Patent · US Expired

Low cost color cube for liquid crystal light valve projector

US5917560A · kind A · utility

2Cited by
0References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 28, 1995
Grant dateJun 29, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 28, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B27/149
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A liquid crystal projector and color beamsplitter that comprises a single X-cube beamsplitter that transmits both incident and exit light beams. One half of the beamsplitter divides incident white light into three primary colors, and the other half of the beamsplitter combines the primary colors to produce white light that is used for projection. More specifically, the projector comprises a light source for projecting white light, and the color beamsplitter is disposed to receive the white light. The beamsplitter comprises four (right angle) prisms that each comprise a base and two sides, and that are disposed such that the sides of the prisms are adjacent each other. The incident white light is separated by the prisms and coupled along three separate light paths corresponding to red, green and blue light paths. Apparatus such as a plurality of mirrors, or an optical link, for example, are provided for coupling the red, green and blue light back toward the beamsplitter. The red, green and blue light returned toward the beamsplitter is combined by the beamsplitter to produce white light that is transmitted as projected light.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.