Projection device
The projection device's innovative layout, featuring a bent optical path and strategic component arrangement, addresses the challenge of projector size by reducing dimensions and improving cooling efficiency.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2020174989
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2020-10-16
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-17
- Estimated Expiration
- 2040-10-16
AI Technical Summary
The conventional liquid crystal projector configuration, where the optical unit is positioned behind the projection lens, makes it difficult to reduce the projector's dimensions in the front-to-rear direction.
A projection device design that includes a projection optical device with an incident optical path and a bent passing optical path, along with a light source device, image generation device, control device, and power supply device arranged in a specific layout to minimize the projector's dimensions in both the front-to-rear and side-to-side directions.
This configuration allows for a reduction in the projector's size while maintaining efficient cooling and component layout, enhancing cooling efficiency and enabling a more compact design.
Smart Images

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Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a projection device. [Background technology]
[0002] Conventionally, there is known a projector that modulates light emitted from a light source device and projects the modulated light. As such a projector, a liquid crystal projector including a light source unit, an optical unit, a projection lens, and a power supply unit is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the liquid crystal projector described in Patent Document 1, the projection lens is provided at approximately the center in the left-right direction of the liquid crystal projector. The optical unit is disposed on the rear side of the liquid crystal projector with respect to the projection lens, and modulates the illumination light incident from the light source unit. The light source unit is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the projection lens and the optical unit are arranged, and emits illumination light to the optical unit. The power supply unit is disposed on the opposite side of the projection lens and the optical unit from the light source unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2004-133304 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] However, in the liquid crystal projector described in Patent Document 1, the optical unit is disposed on the rear side of the projection lens. More specifically, when the liquid crystal projector is viewed from above, the optical unit is disposed in the front-to-rear direction of the liquid crystal projector, among directions perpendicular to the direction connecting the light source unit and the power supply unit, relative to the projection lens. With this configuration, there is a problem that it is difficult to reduce the dimensions of the liquid crystal projector in the front-to-rear direction. For this reason, there has been a demand for a projection device configuration that can be made smaller. [Means for solving the problem]
[0005] A projection device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a projection optical device having an incident optical path along which image light is incident and a passing optical path bent from the incident optical path, an image generating device that causes the image light to be incident on the incident optical path, a light source device that supplies illumination light to the image generating device, and a first device arranged on the opposite side of the projection optical device from the light source device, the first device being at least one of a control device and a power supply device. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a projector according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a projector according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a projector according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image projection device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a light source unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a projector according to a first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a projector according to a first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of a projector according to a first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the projector taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 3 . [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a first modified example of the image projection device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a second modified example of the image projection device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a third modified example of the image projection device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a fourth modified example of the image projection device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a fifth modified example of the image projection device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a projector according to a second embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a projector according to a third embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a projector according to a third embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a projector according to a third embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a projector according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0007] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. [Projector configuration] 1 and 2 are perspective views showing the external appearance of a projector 1A according to this embodiment. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the projector 1A seen from the front side, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the projector 1A seen from the rear side. The projector 1A according to this embodiment is a projection device that modulates light emitted from a light source to generate an image according to image information, and projects the generated image onto a projection surface such as a screen. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the projector 1A includes an exterior housing 2A.
[0008] [Exterior casing configuration] The exterior housing 2A constitutes the exterior of the projector 1A, and houses inside it a control device 3, a power supply device 4, a cooling device 5A, an image projection device 6A, etc., which will be described later. The exterior housing 2A is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has a top surface 21, a bottom surface 22, a front surface 23, a rear surface 24, a left side surface 25, and a right side surface 26. In the following description, the three mutually orthogonal directions are referred to as the +X direction, the +Y direction, and the +Z direction. Although not shown in the figures, the direction opposite the +X direction is referred to as the -X direction, the direction opposite the +Y direction is referred to as the -Y direction, and the direction opposite the +Z direction is referred to as the -Z direction.
[0009] The top surface 21 and the bottom surface 22 are outer surfaces that intersect with the +Y direction in the exterior housing 2A. The top surface 21 is disposed in the +Y direction with respect to the bottom surface 22. The top surface 21 has a recess 211 recessed toward the bottom surface 22, and a passage opening 212 provided at the bottom of the recess 211. An image projected from a projection optical device 9A (described later) passes through the passage opening 212. The bottom surface 22 has a plurality of legs 221 that come into contact with the installation surface on which the projector 1A is installed.
[0010] The front surface 23 and the back surface 24 are outer surfaces that intersect with the +X direction in the exterior housing 2A. The rear surface 24 is disposed in the +X direction with respect to the front surface 23. The rear surface 24 has a recess 241 recessed toward the front surface 23 side, and a plurality of terminals 242 provided at the bottom of the recess 241, as shown in FIG. The left side surface 25 and the right side surface 26 are outer surfaces that intersect with the +Z direction in the exterior housing 2A. The left side surface 25 has an opening 251. In this embodiment, the opening 251 functions as a first exhaust port for discharging the cooling gas that has cooled the object to be cooled in the exterior housing 2A. The right side surface 26 is disposed in the +Z direction with respect to the left side surface 25. As shown in Fig. 1, the right side surface 26 has an opening 261. In this embodiment, the opening 261 functions as a first inlet that introduces gas outside the exterior housing 2A into the interior of the exterior housing 2A as cooling gas.
[0011] [Projector internal structure] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of projector 1A as viewed from the +Y direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the projector 1A includes a control device 3, a power supply device 4, a cooling device 5A, and an image projection device 6A, which are housed in an exterior housing 2A. The configuration of the cooling device 5A will be described in detail later.
[0012] The control device 3 and the power supply device 4 correspond to a first device. The control device 3 is a circuit board on which an arithmetic processing circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) is provided, and controls the operation of the projector 1A. The power supply device 4 supplies power to the electronic components that make up the projector 1A. The power supply device 4 transforms power supplied from an external source and supplies the transformed power to the electronic components. In this embodiment, the power supply device 4 is configured as a circuit board on which circuit elements such as a transformer are provided.
[0013] The control device 3 and the power supply device 4 are provided in a space SP1 in the +Z direction with respect to the projection optical device 9A located at the center of the exterior housing 2A inside the exterior housing 2A. That is, the control device 3 and the power supply device 4 are provided on the opposite side of the light source device 7 and the image generating device 8A with respect to the projection optical device 9A inside the exterior housing 2A. Therefore, the light source device 7, the projection optical device 9A, the control device 3, and the power supply device 4, which will be described later, are aligned in the +Z direction. In other words, the light source device 7, the projection optical device 9A, the control device 3, and the power supply device 4 are aligned in the +Z direction. For convenience of explanation, the control device 3 and the power supply device 4 may hereinafter be referred to as a first device FD.
[0014] [Configuration of image projection device] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the image projection device 6A. The image projection device 6A generates an image according to an image signal input from the control device 3, and projects the generated image. As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the image projection device 6A includes a light source device 7, an image generation device 8A, and a projection optical device 9A. The light source device 7 and the image generating device 8A are provided in a space SP2 in the -Z direction inside the exterior housing 2A with respect to the projection optical device 9A located in the center of the exterior housing 2A.
[0015] [Light source configuration] The light source device 7 emits white light WL, which is illumination light, to the image generating device 8A along the +Z direction. As shown in Fig. 4, the light source device 7 includes a light source housing 701, a light source unit 702 housed in the light source housing 701, an afocal optical element 703, a first phase difference element 704, a diffuse transmission element 705, a light combining element 706, a first condensing element 707, a wavelength conversion device 708, a second phase difference element 709, a second condensing element 710, a diffusing optical element 711, and a third phase difference element 712.
[0016] The light source unit 702, the afocal optical element 703, the first phase difference element 704, the diffuse transmission element 705, the light combining element 706, the second phase difference element 709, the second light collecting element 710, and the diffusion optical element 711 are disposed on an illumination optical axis Ax1 set in the light source device 7. In the light source device 7 of the image projection device 6A, the illumination optical axis Ax1 is parallel to the +X direction. The wavelength converter 708, the first light collecting element 707, the light combining element 706, and the third phase difference element 712 are set in the light source device 7, and are arranged on an illumination optical axis Ax2 perpendicular to the illumination optical axis Ax1. In the light source device 7 of the image projection device 6A, the illumination optical axis Ax2 is parallel to the +Z direction.
[0017] [Light source housing configuration] The light source housing 701 is a housing into which dust does not easily enter, and is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape whose dimension in the +X direction is greater than its dimension in the +Z direction. The light source housing 701 has an exit 7011 that emits white light WL. The light source device 7 emits white light in the +Z direction along the light emission optical axis of the emission port 7011. The light emission optical axis of the emission port 7011 is the optical axis of the light emitted from the emission port 7011, and is the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7. In this embodiment, the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 is along the +Z direction.
[0018] [Light source configuration] The light source unit 702 emits light in the +X direction. The light source unit 702 includes a support member 7020, a plurality of solid-state light-emitting elements 7021 that serve as a light source, and a plurality of collimator lenses 7022. The support member 7020 supports a plurality of solid-state light-emitting elements 7021 arranged in an array on a plane perpendicular to the illumination optical axis Ax1. The support member 7020 is a metal member, and heat from the plurality of solid-state light-emitting elements 7021 is transferred to the support member 7020. Each of the plurality of solid-state light-emitting elements 7021 emits s-polarized blue light in the +X direction. The solid-state light-emitting elements 7021 are semiconductor lasers, and the blue light emitted by the solid-state light-emitting elements 7021 is, for example, laser light with a peak wavelength of 440 nm. The plurality of collimator lenses 7022 are provided corresponding to the plurality of solid-state light-emitting elements 7021. The plurality of collimator lenses 7022 convert the blue light emitted from the plurality of solid-state light-emitting elements 7021 into parallel light beams, and cause the parallel light beams to enter the afocal optical element 703. In this way, the light source unit 702 emits blue light that is linearly polarized light having the same polarization direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the light source unit 702 may be configured to emit s-polarized blue light and p-polarized blue light. In this case, the first phase difference element 704 can be omitted.
[0019] FIG. 5 shows the light source unit 702. Viewed from -X direction FIG. In addition to the above configuration, the light source unit 702 has a heat receiving member 7023, a heat pipe 7024, and a heat dissipation member 7025 as shown in FIG. The heat receiving member 7023 is provided on the side opposite to the light emitting side of the multiple solid state light emitting elements 7021, i.e., in the −X direction with respect to the multiple solid state light emitting elements 7021. The heat receiving member 7023 is connected to the supporting member 7020 so as to be capable of thermally conducting, and receives heat from the multiple solid state light emitting elements 7021 conducted to the supporting member 7020. The heat pipes 7024 connect the heat receiving member 7023 and the heat dissipating member 7025 in a manner capable of transferring heat therebetween, and transfer the heat transferred to the heat receiving member 7023 to the heat dissipating member 7025. The number of heat pipes 7024 is not limited to three and can be changed as appropriate. The heat dissipation member 7025 is a heat sink having a plurality of fins. The heat dissipation member 7025 dissipates heat transferred from the heat receiving member 7023 via the heat pipe 7024. The heat dissipation member 7025 is cooled by a cooling gas circulated by the fan 56 constituting the cooling device 5A, thereby cooling the plurality of solid-state light-emitting elements 7021. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation member 7025 is provided in the -Y direction with respect to the light source housing 701. That is, the heat dissipation member 7025 is provided in the -Y direction with respect to the solid-state light-emitting elements 7021 that are light sources. However, the heat dissipation member 7025 may be provided in the +Y direction with respect to the light source housing 701.
