IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,712,649
Granted Patent B2
US 10,712,649 · App. 16/366,027 · Granted Jul 14, 2020

Light source apparatus and projector

Inventor: Satoshi Kito (Chino, JP)
Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
G03B21/204G02B26/008G02B27/141G03B21/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,712,649
App. No.
16/366,027
Granted
Jul 14, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A light source apparatus according to an aspect of the invention includes an excitation light source that emits excitation light, a wavelength conversion layer on which the excitation light is incident and which converts the wavelength of the excitation light to emit fluorescence, a plurality of traveling direction changers that are formed in the wavelength conversion layer and change the traveling direction of the fluorescence, and a substrate on which the wavelength conversion layer is provided. The substrate is rotated around an axis of rotation to change the position on which the excitation light is incident on the wavelength conversion layer over time, and the interval between the plurality of traveling direction changers is smaller than the size of the region on which the excitation light is incident.

Claims (63)

1. A light source apparatus comprising:

an excitation light source that outputs excitation light;

a wavelength conversion layer on which the excitation light is incident and which converts a wavelength of the excitation light to emit fluorescence;

a plurality of traveling direction changers that are formed in the wavelength conversion layer and change a traveling direction of the fluorescence; and

a substrate on which the wavelength conversion layer is provided,

wherein the substrate is rotated around an axis of rotation to change a position on which the excitation light is incident on the wavelength conversion layer over time, and

an interval between the plurality of traveling direction changers is smaller than a size of a region on which the excitation light is incident, the excitation light being incident within the region without being incident on areas outside the region.

2. The light source apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of traveling direction changers are so provided as to radially extend from the axis of rotation when viewed in a direction in which the excitation light is incident.

3. The light source apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein a width of the wavelength conversion layer in a radial direction extending from the axis of rotation is roughly equal to the size of the region on which the excitation light is incident.

4. The light source apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the plurality of traveling direction changers are so provided as to be concentric around the axis of rotation.

5. The light source apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of traveling direction changers are provided in a form of a lattice when viewed in a direction in which the excitation light is incident.

6. The light source apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of traveling direction changers are so formed that a width thereof in a direction along a surface of the wavelength conversion layer that is a surface on which the excitation light is incident decreases with distance from the surface in a direction in which the excitation light is incident.

7. The light source apparatus according to claim 6 ,

wherein a surface of each of the plurality of traveling direction changers that is a surface on which the excitation light is incident is flush with the surface of the wavelength conversion layer that is the surface on which the excitation light is incident.

8. The light source apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of traveling direction changers are so formed that a width thereof in a direction along a surface of the wavelength conversion layer that is a surface on which the excitation light is incident increases with distance from the surface in a direction in which the excitation light is incident.

9. The light source apparatus according to claim 8 ,

wherein a vertex of each of the plurality of traveling direction changers is flush with the surface of the wavelength conversion layer that is the surface on which the excitation light is incident.

10. The light source apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of traveling direction changers are a plurality of grooves formed in the wavelength conversion layer and extending in a direction in which the excitation light is incident.

11. The light source apparatus according to claim 10 ,

wherein the plurality of grooves are each provided with a light transmissive member and scattering elements held by the light transmissive member.

12. A projector comprising:

the light source apparatus according to claim 1 ;

a light modulator that modulates light from the light source apparatus in accordance with image information to form image light; and

a projection system that projects the image light.

13. A projector comprising:

the light source apparatus according to claim 2 ;

a light modulator that modulates light from the light source apparatus in accordance with image information to form image light; and

a projection system that projects the image light.

14. A projector comprising:

the light source apparatus according to claim 3 ;

a light modulator that modulates light from the light source apparatus in accordance with image information to form image light; and

a projection system that projects the image light.

15. A projector comprising:

the light source apparatus according to claim 4 ;

a light modulator that modulates light from the light source apparatus in accordance with image information to form image light; and

a projection system that projects the image light.

16. A projector comprising:

the light source apparatus according to claim 5 ;

a light modulator that modulates light from the light source apparatus in accordance with image information to form image light; and

a projection system that projects the image light.

17. A projector comprising:

the light source apparatus according to claim 6 ;

a light modulator that modulates light from the light source apparatus in accordance with image information to form image light; and

a projection system that projects the image light.

18. A projector comprising:

the light source apparatus according to claim 7 ;

a light modulator that modulates light from the light source apparatus in accordance with image information to form image light; and

a projection system that projects the image light.

19. A projector comprising:

the light source apparatus according to claim 8 ;

a light modulator that modulates light from the light source apparatus in accordance with image information to form image light; and

a projection system that projects the image light.

20. A projector comprising:

the light source apparatus according to claim 10 ;

a light modulator that modulates light from the light source apparatus in accordance with image information to form image light; and

a projection system that projects the image light.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2019
From: KITO, SATOSHI
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048712/0289 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-061409 · Mar 28, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190302593A1 · Oct 3, 2019