Image projecting apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said liquid crystal display (11) and said projection lens means (12; 112, 21) have an image center axis and an optical center axis, respectively, and wherein said image center axis and said optical center axis are non-coincident with each other.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first lens means (1), said liquid crystal display (11), said second lens means (2) and said projection lens means (12; 112, 21) are contained in a single unit (B; B').

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said projection lens means includes a projection lens (12) having a diameter and wherein said first lens means (1), said liquid crystal display (11) and said second lens means (2) form an image information radiating unit (A) having a length associated therewith which is smaller than said diameter of said projection lens.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 4, comprising means for moving said projection lens (12) in a direction normal to an optical center axis of said projection lens.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the moving means can move said projection lens (12) so that said optical center axis is non-coincident with an image center axis of said liquid crystal display (11).

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising means (44) for generating a control signal and for supplying the same to said liquid crystal display (11), said liquid crystal display being responsive to said control signal for controlling the light projected from each of said pixels (11d).

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first lens means (1), said liquid crystal display (11) and said second lens means (2) form an image information radiating unit (A; A') having an image center axis, wherein said projection lens means includes a projection lens (12; 21) having an optical center axis, and wherein means is provided for moving one of said image information radiating unit and said projection lens in a direction normal to said optical center axis and said image center axis.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said moving means can move said one of said image information radiating unit and said projection lens so that the center axis corresponding to the moved one of said image information radiating unit and said projection lens is non-coincident with the other center axis.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said moving means can move said projection lens such that the optical center axis of said projection lens is non-coincident with said image center axis of said image information radiating unit.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first lens means (1), said liquid crystal display unit (11) and said second lens means (2) form an image information radiating unit (A; A') having an image center axis and wherein said light supply means (40) is positioned such that its center does not lie along said image center axis.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 11, comprising a mirror (41) for receiving light from said light supply means (40) and for reflecting the received light to said first lens means (1).

Claim 13

An image projecting apparatus for producing an image for display on a projection screen, said apparatus comprising: a projector device having means (10; 40) for supplying light; first lens means (1) having a plurality of first microlenses each arranged to receive light from said light supply means and to respectively project the received light therefrom; a liquid crystal display (11) having a plurality of pixels (11d) arranged in matrix form and a shielding mask (11m) arranged adjacent to said plurality of pixels so as to separate each of said pixels, each of said pixels being respectively arranged to receive light from one of said first microlenses and project therefrom respective image light; second lens means (2) having a plurality of second microlenses each for receiving the image light from a respective one of said plurality of pixels in said liquid crystal display for projecting parallel image light therefrom; and projection lens means (12; 112, 21) for receiving the parallel image light from each of said second microlenses for projecting the same onto said projection screen; and means (31) coupled to a ceiling of an aircraft for mounting said projector device thereat and for enabling said projector device to be positioned in a plurality of positions.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said means (31) for mounting and enabling maintains and positions said projector device in a constant orientation.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said first lens means (1), said liquid crystal display (11) and said second lens means (2) form an image information radiating unit (A; A') having an image center axis, wherein said projection lens means has an optical axis, and wherein said constant orientation is one in which said image center axis and said optical axis are substantially parallel to the ceiling of said aircraft.

Claim 16

An image projecting apparatus for producing an image for display on a projection screen; said apparatus comprising: means (10; 40) for supplying light; first lens means (1) having a plurality of first microlenses each arranged to receive light from said light supply means and to respectively project the received light therefrom; a liquid crystal display (11) having a plurality of pixels (11d) arranged in matrix form and a shielding mask (11m) arranged adjacent to said plurality of pixels so as to separate each of said pixels, each of said pixels being respectively arranged to receive light from one of said first microlenses and project therefrom respective image light; second lens means (2) having a plurality of second microlenses each for receiving the image light from a respective one of said plurality of pixels (11d) in said liquid crystal display (11) for projecting parallel image light therefrom; and projection lens means (112, 21) having a first projection lens (112) for receiving the parallel image light from each of said second microlenses and for projecting the same therefrom, and a second projection lens (21) for receiving the light from said first projection lens (112) and for projecting the same onto said projection screen.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said first lens means (1), said liquid crystal display (11) and said second lens means (2) form an image information radiating unit (A') having a length associated therewith and wherein said first projection lens (112) has a diameter which is substantially equal to the length of said image information radiating unit (A').

