IP Library Granted Patent US 8,894,241
Granted Patent B2
US 8,894,241 · App. 13/645,474 · Granted Nov 25, 2014

Light source device and image display device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,894,241
App. No.
13/645,474
Granted
Nov 25, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

The light source device includes a first light source component, a fluorescent component, a first illuminance homogenizer, and a relay optical system. The first light source component emits laser light. The fluorescent component has a phosphor. The phosphor is excited by laser light. The first illuminance homogenizer converts the laser light into laser light showing a spatially uniform light intensity distribution. The first illuminance homogenizer is disposed between the first light source component and the fluorescent component. The relay optical system guides laser light emitted from the first illuminance homogenizer to the fluorescent component. The relay optical system is disposed between the first illuminance homogenizer and the fluorescent component.

Claims (52)

1. A light source device, comprising:

a first light source component configured to emit laser light;

a fluorescent component including a phosphor excited by the laser light;

a first illuminance homogenizer disposed between the first light source component and the fluorescent component and configured to convert the laser light to laser light showing a spatially uniform light intensity distribution; and

a relay optical system disposed between the first illuminance homogenizer and the fluorescent component and configured to guide the laser light emitted from the first illuminance homogenizer to the fluorescent component.

2. The light source device according to claim 1 , wherein

the fluorescent component further includes a reflector,

the phosphor is provided to the surface of the reflector, and

fluorescent light emitted from the fluorescent component is reflected by the reflector.

3. The light source device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a first color separator configured to separate spatially the laser light from fluorescent light emitted from the fluorescent component.

4. The light source device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first illuminance homogenizer is constituted by a rod integrator.

5. The light source device according to claim 1 , wherein

the relay optical system is constituted by at least two lens groups.

6. The light source device according to claim 5 , wherein

the at least two lens groups include a first lens group and a second lens group, and

the first color separator is disposed between the first lens groups and the second lens group.

7. The light source device according to claim 3 , wherein

the first color separator is disposed between the first illuminance homogenizer and the fluorescent component.

8. The light source device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second illuminance homogenizer configured to convert the laser light and fluorescent light emitted from the fluorescent component into laser light and fluorescent light which show a spatially uniform light intensity distribution and output the lights.

9. The light source device according to claim 8 , wherein

the emission end face shape of the first illuminance homogenizer is substantially equivalent to the incident end face shape of the second illuminance homogenizer.

10. The light source device according to claim 9 , wherein

if the emission end face area of the first illuminance homogenizer is S1,

the lateral magnification of laser light from the emission end face of the first illuminance homogenizer to the fluorescent component is β1,

the incident end face area of the second illuminance homogenizer is S2, and

the lateral magnification of fluorescent light from the fluorescent component to the incident end face of the second illuminance homogenizer is β2,

the relation

S 1×(β1 2 )×(β2 2 )≦ S 2

is satisfied.

11. The light source device according to claim 8 , wherein

the second illuminance homogenizer is constituted by the same optical elements as the first illuminance homogenizer.

12. The light source device according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a second light source component configured to emit light of a different wavelength from that of the fluorescent light emitted from the phosphor, wherein

the shape of the light emitting component in the second light source component is substantially equivalent to the emission end face shape of the first illuminance homogenizer.

13. The light source device according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a second color separator configured to separate spatially the laser light from the fluorescent light.

14. The light source device according to claim 8 , wherein

the second illuminance homogenizer is constituted by a rod integrator.

15. The light source device according to claim 3 , wherein

the first color separator is disposed between the first light source component and the first illuminance homogenizer.

16. The light source device according to claim 1 , wherein

the lateral width of the laser light at the fluorescent component via the relay optical system, with respect to the lateral width of laser light at the emission end face of the first illuminance homogenizer, is less than 1.

17. The light source device according to claim 1 , wherein

the forward direction of fluorescent light emitted from the fluorescent component is substantially opposite the forward direction of laser light incident on the fluorescent component.

18. An image display device, comprising:

the light source device according to claim 1 ;

a spatial light modulation element configured to modulate light outputted from the light source device;

an illumination optical system configured to guide light from the light source device to the spatial light modulation element; and

a projection optical system configured to project an image emitted from the spatial light modulation element onto a screen.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 13, 2024
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 069631/0400 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2014
From: KITANO, HIROSHI
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 031901/0242 →