Image display apparatus and head-mounted display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9405121-B2
Application number	US-201514878224-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2015
Priority date	Jun 4, 2012
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

An image display apparatus includes a plurality of light source sections, a light combining section that combines light fluxes, an optical scan section that swings around a first axis and a second axis to deflect a combined light from the light combining section for scanning, and a controller that controls an amplitude of the optical scan section around the first axis to be greater than that of the optical scan section around the second axis, wherein an optical axis of each of the light fluxes from the plurality of light source sections to the optical scan section and the first axis are present in a first plane, the optical scan section has a light reflection surface configured to be perpendicular to the first plane, and the light reflection surface is irradiated with the combined light and traveling in a direction inclined to a normal to the light reflection surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image display apparatus comprising:
a plurality of light source sections each of which emits a light flux;
a light combining section that combines the light fluxes emitted from the plurality of light source sections;
an optical scan section that swings around a first axis and a second axis intersected with the first axis to deflect a combined light from the light combining section for two-dimensional scanning; and
a controller that controls an amplitude of a swing motion of the optical scan section around the first axis to be greater than the amplitude of the swing motion of the optical scan section around the second axis,
wherein an optical axis of each of the light fluxes emitted from the plurality of light source sections and directed through the light combining section toward the optical scan section and the first axis are present in a first plane,
the optical scan section has a light reflection surface configured to intersect with the first plane, and
the light reflection surface is irradiated with the combined light emitted from the light combining section and traveling in a direction inclined to a normal to the light reflection surface.

2. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the optical scan section includes a movable portion having the light reflection surface, a frame that surrounds the movable portion, a support member that supports the frame, a first shaft that connects the movable portion to the frame in such away that the movable portion is swingable around the first axis relative to the frame, and a second shaft that connects the frame to the support member in such a way that the frame is swingable around the second axis relative to the support member.

3. The image display apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein a width of the frame in a direction perpendicular to the first plane is smaller than the width of the frame in an in-plane direction in the first plane.

4. The image display apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the optical scan section further includes a permanent magnet provided on the frame and a coil that faces the frame and produces a magnetic field that acts on the permanent magnet.

5. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light reflection surface resonantly swings around the first axis.

6. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising
a prism that is provided on an optical path between the light combining section and the optical scan section, inclines an optical axis of the combined light from the light combining section, and changes a cross-sectional shape of the combined light.

7. The image display apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the light flux emitted from each of the light source sections is linearly polarized light that behaves as s-polarized light with respect to a light incident surface of the prism.

8. The image display apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the prism changes the cross-sectional shape of the combined light from the light combining section by increasing a width of the combined light from the light combining section in an in-plane direction in the first plane.

9. The image display apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein a light exiting surface of the prism is a light collecting lens surface.

10. The image display apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising
a detector that detects an amount of light emitted from each of the light source sections and reflected off a light incident surface of the prism,
wherein drive operation of the light source section is controlled based on the amount of light detected by the detector.

11. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein an angle of radiation of the light flux emitted from each of the plurality of light source sections and directed in a direction perpendicular to the first plane is set to be greater than the angle of radiation of the light flux emitted in an in-plane direction in the first plane.

12. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of light source sections, the light combining section, and the optical scan section are arranged in an in-plane direction in the first plane.

13. An image display apparatus comprising:
a plurality of light source sections each of which emits a light flux;
a light combining section that combines the light fluxes emitted from the plurality of light source sections; and
an optical scan section that swings around a first axis and a second axis intersected with the first axis to deflect a combined light from the light combining section for two-dimensional scanning,
wherein an optical axis of each of the light fluxes emitted from the plurality of light source sections and directed through the light combining section toward the optical scan section and the first axis are present in a first plane,
the optical scan section has a light reflection surface configured to intersect with the first plane,
the light reflection surface is irradiated with the combined light emitted from the light combining section and traveling in a direction inclined to a normal to the light reflection surface, and
an amplitude of a swing motion of the optical scan section around the first axis is greater than the amplitude of the swing motion of the optical scan section around the second axis.

14. A head-mounted display comprising:
a light reflector that reflects at least part of light incident thereon; and
an image display apparatus that irradiates light to the light reflector,
the image display apparatus including
a plurality of light source sections each of which emits a light flux,
a light combining section that combines the light fluxes emitted from the plurality of light source sections,
an optical scan section that swings around a first axis and a second axis intersected with the first axis to deflect a combined light from the light combining section for two-dimensional scanning, and
a controller that controls an amplitude of a swing motion of the optical scan section around the first axis to be greater than the amplitude of the swing motion of the optical scan section around the second axis,
wherein an optical axis of each of the light fluxes emitted from the plurality of light source sections and directed through the light combining section toward the optical scan section and the first axis are present in a first plane,
the optical scan section has a light reflection surface configured to intersect with the first plane, and
the light reflection surface is irradiated with the combined light emitted from the light combining section and traveling in a direction inclined to a normal to the light reflection surface.

15. The head-mounted display according to claim 14 ,
wherein the optical scan section includes a movable portion having the light reflection surface, a frame that surrounds the movable portion, a support member that supports the frame, a first shaft that connects the movable portion to the frame in such away that the movable portion is swingable around the first axis relative to the frame, and a second shaft that connects the frame to the support member in such a way that the frame is swingable around the second axis relative to the support member.

16. The head-mounted display according to claim 15 ,
wherein a width of the frame in a direction perpendicular to the first plane is smaller than the width of the frame in an in-plane direction in the first plane.

17. The head-mounted display according to claim 15 ,
wherein the optical scan

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Ishida Daisuke
• Yonekubo Masatoshi

Classifications

• G02B2027/0112

  comprising device for genereting colour display · CPC title

• H04N9/3129

  scanning a light beam on the display screen (scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161) · CPC title

• G02B27/01

  Head-up displays · CPC title

• G02B27/017 Primary

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title