Illuminator with switching and diffusing elements
View Patent ↗An illuminator includes a laser light source that irradiates laser light, a switch element that switches over between exiting optical paths of the laser light entered, and a plurality of diffusion-illuminating elements that allow the laser light entering through the exiting optical path to exit with diffusion. The plurality of diffusion-illuminating elements are to be superimposed together at least in a part of respective ones of exiting light thereby illuminating an illumination area.
1. An illuminator, comprising:
a light source that irradiates light in a first optical path;
a switch element that switches the irradiated light between the first optical path and a second optical path;
a first diffusion-illuminating element that diffuses the light from the first optical path to illuminate an illumination area; and
a second diffusion-illuminating element that diffuses the light from the second optical path to illuminate the illumination area such that the light exiting from the second diffusion-illuminating element is substantially superimposed on the light exiting from the first diffusion-illuminating element on the illumination area.
2. The illuminator according to claim 1 , the switch element having an optical function layer, the optical function layer alternately layered with a polymer having birefringence and a liquid crystal, the illuminator further comprising:
an electric-field application device for the optical function layer.
3. The illuminator according to claim 1 , at least one of the diffusion-illuminating elements being a diffraction optical element for generating diffraction light.
4. The illuminator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of switch elements provided on an optical path of the light.
5. The illuminator according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of light sources.
6. An image display, comprising:
a light source that irradiates light in a first optical path;
a switch element that switches the irradiated light between the first optical path and a second optical path;
a light modulator that modulates the light from the light source;
a first diffusion-illuminating element that diffuses the light from the first optical path to illuminate the light modulator;
a second diffusion-illuminating element that diffuses the light from the second optical path to illuminate the light modulator such that the light exiting from the second diffusion-illuminating element is substantially superimposed on the light exiting from the first diffusion-illuminating element on the light modulator; and
a projection system that projects light exiting from the light modulator.
7. The image display according to claim 6 , the switch element having an optical function layer, the optical function layer alternately layered with a polymer having birefringence and a liquid crystal, the illuminator further comprising:
an electric-field application device for the optical function layer.
8. The image display according to claim 6 , at least one of the diffusion-illuminating elements being a diffraction optical element for generating diffraction light.
9. The image display according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a plurality of switch elements provided on an optical path of the light.
10. The image display according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a plurality of light sources.
11. The illuminator according to claim 2 , the switch element having a hologram structure.
12. The image display according to claim 7 , the switch element having a hologram structure.
13. The illuminator according to claim 1 , the exiting light from the second diffusion-illuminating element superimposing at least a part of the exiting light from the first diffusion-illuminating element in the illumination area.