[0020] [Configuration of afocal optical elements] 4 reduces the diameter of the beam of blue light incident from the light source unit 702. The afocal optical element 703 is composed of a first lens 7031 that collects the incident light, and a second lens 7032 that collimates the beam collected by the first lens 7031. Note that the afocal optical element 703 may not be provided.
[0021] [Configuration of the first phase difference element] The first phase difference element 704 is provided between the first lens 7031 and the second lens 7032. The first phase difference element 704 converts one type of linearly polarized light that is incident thereon into light containing s-polarized blue light and p-polarized blue light. The first phase difference element 704 may be rotated by a rotating device about a rotation axis along the illumination optical axis Ax1. In this case, the ratio of s-polarized blue light and p-polarized blue light in the light beam emitted from the first phase difference element 704 can be adjusted according to the rotation angle of the first phase difference element 704.
[0022] [Configuration of diffuse transmission element] The diffuse transmission element 705 homogenizes the illuminance distribution of the blue light incident from the second lens 7032. Examples of the diffuse transmission element 705 include a configuration having a hologram, a configuration in which a plurality of small lenses are arranged on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis, and a configuration in which the surface through which light passes is rough. Instead of the diffuse transmission element 705, a homogenizer optical element having a pair of multi-lenses may be used.
[0023] [Configuration of the light synthesis element] The blue light that passes through the diffuse transmission element 705 enters the light combining element 706 . The light combining element 706 outputs a first portion of the light emitted from the plurality of solid-state light emitting elements 7021 toward the wavelength conversion element 7081, and outputs a second portion of the light toward the diffusion optical element 711. In more detail, the light combining element 706 is a polarizing beam splitter that separates the s-polarized component and the p-polarized component contained in the incident light, and reflects the s-polarized component and transmits the p-polarized component. The light combining element 706 also has a color separation characteristic that transmits light of a predetermined wavelength or more, regardless of whether the polarized component is the s-polarized component or the p-polarized component. Therefore, of the blue light incident from the diffuse transmission element 705, the s-polarized blue light is reflected by the light combining element 706 and enters the first light collecting element 707, and the p-polarized blue light passes through the light combining element 706 and enters the second phase difference element 709. The light combining element 706 may have a function of a half mirror that transmits a part of the light incident from the diffuse transmission element 705 and reflects the remaining light, and a function of a dichroic mirror that reflects the blue light incident from the diffusion optical element 711 and transmits the light incident from the wavelength conversion device 708. In this case, the first phase difference element 704 and the second phase difference element 709 can be omitted.
[0024] [Configuration of the first light-collecting element] The first light collecting element 707 collects the blue light reflected by the light combining element 706 onto the wavelength conversion device 708. The first light collecting element 707 also collimates the light incident from the wavelength conversion device 708. In this embodiment, the first light collecting element 707 is composed of three lenses, but the number of lenses constituting the first light collecting element 707 is not limited.
[0025] [Configuration of wavelength conversion device] The wavelength conversion device 708 converts the wavelength of the incident light. The wavelength conversion device 708 includes a wavelength conversion element 7081 and a rotation device 7082. The wavelength conversion element 7081, although not shown in detail, is a phosphor wheel having a substrate and a phosphor layer provided on the light incident surface of the substrate. The phosphor layer contains phosphor particles. The phosphor particles are excited by the incidence of blue light, which is excitation light, and emit fluorescence having a wavelength longer than the wavelength of the incident blue light. The fluorescence is light having a peak wavelength of, for example, 500 to 700 nm, and includes green light and red light. The rotation device 7082 rotates the wavelength conversion element 7081 about a rotation axis along the illumination optical axis Ax2. The rotation device 7082 can be constituted by, for example, a motor.
[0026] Such a wavelength conversion device 708 emits fluorescent light in the +Z direction along the optical axis of the wavelength conversion element 7081. The optical axis of the wavelength conversion element 7081 is perpendicular to the optical axis of the solid-state light emitting element 7021 along the +X direction at the light combining element 706. The fluorescence emitted from the wavelength conversion element 7081 passes through the first light collecting element 707 and the light combining element 706 along the illumination optical axis Ax2, and is incident on the third phase difference element 712.
[0027] [Configuration of the second phase difference element and the second light-collecting element] The second phase difference element 709 is disposed between the light combining element 706 and the second light collecting element 710. The second phase difference element 709 converts the p-polarized blue light that has passed through the light combining element 706 into circularly polarized blue light. The second light collecting element 710 collects the blue light incident from the second phase difference element 709 onto the diffusing optical element 711. In addition, the second light collecting element 710 collimates the blue light incident from the diffusing optical element 711. Note that the number of lenses constituting the second light collecting element 710 can be changed as appropriate.
[0028] [Configuration of diffusive optical element] The diffusing optical element 711 reflects and diffuses the incident blue light in the −X direction at the same diffusion angle as the fluorescent light emitted from the wavelength conversion element 7081. The diffusing optical element 711 is a reflecting member that performs Lambertian reflection on the incident blue light. The optical axis of the diffusing optical element 711 is along the -X direction. The optical axis of the diffusing optical element 711 coincides with the optical axis of the solid-state light-emitting element 7021, and is perpendicular to the optical axis of the wavelength conversion element 7081 at the light combining element 706. In other words, the diffusing optical element 711 faces the solid-state light-emitting element 7021. The diffusive optical element 711 is disposed in the +X direction with respect to the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7. That is, the diffusive optical element 711 is disposed on the incident optical path 92 side of the projection optical device 9A with respect to the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7. The light source device 7 may include a rotation device that rotates the diffusing optical element 711 about a rotation axis parallel to the illumination optical axis Ax1.
[0029] The blue light reflected by the diffusion optical element 711 passes through the second light collecting element 710 along the -X direction and then enters the second phase difference element 709. When reflected by the diffusion optical element 711, the blue light is converted into circularly polarized light with the rotation direction being the opposite direction. Therefore, the blue light that enters the second phase difference element 709 via the second light collecting element 710 is converted into s-polarized blue light by the second phase difference element 709. Then, the blue light that enters the light combining element 706 from the second phase difference element 709 is reflected by the light combining element 706 and enters the third phase difference element 712. That is, the light that enters the third phase difference element 712 from the light combining element 706 is white light WL in which blue light and fluorescence are mixed.
[0030] [Configuration of the third phase difference element] The third phase difference element 712 converts the white light WL incident from the light combining element 706 into light containing a mixture of s-polarized light and p-polarized light. The white light WL whose polarization state has been converted in this way is emitted from the light source device 7 in the +Z direction along the light output optical axis of the light source device 7, and enters the image generating device 8A. That is, an extension line of the light output optical axis of the light source device 7 coincides with the optical axis of the wavelength conversion element 7081, and intersects with an extension line including the optical axis of a passing optical path 94 described later in the projection optical device 9A. In detail, an extension line of the light output optical axis of the light source device 7 intersects with the optical axis of the passing optical path 94. In this specification, the extension line including the optical axis of the passing optical path 94 includes the optical axis of the passing optical path 94 and an extension line of the optical axis of the passing optical path.
[0031] [Image generation device configuration] The image generating device 8A generates an image from the white light WL incident from the light source device 7. In detail, the image generating device 8A modulates the light incident from the light source device 7 to generate image light according to an image signal input from the control device 3. The image generating device 8A includes a housing 81, a uniforming device 82, a color separating device 83, a relay device 84, a light modulating device 85, and a color combining element 86.
[0032] [Configuration of the housing and the homogenizing device] The housing 81 houses the uniformizing device 82, the color separating device 83, and the relay device 84. The image generating device 8A has an illumination optical axis, which is a designed optical axis, set therein, and the housing 81 holds the uniformizing device 82, the color separating device 83, and the relay device 84 on the illumination optical axis. In addition, the light modulating device 85 and the color combining element 86 are disposed on the illumination optical axis. The homogenizer 82 homogenizes the illuminance of the white light WL incident from the light source device 7 and aligns the polarization state of the white light WL. The white light WL, the illuminance of which has been homogenized by the homogenizer 82, passes through a color separator 83 and a relay device 84 and illuminates a modulation area of a light modulator 85. Although not shown in detail, the homogenizer 82 is made up of a pair of lens arrays that homogenize the illuminance and a polarizer that adjusts the polarization state. MatchThe homogenizer 82 has a polarization conversion element that converts the white light into a polarization direction, and a superimposing lens that superimposes the plurality of partial light beams split by the pair of lens arrays in the modulation region. The white light WL that has passed through the homogenizer 82 is, for example, linearly polarized s-polarized light.
[0033] [Color separation device configuration] The color separation device 83 separates the white light WL incident from the uniformizer 82 into blue light L1, green light L2, and red light L3. The color separation device 83 includes a first color separation element 831, a first reflecting element 832, and a second color separation element 833. The first color separation element 831 corresponds to a first reflecting optical element, and is disposed in the +Z direction with respect to the homogenizer 82. The first color separation element 831 transmits blue light L1 contained in the white light WL incident from the homogenizer 82 in the +Z direction, and reflects green light L2 and red light L3 contained in the white light WL in the +X direction, thereby separating the blue light L1 from the green light L2 and red light L3. The blue light L1 separated by the first color separation element 831 corresponds to the first color light. The first reflecting element 832 reflects in the +X direction the blue light L1 that has been transmitted through the first color separation element 831 in the +Z direction. The blue light L1 reflected by the first reflecting element 832 is incident on the blue light modulation element 85B. The optical axis of the blue light L1 between the first color separation element 831 and the first reflecting element 832 coincides with an extension of the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7.
[0034] The second color separation element 833 corresponds to a second reflecting optical element, and is disposed in the +X direction relative to the first color separation element 831. The second color separation element 833 reflects the green light L2 reflected by the first color separation element 831 in the +Z direction, and transmits the red light L3 in the +X direction, thereby separating the green light L2 and the red light L3. The green light L2 separated by the second color separation element 833 corresponds to the second color light, and the red light L3 separated by the second color separation element 833 corresponds to the third color light. The green light L2 separated by the second color separation element 833 is incident on the green light modulation element 85G. The red light L3 separated by the second color separation element 833 is incident on the relay device .
[0035] [Relay device configuration] The relay device 84 is provided in the optical path of the red light L3, which is longer than the optical paths of the blue light L1 and the green light L2, to suppress loss of the red light L3. The relay device 84 includes a second reflecting element 841, a third reflecting element 842, an incident side lens 843, a relay lens 844, and an exit side lens 845. The second reflecting element 841 reflects the red light L3 that has been transmitted through the second color separation element 833 in the +X direction in the +Z direction. The third reflecting element 842 reflects the red light L3 that has been reflected by the second reflecting element 841 in the -X direction. The entrance side lens 843 is disposed between the second color separation element 833 and the second reflecting element 841. The relay lens 844 is disposed between the second reflecting element 841 and the third reflecting element 842. The exit side lens 845 is disposed between the second reflecting element 841 and the red light modulation element 85R. In this embodiment, a relay device 84 is provided in the optical path of the red light L3, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the colored light having a longer optical path than the other colored lights may be blue light L1, and the relay device 84 may be provided on the optical path of the blue light L1.
