Seiko Epson Corporation

Ryuta Koizumi

Yujiro Nomura

Takeshi Sowa

Ken Ikuma

Nozomu Inoue

Koya Shiratori

Tetsuo Shimizu

Mizuha Hiroki

Toshiaki Hashizume

Shinichi Yotsuya

Kiyoshi Tsujino

Junichi Suzuki

Yoshiyuki Yanagisawa

Shoichi Uchiyama

Yoshitomo Kumai

Junichi Wakabayashi

Hidenori Kawata

Tomoko Akagawa

Masaya Masuda

A projector includes an image light generator configured to modulate light emitted from a light source to generate image light, a projection optical device configured to project the image light, a polarization switching element disposed at a light exit side of the image light generator and configured to switch a polarization state of the image light emitted from the image light generator, and a controller configured to control the polarization switching element. The controller controls the polarization switching element to switch the polarization state of the image light with a predetermined period.

Projector

An illuminator includes a light source that outputs first light, a wavelength converter that converts the first light into second light, an optical element that reflects the first light toward the wavelength converter and transmits the second light, and an illumination system which is disposed on the opposite side of the optical element from the wavelength converter. The wavelength converter includes a substrate, a reflection layer facing a first surface of the substrate, a wavelength conversion layer having a second surface and facing the reflection layer, and a structural element facing the second surface and having a plurality of protrusions that reflect part of the first light. The plurality of protrusions each have an inclining surface that inclines with respect to the second surface, and at least part of the first light and reflected off the inclining surface enters the illumination system without traveling via the optical element.

Illuminator and projector

An illuminator includes a first light emitter that outputs light to a first wavelength band, a first parallelizer parallelizes the first light outputted from the first light emitter, a wavelength converter having a first surface on the first light and a second surface converts the first light into second light belonging to a second wavelength band, an optical element reflects one of light to the first and second wavelength bands and transmits the other, a first focusing system between the first parallelizer and the optical element has positive power, a diffuser between the first focusing system and the optical element diffuses the first light that exits the first system, and a second focusing system between the optical element and the wavelength converter has positive power, and the second system has a focal point between the principal point of the second system and the second surface of the wavelength conversion layer.

A light source apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a light source section that outputs light belongs to a first wavelength band, a wavelength converter that converts the light that belongs to the first wavelength band into light that belongs to a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band, and a first optical element that reflects the light that belongs to the first wavelength band and transmits the light that belongs to the second wavelength band. A first angle of incidence of the chief ray of the light that belongs to the first wavelength band with respect to a first surface of the first optical element is smaller than 45&#xb0;, and a second angle of incidence of the chief ray of the light that belongs to the second wavelength band with respect to the first surface is smaller than 45&#xb0;.

Light source apparatus and projector

A wavelength conversion element according to the present disclosure includes a substrate, a reflecting layer, a wavelength conversion layer which is disposed on the reflecting layer, and which is configured to convert light in a first wavelength band into light in a second wavelength band, a structure which is disposed on the wavelength conversion layer, and which is configured to scatter the light in the first wavelength band, and an optical layer which is disposed on the structure, and which is configured to reflect a part of the light in the first wavelength band, transmit another part of the light in the first wavelength band, and transmit the light in the second wavelength band, wherein the optical layer is different in reflectance with respect to the light in the first wavelength band in accordance with an incidence angle of the light in the first wavelength band entering the optical layer.

Wavelength conversion element, illumination device, and projector

The wavelength conversion element according to the present disclosure includes a wavelength conversion layer which has a first surface and a second surface different from the first surface, and which includes a scattering element no higher than 5% in volume ratio, and which is configured to convert light in a first wavelength band into light in a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band, and a plurality of protruding parts which is disposed so as to be opposed to the first surface, and which includes a first protruding part and a second protruding part adjacent to each other. A height of the plurality of protruding parts is no smaller than 1 &#x3bc;m, and a distance between a vertex of the first protruding part and a vertex of the second protruding part in a direction along the first surface is no smaller than 3 &#x3bc;m.

