Projector Liquid Crystal Panel Microlens Brightness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Projectors using liquid crystal panels face a decrease in light transmittance due to disclination, which affects image brightness, as the electric field disturbance causes orientation deviations in liquid crystal molecules, leading to reduced light transmittance in certain areas of the sub-pixels.
Innovation Solution
The projector design includes a liquid crystal panel with a light blocking film and a microlens array that collects light into high-transmittance areas, where the illumination light beams are directed to pass through the high-transmittance regions, rather than the low-transmittance areas, by shifting the center of the illumination light flux from the optical axis of the superimposing lens and positioning the light transmissive areas to coincide with the high-transmittance areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If light is incident on the liquid crystal panel in a conventional manner, then the liquid crystal panel can modulate light to form an image, but disclination occurs causing decreased light transmittance and reduced image brightness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by directing light to incident on specific high-transmittance regions within each sub-pixel area of the liquid crystal panel, rather than uniformly across the entire sub-pixel. The microlens array focuses light into spot regions that correspond to areas with higher light transmittance, thereby locally optimizing light transmission while avoiding disclination-affected areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the light incident area within each sub-pixel into multiple regions with different transmittance characteristics. By using a microlens array, the light is divided and focused into specific spot regions that correspond to high-transmittance areas, rather than illuminating the entire sub-pixel uniformly. This segmentation allows selective utilization of high-transmittance regions.
2Illumination intensity
If the illumination light flux is centered on the optical axis of the superimposing lens, then the optical system maintains standard alignment, but light passes through low-transmittance areas causing image brightness reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetry by deliberately shifting the optical axis of the light source relative to the optical axis of the superimposing lens. This asymmetric alignment causes the illumination light flux to be incident on specific regions of the liquid crystal panel that correspond to high-transmittance areas, rather than being symmetrically centered. This asymmetric configuration optimizes light transmission while maintaining manageable optical system complexity.
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 effectively suppresses the decrease in light transmittance caused by disclination, resulting in a brighter image by ensuring that light passes through high-transmittance areas, regardless of the voltage application pattern, thereby enhancing image brightness.
Implementation Method 1
a lens that collects the light into a spot in the light transmissive area
Implementation Method 2
a liquid crystal panel that modulates the light from the illuminator in accordance with image information
Implementation Method 3
Disclination is a phenomenon in which a potential difference between adjacent sub-pixels of a liquid crystal panel causes electric field disturbance and the state of the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules is also disturbed
Data Source
AI summary
A projector according to the present disclosure includes an illuminator that outputs light, a light modulator including a liquid crystal panel that modulates the light from the illuminator in accordance with image information, and a projection optical apparatus that projects image light modulated by the light modulator. The liquid crystal panel includes a display unit on which the light from the illuminator is incident, a light blocking film having a light transmissive area provided in correspondence with the display unit, and a lens that collects the light into a spot in the light transmissive area. The display unit has a first area and a second area in the light transmissive area, the second area providing light transmittance higher than light transmittance provided by the first area. The illuminator outputs the light in such a way, that the lens collects the light into a spot in the second area.