WO2013037143A1

WO2013037143A1 - Optical lens device, projection system and imaging device

Info

Publication number: WO2013037143A1
Application number: PCT/CN2011/080137
Authority: WO
Inventors: 汤伟平
Original assignee: 香港应用科技研究院有限公司
Priority date: 2011-09-13
Filing date: 2011-09-23
Publication date: 2013-03-21
Also published as: CN202196192U

Abstract

An optical lens device has a central region （101）allowing light to transmit it and a peripheral region （102）, the central region （101） is formed with a lens array and the peripheral region （102） is provided with a smooth surface. The central region （101） and the peripheral region （102） are all provided with optical apertures to allow certain scale light to transmit it. The optical lens device can achieve higher optical efficiency by the aid of a projection lens with a smaller aperture, easy to manufacture and with a low cost.

Description

Optical lens device, projection system and imaging device

The present invention relates to an optical imaging apparatus, and more particularly to an optical lens apparatus, a projection system, and an imaging apparatus. Background art

A projector, also called a projector, is a device that magnifies an object image onto a projection screen for viewing by an optical component at a precise magnification. In the projection system, the lens array is often used as an optical integrator for homogenizing or shaping the beam shape. The etendue E of the lens characterizes the area and angle of the emitted light, which is simply defined as a function of refractive index n, solid angle Ω and area A, dE = n ² dn ² dA. In a projection system, the larger the source, the greater the concentration E, which requires a larger aperture projection lens. 1 and 2 illustrate the light propagation effect of a conventional projection system using projection lenses of different apertures. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the light emitted by the light source 11 is sequentially passed through the illumination optical system 12, the image generator 13, and the projection lens. After 14, it is projected onto screen 15. 1 shows a projection lens using a larger aperture in the projection system, corresponding to a larger etendue, and FIG. 2 shows a projection lens using a smaller aperture in the projection system, corresponding to a smaller etendue. Generally, the light beam in front of the lens array is distributed over the entire surface, and the beam component distribution after the lens array is distributed. At the exit end of the lens array, it is necessary to collect light over a larger area to obtain the same at the entrance end of the lens array. The energy, which means that a larger aperture projection lens is needed to collect the light energy at the exit end of the lens array. However, large aperture projection lenses are often difficult to design and manufacture, are more costly, and are not conducive to miniaturization of projection systems. Therefore, it is considered to improve the light collecting efficiency of the optical lens array as an optical integrator to avoid problems caused by making a projection lens having a large aperture. U.S. Patent Application No. US 2006/0044799 A1 discloses a divergent arrangement of a portion of a unit in a lens array at an angle. U.S. Patent 6,527,393 discloses a lens array having an array of improved shapes. In addition, U.S. Patent Application No. 2010/0165470 A1 proposes pre-shaping light using a lens array having shaped cells prior to directing light to the DMD lens. However, the prior art still has a large disadvantage in improving the light collecting efficiency of the optical lens array. Summary of the invention The main object of the present invention is to provide an optical lens device for the deficiencies of the prior art, whereby a lens having a smaller aperture can achieve higher light efficiency, and the optical component is easy to manufacture and low in cost.

Another object is to provide a projection system having the optical lens device.

It is still another object to provide an image forming apparatus having the optical lens device.

To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

An optical lens device comprising a central region and a peripheral region that allow light to pass through, the central region being formed with a lens array, the peripheral region having a smooth surface.

The peripheral region may have a spherical or non-spherical cross section.

The array elements constituting the lens array may be rectangular or hexagonal.

The peripheral region may be rectangular or hexagonal or circular.

The optical lens material of the device may be PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) or PC (polycarbonate) or glass.

The lens array may be in a rectangular arrangement, a circular arrangement or a divergent arrangement.

A projection system, comprising:

Light source,

An optical lens device comprising a central region and a peripheral region that allow light to pass therethrough, the central region being formed with a lens array, the peripheral region having a smooth surface;

a light modulator, the light emitted by the light source being imaged on the surface of the light modulator through the optical lens device; and

a projection lens for imaging a modulated light signal on the light modulator on a screen. The peripheral region may have a spherical or non-spherical cross section.

The array elements constituting the lens array may be rectangular or hexagonal.

The peripheral region may be rectangular or hexagonal or circular.

An image forming apparatus comprising the optical lens device of any of the foregoing.