Wavelength conversion element, light source device, and projector

A projector includes a light source device, a plurality of light modulation devices each adapted to modulate a light beam emitted from the light source device, a light combining device adapted to combine the light beams respectively modulated by the light modulation devices, a projection optical device adapted to project the light beam combined by the light combining device, a housing in which the light modulation devices and the light combining device are disposed, the housing having a first cooling liquid encapsulated inside, a stirring device adapted to stir the first cooling liquid inside the housing, and a control device disposed outside the housing and connected to the housing, the control device adapted to control the light modulation devices. The housing has a connection section connecting the control device and a plurality of light modulation device side signal lines respectively extending from the light modulation devices to each other.

A polarization separation element that separates a light emitted from a first light emitting device into a light having first polarization in a first wavelength range and a light having second polarization in the first wavelength range, a wavelength conversion element converts the light into a light in a second wavelength range, a first light modulation device modulates the entering light according to image information, an optical element that separates the light in the second wavelength range into a light in a third wavelength range and a light in a fourth wavelength range, a second light modulation device that modulates the light according to the image information, a third light modulation device that modulates the light according to the image information, and a projection system that projects an image light are provided, wherein the wavelength conversion element has a first surface and a second surface different from the first surface.

A light source device includes a first light source configured to emit excitation light having a first wavelength band, a wavelength conversion member having a plurality of surfaces and configured to convert the excitation light made incident from the first light source into converted light having a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band, and a first light transmissive member provided between the first light source and the wavelength conversion member and configured to transmit the excitation light. The wavelength conversion member includes a first surface on which the excitation light from the first light source is made incident. The first light transmissive member includes, on a surface opposed to the first surface of the wavelength conversion member, a first reflection layer that transmits the excitation light and reflects the converted light. A gap is provided between the first surface and the first reflection layer.

Light source device and projector

A light source device includes a first light source configured to emit excitation light in a first wavelength band and a wavelength conversion member having a plurality of surfaces and configured to convert the excitation light made incident from the first light source into converted light in a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band. The wavelength conversion member includes a first surface on which the excitation light is made incident, a second surface opposed to the first surface, and a third surface that emits the converted light. A first reflection layer that transmits the excitation light and reflects the converted light is provided on the first surface.

An exposure head includes a light emitting element and a imaging optical system having a first region and a second region and contrived such that a slope of a long dimension of a spot diagram formed by light emitted from the light emitting element that passes through the first region is different from a slope of a long dimension of a spot diagram formed by light emitted from the light emitting element that passes through the second region.

Exposure head and image forming apparatus with light emitting element emitting light forming first and second diagrams having angle

Disclosed is an exposure head including a light emitting element array including light emitting elements disposed in a first direction, a light blocking member including an aperture stop through which lights emitted from the light emitting elements pass, and an image forming optical system that makes an image by using the lights having passed through the light blocking member. An absolute value of a magnification in the first direction of the image forming optical system is equal to or more than 0.7 times and is equal to or less than 0.8 times.

Exposure head and image forming apparatus

A line head, includes: a substrate which is provided with a plurality of luminous element groups which respectively include a plurality of luminous elements in a first direction which emit light beams; a lens array which includes a plurality of imaging lenses which are provided corresponding to the plurality of luminous element groups; and a light shielding member which is disposed between the substrate and the lens array and includes a plurality of light guiding holes which correspond to the plurality of luminous element groups, wherein the lens array is away from the light shielding member, an inner diameter of each of the plurality of light guiding holes in the first direction is a first light guiding hole diameter, and a bore diameter of each of the plurality of imaging lenses in the first direction is a first lens diameter, and the first light guiding hole diameter is smaller than the first lens diameter.

Line head and an image forming apparatus using such a line head

An exposure head, includes: a lens array that includes lenses that are arranged in a first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and a light emitting element substrate that is provided with light emitting elements that emit lights to be imaged by the lenses, wherein a relationship defined by a following formula: 1&#x3c;L/Lis satisfied, where the symbol Ldenotes a length of the lens in the first direction and the symbol Ldenotes a length of the lens in the second direction.

Lens array, an exposure head and an image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier on which a latent image is formed; and a line head. The line head includes light-emitting elements arranged in a first direction; an aperture diaphragm; and an optical system that images light emitted from the light-emitting elements on a latent image carrier. The aperture diaphragm and the optical system are arranged in a second direction that is orthogonal to or substantially orthogonal to the first direction; and among the lenses included in the optical system, a lens located at the position closest to the aperture diaphragm is a multifocal lens.

Growing community of inventors

Shiojiri, Japan

Ryuta Koizumi