Patent ID: 7989751
Filing Date: 2011-08-02
Classification: G02B,G03B,H04N

Abstract:
1. A light combining method for combining light to be emitted from a first plane, a second plane opposing to the first plane, and a third plane connecting the first plane and the second plane in a transverse direction by a mirror portion, comprising: arranging a first unit constituted of three segments in a horizontal direction and one segment in a vertical direction, and a second unit having the same arrangement as the first unit on the first plane and the second plane, respectively, in such a manner that the segments in the first unit and the segments in the second unit oppose to each other, and arranging a third unit having the same arrangement as the first unit on the third plane on the same level as the first unit and the second unit to define a first light source arrangement pattern and a second light source arrangement pattern; defining the first light source arrangement pattern by: defining segments opposing to each other and arranged at end positions out of the three segments in the first unit and the three segments in the second unit, as light source arrangement positions; and defining one of the three segments in the third unit, at the same position as the segment defined as the light source arrangement position in the first unit, as a light source arrangement position; defining the second light source pattern by: defining segments out of the segments in the first unit, the second unit, and the third unit, at end positions opposite to the segments defined as the light source arrangement positions in the first light source arrangement pattern, as light source arrangement positions; alternately arranging the first light source arrangement pattern and the second light source arrangement pattern in the vertical direction; and arranging the mirror portion for reflecting light from light sources arranged at the light source arrangement positions on the first plane and the second plane in the same direction as light from light sources arranged at the light source arrangement positions on the third plane to combine the light from the light sources, in an area surrounded by the first plane, the second plane, and the third plane.