Rotating Wavelength Conversion Device for Compact Projection Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional illumination systems for projection devices are costly and large due to the need for additional optical elements like focusing lenses to ensure blue light fully enters the phosphor wheel, which is inefficient for generating red and green light.
Innovation Solution
An illumination system with an excitation light source, a first light splitting element, a first light reflecting element, a wavelength conversion device, and a light filtering device, where the wavelength conversion device rotates to alternately enter the excitation beam path, allowing the system to generate red and green light without requiring additional optical collimating mirrors, thus reducing size and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If additional optical elements like focusing lenses are added to ensure blue light fully enters the phosphor wheel, then the illumination efficiency is improved, but the device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the wavelength conversion function and optical path control function into a single rotating wavelength conversion device. This device alternately exposes different portions of the phosphor wheel to the blue laser beam, directly generating red and green light without requiring separate focusing lenses for each color path, thereby reducing device size while maintaining illumination efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a rotating wavelength conversion device that dynamically alternates between converting blue light to red light and allowing green light to pass through. This dynamic operation enables a single optical component to perform multiple functions that would traditionally require separate static components, reducing the overall device footprint
2Productivity
If additional optical elements like focusing lenses are added to ensure blue light fully enters the phosphor wheel, then the illumination efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple optical functions into a single rotating wavelength conversion device, eliminating the need for multiple expensive optical elements such as separate focusing lenses for red and green light paths. This consolidation reduces component count and manufacturing complexity while maintaining high illumination efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating wavelength conversion device serves multiple functions: it converts blue light to red light, allows green light to pass through, and controls the optical path timing. This multi-functional component replaces what would traditionally require multiple specialized optical elements, reducing overall system cost
3Volume of stationary object
If the wavelength conversion device rotates to alternately enter the excitation beam path, then the structure is simplified and size is reduced, but the complexity of controlling the rotation timing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wavelength conversion device rotates periodically to alternately expose different portions of the phosphor wheel to the blue laser beam. This periodic rotation is synchronized with the laser modulation, creating a predictable and controllable pattern that simplifies the control logic compared to more complex dynamic switching mechanisms
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Provided is an illumination system including an excitation light source, a first light splitting element, a first light reflecting element, a wavelength conversion device, and a light filtering device. The excitation light source provides an excitation beam including a first sub-beam and a second sub-beam. The first light splitting element includes a first zone and a second zone. The wavelength conversion device includes an optical zone and a wavelength conversion zone. In a first time period, the first sub-beam is transmitted to the optical zone via the first zone, and the second sub-beam is transmitted to the light filtering device via the first light splitting element and the first light reflecting element. In a second time period, the excitation beam is transmitted to the wavelength conversion zone to be converted into a first conversion beam. Therefore, the structure can be simplified and the size can be reduced.