Optical modulator element, imaging apparatus, image projecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10180567-B2
Application number	US-201514643722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2015
Priority date	Mar 12, 2014
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

An optical modulator element includes a plurality of hole structure, a first liquid reservoir that stores a liquid to be propelled into the plurality of hole structure, a plurality of second liquid reservoirs that store the liquid to be propelled into the plurality of hole structure, and a movement control part that is arranged at at least one end of the second liquid reservoir that is closest to the first liquid reservoir and controls a movement of the liquid from the first liquid reservoir.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical modulator device, comprising:
a plurality of hole structures;
a first liquid reservoir that stores a liquid to be propelled into the plurality of hole structures;
a plurality of second liquid reservoirs that store a liquid to be propelled into and through the first liquid reservoir before being propelled into the plurality of hole structures; and
a movement control part device that is arranged at at least one end of the plurality of second liquid reservoirs that is closest to the first liquid reservoir, and controls a movement of the liquid from the first liquid reservoir, the movement control part device being arranged within the plurality of second liquid reservoirs.

2. The optical modulator device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second liquid reservoirs are connected in series.

3. The optical modulator device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of second liquid reservoirs is arranged along an outer periphery of the first liquid reservoir.

4. The optical modulator device according to claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of second liquid reservoirs is arranged along an outer periphery of the first liquid reservoir.

5. The optical modulator device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a ventilation structure that is connected to at least one of the plurality of hole structures and a liquid reservoir of the plurality of second liquid reservoirs, and
a gas moves between the at least one of the plurality of hole structures and the liquid reservoir of the plurality of second liquid reservoirs when an amount of liquid increases or decreases through the ventilation structure.

6. The optical modulator device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a ventilation structure that is connected to at least one of the plurality of hole structures and a liquid reservoir of the plurality of second liquid reservoirs, and
a gas moves between the at least one of the plurality of hole structures and the liquid reservoir of the plurality of second liquid reservoirs when an amount of liquid increases or decreases through the ventilation structure.

7. The optical modulator device according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a ventilation structure that is connected to at least one of the plurality of hole structures and a liquid reservoir of the plurality of second liquid reservoirs, and
a gas moves between the at least one of the plurality of hole structures and the liquid reservoir of the plurality of second liquid reservoirs when an amount of liquid increases or decreases through the ventilation structure.

8. The optical modulator device according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a ventilation structure that is connected to at least one of the plurality of hole structures and a liquid reservoir of the plurality of second liquid reservoirs, and
a gas moves between the at least one of the plurality of hole structures and the liquid reservoir of the plurality of second liquid reservoirs when an amount of liquid increases or decreases through the ventilation structure.

9. The optical modulator device according to claim 1 , wherein the second liquid reservoirs are positioned to the side of the first liquid reservoir and wherein the first liquid reservoir is positioned below an optical modulation layer.

Assignees

• Sangu Suguru
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sangu Suguru

Classifications

• G02B26/005 Primary

  based on electrowetting · CPC title

• H04N9/3105

  for displaying all colours simultaneously, e.g. by using two or more electronic spatial light modulators (simultaneous projection in colour photography G03B33/10; beam splitting or combining systems per se G02B27/10) · CPC title