LCD Projection Lens

This invention relates to projection lenses and, in particular, to projection lenses which can be used, inter alia, to form an image of an object composed of pixels, such as, a liquid crystal display (LCD).

Projection lens systems (also referred to herein as "projection systems") are used to form an image of an object on a viewing screen. The basic structure of such a system is shown in FIG. 7, wherein 10 is a light source (e.g., a tungsten-halogen lamp), 12 is illumination optics which forms an image of the light source (hereinafter referred to as the "output" of the illumination system), 14 is the object which is to be projected (e.g., a matrix of on and off pixels of a LCD panel), and 13 is a projection lens, composed of multiple lens elements, which forms an enlarged image of object 14 on viewing screen 16.

Projection lens systems in which the object is a LCD or other pixelized panel are used in a variety of applications, including data display systems. Such projection lens systems preferably employ a single projection lens which forms an image of either a single panel having, for example, red, green, and blue pixels, or three individual panels, one for each color. For ease of reference, the following discussion will be in terms of a projection lens system that employs a single LCD panel, it being understood that the invention can also be used in systems which employ multiple panels and/or other types of pixelization.

The projection lenses of the invention comprise two positive lens units with an aperture stop between them. The optical powers of each of the units are such that f1 is substantially shorter than f2, where f1 and f2 are the focal lengths of the first lens unit and the second lens unit, respectively, the first lens unit being on the system's long conjugate side and the second lens unit being on the short conjugate side. In particular, the ratio of f1 to f2 is less than about 0.75. (See Table 7 and note that when the second unit includes a field lens, e.g., a Fresnel field lens, the value of f2 is calculated without the field lens.) In contrast, for a classical double gauss form, f1 is about the same as f2, or longer than f2.

The projection lenses of the invention are capable of covering a wide field of view. They have a back focal length approximately equal to the focal length of the lens. Each of the first and second lens units has at least one aspherical surface.

The first lens unit on the long conjugate side of the stop may consist of a single positive element. However, to obtain a better correction of residual astigmatism and chromatic aberrations, this unit may include a leading negative element closely followed by a positive component which may be a color correcting doublet. As illustrated in Tables 1-5, the spacing between the leading negative element and the positive component is at most about 5% of the focal length of the first lens unit.

The second lens unit behind the aperture stop includes a color correcting doublet and a single positive element with at least one aspherical surface. Most of the correction of spherical aberration is obtained in the first lens unit, while off-axis aberrations including coma and distortion, as well as chromatic aberrations, are corrected predominantly in the second lens unit.

FIGS. 1-6 are schematic side views of projection lenses constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an overall projection lens system in which the projection lens of the present invention can be used.

The foregoing drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of the specification, illustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. It is to be understood, of course, that both the drawings and the description are explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention.

FIGS. 1 to 6 illustrate various projection lenses constructed in accordance with the invention. Corresponding prescriptions and optical properties appear in Tables 1 to 6, respectively. The correspondence between the lens units discussed above and the various elements and surfaces of the lenses of Tables 1-6 is set forth in Table 7.

HOYA or SCHOTT designations are used for the glasses employed in the lens systems. Equivalent glasses made by other manufacturers can be used in the practice of the invention. Industry acceptable materials are used for the styrene and acrylic elements.

The aspheric coefficients set forth in the tables are for use in the following equation: ##EQU1## where z is the surface sag at a distance y from the optical axis of the system, c is the curvature of the lens at the optical axis, and k is a conic constant.

The designation "a" associated with various surfaces in the tables represents an aspheric surface, i.e., a surface for which at least one of D, E, F, G, H, or I in the above equation is not zero. The designation "c" represents a conic surface for which the k value in the above equation is not zero. The designation "f" represents a Fresnel lens surface (the Fresnel lens is identified by the designation "FL" in FIGS. 1 and 3). All dimensions given in the tables are in millimeters. The tables are constructed on the assumption that light travels from left to right in the figures. In actual practice, the viewing screen will be on the left and the LCD panel will be on the right, and light will travel from right to left.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, it is to be understood that a variety of modifications which do not depart from the scope and spirit of the invention will be evident to persons of ordinary skill in the art from the foregoing disclosure.