[0036] [Configuration of optical modulation device] The light modulation device 85 modulates the incident light in accordance with an image signal. The light modulation device 85 has a blue light modulation element 85B as a first light modulation element, a green light modulation element 85G as a second light modulation element, and a red light modulation element 85R as a third light modulation element. The blue light modulation element 85B modulates the blue light L1 incident in the +X direction from the first reflecting element 832. The blue light L1 modulated by the blue light modulation element 85B travels in the +X direction and is incident on the color combining element 86. The green light modulation element 85G modulates the green light L2 incident in the +Z direction from the second color separation element 833. The green light L2 modulated by the green light modulation element 85G travels in the +Z direction and is incident on the color synthesis element 86. The red light modulation element 85R modulates the red light L3 incident in the −X direction from the exit lens 845. The red light L3 modulated by the red light modulation element 85R travels in the −X direction and is incident on the color synthesis element 86. In this embodiment, each of the light modulation elements 85B, 85G, and 85R includes a transmissive liquid crystal panel and a pair of polarizing plates that sandwich the transmissive liquid crystal panel.
[0037] [Color synthesis element configuration] The color combining element 86 generates image light by combining the blue light L1 modulated by the blue light modulation element 85B, the green light L2 modulated by the green light modulation element 85G, and the red light L3 modulated by the red light modulation element 85R. Specifically, the color combining element 86 reflects the blue light L1 incident in the +X direction from the blue light modulation element 85B in the +Z direction, transmits the green light L2 incident in the +Z direction from the green light modulation element 85G in the +Z direction, and reflects the red light L3 incident in the -X direction from the red light modulation element 85R in the +Z direction. The image light, which is the combined light combined by the color combining element 86, is emitted in the +Z direction along the light emission optical axis of the color combining element 86, i.e., the light emission optical axis of the image generating device 8A, and is incident on the projection optical device 9A. That is, the extension of the optical axis of the green light L2 reflected by the second color separation element 833 coincides with the light emission optical axis of the color combining element 86, and the light emission optical axis of the color combining element 86 coincides with the light incidence optical axis of the projection optical device 9A. In this embodiment, the color combining element 86 is configured by a cross dichroic prism. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the color combining element 86 can also be configured by, for example, a plurality of dichroic mirrors.
[0038] [Configuration of the projection optical device] The projection optical device 9A projects the image light generated by the image generating device 8A and incident from the image generating device 8A onto the projection surface. That is, the projection optical device 9A projects light modulated by the light modulation device 85. The projection optical device 9A is a projection lens including a lens housing 91, an incident light path 92, a bending member 93, a passing light path 94, and a light path changing member 95.
[0039] The lens housing 91 corresponds to a housing for a projection optical device. The lens housing 91 is configured in an inverted L-shape when viewed from the +Y direction so that the +X direction faces upward. The lens housing 91 has an entrance portion 911, a bending portion 912, and an exit portion 913. The incident portion 911 is a portion that extends in the +Z direction, and constitutes the incident optical path 92 . The bending portion 912 is a portion that connects the entrance portion 911 and the exit portion 913, and is a portion that bends the traveling direction of the image light that passes through the incident optical path 92 in the entrance portion 911 in the +Z direction into the -X direction. A bending member 93 is provided inside the bending portion 912.
[0040] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a cross section of projector 1A along the XY plane at the center in the +Z direction. The exit portion 913 is a portion extending from the bent portion 912 in the -X direction, and in addition to constituting the passing optical path 94, is a portion in which the optical path changing member 95 is provided inside. That is, the exit portion 913 is a portion in the lens housing 91 corresponding to the passing optical path 94. An opening 914 (see FIG. 3 ), through which the image light whose traveling direction has been changed by the optical path changing member 95 passes, is provided in the +Y direction portion of the exit portion 913 in accordance with the optical path changing member 95. 6, the emission section 913 has a protrusion 9131 provided at a position in the -X direction and the -Y direction and protruding in the -Y direction, and a recess 9132 provided at a position in the +X direction and the -Y direction and recessed in the +Y direction. In other words, the emission section 913 has the protrusion 9131 as a first portion having a small distance from the bottom surface 22 which is the first outer surface of the exterior housing 2A, and the recess 9132 as a second portion having a large distance from the bottom surface 22. The space between the recess 9132 and the inner surface of the bottom surface 22 is a flow path through which the cooling gas can flow, and a part of a duct 52 (described later) of the cooling device 5A is arranged in the recess 9132.
[0041] 4, the incident optical path 92 is provided inside the incident portion 911, and is an optical path along which image light from the image generating device 8A is incident in the +Z direction. That is, the light incident optical axis of the projection optical device 9A coincides with the optical axis of the incident optical path 92 along the +Z direction. The light incident optical axis of the projection optical device 9A is parallel to the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7, and is located in the +X direction with respect to the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7. The incident optical path 92 is provided with a plurality of lenses 921 supported by the incident portion 911. The bending member 93 bends the traveling direction of the image light that has passed through the incident optical path 92 in the +Z direction by 90° in the -X direction. The bending member 93 is formed of, for example, a reflecting mirror.
[0042] The passing optical path 94 is provided inside the emission unit 913 along the -X direction, and the image light passes through the bending member 93 in the -X direction. That is, the optical axis of the passing optical path 94 is along the -X direction. A plurality of lenses 941 supported by the emission unit 913 are provided in the passing optical path 94. The optical path changing member 95 is provided in the emission section 913 in the -X direction which is the light emission side of the passing optical path 94. The optical path changing member 95 is an aspheric mirror that changes the traveling direction of the image light that has traveled through the passing optical path 94 to the opposite direction. The image light reflected by the optical path changing member 95 passes through the opening 914, and is diffused while traveling in the +Y direction as it travels in the +X direction which is the opposite direction to the traveling direction of the image light in the passing optical path 94. This makes it possible to display a large-screen image on the projection surface even if the distance between the projector 1A and the projection surface is short.
[0043] [Cooling system configuration] The cooling device 5A cools the objects to be cooled that constitute the projector 1A. Specifically, the cooling device 5A introduces the air outside the exterior housing 2A as a cooling gas into the interior of the exterior housing 2A, and circulates the introduced cooling gas through the objects to be cooled, thereby cooling the objects. The objects to be cooled by the cooling device 5A are, for example, the control device 3, the power supply device 4, the light source device 7, and the image generating device 8A.
[0044] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of projector 1A as viewed from the -Y direction. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of projector 1A as viewed from the -X direction and the -Y direction. As shown in FIGS. 3, 7 and 8, the cooling device 5A includes a filter 51, a duct 52, and fans 53-57. The filter 51 is provided so as to be attachable to and detachable from the opening 261 that functions as a first inlet. The filter 51 removes dust contained in the air that is introduced as cooling gas into the space SP1 in the exterior housing 2A through the opening 261. That is, the opening 261 opens into the space SP1.
[0045] 9 is a diagram showing a cross section along the YZ plane of the projector 1A. More specifically, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a cross section along the line IX-IX in FIG. As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 7 to Fig. 9, the duct 52 extends from a portion in the +Z direction inside the exterior housing 2A in the -Z direction from the center of the exterior housing 2A in the +Z direction. One end of the duct 52 is connected to the filter 51 provided in the opening 261, and the other end is located in the -Z direction from the center of the exterior housing 2A in the +Z direction. In this way, the duct 52 communicates between the opening 261 and the space SP2 via the filter 51. In more detail, a main portion of the duct 52 is disposed in the -Y direction with respect to the control device 3, the power supply device 4, and the projection optical device 9A, and a portion of the duct 52 in the -Z direction is disposed within the recess 9132. 9 by the arrows AR, the duct 52 circulates a portion of the cooling gas that has passed through the filter 51 in the -X direction, and guides the cooling gas to a space SP2 that is in the -Z direction relative to the projection optical device 9A. That is, the air introduced into the exterior housing 2A from the opening 261 through the filter 51 passes between the bottom surface 22 as the first outer surface and the recess 9132 as the second portion. Note that the main portion of the duct 52 may be disposed in the +Y direction relative to the control device 3, the power supply device 4, and the projection optical device 9A.
[0046] 3, 7, and 8, fan 53 is disposed in exterior housing 2A near opening 261. Fan 53 draws in a portion of the cooling gas that has passed through filter 51, and sends the cooling gas to control device 3 and power supply device 4 in space SP1, thereby cooling control device 3 and power supply device 4. The fan 54 is disposed in the +X direction at a position approximately at the center in the +Z direction within the exterior housing 2A. The fan 54 sends out the cooling gas that has cooled the control device 3 and the power supply device 4 in the -Z direction. That is, the cooling gas introduced into the exterior housing 2A from the opening 261 passes in the -Z direction between the back surface 24 and the incident portion 911, which is a portion of the lens housing 91 that corresponds to the incident optical path 92, by the fan 54. The back surface 24 is an outer surface of the exterior housing 2A that is on an extension of the optical axis of the passing optical path 94.
[0047] As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 7 to Fig. 9, the fans 55, 56 circulate cooling gas through the cooling target in the space SP2. The fans 55, 56 are disposed in the space surrounded by the image projection device 6A in the exterior housing 2A. Specifically, the fans 55, 56 are disposed at a position between the light source device 7 and the emission part 913 of the projection optical device 9A in the +Z direction and at a position further in the -X direction than the image generation device 8A. That is, the fans 55, 56 are provided between the light source device 7 and the passing optical path 94 of the projection optical device 9A in the +Z direction. The fan 55 sucks in a part of the cooling gas guided into the space SP2 by the duct 52, and sends it to the optical modulators 85 (85B, 85G, 85R), thereby cooling the optical modulators 85. The fan 56 sucks in another part of the cooling gas guided into the space SP2 by the duct 52, and sends it to the heat dissipation member 7025 of the light source device 7, thereby cooling the heat dissipation member 7025.
[0048] 3, 6, and 7, the fan 57 is disposed in the exterior housing 2A near the opening 251. The fan 57 draws in the cooling gas that has cooled the object to be cooled, and exhausts it to the outside of the exterior housing 2A through the opening 251.
[0049] [Effects of the first embodiment] The projector 1A as the projection device according to the present embodiment described above can achieve the following effects. The projector 1A includes a light source device 7, an image generating device 8A, a projection optical device 9A, and a control device 3 and a power supply device 4 as a first device FD arranged on the opposite side of the light source device 7 with respect to the projection optical device 9A. The projection optical device 9A has an incident optical path 92 on which image light is incident, and a passing optical path 94 that is bent from the incident optical path 92. The image generating device 8A causes the image light to be incident on the incident optical path 92. The light source device 7 supplies illumination light to the image generating device 8A.
[0050] Here, the +X direction is a first direction along the optical axis of the passing optical path 94. The +Z direction is a second direction in which the light source device 7, the projection optical device 9A, the control device 3, and the power supply device 4 are aligned. The +Y direction is a third direction intersecting both the +X direction and the +Z direction. According to this configuration, the projection optical device 9A has an incident optical path 92 and a passing optical path 94 that bends from the incident optical path 92, so that the dimensions of the projector 1A in the +X direction can be reduced. Also, the light source device 7 and the image generating device 8A do not overlap with the control device 3 and the power supply device 4 in the +Y direction, so that the dimensions of the projector 1A in the +Y direction can be reduced. Therefore, the projector 1A can be made more compact.
