Optical Engine Light Combining Surface Angle Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical engine units experience significant light energy loss during light combining due to high incident angles on coated surfaces, leading to reduced light combining efficiency and increased reliability issues caused by the use of glue on the optical path.
Innovation Solution
An optical engine unit is designed with a light splitting assembly, first and second spatial light modulators, and a light combining apparatus with a coated surface, where the incident angles of the modulated light beams are kept below the total reflection angle, eliminating the need for glue and reducing the complexity of coating designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a light combining assembly with dielectric coating is used, then light combining function is achieved, but light energy loss increases due to high incident angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the incident angle parameter of the light beam on the light combining surface from a high angle to a low angle (smaller than the total reflection angle). This parameter change allows the dielectric coated surface to achieve both high light combining efficiency and low light energy loss, as the coating performs optimally at smaller incident angles.
2Stability of the object's composition
If glue is used to fix the light combining assembly, then assembly stability is improved, but reliability decreases due to glue on the optical path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the glue from the optical path by adopting a mechanical connection structure (such as bayonet coupling or screw fixation) to secure the light combining assembly. This eliminates the harmful factor of glue on the optical path while maintaining assembly stability through alternative mechanical means.
3Reliability
If a coated surface is used for light combining, then light combining function is achieved, but device complexity increases due to multiple film layers
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the incident angle parameter to be smaller than the total reflection angle, the patent enables the use of fewer film layers in the dielectric coating while still achieving high light combining efficiency. This reduces the complexity of the coating structure and minimizes drift in the coating curve.
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 light combining efficiency by minimizing light loss and improving the reliability of the optical engine unit by reducing the number of film layers and drift in the coating curve, while ensuring no glue is present on the optical path.
Implementation Method 1
The light combining surface is a coated surface, the light combining surface is configured to combine the first modulated light beam and the second modulated light beam into an emergent light beam
Implementation Method 2
an incident angle of the first modulated light beam on the light combining surface and that of the second modulated light beam being smaller than a total reflection angle of the light combining surface
Implementation Method 3
The light splitting assembly is configured to split an illumination beam incident on the light splitting assembly into a first light beam and a second light beam
Data Source
AI summary
An optical engine unit and a projection system are provided. The optical engine unit includes a light splitting assembly, first and second spatial light modulators, and a light combining assembly. The light splitting assembly splits an illumination beam incident on the light splitting assembly into first and second light beams. The first and second spatial light modulators respectively modulate the first and second light beams to form first and second modulated light beams. The light combining apparatus includes a light combining surface. The light combining surface is a coated surface and configured to combine the first modulated light beam and the second modulated light beam into an emergent light beam and emit the emergent light beam. An incident angle of the first modulated light beam on the light combining surface and that of the second modulated light beam being smaller than a total reflection angle of the light combining surface.