Image display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11275251-B2
Application number	US-202017097626-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2020
Priority date	Nov 8, 2018
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

An image display device of the present disclosure includes an image light generating device, a first, a second, a third, and a fourth optical unit. A first intermediate image is formed between the first and the third optical unit. A pupil is formed between the second and the fourth optical unit. A second intermediate image is formed between the third and the fourth optical unit. An exit pupil is formed at an opposite side of the fourth optical unit from the third optical unit. The image light generating device includes a first, a second, a third light emitting panel, and a color synthesis element. The color synthesis element is constituted of a cross dichroic prism including a first and a second dichroic film that intersect with each other. Each of the first and the second dichroic film does not have a polarization separation characteristic.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image display device, comprising:
an image light generating device;
a projection optical system;
a first diffraction element;
a mirror; and
a second diffraction element, wherein:
the projection optical system, the first diffraction element, the mirror, and the second diffraction element are provided along an optical path of image light emitted from the image light generating device such that on the optical path:
a first intermediate image of the image light is formed between the projection optical system and the mirror,
a pupil is formed between the first diffraction element unit and the second diffraction element,
a second intermediate image of the image light is formed between the mirror and the second diffraction element, and
an exit pupil is formed at an opposite side of the second diffraction element from the mirror, and

the image light generating device includes:
a first light emitting panel configured to emit a first image light,
a second light emitting panel configured to emit a second image light, and
a dichroic prism configured to synthesize the first image light, and the second image light, the dichroic prism includes a dichroic film having a characteristic such that an average difference in: (a) a reflectance of first polarized light, and (b) a reflectance of second polarized light, in a wavelength region of the first image light and in a wavelength region of the second image light, is less than or equal to 30%.

2. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the projection optical system includes a lens, and
the projection optical system has positive power.

3. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first diffraction element includes a first reflection-type volume hologram,
a shape of the first diffraction element has a central portion of the first diffraction element recessed and curved with respect to a peripheral portion of the first diffraction element in the incident direction of the image light,
the second diffraction element includes a second reflection-type volume hologram, and
a shape of the second diffraction element has a central portion of the second diffraction element recessed and curved with respect to a peripheral portion of the second diffraction element in the incident direction of the image light.

4. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the dichroic film has a characteristic such that an average difference in: (a) a reflectance of first polarized light, and (b) a reflectance of second polarized light, in a wavelength region of the first image light and in a wavelength region of the second image light, is less than or equal to 10%.

5. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the image light generating device includes a third light emitting panel configured to emit third image light,
the dichroic film includes a first dichroic film and a second dichroic film that intersect with each other, and
the first dichroic film and the second dichroic film has a characteristic such that an average difference in: (a) a reflectance of the first polarized light, and (b) a reflectance of the second polarized light, in a wavelength region of the first image light, a wavelength region of the second image light, and a wavelength region of the third image light, is less than or equal to 30%.

6. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the first light emitting panel and the second light emitting panel faces a light incident surface of the dichroic prism, and are disposed such that a longitudinal direction of an image generation region is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the dichroic prism.

7. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the first light emitting panel and the second light emitting panel includes a pixel having an organic electroluminescence element.

8. The image display device according to claim 7 , wherein
the organic electroluminescence element includes an optical resonator.

9. The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the first light emitting panel and the second light emitting panel includes a pixel having an inorganic light-emitting diode element.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Fukase Akio
• Ide Mitsutaka
• Noguchi Toshiyuki

Classifications

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• G03H1/0248

  Volume holograms · CPC title

• G02B17/0804

  using two curved mirrors (G02B17/0864, G02B17/0896 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B2027/0174

  holographic · CPC title