[0051] The projector 1A includes an exterior housing 2A that configures the exterior of the projector 1A. The projection optical device 9A includes a lens housing 91 as a housing for the projection optical device in which an incident light path 92 and a passing light path 94 are provided. The exterior housing 2A includes an opening 261 as a first inlet provided in a portion on the side where the first device FD is arranged, and an opening 251 as a first exhaust port provided in a portion on the side where the light source device 7 is arranged. The cooling gas introduced into the interior of the exterior housing 2A from the opening 261 passes between the exterior housing 2A and an exit portion 913 which is a portion in the lens housing 91 corresponding to the passing optical path 94. According to this configuration, the cooling gas introduced into the exterior housing 2A from the opening 261 can circulate through the control device 3, the power supply device 4, and the light source device 7, and then can be discharged to the outside of the exterior housing 2A from the opening 251. This allows the control device 3, the power supply device 4, and the light source device 7 to be efficiently cooled. Furthermore, the cooling gas introduced into the exterior housing 2A from the opening 261 passes between the emission section 913 in the lens housing 91 that separates the space SP2 on the light source device 7 side from the space SP1 on the first device FD side, and the bottom surface 22 of the exterior housing 2A. This makes it easier for the cooling gas to flow from the space SP1 to the space SP2. Therefore, since it is easier for the cooling gas to flow inside the exterior housing 2A, the cooling efficiency of the control device 3, the power supply device 4, and the light source device 7 can be improved.
[0052] In the exterior housing 2A of the projector 1A, the opening 261 is provided on the right side 26 out of the right side 26 and the left side 25 which are outer faces intersecting with the +Z direction in which the light source device 7, the projection optical device 9A, and the first device FD are arranged. The right side 26 is the outer face on the first device FD side, and the left side 25 is the outer face on the light source device 7 side. According to this configuration, it is possible to easily introduce air from outside the exterior housing 2A into the interior of the exterior housing 2A through the opening 261 as the first inlet. Therefore, it is possible to easily circulate the cooling gas to the control device 3, the power supply device 4, and the light source device 7 inside the exterior housing 2A, and it is possible to improve the cooling efficiency of the control device 3, the power supply device 4, and the light source device 7.
[0053] The exterior housing 2A of the projector 1A includes a bottom surface 22 as a first outer surface. The bottom surface 22 intersects with the -X direction along the passing optical path 94 and also intersects with the +Y direction that intersects with the +Z direction in which the light source device 7, the projection optical device 9A, and the first device FD are aligned. The lens housing 91 has, in the exit portion 913 which is the portion corresponding to the passing light path 94, a protrusion 9131 which is a first portion whose distance to the bottom surface 22 is short, and a recess 9132 which is a second portion whose distance to the bottom surface 22 is large. The cooling gas introduced into the exterior housing 2A from the opening 261 passes between the bottom surface 22 and the recess 9132. According to this configuration, a flow path through which the cooling gas flows in the -Z direction inside the exterior housing 2A can be provided in the lens housing 91. Therefore, the cooling gas can smoothly flow in the -Z direction.
[0054] The cooling gas introduced into the exterior housing 2A from the opening 261 functioning as a first inlet passes between the rear surface 24 and the incident portion 911 by the fan 54. The rear surface 24 is an outer surface of the exterior housing 2A that is on an extension of the passing optical path 94. The incident portion 911 is a portion of the lens housing 91 that corresponds to the incident optical path 92. According to this configuration, a flow path through which the cooling gas flows in the -Z direction in the exterior housing 2A can be provided between the lens housing 91 and the back surface 24, which is an outer surface on an extension line of the optical axis of the passing optical path 94. Therefore, the cooling gas can be smoothly circulated in the -Z direction.
[0055] The projector 1A includes fans 55 and 56 provided between the light passage path 94 and the light source device 7. In the projector 1A, the image projection device 6A is configured in an inverted L shape when viewed from the +Y direction so that the +X direction faces upward. For this reason, the space between the passing light path 94 and the light source device 7 tends to become a dead space. In response to this, the fans 54 and 55 can be disposed in positions that tend to become dead spaces within the projector 1A. Therefore, since the components can be densely disposed within the projector 1A, the dimensions of the projector 1A can be reduced, and the projector 1A can be made more compact.
[0056] In the projector 1A, the light source device 7 includes a solid-state light-emitting element 7021 that is a light source, and a heat dissipation member 7025 to which heat from the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 is transferred. The heat dissipation member 7025 is provided with respect to the light source housing 701 in a -Y direction perpendicular to the +Z direction in which the light source device 7, the projection optical device 9A, and the first device FD are aligned, and the -X direction that is a direction along the passing optical path 94. According to such a configuration, the heat dissipation area of the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 can be expanded by the heat dissipation member 7025. Therefore, it is possible to further improve the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat generated in the solid-state light-emitting element 7021. Also, it is possible to reduce the size of the projector 1A in the +X direction compared to a case in which the heat dissipation member 7025 is provided in the +X direction or the -X direction with respect to the solid-state light-emitting element 7021.
[0057] [First Modification of the First Embodiment] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image projection device 6B which is a first modified example of the image projection device 6A. In the image projection device 6A, the light source unit 702 constituting the light source device 7 emits light in the +X direction, and the diffusing optical element 711 reflects blue light in the -X direction. However, the light source unit 702 may be arranged to emit light in the -X direction, and the diffusing optical element 711 may be arranged to reflect blue light in the +X direction. That is, instead of the image projection device 6A, the image projection device 6B shown in Fig. 10 may be adopted in the projector 1A. Like the image projection device 6A, the image projection device 6B includes a light source device 7, an image generation device 8A, and a projection optical device 9A. When the image projection device 6B is used in the projector 1A, the projection optical device 9A is disposed approximately at the center in the +Z direction within the exterior housing 2A, and the light source device 7 and the image generation device 8A are disposed in a space SP2 in the -Z direction with respect to the projection optical device 9A.
[0058] In the image projection device 6B, the light source device 7 is disposed in a state rotated 180° around the light emission optical axis. Therefore, the emission direction of the fluorescent light from the wavelength converter 708 is the same in the image projection device 6A and the emission direction of the white light WL from the emission port 7011 is the same in the image projection device 6B. However, the emission directions of blue light from the light source unit 702 are opposite to each other in the image projection device 6A and the reflection directions of blue light from the diffusing optical element 711 are opposite to each other in the image projection device 6B. That is, in the image projection device 6B, the plurality of solid-state light-emitting elements 7021 are arranged in the +X direction on the incident optical path 92 side with respect to the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7, and the diffusing optical element 711 is arranged in the -X direction with respect to the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7. In the image projection device 6B, the plurality of solid-state light-emitting elements 7021 emit blue light in the -X direction, and the diffusing optical element 711 reflects the blue light toward the +X direction. Like the light source device 7 of the image projection device 6A, the light source device 7 of the image projection device 6B also emits white light WL as illumination light in the +Z direction, and the emitted white light WL is incident on the image generation device 8A. That is, the light source device 7 supplies illumination light to the image generation device 8A.
[0059] The projector 1A equipped with such an image projection device 6B can achieve the same effects as the projector 1A equipped with the image projection device 6A, and can also expand the space in the -X direction relative to the light source device 7 inside the exterior housing 2A. This increases the degree of freedom in the layout of components such as fans inside the exterior housing 2A.
[0060] [Second Modification of the First Embodiment] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image projection device 6C which is a second modified example of the image projection device 6A. In the image projection device 6A, the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 and the light incidence optical axis of the projection optical device 9A are parallel to the +Z direction. However, this is not limited thereto, and the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 and the light incidence optical axis of the projection optical device may be inclined with respect to the +Z direction. In other words, instead of the image projection device 6A, the image projection device 6C shown in FIG. 11 may be adopted in the projector 1A. The image projection device 6C has the same configuration and functions as the image projection device 6A, except that it is equipped with a projection optical device 9C instead of the projection optical device 9A. That is, the image projection device 6C is equipped with a light source device 7, an image generation device 8A, and a projection optical device 9C. When the image projection device 6C is adopted in the projector 1A, the projection optical device 9C is disposed approximately at the center in the +Z direction within the exterior housing 2A, and the light source device 7 and the image generation device 8A are disposed in a space SP2 in the -Z direction with respect to the projection optical device 9C.
[0061] The projection optical device 9C has the same configuration and function as the projection optical device 9A, except that it includes a lens housing 91C instead of the lens housing 91. That is, the projection optical device 9C includes a lens housing 91C, an incident optical path 92, a bending member 93, a passing optical path 94, and an optical path changing member 95.
[0062] The lens housing 91C corresponds to a housing for a projection optical device, and is projected from the +Y direction so that the +X direction faces upward. C The lens housing 91C has an entrance portion 911C, a bending portion 912, and an exit portion 913. The incident portion 911C constitutes an incident optical path 92 into which image light is incident. The incident portion 911C is disposed at an angle with respect to the +Z direction, and the optical axis of the incident optical path 92 is also at an angle with respect to the +Z direction. The optical axis of the incident optical path 92 intersects with a passing optical path 94 that is parallel to the -X direction at an angle other than 90° at the bending member 93. More specifically, the intersection angle between the optical axis of the incident optical path 92 and the optical axis of the passing optical path 94 is an acute angle, for example, approximately 77.5°. In addition, in lens housing 91C, exit portion 913 is also disposed along the -X direction, and the optical axis of optical passage path 94 provided inside exit portion 913 is aligned along the -X direction.
[0063] In the image projection device 6C, the light source device 7 is arranged so that the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 is parallel to the optical axis of the incident optical path 92, and the image generating device 8A is arranged so that the optical axis of the image light emitted from the image generating device 8A coincides with the optical axis of the incident optical path 92. In the light source device 7 in the image projection device 6C, similarly to the light source device 7 in the image projection device 6A, the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 is disposed in the -X direction with respect to the diffusion optical element 711. The solid-state light-emitting element 7021 and the diffusion optical element 711 are disposed such that the optical axis of the solid-state light-emitting element and the optical axis of the diffusion optical element 711 coincide with each other and face each other. In addition, the optical axis of the wavelength conversion element 7081 intersects with the optical axis of the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 and the optical axis of the diffusion optical element 711 at the light combining element 706 and coincides with the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7. On the other hand, the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 does not intersect with the optical axis of the passing optical path 94, but intersects with an extension line of the optical axis of the passing optical path 94 that extends from the bending member 93 in the +X direction.
[0064] In the image generating device 8A of the image projection device 6C, the first color separation element 831 transmits the blue light L1 contained in the white light WL incident from the homogenization device 82, and reflects the green light L2 and red light L3 contained in the white light WL in the -X direction, which is perpendicular to the extension line of the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7. The first reflecting element 832 reflects the blue light L1 incident from the first color separation element 831, causing the blue light L1 to be incident on the blue light modulation element 85B arranged in the +X direction with respect to the color combining element 86. The second color separation element 833 reflects the green light L2 incident from the first color separation element 831, and causes it to be incident on the green light modulation element 85G arranged in the -Z direction with respect to the color combining element 86. The second color separation element 833 transmits the red light L3 incident from the first color separation element 831, and causes it to be incident on the relay device 84. The relay device 84 causes the red light L3 incident from the second color separation element 833 to be incident on a red light modulation element 85R that is disposed in the −X direction with respect to the color synthesis element 86. The color combining element 86 outputs to an incident optical path 92 image light that is a combined light obtained by combining the color lights L1 to L3 incident from the light modulation elements 85B, 85G, and 85R.
