Image display apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9599828-B2
Application number	US-201414496146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2014
Priority date	Apr 5, 2012
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

An image display apparatus is provided, which uses a light deflection element capable of deflecting incident light so as to follow the position of an observer, and suppressing reduction in the intensity of light reaching eyes of the observer, regardless of the position of the observer. The light deflection element according to the present disclosure is configured to deflect incident light, and includes: a first optical element that deflects incident light; a second optical element that changes a deflection direction of emitted light by changing a refractive index thereof according to a voltage applied thereto; a first electrode provided on the first optical element side; a plurality of second electrodes provided on the second optical element side; and a control section that controls the voltage applied to the second optical element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image display apparatus, comprising:
an image display panel;
a backlight device located on a back surface side of the image display panel; and
a light deflection element located between the image display panel and the backlight device, and configured to deflect incident light, wherein
the light deflection element comprises:
a first optical element configured to deflect incident light;
a second optical element configured to change a deflection direction of emitted light by changing a refractive index thereof according to a voltage applied thereto;
a first electrode provided on the first optical element side;
a plurality of second electrodes provided on the second optical element side; the plurality of second electrodes include edge electrodes and a center electrode; and
a control section configured to control the voltage applied to the second optical element, wherein
the first optical element is located on the backlight device side, and the second optical element is located on the image display panel side,
the first optical element is formed by arranging a deflection member extending in a first direction, in a one-dimensional array along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and
the control section is configured to control voltages applied to the second electrodes such that a first potential difference between the edge electrodes of the second electrodes and the first electrode which face each other at both edges of the deflection member, is larger than a second potential difference between the center electrode of the second electrodes and the first electrode which face each other at a center of the deflection member, and
when viewed from a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, an edge electrode of the edge electrodes is located at an edge of the first optical element in the first direction and the center electrode is located at a center of the first optical element in the first direction.

2. The image display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
an image signal for right eye and an image signal for left eye to which a parallax is provided are alternately inputted into the image display panel in a time division manner, and
the backlight device comprises:
a light guide plate having a pair of side surfaces, and configured to guide light incident on the side surfaces to an exit surface;
a first light source located so as to face one of the side surfaces, and configured to emit illumination light for displaying an image for right eye;
a second light source located so as to face the other of the side surfaces, and configured to emit illumination light for displaying an image for left eye; and
a light control sheet configured to deflect light emitted from the first light source and the second light source, toward ahead of the center of the image display panel, wherein
the first light source and the second light source are alternately lit up in synchronization with switching between the image signal for right eye and the image signal for left eye.

Assignees

• Panasonic Corp
• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kasano Masahiro
• Ichihashi Kouki

Classifications

• G02B5/045

  Prism arrays · CPC title

• G02B6/0055

  Reflecting element, sheet or layer · CPC title

• G02B6/0053

  Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer · CPC title

• H04N13/32

  using arrays of controllable light sources; using moving apertures or moving light sources · CPC title

• G02F1/1347

  Arrangement of liquid crystal layers or cells in which the final condition of one light beam is achieved by the addition of the effects of two or more layers or cells · CPC title