IP Library Granted Patent US 7,816,637
Granted Patent B2
US 7,816,637 · App. 11/730,544 · Granted Oct 19, 2010

Image display projector having a drive unit for moving either a Fresnel lens or a diffusion member

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,816,637
App. No.
11/730,544
Granted
Oct 19, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image display projector is provided so as to reduce scintillation. The image display projector comprises: an optical engine for emitting light according to an inputted imaging signal; a Fresnel lens disposed to receive the light emitted from the optical engine, for emitting the incident light as collimated one; a diffusion member, placed in front of the Fresnel lens in the light-traveling direction, for diffusing the collimated light emitted from the Fresnel lens; and a drive unit for moving either the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member, along a predetermined track (orbit), in a plane parallel to either the plane from which the collimated light or the diffused light is emitted. And then, the moving velocity of either the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member is at any moment larger than zero in any direction within the parallel plane.

Claims (69)

1. An image display projector, comprising:

an optical engine for emitting light according to an inputted imaging signal;

a Fresnel lens disposed to receive the light emitted from said optical engine, for emitting the incident light as collimated light;

a diffusion member, placed in a position frontal to said Fresnel lens in the light-traveling direction, for emitting diffused light, by diffusing the collimated light emitted from said Fresnel lens; and

a drive unit for moving either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member, repeatedly along a predetermined track, in a parallel plane, the parallel plane being a plane parallel to either the plane from which the collimated light is emitted or the plane from which the diffused light is emitted, wherein:

the moving velocity of either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member is continuously larger than zero within said parallel plane during the movement of either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member along said predetermined track,

the drive unit further comprises:

a motor;

a first cam for rotating around a first shaft based on the driving force of said motor;

a rotating member for rotating, according to the rotation of said first cam, around a second shaft disposed parallel to the first shaft; and

a transmitting member, having a first hole for receiving said first cam and a second hole for receiving said rotating member, provided along the perimeter of either the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member,

the first hole and the second hole are disposed in said parallel plane spaced apart by a predetermined distance from each other, and

the transmitting member moves based on the driving force of said motor, transferred via said first cam, so that either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member moves in the predetermined track.

2. The image display projector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the optical engine further comprises:

a light source;

a spatial modulator for spatially modulating, according to the imaging signal, the light from said light source, to emit light so as to form images that correspond to the imaging signal; and

an optical projection system for emitting light, emitted from said spatial modulator, onto the Fresnel lens so as to enlarge the images.

3. The image display projector as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising

a supporting member for elastically supporting, within said parallel plane, movement of either the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member.

4. The image display projector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

moving displacement of the Fresnel lens in any direction within the plane parallel with said Fresnel lens is larger than the pitch of said Fresnel lens.

5. The image display projector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

the diffusion member is a lenticular lens, and moving displacement of said lenticular lens in any direction within the plane parallel with said lenticular lens is larger than the pitch of said lenticular lens.

6. The image display projector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined track is circular.

7. The image display projector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined track is round-cornered polygonal.

8. The image display projector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined track is figure-eight looped.

9. The image display projector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

the second hole is formed in such a way that, in said parallel plane, the width in a first direction in line with the predetermined distance is wider than the width in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

10. The image display projector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

the rotating member is a second cam.

11. An image display projector, comprising:

an optical engine for emitting light according to an inputted imaging signal;

a Fresnel lens disposed to receive the light emitted from said optical engine, for emitting the incident light as collimated light;

a diffusion member, placed in a position frontal to said Fresnel lens in the light-traveling direction, for emitting diffused light by diffusing the collimated light emitted from said Fresnel lens; and

a drive unit for moving either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member, repeatedly along a predetermined track, in a parallel plane, the parallel plane being a plane parallel to either the plane from which the collimated light is emitted or the plane from which the diffused light is emitted, wherein:

the moving velocity of either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member is continuously larger than zero within said parallel plane during the movement of either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member along said predetermined track,

the predetermined track is circular,

the drive unit further comprises:

a first drive member for reciprocally moving either the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member, in said parallel plane, along a first direction; and

at least two second drive members for reciprocally moving either the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member, in said parallel plane thereof, along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction,

displacement of either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member, according to a reciprocating movement by said first drive member, over time describes a sine function,

displacement of either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member, according to a reciprocating movement by said second drive members, over time describe a sine function,

the phase of the sine function according to said first drive member either leads or lags by 90 degrees the phase of the sine function according to said second drive members, and

the first direction is a longitudinal direction with respect to either the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member.

12. The image display projector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the diffusion member further comprises:

a plurality of light diffusion components each constructed for diffusing incident light, wherein

the drive unit moves at least that light diffusion component, from among the plurality of light diffusion components, which is located nearest to the viewer.

13. The image display projector as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

a transparent protection panel is provided in a position frontal to the diffusion member in the light-traveling direction.

14. The image display projector as set forth in claim 11 , further comprising:

a supporting member for elastically supporting, within said parallel plane, movement of either the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member.

15. An image display projector, comprising:

an optical engine for emitting light according to an inputted imaging signal;

a Fresnel lens disposed to receive the light emitted from said optical engine, for emitting the incident light as collimated light;

a diffusion member, placed in a position frontal to said Fresnel lens in the light-traveling direction, for emitting diffused light by diffusing the collimated light emitted from said Fresnel lens; and

a drive unit for moving either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member, repeatedly along a predetermined track, in a parallel plane, the parallel plane being a plane parallel to either the plane from which the collimated light is emitted or the plane from which the diffused light is emitted, wherein:

the moving velocity of either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member is continuously larger than zero within said parallel plane during the movement of either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member along said predetermined track,

the drive unit further comprises:

a motor;

a first cam for rotating around a first shaft based on the driving force of said motor;

a swinging member for swinging, according to the rotation of said first cam, around a second shaft disposed parallel to the first shaft; and

a transmitting member, having a first hole for receiving said first cam and a second hole for receiving said swinging member, provided along the perimeter of either the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member,

the first hole and the second hole are disposed in said parallel plane spaced apart by a predetermined distance from each other, and

the transmitting member moves based on the driving force of said motor, transferred via said first cam, so that either said Fresnel lens or said diffusion member moves in the predetermined track.

16. The image display projector as set forth in claim 15 , further comprising:

a supporting member for elastically supporting, within said parallel plane, movement of either the Fresnel lens of the diffusion member.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REMOVE PATENT NUMBERS 10342096;10671117; 10716375; 10716376;10795407;10795408; AND 10827591 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 58314 FRAME: 657. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 29, 2024
From: RAKUTEN, INC.
To: RAKUTEN GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 068066/0103 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 6, 2021
From: RAKUTEN, INC.
To: RAKUTEN GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 058314/0657 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2015
From: GLOBAL D, LLC
To: RAKUTEN, INC.
Reel/Frame 037256/0193 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2015
From: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
To: GLOBAL D, LLC
Reel/Frame 037029/0016 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 6, 2007
From: MICHIMORI, ATSUSHI; AIZAWA, JUNICHI; SASAGAWA, TOMOHIRO; SUGIURA, HIROAKI
To: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 019524/0397 →