Optical modulator holder, optical device, and projector Number:7,130,136 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) owispatent Cooling chambers (R1, R2) for accommodating therein a cooling fluid for cooling a liquid crystal panel (441) are formed inside a pair of frame members (4405, 4406) constituting an optical modulator holder (4402). There are provided, in the pair of frame members (4405, 4406), inlet ports (4405D, 4406D) for inletting a cooling fluid into the cooling chambers (R1, R2), outlet ports (4405E, 4406E) for discharging the cooling fluid inside the cooling chambers (R1, R2) to the outside, and a buffer section (Bf1) for temporally accumulating the cooling fluid flowing therein via the inlet ports (4405D, 4406D) and rectifying a flow direction of the cooling fluid to a direction parallel to an optical modulation face and/or to a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation face.<H projector, modulator, Optical, modulat, 7130136.html, Patent, pto, 7130136

Title: Optical modulator holder, optical device, and projector

Abstract: Cooling chambers (R1, R2) for accommodating therein a cooling fluid for cooling a liquid crystal panel (441) are formed inside a pair of frame members (4405, 4406) constituting an optical modulator holder (4402). There are provided, in the pair of frame members (4405, 4406), inlet ports (4405D, 4406D) for inletting a cooling fluid into the cooling chambers (R1, R2), outlet ports (4405E, 4406E) for discharging the cooling fluid inside the cooling chambers (R1, R2) to the outside, and a buffer section (Bf1) for temporally accumulating the cooling fluid flowing therein via the inlet ports (4405D, 4406D) and rectifying a flow direction of the cooling fluid to a direction parallel to an optical modulation face and/or to a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation face.

Patent Number: 7,130,136 Issued on 10/31/2006 to Fujimori, et al.

Inventors: Fujimori; Motoyuki (Suwa, JP), Murata; Masami (Shiojiri, JP), Egawa; Akira (Matsumoto, JP), Kinoshita; Satoshi (Matsumoto, JP)
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Tokyo, JP)

Appl. No.: 11/018,500

Filed: December 22, 2004

Foreign Application Priority Data


Dec 26, 2003 [JP]			2003-433296
Mar 11, 2004 [JP]			2004-068847
Oct 28, 2004 [JP]			2004-314519

Current U.S. Class: 359/820 ; 359/811; 359/819

Current International Class: G02B 7/02 (20060101)

Field of Search: 359/819,820,811 349/5,8

References Cited [Referenced By]

U.S. Patent Documents


5177994	January 1993	Moriizumi et al.
2003/0035290	February 2003	Bornhorst

Foreign Patent Documents


A 03-174134	Jul., 1991	JP
A 2002-357803	Dec., 2002	JP

Primary Examiner: Thompson; Timothy
Assistant Examiner: Fang; Jerry
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An optical modulator holder which holds an optical modulator for forming an optical image by modulating a light beam irradiated from a light source according to image information, and has a cooling chamber with a cooling fluid sealed therein to cool said optical modulator with the cooling fluid sealed in said cooling chamber, said optical modulator holder comprising; a pair of frame members each having an opening corresponding to an optical modulation face of said optical modulator for holding said optical modulator therebetween; and a light-transmissible substrate provided at least on either one of the sides of said openings opposite to the sides where said pair of frame members are opposed to each other, wherein said cooling chamber is formed within at least one of said pair of frame members by closing the sides of said opening where said pair of frame members are opposed to each other and at least either one of the sides of said openings opposite to the sides where said pair of frame members are opposed to each other respectively with said optical modulator and said light-transmissible substrate, wherein at least one of said pair of frame members comprises, at positions not causing two-dimensional interference with said optical modulation face of said optical modulator, an inlet port for introducing therethrough said cooling fluid into said cooling chamber, an outlet port for discharging therethrough said cooling fluid inside said cooling chamber to the outside, and a buffer section for temporally accumulating said cooling fluid flowing therein via said inlet port, and for rectifying the flow direction of said cooling fluid to a direction parallel to said optical modulation face and/or perpendicular to said optical modulation face, wherein said optical modulator holder has a cooling chamber dividing section that is constituted by a light-transmittable plate-shaped member having a shape corresponding to said optical modulation face of said optical modulator, the cooling chamber dividing section being placed inside said cooling chamber and dividing said cooling chamber into a light beam incident side region and a light beam irradiation side region for rectifying the flow direction of said cooling fluid flowing therein via said inlet port to a direction perpendicular to said optical modulation face, and wherein said cooling chamber dividing section has, when placed inside said cooling chamber, a taper portion formed in a side edge section of said inlet port, the cross-sectional area becoming gradually smaller when extends toward said inlet port side, and wherein said buffer section includes a recess positioned on a periphery of said opening in said frame member with said cooling chamber formed therein and recessing in a direction perpendicular to said optical modulation face, said light-transmissible substrate, and said cooling chamber dividing section.

