Patent ID: 6558007
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: F21V,F21W,G02B,H04N

Abstract:
An illumination optical system comprising:a light source; a smoothing device, having an entrance surface through which light from the light source enters the smoothing device and an exit surface through which the light that has entered the smoothing device exits therefrom, for smoothing an intensity distribution of the light on the exit surface; and a relay optical system, including a front lens unit through which the light that has exited from the smoothing device enters the relay optical system, a rear lens unit of which refractive power exhibits asymmetry in one direction and through which the light that has entered the relay optical system exits therefrom, and an aperture stop disposed between the front and rear lens units so as to restrict a diameter of a light flux, for making the light from different parts of the exit surface of the smoothing device converge so as to form an image of the exit surface of the smoothing device.