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said image information radiating unit (A') and said first projection lens (112) are arranged to form an optical unit (B').

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said first and second projection lenses (112, 21) each have a respective optical axis and wherein said first and second projection lenses are arranged such that the optical axes are non-coincident with each other.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to any one of claims 16 to 19, comprising means (44) for generating a control signal and for supplying the same to said liquid crystal display (11), said liquid crystal display being responsive to said control signal for controlling the amount of light received by each of said pixels (11d).

Claim 21

Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said first lens means (1), said liquid crystal display (11) and said second lens means (2) form an image information radiating unit (A') having an image center axis, and wherein said first and second projection lenses (112, 21) each have a respective optical axis.

Claim 22

Apparatus according to claim 21, comprising means for moving one of said image information radiating unit (A') and said first and second projection lenses (112, 21) in a direction normal to said optical center axes and said image center axis.

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said moving means can move said one of said image information radiating unit (A') and said first and second projection lenses (112, 21) so that the center axis corresponding to the moved one of said image information radiating unit and said first and second projection lenses is non-coincident with at least one of the other center axes.

Claim 24

Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said moving means can move said second projection lens (21) such that the optical center axis of said second projection lens is non-coincident with the optical center axis of said first projection lens (112) and said image center axis of said image information radiating unit (A').

Claim 25

Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said first lens means (1), said liquid crystal display (11) and said second lens means (2) form an image information radiating unit (A') having an image center axis and wherein said light supply means (40) is positioned such that its center does not lie along said image center axis.

Claim 26

Apparatus according to claim 25, comprising a mirror (41) for receiving light from said light supply means (40) and for reflecting light from said light supply means (40) and for reflecting the received light to said first lens means (1).

Claim 27

An image projecting apparatus for producing an image for display on a projection screen, said apparatus comprising: a projector device having means (10; 40) for supplying light; first lens means (1) having a plurality of first microlenses each arranged to receive light from said light supply means and to respectively project the received light therefrom; a liquid crystal display (11) having a plurality of pixels (11d) arranged to matrix form and a shielding mask (11m) arranged adjacent to said plurality of pixels so as to separate each of said pixels, each of said pixels being respectively arranged to receive light from one of said first microlenses and project therefrom respective image light; second lens means (2) having a plurality of second microlenses each for receiving the image light from a respective one of said plurality of pixels in said liquid crystal display for projecting parallel image light therefrom; and projection lens means (112, 21) having a first projection lens (112) for receiving the parallel image light from each of said second microlenses and for projecting the same therefrom, and a second projection lens (21) for receiving the light from said first projection lens (112) and for projecting the same onto said projection screen; and means (31) coupled to a ceiling of an aircraft for mounting said projector device thereat and for enabling said projector device to be positioned in a plurality of positions.

Claim 28

Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said means (31) for mounting and enabling maintains and positions said projector device in a constant orientation.

Claim 29

Apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said first lens means (1), said liquid crystal display (11) and said second lens means (2) form an image information radiating unit (A') having an image center axis, wherein said first and second projection lenses (112, 21) each have a respective optical axis, and wherein said constant orientation is one in which said image center axis and the optical axes are substantially parallel to the ceiling of said aircraft.

Claim 30

Apparatus according to claim 29, comprising means for moving one of said image information radiating unit (A') and said first and second projection lenses (112, 21) in a direction normal to said optical center axes and said image center axis so as to provide an image for display without any keystone distortion.