The beneficial technical effects of the present invention are:

According to the present invention, a lens having a small aperture can be obtained by using a projection lens having a small aperture to obtain a light efficiency;

Thereby, the projection lens is made easier to manufacture and the manufacturing cost is lower;

A cheaper PBS (polarizing beam splitting prism) can be used;

The system can achieve higher light efficiency. Typically, the system efficiency can be increased by about 11.2% compared to the prior; a smaller light engine size can be obtained;

Lower processing costs can be maintained. DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a projection lens using a larger aperture in a projection system;

Figure 2 shows a projection lens using a smaller aperture in the projection system;

Figure 3 shows the lens array present;

Figure 4 is a view showing a lens array and a lens peripheral region in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows the optical aperture when a conventional optical lens array is used;

Fig. 7 shows the optical aperture when an embodiment of the present invention is employed. detailed description

The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1 and 2 show the light propagation effects of conventional projection systems using projection lenses of different apertures. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, the light emitted from the light source 11 is sequentially projected onto the screen 15 after passing through the illumination optical system 12, the image generator 13, and the projection lens 14. Among them, Figure 1 shows that the projection system uses a light source with a large spread. Therefore, a projection lens with a larger aperture is required, which corresponds to a larger etendue. Figure 2 shows a light source with a small spread in the projection system. A projection lens with a smaller aperture corresponds to a smaller etendue. A conventional lens array is used in Figure 2. The principle of uniform illumination of the device is: the beam parallel to the optical axis passes through the first row of lenses and is focused at the center of the second row of lenses. The first row of fly-eye lenses form the light source into multiple The light source image is illuminated, and each lenslet of the second row of fly-eye lenses superimposes the lenslet corresponding to the first row of compound eyes on the illumination surface. Since the first row of fly-eye lenses divides the light source into a plurality of beam illuminations, and the small inhomogeneities in the range of each beam are superimposed by the beams in the symmetrical position, the micro-non-uniformity of the beam is compensated, thereby The light energy in the entire aperture is effectively and uniformly utilized. Each point of the spot emerging from the second row of compound eyes receives the light from all points of the light source. At the same time, the beam emitted from each point on the light source will overlap the uniform field of view of the illumination spot, so a uniform rectangle is obtained. Spot. Figure 3 shows a known lens array.

Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an optical lens device includes a central region 101 and a peripheral region 102 that allow light to pass through, and a lens array including a plurality of lens units is formed in the central region. The peripheral area has a smooth surface. Both the central region and the peripheral region are provided with optical apertures to allow a certain proportion of light to pass.

In some embodiments, the peripheral region may have a spherical or non-spherical cross section. In some embodiments, the lens unit constituting the lens array may be rectangular or hexagonal Shape.

In some embodiments, the perimeter region can be rectangular or hexagonal or circular.

In some embodiments, the optical lens material of the optical lens device may be a plastic such as PMMA or PC, or may be glass.

In some embodiments, the array of lenses may be rectangular, circular, or a divergent arrangement that exhibits a diverging pattern from the center to the periphery.

An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment may have the optical lens device of any of the foregoing embodiments.

The projection system according to one embodiment may have the optical lens device of any of the foregoing embodiments.

As shown in the projection system of Fig. 6, according to the conventional design, a projection lens having a larger optical aperture is required for collecting light energy at the exit end of the lens array. In the projection system, light is sequentially projected onto the screen 15 by the light source 101, the first optical lens assembly 102, the lens array device 103, and the second optical lens assembly 104. The lens array device 103 is of a conventional design, and the circled portion indicates a light-transmitting effect in the absence of a peripheral region having a smooth surface, and the light collecting efficiency is low.

Referring to Figure 7, the projection system of the present invention includes a light source, an optical lens device, a light modulator, and a projection lens. In the projection system of one embodiment, the light emitted by the light source 101 passes through the first optical lens assembly 102, the optical lens device 203, and the third optical lens assembly 204 in turn, in the third optical lens assembly 204, by the optical lens device. The light emitted by 203 is imaged on the surface of the light modulator, and the modulated light signal on the light modulator is imaged on the screen 105 after being projected through the lens.

The optical lens device 203 includes a central region and a peripheral region that allow light to pass through, the central region being formed with a lens array having a smooth surface to obtain improved light collecting efficiency.

Therefore, in the projection system shown in FIG. 7, since the optical lens device 203 is provided with a central region having a lens array and a peripheral region having a smooth surface (indicated by a circled portion in the drawing), a projection lens having a smaller aperture can also be used. Collecting more light energy ensures higher light efficiency and is easier to manufacture.

The above is a detailed description of the present invention in connection with the specific preferred embodiments, and the specific embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the description. It is to be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be delineated or substituted without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

Claim

An optical lens device comprising a central region and a peripheral region that allow light to pass therethrough, the central region being formed with an array of lenses having a smooth surface.

2. The optical lens apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral region has a spherical or non-spherical cross section.

The optical lens device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the array unit constituting the lens array is rectangular or hexagonal.

The optical lens device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the peripheral region is rectangular or hexagonal or circular.

The optical lens device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the optical lens material of the device is PMMA or PC or glass.

The optical lens device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lens array is a rectangular array, a circular array or a divergent array.

7. A projection system, comprising:

Light source,

An optical lens device comprising a central region and a peripheral region that allow light to pass therethrough, the central region being formed with an array of lenses, the peripheral region having a smooth surface;

a projection lens for imaging a modulated light signal on the light modulator on a screen.

8. Projection system according to claim 7, characterized in that the peripheral region has a spherical or non-spherical cross section.

9. Projection system according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the array elements constituting the lens array are rectangular or hexagonal.

10. Projection system according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the peripheral area is rectangular or hexagonal or circular.

An image forming apparatus comprising the optical lens device according to any one of claims 1-6.