Pinhole array and display device using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9256060-B2
Application number	US-201314406139-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2013
Priority date	Jun 27, 2012
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

Two pieces of elliptic semi-sphere surfaces, each forming a pinhole at the zenith thereof and also forming a reflection mirror on an inside thereof are stuck onto each other, with facing the interior surfaces thereof, respectively. A light ray entering therein from one of the pinholes, after being reflected between the elliptic semi-sphere surfaces facing to each other, emits from the pinhole on opposite side at an angle plane symmetric to the incident angle. Disposing the elliptic semi-sphere surfaces facing to each other, aligning on a plane, by plural numbers thereof, there is built up a pinhole array. Plural numbers of light rays reflecting on and/or emitting from a display object, which is disposed on one side of the pinhole array, after passing through the plural numbers of pinholes of the pinhole array, form an image at a position plane symmetric thereto, on the opposite side of the pinhole array.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pinhole array, comprising:
plural numbers of entrance pinholes, each of which is configured to capture a light ray therein;
plural numbers of exit pinholes, each of which is configured to emit the light ray therefrom; and
plural numbers of pinhole reflectors, in each of which a pair of an entrance pinhole and an exit pinhole are formed to face to each other, and each of which is configured to emit the light ray entering therein from said entrance pinhole, after reflecting at least two (2) times therein, wherein
an image is formed by the light rays emitting from said plural numbers of exit pinholes.

2. The pinhole array, as described in the claim 1 , wherein
said each pinhole reflector has elliptic semi-sphere recessed reflection surfaces, facing to each other therein, and the pinhole is provided at a zenith portion of said elliptic semi-sphere surface.

3. The pinhole array as described in the claim 2 , wherein
facing surfaces of said plural numbers of pinhole reflectors are formed to be nearly on a same surface.

4. The pinhole array, as described in the claim 1 , wherein
said pinhole reflectors are so formed that the light ray entering therein at a desired angle “θin” from one of the pinholes, after being reflected at least two (2) times between the elliptic semi-sphere surfaces facing to each other, can emit at an angle “θin” plane symmetric to an incident angle from the pinhole on an opposite side thereof.

5. The pinhole array, as described in claim 1 , wherein
said pinhole reflector means is hollow in an inside of the elliptic semi-sphere surfaces, and has reflecting films on the interior surface thereof, and further a hole is formed at a zenith portion of the elliptic semi-sphere surface, or the reflecting film is removed therefrom, so as to allow a light to transmit therethrough.

6. The pinhole array, as described in claim 1 , wherein
said pinhole reflector means is formed from a material for transmitting a light sufficiently through the semi-sphere surfaces thereof, and an outside thereof is covered by a reflection film, and further a hole is formed at a zenith portion of the elliptic semi-sphere surface, or the reflecting film is removed therefrom, so as to allow a light to transmit therethrough.

7. The pinhole array, as described in claim 1 , wherein
a refractor lens is added to the pinhole of said pinhole array, thereby to increase/decrease an amount and an angle of the light to be captured therein.

8. The pinhole array, as described in claim 1 , wherein
a shielding wall of predetermined height, having a reflecting surface inside thereof, on periphery of the pinhole of said pinhole array.

9. The pinhole array, as described in claim 1 , wherein
a light shielding means, being equal to or less than diameter of the pinhole is provided at a center of the pinhole reflector means for building up said pinhole array.

10. A display device, for collecting the light rays, reflecting on or emitting from an object or a display body, which is disposed on the pinhole array, as described in claim 1 , at a position plane symmetric to said pinhole array means forming thereby forming an image.

Assignees

• Hitachi Maxell

Inventors

• Kobori Tomoki
• Seo Yoshiho
• Hirata Koji
• Ikeda Hidehiro
• Ouchi Satoshi

Classifications

• G02B17/0808

  on-axis systems with at least one of the mirrors having a central aperture · CPC title

• G02B30/56

  by projecting aerial or floating images · CPC title

• G02B17/008

  Systems specially adapted to form image relays or chained systems · CPC title

• G02B17/061

  on-axis systems with at least one of the mirrors having a central aperture · CPC title

• G02B17/002 Primary

  Arrays of reflective systems · CPC title