Patent ID: 6588908
Filing Date: 2003-07-08
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A projector device in which light from a light source is guided by an illuminating optical system to a total internal reflection prism, the light totally reflected by the total internal reflection prism is optically modulated by having the light reflected by a digital micromirror device, and the light transmitted by the total internal reflection prism after the optical modulation is projected by a projecting optical system on a screen, wherein:the total internal reflection prism has a total reflection plane which totally reflects illuminating light to guide the illuminating light to the digital micromirror device and totally transmits the light having undergone optical modulation by the digital micromirror device, and is so arranged relative to the digital micromirror device that a projection line representing a normal vector of the total reflection plane as viewed in a direction vertical to a surface of the digital micromirror device forms an angle smaller than 45Â° to one of a long side and a short side of the digital micromirror device; and the illuminating optical system so brings the illuminating light into incidence on the total reflection plane that a projection line representing the optical axis of the illuminating light emitted from the total internal reflection prism to the digital micromirror device, as viewed in the direction vertical to the surface of the digital micromirror device, forms an angle of 45Â° to the one of the long side and the short side of the digital micromirror device.