axial directions to produce four different tilt positions relative to the base 130, so that a pixel image originally incident on the optical element 180 can be deflected by the optical element 180 that changes rapidly in four different tilt positions to produce four pixel images, thereby obtaining the effect of increasing the pixel resolution by 4 times. By adjusting or changing the optical path through the optical path adjustment mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention, different effects can be produced according to actual needs, such as improving projection resolution, improving image quality (eliminating dark areas, softening image edges), etc. without limitation. Please refer to FIG. 1B again. In this embodiment, the magnet 162 has a first side 162a and a second side 162b. The first coil 164 is located on the first side 162a and the shortest distance from the first side is d1. The second coil 166 is located on the second side 162b and the shortest distance from the second side is d2. The optical path adjustment mechanism 100 of this embodiment can meet the condition of 1<d1/d2<2, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Through the design of the above embodiment, since the actuator that allows the optical element to swing in two different axial directions only needs to use one magnet, the number of actuator components and the required layout space can be reduced, and the overall weight, volume and manufacturing cost of the optical path adjustment mechanism can be reduced.

It should be noted that the component distribution, structure and actuation mode of the actuator of the above-mentioned embodiment are completely unlimited, and it is only necessary to provide a force that causes the optical element to tilt and swing. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an optical path adjustment mechanism of another embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 2 clearly depicts the cross-sectional structure of the actuator. As shown in FIG. 2, the first pair of flexible members 152 of the optical path adjustment mechanism 200 connects the base 130 and the frame 120, the second pair of flexible members 154 connects the support seat 110 and the frame 120, the first coil 164 is disposed on the frame 120, and the second coil 166 is disposed on the support seat 110, and the first coil 164 and the second coil 166 are both disposed on the same side of the single magnet 162 (exemplified as the bottom side 162c). As shown in FIG. 2 , for example, the bottom side 162c of the magnet 162 may be an S pole, and when the first coil 164 is energized, an N pole may be formed on the top side by the electromagnetic effect, so the magnet 162 may attract the first coil 164, so that the first coil 164 and the frame 120 swing around the first pair of flexible parts 152. Similarly, when the second coil 166 is energized, an N pole may be formed on the top side by the electromagnetic effect, so the magnet 162 may attract the second coil 166, so that the second coil 166 and the carrier 110 swing around the second pair of flexible parts 154. It should be noted that the above-mentioned magnetic pole representation and the actuation method using magnetic attraction are only examples, and magnetic repulsion may also be used, or magnetic attraction and magnetic repulsion may be used alternately for actuation. In this embodiment, the first coil 164 and the second coil 166 are both disposed on the bottom side 162c of the single magnet 162, and the shortest distance D from the bottom side 162c of the magnet 162 to the support base 110 is greater than the height H of the second coil 166 relative to the support base 110. FIG. 3A is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the optical path adjustment mechanism of FIG. 2 at another viewing angle, and FIG. 3B is a plan schematic diagram of FIG. 3A. FIG. 3A clearly shows the complete configuration of the single magnet 162 contained in the magnet base 172 and the single magnet 162 relative to the coils 164 and 166, and FIG. 3B clearly shows the relative configuration relationship between the magnet 162 and the first pair of flexible parts 152, the second pair of flexible parts 154, the support base 110 and the frame 120 on the plane.

The components of the optical path adjustment mechanism of the above-mentioned embodiments are only examples, and can also be replaced by other components with the same or similar functions. For example, the frame 120 can be replaced by an outer frame, and the base 130 can be replaced by a base, etc. without limitation. In one embodiment, the support base 110, the base 130, the frame 120, the first pair of flexible parts 152 and the second pair of flexible parts 154 can be integrally formed using the same material, or two or more of the components can be integrally formed first and then combined with the remaining components.

According to the designs of the above-mentioned embodiments, a method for manufacturing an optical path adjustment mechanism can be provided. For example, a base, a frame and a carrier are first provided, and an optical element is arranged on the carrier. Furthermore, a first pair of flexible parts are arranged to connect the base and the frame, a second pair of flexible parts are arranged to connect the frame and the carrier, a first coil is arranged on the frame, a second coil is arranged on the carrier, and a magnet is arranged on the base. The magnet has a first side and a second side, the first coil is located on the first side and the shortest distance to the first side is d1, the second coil is located on the second side and the shortest distance to the second side is d2, and the configuration is such that 1<d1/d2<2.