2. The optical modulator holder according to claim 1, wherein said taper portion has a slant surface at least on said opposing face side.

3. The optical modulator holder according to claim 1, wherein said cooling chamber dividing section is placed inside said cooling chamber so that the distance to said optical modulator is larger than that to said light-transmissible substrate.

4. The optical modulator holder according to claim 1, wherein said cooling chamber dividing section comprises, when placed inside said cooling chamber, a dividing section body facing said optical modulator and an extending section having said taper portion and extending from said dividing section body toward said recess so that the extending section interferes the recess two-dimensionally, and wherein said extending section, in the side edge section thereof having said taper portion, has a convex-curved shape protruding toward said in let port side on a portion facing said inlet port.

5. The optical modulator holder according to claim 4, wherein said dividing section body has a shape with the thickness larger as compared to that of said extending section and expanding toward said opposing face.

6. The optical modulator holder according to claim 5, wherein said extending section has a shape with the thickness gradually becoming larger toward said dividing section body.

7. The optical modulator holder according to claim 4, wherein said extending section has, when placed inside said cooling chamber, a shape in which a portion facing against said inlet port on an edge face of said opposing face has a convex-curved form protruding toward said opposing face.

8. The optical modulator holder according to claim 1, wherein said cooling chamber dividing section is formed by laminating a plurality of plate-formed members, and at least one optical converter for converting optical characteristics of an incident light beam is provided at a space between at least a pair of said plate-formed members laminated among said plurality of plate-shaped members.

9. The optical modulator holder according to claim 1, wherein said cooling chamber dividing section has a recess in which at least one optical converter for converting optical characteristics of an incident light beam can be engaged, and said recess is covered with a water-repelling film so that said at least one optical converter engaged in said recess is covered with the film.

10. The optical modulator holder according to claim 1, wherein said buffer section comprises, in addition to said recess, said light-transmissible substrate, and said cooling chamber dividing section, a rectifying section provided in said recess for rectifying a flow direction of said cooling fluid flowing therein via said inlet port so that said cooling fluid extends inside said cooling chamber keeping the flow direction parallel to said optical modulation face, and wherein said cooling chamber dividing section and said rectifying section are arranged so that the two-dimensional interference will not occur.

11. The optical modulator holder according to claim 10, wherein said cooling chamber dividing section and said rectifying section are formed so that the distance between said cooling chamber dividing section and said light-transmissible substrate is larger than that between said rectifying section and said light-transmissible substrate.

12. An optical modulator holder which holds an optical modulator for forming an optical image by modulating a light beam irradiated from a light source according to image information, and has a cooling chamber with a cooling fluid sealed therein to cool said optical modulator with the cooling fluid sealed in said cooling chamber, said optical modulator holder comprising; a pair of frame members each having an opening corresponding to an optical modulation face of said optical modulator for holding said optical modulator therebetween; and a light-transmissible substrate provided at least on either one of the sides of said openings opposite to the sides where said pair of frame members are opposed to each other, wherein said cooling chamber is formed within at least one of said pair of frame members by closing the sides of said opening where said pair of frame members are opposed to each other and at least either one of the sides of said openings opposite to the sides where said pair of frame members are opposed to each other respectively with said optical modulator and said light-transmissible substrate, wherein at least one of said pair of frame members comprises, at positions not causing two-dimensional interference with said optical modulation face of said optical modulator, an inlet port for introducing therethrough said cooling fluid into said cooling chamber, an outlet port for discharging theretbrough said cooling fluid inside said cooling chamber to the outside, and a buffer section for temporally accumulating said cooling fluid flowing therein via said inlet port, and for rectifying the flow direction of said cooling fluid to a direction parallel to said optical modulation face and/or perpendicular to said optical modulation face, wherein a recess positioned on a periphery of said opening and recessing in a direction perpendicular to said optical modulation face is formed in the frame member in which said cooling chamber formed, and wherein said buffer section comprises said recess, said light-transmissible substrate, and said rectifying section provided between said recess and said light-transmissible substrate for rectifying a flow direction of said cooling fluid flowing therein via said inlet port so that said cooling fluid extends into said cooling chamber keeping the flow direction parallel to said optical modulation face.