[0065] The projector 1A equipped with such an image projection device 6C can achieve the same effects as the projector 1A equipped with the image projection device 6A. The crossing angle between the optical axis of the incident optical path 92 and the optical axis of the passing optical path 94 may be an obtuse angle. In other words, the bending member 93 may bend the traveling direction of the image light that has passed through the incident optical path 92 at an obtuse angle. Furthermore, even if the crossing angle between the optical axis of the incident optical path 92 and the optical axis of the passing optical path 94 is an acute angle, it is not limited to approximately 77.5°.
[0066] [Third Modification of the First Embodiment] FIG. 12 shows an image projection device 6C Changes 12 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image projection device 6D which is a third modified example of the image projection device 6A. That is, Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image projection device 6D which is a third modified example of the image projection device 6A. In the image projection device 6C, the light source section 702 constituting the light source device 7 is disposed in the -X direction with respect to the diffusion optical element 711. However, the light source section 702 may be disposed in the +X direction with respect to the diffusion optical element 711. In other words, instead of the image projection device 6C, the image projection device 6D shown in FIG. 12 may be adopted in the projector 1A. Like the image projection device 6C, the image projection device 6D includes a light source device 7, an image generation device 8A, and a projection optical device 9C. When the image projection device 6D is employed in the projector 1A, the projection optical device 9C is disposed approximately at the center in the +Z direction within the exterior housing 2A, and the light source device 7 and the image generation device 8A are disposed in a space SP2 in the -Z direction with respect to the projection optical device 9C.
[0067] The light source device 7 in the image projection device 6D is disposed in a state rotated 180° about the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 relative to the light source device 7 in the image projection device 6C. Therefore, the emission direction of the fluorescent light from the wavelength converter 708 is the same in the image projection device 6C and the emission direction of the white light WL from the emission port 7011 is the same in the image projection device 6D. However, in the image projection device 6C and the image projection device 6D, the emission directions of the blue light from the light source unit 702 are opposite to each other, and the reflection directions of the blue light from the diffusing optical element 711 are opposite to each other. That is, in the image projection device 6D, the multiple solid-state light-emitting elements 7021 are arranged in the +X direction with respect to the diffusing optical element 711. Like the light source device 7 of the image projection device 6C, the light source device 7 of the image projection device 6D also emits white light WL, which is illumination light, in the +Z direction along the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 that is parallel to the optical axis of the incident optical path 92, and the emitted white light WL is incident on the image generation device 8A. That is, the light source device 7 supplies illumination light to the image generation device 8A. In the image projection device 6D, the light source device 7 is disposed such that the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 is parallel to the optical axis of the incident optical path 92. The light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 is located in the −X direction with respect to the optical axis of the incident optical path 92 and intersects with the optical axis of the passing optical path 94.
[0068] In the image generating device 8A of the image projection device 6D, the first color separation element 831 transmits the blue light L1 contained in the white light WL incident from the homogenization device 82, and reflects the green light L2 and red light L3 contained in the white light WL in the +X direction, which is perpendicular to the extension line of the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7. The first reflecting element 832 reflects the blue light L1 incident from the first color separation element 831, causing the blue light L1 to be incident on the blue light modulation element 85B that is disposed in the −X direction with respect to the color synthesis element 86. The second color separation element 833 reflects the green light L2 incident from the first color separation element 831, and causes it to be incident on the green light modulation element 85G arranged in the -Z direction with respect to the color combining element 86. The second color separation element 833 transmits the red light L3 incident from the first color separation element 831, and causes it to be incident on the relay device 84. The relay device 84 causes the red light L3 incident from the second color separation element 833 to be incident on a red light modulation element 85R arranged in the +X direction with respect to the color synthesis element 86. The color combining element 86 outputs to an incident optical path 92 image light that is a combined light obtained by combining the color lights L1 to L3 incident from the light modulation elements 85B, 85G, and 85R.
[0069] The projector 1A equipped with such an image projection device 6D can achieve the same effects as the projector 1A equipped with the image projection device 6C. In addition, the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 in the image projection device 6D intersects with the optical axis of the passing optical path 94. This makes it possible to prevent the light source device 7 from protruding in the -X direction from a virtual line VL1 that passes through an end in the -X direction along the optical axis of the passing optical path 94 in the projection optical device 9C and that is along the +Z direction perpendicular to the -X direction, as viewed from the +Y direction. For example, it is possible to prevent the diffusion optical element 711, which is located furthest in the -X direction among the solid-state light-emitting element 7021, the wavelength conversion element 7081, and the diffusion optical element 711, from being positioned in the -X direction from the virtual line VL1 as viewed from the +Y direction. Also, as viewed from the +Y direction, it is possible to prevent the light source device 7 from protruding in the +X direction from a virtual line VL2 that passes through an end of the projection optical device 9C in the +X direction along the optical axis of the passing optical path 94 and is along the +Z direction perpendicular to the +X direction. For example, as viewed from the +Y direction, it is possible to prevent the solid-state light-emitting element 7021, which is located furthest in the +X direction among the solid-state light-emitting element 7021, the wavelength conversion element 7081, and the diffusing optical element 711, from being positioned in the +X direction from the virtual line VL2. Therefore, compared to at least one of the cases where the light source device 7 protrudes in the -X direction from the virtual line VL1 and the light source device 7 protrudes in the +X direction from the virtual line VL2, the image projection device 6D, and ultimately the projector 1A, can be made smaller in size in the +X direction.
[0070] [Fourth Modification of the First Embodiment] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image projection device 6E which is a fourth modified example of the image projection device 6A. In the image projection device 6A, the light output optical axis of the light source device 7 is parallel to the +Z direction. However, the light output optical axis of the light source device 7 may be parallel to the +X direction. For example, instead of the image projection device 6A, the image projection device 6E shown in FIG. 13 may be adopted in the projector 1A. The image projection device 6E has an image generation device 8E instead of the image generation device 8A, and has the same configuration and functions as the image projection device 6A except for the different arrangement of the light source device 7. When the image projection device 6E is used in the projector 1A, the projection optical device 9A is disposed approximately at the center in the +Z direction within the exterior housing 2A, and the light source device 7 and the image generation device 8E are disposed in a space SP2 in the -Z direction with respect to the projection optical device 9A.
[0071] In the image projection device 6E, the light source device 7 is disposed so that the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 is parallel to the +X direction and white light WL, which is illumination light, is emitted in the +X direction. Therefore, the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 is not parallel to the optical axis of the incident optical path 92. More specifically, in the image projection device 6E, the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 is perpendicular to the optical axis of the incident optical path 92, which is parallel to the +Z direction, and is parallel to the optical axis of the passing optical path 94. In the image projection device 6E, the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 and the diffusing optical element 711 are arranged so that the optical axis of the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 and the optical axis of the diffusing optical element 711 coincide with each other and are parallel to the +Z direction. That is, the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 and the diffusing optical element 711 face each other in the +Z direction. Moreover, the wavelength conversion element 7081 is disposed so that the optical axis of the wavelength conversion element 7081 coincides with an extension of the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7, and the wavelength conversion element 7081 emits fluorescence in the +X direction. The optical axis of the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 and the optical axis of the diffusion optical element 711 intersect with the optical axis of the wavelength conversion element 7081 at the light combining element 706. Note that the extension of the optical axis of the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 is perpendicular to the optical axis of the passing optical path 94. By disposing the light source device 7 in this manner, protrusion of the light source device 7 in the -X direction from the above-mentioned virtual line VL1 is suppressed. 13, the light source device 7 has the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 disposed in the -Z direction with respect to the diffusing optical element 711. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 may be disposed in the +Z direction with respect to the diffusing optical element 711.
[0072] The image generating device 8E has a first color separation element 831E instead of the first color separation element 831, and has the same configuration and functions as the image generating device 8A, except that the uniformizing device 82 is disposed differently. In the image generating device 8E, the uniformizing device 82 is disposed on the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 along the +X direction. The first color separation element 831E corresponds to a first reflecting optical element. The first color separation element 831E reflects in the +Z direction the blue light L1 included in the white light WL incident in the +X direction from the light source device 7 via the homogenizer 82, and reflects in the +Z direction the green light L2 and the red light L3 included in the white light WL. X It penetrates in the direction. As in the image generating device 8A, of the blue light L1, green light L2, and red light L3 separated by the first color separation element 831E, the blue light L1 is guided to the blue light modulation element 85B by the first reflecting element 832. The green light L2 is guided to the green light modulation element 85G by the second color separation element 833. The red light L3 is guided to the red light modulation element 85R by the second color separation element 833 and the relay device 84.
[0073] The blue light L1, green light L2, and red light L3 modulated by each of the light modulation elements 85B, 85G, and 85R are combined by the color combining element 86. The combined light combined by the color combining element 86, that is, image light, is emitted in the +Z direction along the light emission optical axis of the image generating device 8E. The image light incident on the incident light path 92 from the image generating device 8E is projected onto the projection surface by the projection optical device 9A. The projector 1A equipped with such an image projection device 6E can achieve the same effects as the projector 1A equipped with the image projection device 6A.
[0074] [Fifth Modification of the First Embodiment] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image projection device 6F which is a fifth modified example of the image projection device 6A. In the image projection device 6A, the image generation device 8A is configured to include three light modulation elements 85B, 85G, and 85R to which the blue light L1, green light L2, and red light L3 separated by the color separation device 83 are incident. In contrast, the image generation device may generate image light by modulating the white light WL incident from the light source device 7. For example, instead of the image projection device 6A, an image projection device 6F shown in Fig. 14 may be adopted in the projector 1A. The image projection device 6F has the same configuration and functions as the image projection device 6A, except that it has an image generation device 8F instead of the image generation device 8A. Even when the image projection device 6F is used in the projector 1A, the projection optical device 9A is disposed approximately at the center in the +Z direction in the exterior housing 2A, and the light source device 7 and the image generation device 8F are disposed in a space SP2 in the -Z direction with respect to the projection optical device 9A.
[0075] Similar to the image generating device 8A, the image generating device 8F generates image light from white light WL, which is illumination light supplied from the light source device 7. The image generating device 8F includes a housing 81, and a homogenizing device 82, a first reflecting optical element 87, a second reflecting optical element 88, and an image generating element 89, all of which are housed in the housing 81. In addition, the image generating device 8F includes a retardation plate, a polarizing plate, and a lens as necessary.
[0076] The first reflecting optical element 87 is a reflecting mirror. The first reflecting optical element 87 reflects the white light WL incident in the +Z direction from the light source device 7 via the homogenizer 82 in the +X direction. The second reflecting optical element 88 is disposed in the +X direction relative to the first reflecting optical element 87. The second reflecting optical element 88 transmits white light WL incident in the +X direction from the first reflecting optical element 87. The second reflecting optical element 88 reflects, in the +Z direction, the image light modulated by the image generating element 89 and incident in the -X direction. The reflected image light is incident on the incident optical path 92 of the projection optical device 9A. That is, the optical axis of the image light reflected by the second reflecting optical element 88 coincides with the optical axis of the incident optical path 92.
[0077] The image generating element 89 is disposed in the +X direction with respect to the second reflecting optical element 88. The image generating element 89 generates image light by reflecting in the -X direction and modulating the white light WL incident from the second reflecting optical element 88 in the +X direction. Note that the image generating element 89 may be a reflective liquid crystal display device such as LCOS (Liquid crystal on silicon), or may be a device using a micromirror such as DMD (Digital Micromirror Device).