FIG4 is a schematic diagram of an optical path adjustment mechanism of an embodiment of the present invention applied to an optical device. Referring to FIG4 , the optical device 400 includes an illumination system 310, a light valve module 320, a projection lens 260, and an optical path adjustment mechanism 100. The illumination system 310 has a light source 312, which is suitable for providing a light beam 314, and the light valve module 320 is configured on the transmission path of the light beam 314. The light valve module 320 is suitable for converting the light beam 314 into a plurality of sub-images 314a. In addition, the projection lens 260 is configured on the transmission path of these sub-images 314a, and the light valve module 320 is located between the illumination system 310 and the projection lens 260. In addition, the optical path adjustment mechanism 100 can be configured between the light valve module 320 and the projection lens 260 or inside the projection lens 260, for example, between the light valve module 320 and the total internal reflection prism 319 or between the total internal reflection prism 319 and the projection lens 260, and is located on the transmission path of these sub-images 314a. In the optical device 400, the light source 312 may include, for example, a red LED 312R, a green LED 312G, and a blue LED 312B. The colored light emitted by each LED is combined by a light combining device 316 to form a light beam 314. The light beam 314 passes through a fly-eye lens array 317, an optical element assembly 318, and a total internal reflection prism 319 in sequence. Afterwards, the total internal reflection prism 319 reflects the light beam 314 to the light valve module 320. At this time, the light valve module 320 converts the light beam 314 into a plurality of sub-images 314a, and these sub-images 314a pass through the total internal reflection prism 319 and the optical path adjustment mechanism 100 in sequence, and are projected onto the screen 350 via the projection lens 260. In this embodiment, when these sub-images 314a pass through the optical path adjustment mechanism 100, the optical path adjustment mechanism 100 changes the transmission path of part of these sub-images 314a. That is to say, the sub-images 314a passing through the optical path adjustment mechanism 100 will be projected at a first position (not shown) on the screen 350, and the sub-images 314a passing through the optical path adjustment mechanism 100 will be projected at a second position (not shown) on the screen 350 during another period of time, wherein the first position and the second position differ by a fixed distance in the horizontal direction or/and the vertical direction. In this embodiment, since the optical path adjustment mechanism 100 can move the imaging position of the sub-images 314a by a fixed distance in the horizontal direction or/and the vertical direction, the horizontal resolution or/and the vertical resolution of the image can be improved. Of course, the above-mentioned embodiments are only examples, and the optical path adjustment mechanism of the embodiments of the present invention can be applied to different optical systems to obtain different effects, and the setting position and configuration method of the optical path adjustment mechanism in the optical system are not limited at all. For example, as shown in FIG. 5 , the optical path adjustment mechanism 100 may also be disposed in the projection lens 260 of the optical device 410 .

The term light valve module has been widely used in the projection industry. In this industry, it can mostly be used to refer to some independent optical units in a spatial light modulator (SLM). The so-called spatial light modulator contains many independent units (independent optical units), which are arranged in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array in space. Each unit can independently accept the control of optical or electrical signals, and use various physical effects (Pockels effect, Kerr effect, acousto-optic effect, magneto-optic effect, semiconductor self-electro-optic effect or photorefractive effect, etc.) to change its own optical properties, thereby modulating the illumination beams illuminating the multiple independent units and outputting image beams. Independent units can be optical elements such as micro-reflectors or liquid crystal units. That is, the light valve module can be a digital micro-mirror device (DMD), a liquid crystal on silicon panel (LCOS panel) or a transmissive liquid crystal panel, etc.

A projector is a device that uses optical projection to project images onto a screen. In the projector industry, projectors are generally divided into cathode ray tube (Cathode Ray Tube) projectors, liquid crystal display (LCD) projectors, digital light projectors (DLP) and liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) projectors, depending on the different light valve modules used inside. When the projector is operating, light will pass through the LCD panel as a light valve module, so it is a penetrating projector. Projectors using light valve modules such as LCOS and DLP rely on the principle of light reflection to display images, so they are called reflective projectors.

Although the present invention has been disclosed as above with the preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art can make some changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be subject to the scope of the patent application attached hereto. In addition, any embodiment or patent application of the present invention does not need to achieve all the purposes, advantages or features disclosed by the present invention. In addition, the abstract and title are only used to assist in searching for patent documents and are not used to limit the scope of rights of the present invention.

100: Optical path adjustment mechanism

110: Carrier seat

120:Framework

130: Base

152: The first pair of flexible parts

154: Second pair of flexible parts

162: Magnet

164: First coil

166: Second coil

172:Magnetic seat

180:Optical components

P, Q: axis

Claims (9)

An optical path adjustment mechanism includes: a base; a frame connected to the base via a first pair of flexible parts; a support seat disposed in the frame and connected to the frame via a second pair of flexible parts; an optical element disposed on the support seat. A first coil disposed on the frame; a second coil disposed on the support seat; and a magnet having a first side and a second side, the first coil being located on the first side and the second coil being located on the second side, wherein in the thickness direction of the magnet, the thickness of the first coil at least partially overlaps with the thickness of the magnet, and the total number of magnets of the optical path adjustment mechanism is 1. As described in item 1 of the patent application scope, the optical path adjustment mechanism, wherein the shortest distance between the first coil and the first side is d1, the shortest distance between the second coil and the second side is d2, and the optical path adjustment mechanism satisfies the condition of 1<d1/d2<2. As described in item 1 of the patent application scope, the optical path adjustment mechanism, wherein in the thickness direction of the magnet, the thickness of the second coil at least partially overlaps with the thickness of the magnet. An optical path adjustment mechanism includes: a base; a frame connected to the base via a first pair of flexible parts; a support seat disposed in the frame and connected to the frame via a second pair of flexible parts; a first coil disposed on the frame; a second coil disposed on the support seat; a magnet having a first side, the first coil and the second coil are both located on the first side, and the shortest distance from the first side of the magnet to the support seat is greater than the height of the second coil relative to the support seat; and a magnet seat for accommodating the magnet, wherein a top surface of the magnet seat is substantially L-shaped, the magnet has an outer shape corresponding to the accommodating space of the magnet seat, and the total number of magnets in the optical path adjustment mechanism is 1. The optical path adjustment mechanism as described in Item 4 of the patent application, wherein the magnetic base is fixed to the base. As described in item 1 or 4 of the patent application scope, the optical path adjustment mechanism, wherein the first pair of flexible members defines a first direction, the second pair of flexible members defines a second direction, and the optical element swings along the first direction and the second direction. As described in item 1 or 4 of the patent application scope, the optical path adjustment mechanism, wherein at least two of the frame, the support seat, the first pair of flexible parts, and the second pair of flexible parts are integrally formed. The optical path adjustment mechanism as described in item 1 or 4 of the patent application scope, wherein the optical element is a lens or a reflector. As described in item 1 or 4 of the patent application scope, the optical path adjustment mechanism, wherein the frame substantially surrounds the carrier.

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