13. The optical modulator holder according to claim 12, wherein said rectifying section comprises a plurality of columns each having a rectifying face capable of rectifying said cooling fluid flowing therein via said inlet port so that said cooling fluid extends into said cooling chamber keeping the flow direction parallel to said optical modulation face.

14. The optical modulator holder according to claim 12, wherein said rectifying section has a plurality of grooves each extending in a direction perpendicular to the flow-in direction of said cooling fluid flowing therein via said inlet port and provided on an edge face of said light-transmissible substrate side along the flow-in direction of said cooling fluid.

15. The optical modulator holder according to claim 12, wherein said rectifying section extends in a direction perpendicular to the flow-in direction of said cooling fluid flowing therein via said inlet port and has a height dimension in the direction perpendicular to said optical modulation face gradually becoming smaller farther away from a portion facing against said inlet port.

16. The optical modulator holder according to claim 12, wherein said rectifying section can be loaded on and off from said recess.

17. The optical modulator holder according to claim 12, wherein the frame member in which said cooling chamber is formed is a molded product formed by molding, and said rectifying section is monolithically formed in said recess.

18. The optical modulator holder according to claim 12, wherein said rectifying section has a plurality of holes each enabling passage of said cooling fluid.

19. The optical modulator holder according to claim 1, wherein said buffer section is formed both on said inlet port side and said outlet port side.

20. An optical device including an optical modulator forming an optical image by modulating a light beam irradiated from a light source according to image information, said optical device comprising: an optical modulator holder; a plurality of fluid circulating members each connected to an inlet port and an outlet port of said optical modulator holder for guiding said cooling fluid to outside of said cooling chamber and again to inside of said cooling chamber; and a fluid press-feeding section provided in a flow pass for said cooling fluid in each of said plurality of fluid circulating members for pressurizing and sending said cooling fluid via said plurality of fluid circulating members to force the circulation of said cooling fluid, wherein said optical modulator holder holds an optical modulator for forming an optical image by modulating a light beam irradiated from a light source according to image information, and has a cooling chamber with a cooling fluid sealed therein to cool said optical modulator with the cooling fluid sealed in said cooling chamber, the optical modulator holder further comprising; a pair of frame members each having an opening corresponding to an optical modulation face of said optical modulator for holding said optical modulator therebetween; and a light-transmissible substrate provided at least on either one of the sides of said openings opposite to the sides where said pair of frame members are opposed to each other, wherein said cooling chamber is formed within at least one of said pair of frame members by closing the sides of said opening where said pair of frame members are opposed to each other and at least either one of the sides of said openings opposite to the sides where said pair of frame members are opposed to each other respectively with said optical modulator and said light-transmissible substrate, and wherein at least one of said pair of frame members comprises, at positions not causing two-dimensional interference with said optical modulation face of said optical modulator, an inlet port for introducing therethrough said cooling +--fluid into said cooling chamber, an outlet port for discharging therethrough said cooling fluid inside said cooling chamber to the outside, and a buffer section for temporally accumulating said cooling fluid flowing therein via said inlet port, and for rectifying the flow direction of said cooling fluid to a direction parallel to said optical modulation face and/or perpendicular to said optical modulation face.

21. The optical device according to claim 20, wherein said optical device comprises at least one optical converter for converting optical characteristics of an incident light beam, said optical converter comprising a light-transmissible substrate and an optical conversion film formed on said light-transmissible substrate for converting optical characteristics of an incident light beam, wherein said light-transmissible substrate constituting said optical modulator holder is a light-transmissible substrate constituting said optical converter.

