IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,474,627
Granted Patent B2
US 12,474,627 · App. 18/196,782 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Light source device and projection image display device

Inventors: Takanori Yogo (Kyoto, JP); Michihiro Okuda (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC PROJECTOR & DISPLAY CORPORATION
G03B21/208G02B27/283G03B21/2013G03B21/2033G03B21/2066G03B21/2073
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,474,627
App. No.
18/196,782
Granted
Nov 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A light source device includes: a first light source that emits light of first linear polarization; a half mirror that separates emitted light from the first light source into first light traveling to a first optical path and second light traveling to a second optical path; a polarized light combination mirror that combines the first light and the second light; an optical path change element that is disposed on the second optical path and reflects the second light and guides the second light to the polarized light combination mirror; and a retardation plate that is disposed on the second optical path and converts the second light into second linear polarization inclined with respect to the first linear polarization. The optical path change element is disposed such that point images of the first light and point images of the second light on the polarized light combination mirror are alternately arranged.

Claims (35)

1 . A light source device comprising:

a first light source including a plurality of solid-state light source elements that are two-dimensionally arrayed at a predetermined pitch and emit light of first linear polarization;

a half mirror that reflects and transmits emitted light from the first light source and separates the emitted light into first light traveling to a first optical path and second light traveling to a second optical path;

a polarized light combination mirror that transmits and reflects light in accordance with type of polarization, and combines the first light and the second light;

an optical path change element that is disposed on the second optical path and reflects the second light to guide the second light to the polarized light combination mirror; and

a retardation plate that is disposed on the second optical path and converts the second light into second linear polarization inclined with respect to the first linear polarization, wherein the optical path change element is disposed with point images of the first light and point images of the second light on the polarized light combination mirror being alternately arranged in a short-diameter direction of the point images of the first light and the point images of the second light.

2 . The light source device according to claim 1 , further comprising a second light source including a plurality of solid-state light source elements that are two-dimensionally arrayed at a predetermined pitch and emit light of first linear polarization, wherein

the half mirror reflects and transmits emitted light from the second light source, and separates the emitted light from the second light source into third light traveling to the first optical path and fourth light traveling to the second optical path,

the polarized light combination mirror combines the first light, the second light, the third light, and the fourth light,

the optical path change element reflects the fourth light to guide the fourth light to the polarized light combination mirror,

the retardation plate converts the fourth light into the second linear polarization,

the first light source and the second light source are disposed with point images of the emitted light from the first light source and point images of the emitted light from the second light source on the half mirror being alternately arranged in a long-diameter direction of the point images of the emitted light from the first light source and the point images of the emitted light from the second light source, and

the optical path change element is disposed with point images of the third light and point images of the fourth light on the polarized light combination mirror being alternately arranged in a short-diameter direction of the point images of the third light and the point images of the fourth light.

3 . The light source device according to claim 1 , further comprising a diffuser plate through which the light combined on the polarized light combination mirror passes.

4 . The light source device according to claim 3 , wherein the diffuser plate is configured to vibrate.

5 . The light source device according to claim 3 , further comprising an actuator that vibrates the diffuser plate.

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

a slit mirror that the light combined on the polarized light combination mirror enters; and

a reflection mirror that is disposed behind the slit mirror and in parallel to the slit mirror.

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

a first reflection mirror having a reflection film that reflects part of the light combined on the polarized light combination mirror, the reflection film being disposed on an incident surface that the combined light enters; and

a second reflection mirror that is disposed behind the first reflection mirror and in parallel to the first reflection mirror.

8 . The light source device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical path change element includes:

a first mirror that reflects the second light reflected by the half mirror, and

a second mirror that reflects the second light reflected by the first mirror and guides the second light to the polarized light combination mirror.

9 . The light source device according to claim 8 , further comprising a third light source that emits light of a color different from a color of light emitted by the first light source, wherein

the first mirror is a dichroic mirror, and

the third light source is disposed with the light emitted by the third light source being reflected by the second mirror after passing through the first mirror.

10 . The light source device according to claim 8 , further comprising a fourth light source that emits light of a color different from a color of light emitted by the first light source, wherein

the second mirror is a dichroic mirror, and

the fourth light source is disposed with the light emitted by the fourth light source being guided to the polarized light combination mirror after passing through the second mirror.

11 . A projection image display device comprising:

the light source device according to claim 1 ;

a light modulation element that modulates light incident from the light source device, based on an external signal; and

a projection lens unit that magnifies and projects the light modulated by the light modulation element.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2025
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC PROJECTOR & DISPLAY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072510/0667 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2023
From: YOGO, TAKANORI; OKUDA, MICHIHIRO
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064854/0397 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-189745 · Nov 13, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2021040918 · Nov 8, 2021
Related Publication 20230280643A1 · Sep 7, 2023
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