[0078] In the image projection device 6F, similarly to the image projection device 6A according to the first embodiment, the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 and the light incidence optical axis of the projection optical device 9A are parallel to each other. Also, an extension line of the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 intersects with the optical axis of the passing optical path 94 along the +X direction. By arranging the light source device 7 and the image generating device 8F in this manner, the protrusion of the light source device 7 and the image generating device 8F in the -X direction relative to the virtual line VL1, and the protrusion of the light source device 7 and the image generating device 8F in the +X direction relative to the virtual line VL2 are suppressed. The projector 1A equipped with such an image projection device 6F can achieve the same effects as the projector 1A equipped with the image projection device 6A.
[0079] 14, the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 is disposed in the -X direction with respect to the diffusing optical element 711. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 may be disposed in the +X direction with respect to the diffusing optical element 711, similarly to the image projection device 6B shown in FIG. Furthermore, the image projection device 6F may include a projection optical device 9C instead of the projection optical device 9A. In this case, the arrangement of the light source device 7 may be the arrangement shown in FIG. 11 or the arrangement shown in FIG. Furthermore, the light source device 7 in the image projection device 6F may be disposed so that the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7 is aligned along the +X direction and emits white light WL in the +X direction, as shown in Fig. 13. In this case, the homogenizer 82 may be disposed on the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7, and the first reflecting optical element 87 may be omitted.
[0080] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The projector according to this embodiment has a similar configuration to the projector 1A according to the first embodiment, but the position of the inlet provided in the exterior housing is different, and the configuration of the cooling device is different. Note that in the following explanation, parts that are the same or approximately the same as parts already explained are given the same reference numerals and explanations are omitted.
[0081] Fig. 15 is a plan view showing the internal configuration of a projector 1G according to this embodiment. Specifically, Fig. 15 is a view showing the internal configuration of an exterior housing 2G of the projector 1G from the +Y direction. Note that in Fig. 15, illustration of a heat pipe 7024 is omitted. The projector 1G according to this embodiment corresponds to a projection device. As shown in Fig. 15, the projector 1G has the same configuration and function as the projector 1A according to the first embodiment, except that the projector 1G includes an exterior housing 2G and a cooling device 5G instead of the exterior housing 2A and the cooling device 5A.
[0082] Exterior housing 2G has a front surface 23G instead of front surface 23, and has the same configuration and function as exterior housing 2A according to the first embodiment. The front surface 23G has an inlet 231 located in the -Z direction from the center in the +Z direction. The inlet 231 corresponds to a first inlet, and introduces air outside the exterior housing 2G into the interior of the exterior housing 2G as cooling gas. More specifically, the inlet 231 opens into a space SP2 in the exterior housing 2G, and introduces the cooling gas into the space SP2. In this embodiment, the opening 251 provided on the left side surface 25 functions as a second exhaust port, and the opening 261 provided on the right side surface 26 functions as a first exhaust port. The openings 251, 261 exhaust the cooling gas inside the exterior housing 2G.
[0083] The cooling device 5G cools a cooling target provided in the exterior housing 2G, similarly to the cooling device 5A according to the first embodiment. The cooling device 5G has fans 58 and 59 instead of the fans 53 and 54, but does not have the duct 52, and has the same configuration and function as the cooling device 5A. That is, the cooling device 5G has a filter 51, fans 55 to 57 provided in the space SP2, and fans 58 and 59 provided in the space SP1.
[0084] The filter 51 is provided in the inlet 231 so as to be attachable to and detachable from the inlet 231 . The fan 58 is provided in the exterior housing 2G at a position substantially in the center in the +Z direction and in the +X direction. The fan 58 draws in a portion of the cooling gas introduced into the space SP2, and circulates the drawn-in cooling gas to the control device 3 and the power supply device 4 provided in the +Z direction with respect to the projection optical device 9A, thereby cooling the control device 3 and the power supply device 4. Specifically, the fan 58 sends out the cooling gas toward the control device 3 and the power supply device 4. The cooling gas drawn from the space SP2 by the fan 58 flows to the fan 58, for example, through a gap between the recess 9132 and the bottom surface 22 of the lens housing 91, and also flows through a gap between the entrance portion 911 corresponding to the entrance optical path 92 in the lens housing 91 and the inner surface of the back surface 24. Control device 3 and power supply device 4 It will be distributed in. The fan 59 is provided in the exterior housing 2G at a position facing the opening 261. The fan 59 exhausts the cooling gas that has cooled the control device 3 and the power supply device 4 through the opening 261 to the outside of the exterior housing 2G.
[0085] Like the fans 55, 56 in the cooling device 5A, the fans 55, 56 in the cooling device 5G are arranged within the outer housing 2G between the light source device 7 and the emission section 913 in which the light path 94 is provided, in the -X direction relative to the image generating device 8A. The fan 55 circulates a part of the cooling gas introduced into the space SP2 through the inlet 231 to the light modulation device 85, and the fan 56 circulates another part of the cooling gas introduced into the space SP2 to the heat dissipation member 7025. This cools the light modulation device 85 and the heat dissipation member 7025. The fan 57 is disposed at a position in the -X direction and the -Z direction inside the exterior housing 2G, and exhausts the cooling gas that has cooled the object to be cooled through the opening 251 to the outside of the exterior housing 2G.
[0086] The cooling device 5G may include a duct that guides a part of the cooling gas introduced into the exterior housing 2G from the inlet 231 from the space SP2 to the space SP1. In this case, the duct may be disposed between the recess 9132 and the inner surface of the bottom surface 22, for example. Furthermore, the image projection device provided in the projector 1G is not limited to the image projection device 6A, but may be another image projection device, for example, one of the image projection devices 6B to 6F.
[0087] [Effects of the second embodiment] The projector 1G as a projection device according to the present embodiment described above can achieve the same effects as the projector 1A according to the first embodiment, as well as the following effects. In the projector 1G, the introduction port 231 as the first introduction port is provided in a portion of the front surface 23G of the exterior housing 2G on the side where the light source device 7 is arranged, out of the first device FD and the light source device 7. The front surface 23G is an outer surface of the rectangular parallelepiped exterior housing 2G that intersects with the +X direction that is a direction perpendicular to the +Z direction in which the light source device 7, the projection optical device 9A, and the first device FD are arranged. According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the introduction port 231 from being blocked by an object disposed around the projector 1G. For example, the projector 1G according to this embodiment is configured as a short focus projector in which the image light reflected by the optical path changing member 95 of the projection optical device 9A is projected in the +X direction. For this reason, the projector 1G can be disposed so that the rear surface 24 is close to the projection surface. In contrast, by providing the introduction port 231 on the front surface 23G opposite to the rear surface 24, it is possible to prevent the introduction efficiency of the air from the introduction port 231 from decreasing due to the projection surface being blocked by the introduction port 231, for example. Therefore, the cooling gas can be smoothly introduced into the exterior housing 2G.
[0088] In the projector 1G, the exterior housing 2G has an opening 261 that functions as a first exhaust port and an opening 251 that functions as a second exhaust port. The opening 251 is provided on the left side surface 25, which is an outer surface that intersects with the +Z direction on the side where the light source device 7 is arranged, and on the side where the first device FD is arranged. The opening 261 is provided on the right side surface 26, which is an outer surface that intersects with the +Z direction on the side where the first device FD is arranged. According to such a configuration, the cooling gas that has been introduced into the exterior housing 2G through the inlet 231 and has cooled the light source device 7 can be quickly discharged to the outside of the exterior housing 2G through the opening 251. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the heated cooling gas from accumulating inside the exterior housing 2G, and it is possible to lower the temperature inside the exterior housing 2G.
[0089] In the projector 1G, the cooling gas introduced into the outer housing 2G from the inlet 231 passes between the back surface 24, which is the outer surface of the outer housing 2G that is on an extension of the optical axis of the passing optical path 94, and the entrance portion 911 in the lens housing 91 that corresponds to the incident optical path 92. According to this configuration, a flow path through which the cooling gas flows in the +Z direction in the exterior housing 2G can be provided between the rear surface 24 and the incident part 911 without providing a separate flow path. Therefore, the cooling gas can be smoothly circulated in the +Z direction.
[0090] [Third embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The projector according to this embodiment has a similar configuration to the projector 1A according to the first embodiment that is equipped with an image projection device 6A, but differs from the projector 1A in that an inlet for introducing a cooling gas into the exterior housing is provided on the bottom surface of the exterior housing. Note that in the following description, parts that are the same or approximately the same as parts already described will be denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.
[0091] Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a projector 1H according to this embodiment. More specifically, Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing the projector 1H as viewed from the bottom surface 22H side. Fig. 17 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the projector 1H as viewed from the +Y direction, and Fig. 18 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the projector 1H as viewed from the -Y direction. The projector 1H according to this embodiment corresponds to a projection device. The projector 1H has the same configuration and functions as the projector 1A equipped with the image projection device 6A, except that the projector 1H has an exterior housing 2H shown in Fig. 16 and a cooling device 5H shown in Fig. 17 and Fig. 18 instead of the exterior housing 2A and the cooling device 5A.
[0092] As shown in FIG. 16, the exterior housing 2H has a bottom surface 22H instead of the bottom surface 22, but has the same configuration and function as the exterior housing 2A. The bottom surface 22H has an inlet 222 as a first inlet provided at a position in the -X direction and the -Z direction, in addition to multiple leg portions 221. The inlet 222 opens into the space SP2, and introduces air outside the exterior housing 2H into the space SP2 in the exterior housing 2H as cooling gas. In this embodiment, the opening 251 provided in the left side surface 25 functions as a second exhaust port, and the opening 261 provided in the right side surface 26 functions as a first exhaust port. The openings 251, 261 exhaust the cooling gas inside the exterior housing 2H.
[0093] 17 and 18, the cooling device 5H is provided in the exterior housing 2H and cools the object to be cooled of the projector 1H. The cooling device 5H has a filter 51 and fans 55, 56, 58, and 59. The filter 51 is provided in the inlet 222 so as to be attachable to and detachable from the inlet 222 . The fan 55 circulates a part of the cooling gas introduced into the exterior housing 2H via the inlet 222 through the optical modulation device 85, thereby cooling the optical modulation device 85. The fan 56 circulates a portion of the cooling gas introduced into the exterior housing 2H through the inlet 222 to the heat dissipation member 7025, thereby cooling the heat dissipation member 7025. The cooling gas that has cooled the heat dissipation member 7025 is discharged to the outside of the exterior housing 2H through the opening 251. The fan 58 circulates a portion of the cooling gas introduced into the space SP2 of the exterior housing 2H via the inlet 222 to the control device 3 and the power supply device 4, thereby cooling the control device 3 and the power supply device 4. The fan 58 sucks in, for example, the cooling gas that has circulated from the space SP2 through the recess 9132 (see FIG. 6) of the lens housing 91 in the +Z direction, and the cooling gas that has circulated from the space SP2 between the rear surface 24 and the entrance portion 911 of the lens housing 91 in the +Z direction. The fan 59 draws in the cooling gas that has cooled the control device 3 and the power supply device 4, and exhausts it through the opening 261 to the outside of the exterior housing 2H.
[0094] The cooling device 5H may include a duct that guides a part of the cooling gas introduced into the exterior housing 2H from the inlet 222 from the space SP2 to the space SP1. In this case, the duct may be disposed, for example, between the recess 9132 (see FIG. 6) of the lens housing 91 of the projection optical device 9A and the inner surface of the bottom surface 22H. Also, projector 1 H The image projection device provided in is not limited to the image projection device 6A, but may be another image projection device, for example, one of the image projection devices 6B to 6F.
