Magnified Projection Optical System with Long Back Focus

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

There is a trade-off relationship between achieving a wider angle and longer back focus in projection optical systems, making it difficult to implement systems with both high performance and reduced chromatic aberration, and existing solutions do not adequately address the correction of aberration.

Innovation Solution

A magnified-projection optical system is designed with a specific configuration that includes a projection optical system and relay optical system, where the negative group is positioned closest to the screen, and a positive group is placed after the negative group to correct lateral chromatic aberration, allowing for a long back focus and reduced chromatic aberration despite a short focal distance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If the projection optical system is designed with a wider angle to project images at a short distance, then the projection distance is reduced, but the back focus becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprojection speed (shorter projection distance)VSAvoidback focus
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The projection optical system is divided into multiple lens groups (first through fifth lens groups) with different optical powers arranged in sequence. This segmentation allows each group to contribute differently to the overall optical performance, enabling wide-angle projection while maintaining sufficient back focus distance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different lens groups are assigned specific functions: negative-powered lens groups are positioned to extend back focus, while positive-powered groups provide focusing capability. The fifth lens group specifically addresses lateral chromatic aberration, creating local optical quality improvements throughout the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Area of stationary object

If the projection optical system uses a short focal distance to achieve wide angle, then the projection coverage is improved, but chromatic aberration increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprojection coverageVSAvoidchromatic aberration
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fifth lens group is specifically designed with positive optical power and positioned to correct lateral chromatic aberration caused by the wide-angle first lens group. This localized correction maintains high image quality across the entire projection coverage area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The optical system uses multiple lens materials with different Abbe numbers (dispersion properties) to correct chromatic aberration. By combining lenses with varying dispersive characteristics, the system achieves color accuracy across the wide projection angle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Measurement precision

If the projection optical system is designed for high resolution to match close-packed display elements, then image clarity is improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage resolutionVSAvoidoptical system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The optical system is divided into five functional lens groups, each contributing to different aspects of image quality. This modular segmentation allows for systematic correction of various aberrations while maintaining manageable system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system optimizes multiple parameters including focal lengths, spacing between lens groups, and refractive indices to achieve high resolution. By carefully controlling these parameters, the system delivers sharp images matching close-packed display elements without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

The system achieves a high-performance magnified-projection optical system with a long back focus and reduced chromatic aberration, enabling clear image projection over a wide angle with improved MTF performance.

Implementation Method 1

a relay optical system and a projection optical system which are arranged in this order as viewed from the screen

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight transmission: Light

Implementation Method 2

projection optical system having a very long back focus... a magnified-projection optical system... wider angle (shorter focusing)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Implementation Method 3

a positive group is placed after the negative group to correct lateral chromatic aberration

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChromatic aberration correction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP2249193B1Magnified-projection optical system, and digital type planetarium device
Publication Date: 2022.12.28 KONICA MINOLTA ADVANCED LAYERS INC
  • EP2249193B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2249193B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2249193B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a magnified-projection optical system, which can retain a considerably long back focus although a focal length is short and which has a small chromatic aberration. The optical system comprises a projecting optical system, a relay optical system and a display element, which are sequentially arrayed from a screen side along the optical axis. The projecting optical system enlarges and projects the image, which has been linearly focused by the relay optical system, on the screen, and includes a negative group and a positive group arrayed sequentially from the screen side and having a negative optical power and a positive optical power, respectively. The optical system satisfies the following conditional relations of |Fb/F| > 10 and 0.5 < |F/Fp| < 2.0, wherein Fb: the back focus of the whole optical system including the projecting optical system and the relay optical system, F: the focal length of the whole optical system, and FP: the focal length of the projecting optical system