Patent ID: 7172296

Claim:
A projection display, comprising: a light source for providing an incident light beam to an array of micromirrors; an array of micromirrors, each micromirror having a shape defined by a plurality of micromirror sides; wherein the array of micromirrors has four sides and wherein there are no micromirror sides of the micromirrors in the array of micromirrors parallel to any sides of the array of micromirrors; wherein the micromirrors are capable of movement between an OFF state and an ON state and wherein the micromirrors correspond to pixels in a viewed image; wherein the micromirrors comprise micromirror plates that are connected via hinges to a substrate, and wherein the substrate, micromirror plates and hinges are disposed in different planes; wherein a first gap is defined between the substrate and the hinge and a second gap is defined between the hinge and the micromirror plate; wherein no micromirror sides are parallel to the incident light beam incident thereto when viewed from above the array; wherein the incident light beam is incident substantially perpendicularly to a side of the array; and wherein the incident light beam is substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the micromirror.