[0095] [Effects of the third embodiment] The projector 1H as a projection device according to the present embodiment described above can achieve the same effects as the projector 1A according to the first embodiment, as well as the following effects. The inlet 222 as the first inlet is provided on the bottom surface 22H of the exterior housing 2H at a portion on the side where the light source device 7 is arranged, out of the first device FD and the light source device 7. The bottom surface 22H is an outer surface of the exterior housing 2H that intersects with the +Y direction that is a direction perpendicular to the +Z direction in which the light source device 7, the projection optical device 9A, and the first device FD are arranged. According to this configuration, the inlet 222 can be provided in an inconspicuous position.
[0096] [Fourth embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The projector according to this embodiment has a similar configuration to the projectors 1G and 1H according to the second and third embodiments, but differs in that the exterior housing has multiple light introduction ports. Note that in the following description, parts that are the same or approximately the same as parts already described will be given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.
[0097] FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a projector 1I according to this embodiment. The projector 1I of this embodiment has the same configuration and functions as the projector 1G of the second embodiment or the projector 1H of the third embodiment, except that it has an exterior housing 2I shown in FIG. 19 instead of the exterior housings 2G, 2H. The exterior housing 2I has a top surface 21, a bottom surface 22H having an inlet 222, a front surface 23G having an inlet 231, a rear surface 24, a left side surface 25, and a right side surface 26, and is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Of the inlets 222, 231, one is a first inlet and the other is a second inlet. The inlets 222, 231 introduce air outside the exterior housing 2I into the interior of the exterior housing 2I as cooling gas. The inlets 222, 231 open to a space SP2 inside the exterior housing 2I and introduce the air outside the exterior housing 2I into the space SP2. Moreover, the opening 251 provided in the left side surface 25 functions as a second exhaust port, and the opening 261 provided in the right side surface 26 functions as a first exhaust port.
[0098] [Effects of the fourth embodiment] The projector 1I as a projection device according to the present embodiment described above can achieve the same effects as the projector 1G according to the second embodiment and the projector 1H according to the third embodiment, as well as the following effects. When the inlet 222 provided on the bottom surface 22H is defined as the first inlet, the inlet 231 is provided as the second inlet on the front surface 23G, which is the outer surface of the exterior housing 2I on the light source device 7 side relative to the projection optical device 9A and is different from the bottom surface 22H. When the inlet 231 provided on the front surface 23G is defined as the first inlet, the inlet 222 is provided as the second inlet on the bottom surface 22H, which is the outer surface of the exterior housing 2I on the light source device 7 side relative to the projection optical device 9A and is different from the front surface 23G. The inlets 222 and 231 introduce the cooling gas circulating through the light source device 7 into the exterior housing 2I. According to such a configuration, it is possible to easily introduce the cooling gas into the exterior housing 2I, and it is possible to circulate the low-temperature cooling gas to the object to be cooled, such as the light source device 7. Therefore, it is possible to improve the cooling efficiency of the object to be cooled.
[0099] [Modifications of the embodiment] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications and improvements within the scope that can achieve the object of the present disclosure are included in the present disclosure. In each of the above embodiments, the first device FD arranged on the opposite side of the light source device 7 with respect to the projection optical devices 9A and 9C is the control device 3 and the power supply device 4. In other words, in each of the above embodiments, the first device FD is configured by each of the control device 3 and the power supply device 4. However, this is not limited to this, and the first device FD may be only the control device 3 or only the power supply device 4. When the first device FD is the control device 3, the power supply device 4 may be arranged in one of the -Z direction, ±X direction, and ±Y direction with respect to the projection optical devices 9A and 9C. When the first device FD is the power supply device 4, the control device 3 may be arranged in one of the -Z direction, ±X direction, and ±Y direction with respect to the projection optical devices 9A and 9C.
[0100] In each of the above embodiments, the light source device 7 is disposed in the -Z direction relative to the projection optical devices 9A and 9C, and the first device FD is disposed in the +Z direction relative to the projection optical devices 9A and 9C. However, this is not limiting, and it is sufficient that the light source device 7 and the first device FD are disposed in positions opposite each other relative to the projection optical devices 9A and 9C, and the positions of the light source device 7 and the first device FD do not necessarily have to be positions opposite each other in the +Z direction.
[0101] In the first embodiment, the opening 261 functioning as the first inlet and the opening 251 functioning as the first exhaust port are provided on the right side surface 26 and the left side surface 25, which are outer surfaces intersecting with the +Z direction in which the light source device 7, the projection optical devices 9A and 9C, and the first device FD are arranged. In the second embodiment, the inlet 231 functioning as the first inlet is provided on the front surface 23G intersecting with the +X direction that is a direction perpendicular to the +Z direction, the opening 251 functions as the second exhaust port, and the opening 261 functions as the first exhaust port. In the third embodiment, the inlet 222 functioning as the first inlet is provided on the bottom surface 22H intersecting with the +Y direction that is a direction perpendicular to the +Z direction, the opening 251 functions as the second exhaust port, and the opening 261 functions as the first exhaust port. In the above fourth embodiment, of the inlet 231 provided on the front surface 23G and the inlet 222 provided on the bottom surface 22H, one is a first inlet and the other is a second inlet, the opening 251 functions as a second exhaust port, and the opening 261 functions as a first exhaust port. However, without being limited thereto, the inlet may be provided on another outer surface of the exterior housing, and the exhaust port may be provided on another outer surface of the exterior housing. That is, the number and position of the inlet and the number and position of the exhaust port in the exterior housing can be changed as appropriate. For example, like the exterior housing 2A, the inlet may be provided on the outer surface on the first device side. Also, for example, by providing an inlet and an exhaust port on the outer surface on the first device side of the exterior housing and an inlet and an exhaust port on the outer surface on the light source device side of the exterior housing, the cooling target in the space SP1 may be cooled by the cooling gas introduced into the space SP1, and the cooling target in the space SP2 may be cooled by the cooling gas introduced into the space SP2. In this case, the outer surface on which the inlet is provided and the outer surface on which the exhaust port is provided in the exterior housing may be the same or different.
[0102] In each of the above embodiments, the lens housing 91 of the projection optical devices 9A and 9C has the recess 9132 in the emission section 913, which is a portion corresponding to the passing optical path 94. However, this is not limiting, and the recess 9132 may be omitted. In this case, the cooling gas flowing inside the exterior housing may flow in the ±Z direction, avoiding the projection optical devices 9A and 9C. Furthermore, the position of the recess 9132 is not limited to a position in the -Y direction in the emission section 913, but may be a position in the +Y direction.
[0103] In each of the above embodiments, the light source device 7 has the solid-state light-emitting element 7021, the wavelength conversion element 7081, and the diffusing optical element 711. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the light source device 7 may have a light source lamp such as an extra-high pressure mercury lamp, or may have a solid-state light-emitting element that emits blue light L1, a solid-state light-emitting element that emits green light L2, and a solid-state light-emitting element that emits red light L3. The layout of the optical components that constitute the light source device 7 is not limited to the above and can be changed as appropriate. In each of the above embodiments, the wavelength conversion element 7081 is rotated by the rotation device 7082. However, this is not limiting, and the wavelength conversion element 7081 may be configured not to be rotated. In other words, the rotation device 7082 may not be provided.
[0104] In each of the above embodiments, the wavelength conversion element 7081 is arranged on an extension of the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7. The diffusion optical element 711 is arranged opposite the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 so that the optical axis of the diffusion optical element 711 and the optical axis of the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 coincide with each other, and the optical axis of the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 and the optical axis of the diffusion optical element 711 are perpendicular to the optical axis of the wavelength conversion element 7081, which coincides with the extension of the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7, at the light combining element 706. However, this is not limited to the above, and the wavelength conversion element 7081 and the diffusion optical element 711 may be interchanged. That is, the diffusion optical element 711 may be arranged on an extension of the light emission optical axis of the light source device 7, and the wavelength conversion element 7081 may be arranged opposite the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 so that the optical axis of the wavelength conversion element 7081 and the optical axis of the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 coincide with each other. In this case, the optical axis of the solid-state light-emitting element 7021 and the optical axis of the wavelength conversion element 7081 are perpendicular to the optical axis of the diffusion optical element 711 at the light combining element 706 .
[0105] In each of the above embodiments, the light source unit 702 is provided on the side opposite to the light emitting side of the solid-state light emitting element 7021, and includes the heat receiving member 7023 that receives heat from the solid-state light emitting element 7021. However, this is not limiting, and the heat receiving member 7023 may be omitted. In this case, the heat pipe 7024 may be connected to the support member 7020. In each of the above-described embodiments, the light source unit 702 includes the heat dissipation member 7025 connected to the heat receiving member 7023 in a heat transferable manner. However, this is not limiting, and the heat dissipation member 7025 may be omitted. In addition, the heat dissipation member 7025 does not need to be provided in the vicinity of the solid-state light emitting element 7021, and the arrangement position of the heat dissipation member 7025 can be changed as appropriate. In each of the above embodiments, the light source unit 702 includes the heat pipe 7024 that connects the heat receiving member 7023 and the heat dissipating member 7025 in a heat transferable manner. However, the heat pipe 7024 may be omitted. In this case, the heat dissipating member 7025 may be directly connected to the heat receiving member 7023.
[0106] In each of the above embodiments, the fans 54, 55 are provided between the light source device 7 and the emission parts 913 of the projection optical devices 9A, 9C in the +Z direction. However, this is not limiting, and there may be no fans between the light source device 7 and the emission parts 913 in the +Z direction, and the number and positions of the fans in the exterior housing are not limited to those described above.
[0107] In each of the above embodiments, the projection optical devices 9A and 9C include an optical path changing member 95 that reflects the image light that has traveled in the -X direction on the passing optical path 94 in the +X direction and the +Y direction to change the traveling direction of the image light to the opposite direction. However, this is not limiting, and the optical path changing member 95 may be omitted. In other words, the projection optical devices 9A and 9C may project the image light that has passed through the passing optical path 94 in the -X direction.
[0108] In each of the above embodiments, the light modulation device 85 includes three light modulation elements 85B, 85G, and 85R. However, the number of light modulation elements included in the light modulation device is not limited to three and can be changed as appropriate. In addition, each of the light modulation elements 85B, 85G, and 85R has a transmissive liquid crystal panel with different light incident and exit surfaces. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may have a reflective liquid crystal panel with the same light incident and exit surfaces. In addition, a light modulation element other than a liquid crystal, such as a device using a micromirror such as a DMD, may be used as long as it is a light modulation element that can modulate an incident light beam to form an image according to image information.
[0109] In the fifth modification of the first embodiment, the second reflecting optical element 88 transmits the white light WL incident from the first reflecting optical element 87 in the +X direction and reflects the image light incident from the image generating element 89 in the +Z direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the second reflecting optical element 88 may be configured to reflect the white light WL incident from the first reflecting optical element 87 in the +X direction in the -Z direction and transmit the image light incident from the image generating element 89 in the +Z direction. In this case, the image generating element 89 may be disposed in the -Z direction with respect to the second reflecting optical element 88. The second reflecting optical element 88 may also be configured to reflect the white light WL incident from the first reflecting optical element 87 in the +X direction in the -Y direction or +Y direction and reflect the image light incident from the image generating element 89 in the +Z direction. In this case, the image generating element 89 may be disposed in the -Y direction or +Y direction with respect to the second reflecting optical element 88.
