Light combining method, illumination device, and projection display device

1. A light combining method for combining light to be emitted from a first plane, a second plane opposing to the first plane, and a third plane connecting the first plane and the second plane in a transverse direction by a mirror portion, comprising:

arranging a first unit constituted of three segments in a horizontal direction and one segment in a vertical direction, and a second unit having the same arrangement as the first unit on the first plane and the second plane, respectively, in such a manner that the segments in the first unit and the segments in the second unit oppose to each other, and arranging a third unit having the same arrangement as the first unit on the third plane on the same level as the first unit and the second unit to define a first light source arrangement pattern and a second light source arrangement pattern;

defining the first light source arrangement pattern by: defining segments opposing to each other and arranged at end positions out of the three segments in the first unit and the three segments in the second unit, as light source arrangement positions; and defining one of the three segments in the third unit, at the same position as the segment defined as the light source arrangement position in the first unit, as a light source arrangement position;

defining the second light source pattern by: defining segments out of the segments in the first unit, the second unit, and the third unit, at end positions opposite to the segments defined as the light source arrangement positions in the first light source arrangement pattern, as light source arrangement positions;

alternately arranging the first light source arrangement pattern and the second light source arrangement pattern in the vertical direction; and

arranging the mirror portion for reflecting light from light sources arranged at the light source arrangement positions on the first plane and the second plane in the same direction as light from light sources arranged at the light source arrangement positions on the third plane to combine the light from the light sources, in an area surrounded by the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane.

2. The light combining method according to claim 1 , wherein

a group of the first units on the first plane, a group of the second units on the second plane, and a group of the third units on the third plane to be constructed by alternately arranging the first light source arrangement pattern and the second light source arrangement pattern in the vertical direction are arranged in the horizontal direction by the number “n” (n is an integer of 2 or more) on the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane, respectively, to define the light source arrangement positions on the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane, and

the mirror portion for reflecting the light from the light sources arranged at the light source arrangement positions on the first plane and the second plane in the same direction as the light from the light sources arranged at the light source arrangement positions on the third plane to combine the light from the light sources is arranged in the area surrounded by the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane.

3. An illumination device for combining light to be emitted from a first plane, a second plane opposing to the first plane, and a third plane connecting the first plane and the second plane in a transverse direction to generate illumination light, comprising:

a first light source unit arranged at such a position as to emit the light from the first plane;

a second light source unit arranged at such a position as to emit the light from the second plane;

a third light source unit arranged at such a position as to emit the light from the third plane; and

a mirror unit for reflecting the light from the first light source unit and the light from the second light source unit in the same direction as the light from the third light source unit, wherein

a first unit constituted of three segments in a horizontal direction and one segment in a vertical direction, and a second unit having the same arrangement as the first unit are arranged on the first plane and the second plane, respectively, in such a manner that the segments in the first unit and the segments in the second unit oppose to each other, and a third unit having the same arrangement as the first unit is arranged on the third plane on the same level as the first unit and the second unit to define a first light source arrangement pattern and a second light source arrangement pattern,

the first light source arrangement pattern is defined by: defining segments opposing to each other and arranged at end positions out of the three segments in the first unit and the three segments in the second unit, as light source arrangement positions; and defining one of the three segments in the third unit, at the same position as the segment defined as the light source arrangement position in the first unit, as a light source arrangement position,

the second light source pattern is defined by: defining segments out of the segments in the first unit, the second unit, and the third unit, at end positions opposite to the segments defined as the light source arrangement positions in the first light source arrangement pattern, as light source arrangement positions,

the first light source unit, the second light source unit, and the third light source unit are constructed by arranging light sources at the light source arrangement positions defined by alternately arranging the first light source arrangement pattern and the second light source arrangement pattern in the vertical direction, and

the mirror unit is constructed by arranging mirrors constituting the mirror unit at such positions that the light from the light sources arranged at the light source arrangement positions on the first plane and the second plane is reflected in the same direction as the light from the light sources arranged at the light source arrangement positions on the third plane to combine the light from the light sources.

4. The illumination device according to claim 3 , wherein

a group of the first units on the first plane, a group of the second units on the second plane, and a group of the third units on the third plane to be constructed by alternately arranging the first light source arrangement pattern and the second light source arrangement pattern in the vertical direction are arranged in the horizontal direction by the number “n” (n is an integer of 2 or more) on the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane, respectively, to define the light source arrangement positions on the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane,

the light sources are arranged at the light source arrangement positions, and

the mirrors constituting the mirror unit are arranged at such positions that the light from the light sources arranged at the light source arrangement positions on the first plane and the second plane is reflected in the same direction as the light from the light sources arranged at the light source arrangement positions on the third plane to combine the light from the light sources.

5. The illumination device according to claim 3 , further comprising:

lenses arranged at emission positions of the light sources in the first light source unit, the second light source unit, and the third light source unit, respectively, the lenses being integrally formed with respect to each of the first light source unit, the second light source unit, and the third light source unit.

6. A projection display device, comprising:

an illumination device for combining light to be emitted from a first plane, a second plane opposing to the first plane, and a third plane connecting the first plane and the second plane in a transverse direction to generate illumination light;

a modulating portion for modulating the illumination light to be emitted from the illumination device; and

a projecting portion for projecting the light modulated by the modulating portion onto a projection plane, wherein

the illumination device includes:

a first light source unit arranged at such a position as to emit the light from the first plane;

a second light source unit arranged at such a position as to emit the light from the second plane;

a third light source unit arranged at such a position as to emit the light from the third plane; and

a mirror unit for reflecting the light from the first light source unit and the light from the second light source unit in the same direction as the light from the third light source unit, wherein

a first unit constituted of three segments in a horizontal direction and one segment in a vertical direction, and a second unit having the same arrangement as the first unit are arranged on the first plane and the second plane, respectively, in such a manner that the segments in the first unit and the segments in the second unit oppose to each other, and a third unit having the same arrangement as the first unit is arranged on the third plane on the same level as the first unit and the second unit to define a first light source arrangement pattern and a second light source arrangement pattern,

the first light source arrangement pattern is defined by: defining segments opposing to each other and arranged at end positions out of the three segments in the first unit and the three segments in the second unit, as light source arrangement positions; and by defining one of the three segments in the third unit, at the same position as the segment defined as the light source arrangement position in the first unit, as a light source arrangement position,

the second light source pattern is defined by: defining segments out of the segments in the first unit, the second unit, and the third unit, at end positions opposite to the segments defined as the light source arrangement positions in the first light source arrangement pattern, as light source arrangement positions,

the first light source unit, the second light source unit, and the third light source unit are constructed by arranging light sources at the light source arrangement positions defined by alternately arranging the first light source arrangement pattern and the second light source arrangement pattern in the vertical direction, and

the mirror unit is constructed by arranging mirrors constituting the mirror unit at such positions that the light from the light sources arranged at the light source arrangement positions on the first plane and the second plane is reflected in the same direction as the light from the light sources arranged at the light source arrangement positions on the third plane to combine the light from the light sources.