A projection display unit which has a light source, a reflecting mirror for reflecting a light pencil from the light source, a first multilens array for dividing a light pencil gathered by the reflecting mirror into a plurality of light pencils, a second multilens array for forming an image of the first multilens array, a polarization conversion element for converting light pencils in an irregular polarization state into linearly polarized light, a condenser having positive power for superposing the light pencils provided through the multilens array, a collimator lens having positive power for correcting the angle of a light beam, a display element for forming an image by electric modulation, a projection lens for enlarging and projecting the image formed on the display element, and a correction lens being disposed between the condenser and the collimator lens for correcting the light pencil.
A light distribution module adaptable to a LCD display system includes a first lens array having a plurality of lenses for condensing a light beam into a plurality of polarization separation elements for separating and converting the light beam into a first set and a second set of uniformly polarized and mutually orthogonal beams. An image source size reduction lens reduces and focuses the first set and second set of uniformly polarized beams into a second lens array having twice as many lenses as the first lens array. The second lens array has a first and second set of lens arrays for receiving and converting the light beams with a first and second polarizations into a plurality of beams all with the first polarization to focus to a size-reduced LCD panel for image display.
An illumination optical system comprises a first multi-lens array, a second multi-lens array, and a polarization conversion module. An optical modulation device of a projector is irradiated with light beams that are generated by passing incident light from a light source through the first multi-lens array, the second multi-lens array, and the polarization conversion module. The number of the first lens cells is greater than that of the polarization conversion units in a direction of an arrangement of the polarization conversion units. Further, each of particular ones among the polarization conversion units corresponds to at least two first lens cells in the direction of the arrangement of the polarization conversion units. Furthermore, the first lens cell in a portion where each of the particular ones corresponds to at least two first lens cells has such a decentered shape that a vertex of the first lens cell is off a center position of the first lens cell and closer to an incident axis passing a center of an opening of the corresponding polarization conversion unit.
A projection display makes it possible to minimize the costs of a polarization conversion element, and concurrently makes it possible to improve illuminance nonuniformity and optical utilization efficiency and to accomplish physical apparatus compactness. An optical integrator used in the projection display is configured such that, in comparison to the number of arrangements of polarization conversion units in a predetermined direction, a split number of an array lens in the same direction is greater.