[0110] In the above-described embodiments, the projectors 1A, 1G, 1H, and 1I that project image light to display an image are exemplified as projection devices. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and a projection device according to the present disclosure may be one that projects light, and is not necessarily limited to one that projects image light.
[0111] [Summary of this disclosure] The following is a summary of this disclosure. A projection device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a projection optical device having an incident optical path along which image light is incident and a passing optical path bent from the incident optical path, an image generating device that causes the image light to be incident on the incident optical path, a light source device that supplies illumination light to the image generating device, and a first device arranged on the opposite side of the projection optical device from the light source device, the first device being at least one of a control device and a power supply device. Here, the direction along the optical axis of the passing light path is defined as the first direction, the direction in which the light source device, the projection optical device, and the first device are aligned is defined as the second direction, and the direction intersecting each of the first and second directions is defined as the third direction. According to this configuration, the projection optical device has an incident optical path and a passing optical path that is bent from the incident optical path, so that the size of the projection device in the first direction can be reduced. Also, since the light source device and the image generating device do not overlap with the first device in the third direction, the size of the projection device in the third direction can be reduced. Therefore, the projection device can be made more compact.
[0112] In one of the above aspects, the projection optical device includes an exterior housing that constitutes the exterior of the projection device, the projection optical device has a housing for a projection optical device in which the incident light path and the passing light path are provided, the exterior housing includes a first inlet provided at a position on the side where one of the first device and the light source device is arranged, and a first exhaust outlet provided at a position on the side where the other of the first device and the light source device is arranged, and air introduced into the interior of the exterior housing from the first inlet may pass between the exterior housing and a portion of the housing for the projection optical device that corresponds to the passing light path. According to this configuration, the air introduced into the exterior housing from the first inlet can flow through the first device and the light source device, and then can be discharged to the outside of the exterior housing from the first exhaust port, thereby efficiently cooling the first device and the light source device. In addition, the air introduced into the exterior housing from the first inlet passes between the exterior housing and a portion of the projection optical device housing that separates the space on the light source device side from the space on the first device side according to the optical path through which the air passes. This makes it easier for air to flow from one of the spaces on the first device side and the space on the light source device side to the other space. Therefore, it is easier for air to flow inside the exterior housing, which can increase the cooling efficiency of the light source device and the first device.
[0113] In the above aspect, the first inlet may be provided on one of an outer surface on the first device side and an outer surface on the light source device side of the outer housing that intersects with a direction in which the light source device, the projection optical device, and the first device are arranged. With this configuration, it is possible to easily introduce air from outside the exterior housing into the interior of the exterior housing through the first inlet, which makes it easier to circulate air through the first device and the light source device inside the exterior housing, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the first device and the light source device.
[0114] In the above aspect, the first inlet may be provided in a portion of the outer surface of the exterior housing that intersects in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the light source device, the projection optical device, and the first device are arranged, on the side where one of the first device and the light source device is arranged. According to such a configuration, for example, when the first inlet is provided on an outer surface corresponding to the bottom or back surface of the exterior housing, the first inlet can be provided in an inconspicuous position.
[0115] In the above aspect, the exterior housing may have a second exhaust port provided on an outer surface on the side where one of the first device and the light source device is arranged, the second exhaust port intersecting the direction in which the light source device, the projection optical device, and the first device are arranged. According to this configuration, the second exhaust port is provided on the outer surface of the exterior housing on the side where the first inlet is arranged relative to the projection optical device. According to this, when the first device or the light source device is cooled by a part of the air introduced into the interior of the exterior housing through the first inlet, the air that has cooled the first device or the light source device can be quickly exhausted to the outside of the exterior housing through the second exhaust port. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the hot air from accumulating inside the exterior housing, and it is possible to lower the temperature inside the exterior housing.
[0116] In the above-mentioned aspect, the exterior housing includes a first outer surface that intersects the passing optical path and intersects a direction that intersects with a direction in which the light source device, the projection optical device, and the first device are arranged, and the housing for the projection optical device has, at a portion corresponding to the passing optical path, a first portion having a small distance to the first outer surface and a second portion having a large distance to the first outer surface, and air introduced into the exterior housing from the first inlet may pass between the first outer surface and the second portion. According to this configuration, a flow path through which air flows in the second direction or the direction opposite to the second direction within the exterior housing can be provided in the housing for the projection optical device, thereby enabling smooth flow of air in the second direction or the direction opposite to the second direction.
[0117] In the above-described aspect, the air introduced into the exterior housing from the first inlet may pass between an outer surface of the exterior housing that is on an extension of the optical axis of the passing optical path and a portion of the projection optical device housing that corresponds to the incident optical path. According to this configuration, a flow path through which air flows in the second direction or the direction opposite to the second direction can be provided between the outer surface on the extension line of the optical axis of the passing optical path and the projection optical device housing, thereby enabling smooth flow of air in the second direction or the direction opposite to the second direction.
[0118] In the above aspect, the exterior housing may be provided with a second inlet port, which introduces air circulating through the light source device into the exterior housing, on an outer surface facing the light source device relative to the projection optical device, other than the outer surface on which the first exhaust port is provided. According to this configuration, it is possible to easily introduce the air outside the exterior housing into the interior of the exterior housing, and it is possible to circulate the low-temperature cooling gas to the object to be cooled, such as the light source device, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the object to be cooled.
[0119] In the above aspect, a fan may be provided between the light passage and the light source device. With this configuration, the fan can be disposed in a position within the projection device that would otherwise tend to become dead space, and therefore the components can be densely arranged within the projection device, making it possible to reduce the dimensions of the projection device and thus to achieve a more compact projection device.
[0120] In the above aspect, the light source device includes a light source and a heat dissipation member to which heat from the light source is transferred, and the heat dissipation member may be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the light source device, the projection optical device, and the first device are arranged and the passing light path. According to this configuration, the heat dissipation area of the heat from the light source can be increased by the heat dissipation member, and therefore the efficiency of dissipating heat generated in the light source can be further improved. Furthermore, by providing the heat dissipation member in the third direction relative to the light source, the size of the projection device in the first direction can be reduced compared to when the heat dissipation member is provided in the first direction relative to the light source. [Explanation of symbols]
[0121] 1A, 1G, 1H, 1I...projector, 2A, 2G, 2H, 2I...exterior housing, 22, 22H...bottom, 222...inlet, 23, 23G...front, 231...inlet, 25...left side, 251...opening (exhaust port), 26...right side, 261...opening (inlet, exhaust port), 3...control device, 4...power supply, 5A, 5G, 5H...cooling device, 51...filter, 52...duct, 53...fan, 54...fan, 55...fan, 56...fan, 57...fan, 58...fan, 59...fan, 6A , 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E, 6F...image projection device, 7...light source device, 701...light source housing, 7021...solid-state light-emitting element (light source), 7023...heat receiving member, 7025...heat dissipation member, 8A, 8E, 8F...image generating device, 9A, 9C...projection optical device, 91...lens housing (housing for projection optical device), 911...incident portion, 912...bending portion, 913...exiting portion, 9131...protruding portion (first portion), 9132...recess (second portion), 92...incident light path, 93...bending member, 94...passing light path, 95...light path changing member.
Claims
1. a projection optical device having an incident optical path along which image light is incident and a passing optical path bent from the incident optical path; an image generating device that causes the image light to be incident on the incident light path; a light source device for supplying illumination light to the image generating device; a first device, which is at least one of a control device and a power supply device, and which is disposed on an opposite side of the projection optical device from the light source device; An exterior housing constituting the exterior; A fan and a light emission optical axis for emitting light from an emission port of the light source device and an optical axis of the incident light path of the projection optical device are parallel to each other; an extension line of the light output optical axis of the light source device intersects with an extension line of the optical axis of the passing optical path of the projection optical device; a length of the exterior housing along the optical axis direction of the incident light path of the projection optical device is longer than a length of the exterior housing along the optical axis direction of the passing light path of the projection optical device, The light source device is A light source; a heat dissipation member to which heat from the light source is transferred, the heat dissipation member is provided so as to be shifted in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the light source device, the projection optical device, and the first device are arranged and a direction in which the light path is perpendicular to the direction in which the light source device, the projection optical device, and the first device are arranged, and the heat dissipation member is provided so as to be shifted in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the light path is passed, the cooling gas being blown out by the fan; A projection device comprising:
2. 2. The projection device according to claim 1, The fan is provided between the light path and the light source device. A projection device comprising:
3. a projection optical device having an incident optical path along which image light is incident and a passing optical path bent from the incident optical path; an image generating device that causes the image light to be incident on the incident light path; a light source device for supplying illumination light to the image generating device; a first device, which is at least one of a control device and a power supply device, and which is disposed on an opposite side of the projection optical device from the light source device; An exterior housing that configures the exterior, a light emission optical axis for emitting light from an emission port of the light source device and an optical axis of the incident light path of the projection optical device are parallel to each other; an extension line of the light output optical axis of the light source device does not intersect with an optical axis of the passing optical path of the projection optical device, and intersects with an extension line of the optical axis of the passing optical path of the projection optical device; a length of the exterior housing along the optical axis direction of the incident light path of the projection optical device is longer than a length of the exterior housing along the optical axis direction of the passing light path of the projection optical device; A projection device comprising:
4. 4. The projection device according to claim 1, the projection optical device includes a projection optical device housing in which the incident light path and the passing light path are provided, The exterior housing is a first inlet provided at a position on a side where one of the first device and the light source device is arranged; a first exhaust port provided in a portion on a side where the other of the first device and the light source device is disposed, the air introduced into the exterior housing from the first inlet passes between the exterior housing and a portion of the projection optical device housing corresponding to the passing optical path; A projection device comprising:
5. 5. The projection device according to claim 4, the first inlet is provided on one of an outer surface on the first device side and an outer surface on the light source device side, the outer surface intersecting a direction in which the light source device, the projection optical device, and the first device are arranged in the exterior housing; A projection device comprising:
6. 5. The projection device according to claim 4, the first inlet is provided in a portion of an outer surface of the exterior housing, the outer surface intersecting a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the light source device, the projection optical device, and the first device are arranged, on a side where one of the first device and the light source device is arranged. A projection device comprising:
7. 7. The projection device according to claim 6, the exterior housing has a second exhaust port provided on an outer surface on a side where one of the first device and the light source device is arranged, the second exhaust port being disposed in a direction intersecting with a direction in which the light source device, the projection optical device, and the first device are arranged; A projection device comprising:
8. The projection device according to any one of claims 4 to 7, the exterior housing includes a first outer surface that intersects with the passing optical path and with a direction that intersects with a direction in which the light source device, the projection optical device, and the first device are arranged, the projection optical device housing has, at a portion corresponding to the passing light path, a first portion having a small distance to the first outer surface and a second portion having a large distance to the first outer surface; The air introduced into the exterior housing from the first inlet passes between the first outer surface and the second portion. A projection device comprising:
9. The projection device according to any one of claims 4 to 7, the air introduced into the exterior housing from the first inlet passes between an outer surface of the exterior housing that is on an extension of the optical axis of the passing optical path and a portion of the projection optical device housing that corresponds to the incident optical path; A projection device comprising:
10. 10. The projection device according to claim 4, the exterior housing includes a second inlet port, which is provided on an outer surface of the exterior housing that faces the light source device with respect to the projection optical device and is different from an outer surface on which the first exhaust port is provided, and which introduces air circulating through the light source device into the exterior housing; A projection device comprising:
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