3D Display Device Polarization Optical Path Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional 3D image display devices face a trade-off between improving image forming quality and reducing thickness, as increasing the focal length of the lens array to enhance quality necessitates a corresponding increase in the thickness of optical elements.
Innovation Solution
The proposed 3D image display device incorporates an image projection unit, a first polarization unit, a lens array, a quarter-wave plate, and a reflection unit, which sequentially polarize and refract images to allow sub-images with different visual angles to be viewed from various angles, while maintaining a shorter optical path length and reducing overall thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the focal length of the lens array is increased to improve image forming quality, then the overlapping level between sub-images is reduced and image forming quality is improved, but the thickness of the optical element must be increased correspondingly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces polarization dimension to control light propagation. By using polarization units and quarter-wave plates, the system achieves different optical path lengths for different polarization states, allowing the lens array to operate with effectively longer focal length while maintaining compact physical thickness through polarization-based optical path management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the polarization state parameter of light to control optical path length. By converting linear polarization to circular polarization and back using quarter-wave plates, the system adjusts the effective optical path length without changing the physical distance, thereby achieving improved image forming quality without increasing optical element thickness.
2Length of stationary object
If the focal length of the lens array is shortened to reduce optical element thickness, then the 3D image display device becomes thinner, but the overlapping level between sub-images increases and image forming quality is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses polarization dimension to decouple the relationship between physical thickness and optical path length. By introducing quarter-wave plates and polarization units, the system creates additional optical paths that effectively extend the focal length while maintaining a compact physical structure, thus achieving thin device thickness without sacrificing image forming quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The quarter-wave plate acts as an intermediary element that converts polarization states to control optical path length. This mediator allows the system to achieve longer effective focal length without increasing physical thickness, resolving the contradiction between device thickness and image forming quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances image forming quality without significantly increasing the thickness of optical elements, allowing for improved 3D image display with adjustable focal lengths and the ability to switch between 3D and 2D display modes.
Implementation Method 1
The first polarization unit is disposed on a projection path of the first image for linearly polarizing the first image to have a first linear polarization direction
Implementation Method 2
The lens array is disposed on the projection path of the first image for refracting an image having a second linear polarization direction
Implementation Method 3
The first quarter-wave plate is disposed on the projection path of the first image for converting polarization direction of an image between a linear polarization direction and a circular polarization direction
Implementation Method 4
The reflection unit is disposed on the projection path of the first image for reflecting the first image transmitted from the first quarter-wave plate back to the first quarter-wave plate
Data Source
AI summary
A 3D image display device includes an image projection unit for projecting a first image; a first polarization unit disposed on a projection path of the first image for linearly polarizing the first image to have a first linear polarization direction; a lens array disposed on the projection path of the first image for refracting an image having a second linear polarization direction, the second linear polarization direction being different from the first linear polarization direction; a first quarter-wave plate disposed on the projection path of the first image for converting polarization direction of an image between a linear polarization direction and a circular polarization direction; and a reflection unit disposed on the projection path of the first image for reflecting the first image transmitted from the first quarter-wave plate back to the first quarter-wave plate.