U.S. patent application number 09/789228 was filed with the patent office on 2002-06-06 for illuminating apparatus using multiple light sources.
This patent application is currently assigned to Prokia Technology Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Chuang, Fu-Ming.
Application Number | 20020067612 09/789228 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 21662215 |
Filed Date | 2002-06-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020067612 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chuang, Fu-Ming |
June 6, 2002 |
Illuminating apparatus using multiple light sources
Abstract
An illuminating apparatus includes a plurality of light members
spaced apart from each other and operable so as to produce
forwardly directed parallel light rays, a parabolic reflector
disposed in front of the light members for receiving the forwardly
directed parallel light rays from the light members, and an
integrator unit. The parabolic reflector has a reflecting surface
that confronts the light members. The integrator unit has an input
side to receive the light rays reflected by the reflecting surface
of the parabolic reflector.
Inventors: |
Chuang, Fu-Ming; (Hsin-Chu
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Merchant & Gould P.C.
P.O. Box 2903
Minneapolis
MN
55402-0903
US
|
Assignee: |
Prokia Technology Co., Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
21662215 |
Appl. No.: |
09/789228 |
Filed: |
February 20, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/247 ;
362/236; 362/296.08 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21V 13/04 20130101;
G03B 21/208 20130101; G03B 21/2013 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
362/247 ;
362/236; 362/296 |
International
Class: |
F21V 007/00; F21Y
113/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 6, 2000 |
TW |
089126015 |
Claims
I claim:
1. An illuminating apparatus comprising: a plurality of light
members spaced apart from each other and operable so as to produce
forwardly directed parallel light rays; a parabolic reflector
disposed in front of said light members for receiving the forwardly
directed parallel light rays from said light members, said
parabolic reflector having a reflecting surface that confronts said
light members, and a first focal point; and an integrator unit
having an input side to receive the light rays reflected by said
reflecting surface of said parabolic reflector.
2. The illuminating apparatus of claim 1, wherein said integrator
unit includes a rod integrator having said input side that is
coincident with said first focal point such that the light rays
reflected by said reflecting surface converge at said input
side.
3. The illuminating apparatus of claim 1, wherein said integrator
unit includes: a lens array integrator having an incident end that
confronts said reflecting surface of said parabolic reflector, and
a radiating end; and a lens disposed between said parabolic
reflector and said lens array integrator, said lens having a second
focal point that is coincident with said first focal point such
that the light rays reflected by said reflecting surface converge
at said first and second focal points and pass through said lens
and such that the light rays are radiated in parallel toward said
incident end of said lens array integrator.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to an illuminating apparatus for a
projection display, more particularly to an illuminating apparatus
that utilizes a plurality of light sources to generate input light
for a projection display.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In a conventional projection display, input light is
filtered and separated into color components that are modulated and
subsequently recombined to generate an image output. A single light
source is commonly used to generate the input light in the
conventional projection display. For projection displays with a
high requirement of brightness, the single light source will incur
a corresponding increase in power requirement. High-power single
light sources are disadvantageous in that there is a severe heat
dissipation problem that is difficult to resolve when such light
sources are in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide
an illuminating apparatus that utilizes a plurality of light
sources to generate input light for a projection display.
[0006] According to the present invention, an illuminating
apparatus comprises:
[0007] a plurality of light members spaced apart from each other
and operable so as to produce forwardly directed parallel light
rays;
[0008] a parabolic reflector disposed in front of the light members
for receiving the forwardly directed parallel light rays from the
light members, the parabolic reflector having a reflecting surface
that confronts the light members; and
[0009] an integrator unit having an input side to receive the light
rays reflected by the reflecting surface of the parabolic
reflector.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the first preferred embodiment
of an illuminating apparatus according to this invention; and
[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the second preferred
embodiment of an illuminating apparatus according to this
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, the first preferred embodiment of an
illuminating apparatus 1 according to the present invention is
shown to comprise a plurality of light members 32, a parabolic
reflector 3, and an integrator unit.
[0014] The light members 2 are spaced apart from each other and are
disposed on a common place. Each of the light members 2 includes a
light source 22 and a parabolic reflector 21. The parabolic
reflector 21 has a connecting end 212 for connecting the light
source 22, and an open end 213 opposite to the connecting end 212.
The light parabolic reflector 21 further has a reflecting surface
211 for reflecting light rays that radiate from the light source 22
to produce forwardly directed parallel light rays. In design, the
number of the light members 2 depends on the requirement of
brightness in a projection display. The light members 2 can be
arranged in a ring formation.
[0015] The parabolic reflector 3 is disposed in front of the light
members 2 for receiving the forwardly directed parallel light rays
from the light members 2. The parabolic reflector 3 has a
reflecting surface 31 that confronts the light members 2, and a
focal point 32.
[0016] The integrator unit includes a rod integrator 4 that has an
input side 41 to receive the light rays reflected by the reflecting
surface 31 of the parabolic reflector 3. The input side 41 of the
rod integrator 4 is coincident with the focal point 32 such that
the light rays reflected by the reflecting surface 31 converge at
the input side 41. As such, input light for a projection display
(not shown) can be obtained from an output side 42 of the rod
integrator 4.
[0017] Because the high power is distributed among the light
members 2, the heat dissipation problem commonly encountered with
the use of a high-power single light source as taught in the prior
art can be easily overcome. In addition, when one of the light
members 2 breaks down, the illuminating apparatus can still work as
long as the remaining light members 2 are operable.
[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates the second preferred embodiment of an
illuminating apparatus 5 according to this invention, which is a
modification of the first preferred embodiment. Unlike the previous
embodiment, the integrator unit includes a lens array integrator
53, and a lens 54. The lens array integrator 53 has an incident end
531 that confronts the reflecting surface 520 of the parabolic
reflector 52, and a radiating end 532. The lens 54 is disposed
between the parabolic reflector 52 and the lens array integrator
53. The lens 54 has a second focal point 541 that is coincident
with the first focal point 521 of the parabolic reflector 52 such
that the light rays reflected by the reflecting surface 520
converge at the first and second focal points 521, 541 and pass
through the lens 54 and such that the light rays are radiated in
parallel toward the incident end 531 of the lens array integrator
53.
[0019] Like the previous embodiment, because the high power is
distributed among the light members 51, the heat dissipation
problem commonly encountered with the use of a high-power single
light source as taught in the prior art can be easily overcome.
[0020] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *