Patent ID: 7746559

Claim:
An image projecting device comprising a light source system, a spatial light modulator (SLM) unit, and an image projection optics accommodated at the output side of the SLM unit, wherein the light source system comprises several light sources for generating, respectively, several light beams of different wavelength ranges, at least some of said light sources being highly polarized light sources, the device being configured for projecting a colored image, and having one of the following configurations: (a) comprises a wavelength-selective periscope structure allowing transparency for given wavelengths and reflecting other wavelengths, accommodated between the light source system and the SLM unit; (b) comprises additional SLM units, each in the optical path of the corresponding one of said light beams, and a wavelength combiner accommodated in the optical paths of modulated light beams emerging from the SLM units; and the SLM unit has one of the following configurations: (i) said SLM unit includes a pixel array arrangement in the form of a multi-layer structure defining a pixel array assembly and at least one microlens assembly enclosed between two substrates, the microlens assembly being located within a multi-layer polymer spacer structure between the substrate and the pixel assembly and including at least one microlens array accommodated proximate of the pixel array assembly at least upstream thereof with respect to a direction of propagation of light from the light source system towards the SLM unit, and operating to condense and focus incident light onto the pixel array; (ii) said SLM unit includes a pixel array assembly and a microlens assembly, the microlens assembly having first and second microlens arrays accommodated in a spaced-apart parallel relationship at least upstream of the pixel array assembly with respect to a direction of propagation of light from the light source system towards the SLM unit and being located within a multi-layer polymer spacer structure between the respective substrate and the pixel assembly, the lenses of said second array located closer to the pixel array assembly being smaller or having different focal length than those of the first array, the lenslet assembly thereby condensing and focusing the incident light to impinge in form of a plurality of parallel light components onto a plurality of pixels, respectively.