22. A projector comprising an optical device and a projecting optical device for projecting an optical image formed by said optical device in an enlarged manner, wherein said optical device including an optical modulator forming an optical image by modulating a light beam irradiated from a light source according to image information, the optical device comprising: an optical modulator holder; a plurality of fluid circulating members each connected to an inlet port and an outlet port of said optical modulator holder for guiding said cooling fluid to outside of said cooling chamber and again to inside of said cooling chamber; and a fluid press-feeding section provided in a flow pass for said cooling fluid in each of said plurality of fluid circulating members for pressurizing and sending said cooling fluid via said plurality of fluid circulating members to force the circulation of said cooling fluid, wherein said optical modulator holder holds an optical modulator for forming an optical image by modulating a light beam irradiated from a light source according to image information, and has a cooling chamber with a cooling fluid sealed therein to cool said optical modulator with the cooling fluid sealed in said cooling chamber, the optical modulator holder further comprising; a pair of frame members each having an opening corresponding to an optical modulation face of said optical modulator for holding said optical modulator therebetween; and a light-transmissible substrate provided at least on either one of the sides of said openings opposite to the sides where said pair of frame members are opposed to each other, wherein said cooling chamber is formed within at least one of said pair of frame members by closing the sides of said opening where said pair of frame members are opposed to each other and at least either one of the sides of said openings opposite to the sides where said pair of frame members are opposed to each other respectively with said optical modulator and said light-transmissible substrate, and wherein at least one of said pair of frame members comprises, at positions not causing two-dimensional interference with said optical modulation face of said optical modulator, an inlet port for introducing therethrough said cooling fluid into said cooling chamber, an outlet port for discharging therethrough said cooling fluid inside said cooling chamber to the outside, and a buffer section for temporally accumulating said cooling fluid flowing therein via said inlet port, and for rectifying the flow direction of said cooling fluid to a direction parallel to said optical modulation face and/or perpendicular to said optical modulation face.

23. The projector according to claim 22 wherein said optical modulator holder has a cooling chamber dividing section that is constituted by a light-transmittable plate-shaped member having a shape corresponding to said optical modulation face of said optical modulator, the cooling chamber dividing section being placed inside said cooling chamber and dividing said cooling chamber into a light beam incident side region and a light beam irradiation side region for rectifying the flow direction of said cooling fluid flowing therein via said inlet port to a direction perpendicular to said optical modulation face, wherein said cooling chamber dividing section has, when placed inside said cooling chamber, a taper portion formed in a side edge section of said inlet port, the cross-sectional area becoming gradually smaller when extends toward said inlet port side, and wherein said buffer section includes a recess positioned on a periphery of said opening in said frame member with said cooling chamber formed therein and recessing in a direction perpendicular to said optical modulation face, said light-transmissible substrate, and said cooling chamber dividing section.

24. The projector according to claim 23 wherein said taper portion has a slant surface at least on said opposing face side.

25. The projector according to claim 23 wherein said cooling chamber dividing section is placed inside said cooling chamber so that the distance to said optical modulator is larger than that to said light- transmissible substrate.

26. The projector according to claim 23 wherein said cooling chamber dividing section comprises, when placed inside said cooling chamber, a dividing section body facing said optical modulator and an extending section having said taper portion and extending from said dividing section body toward said recess so that the extending section interferes the recess two-dimensionally, and wherein said extending section, in the side edge section thereof having said taper portion, has a convex-curved shape protruding toward said inlet port side on a portion facing said inlet port.

27. The projector according to claim 26 wherein said dividing section body has a shape with the thickness larger as compared to that of said extending section and expanding toward said opposing face.

28. The projector according to claim 22 wherein said buffer section is formed both on said inlet port side and said outlet port side.

29. The projector according to claim 22 wherein said optical device comprises at least one optical converter for converting optical characteristics of an incident light beam, said optical converter comprising a light-transmissible substrate and an optical conversion film formed on said light-transmissible substrate for converting optical characteristics of an incident light beam, wherein said light-transmissible substrate constituting said optical modulator holder is a light- transmissible substrate constituting said optical converter.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an optical modulator holder, an optical device, and to a projector.

2. Description of Related Art

There has been known a projector comprising a plurality of optical modulator devices each for forming an optical image by modulating a light beam irradiated from a light source according to image information, a color-combining optical device for combining light beams modulated by the optical modulator devices, and a projecting optical device for extending and projecting the light beam combined by the color-combining optical device.

Of the devices described above, as the optical modulator device, for instance, generally an optical modulator based on the active matrix driving system with an electrochemical optical material such as a liquid crystal sealed between a pair of substrates is employed. More specifically, the pair of substrate each constituting this optical modulator comprises a driving substrate provided in the light beam irradiation-side with a data line for loading a driving voltage to the liquid crystal, a scanning line, a switching element, a pixel electrode and the like formed thereon, and a counter substrate provided in the light beam incident-side with a common electrode, a black mask and the like formed thereon.

Further an incident-side polarization plate and an irradiation-side polarization plate allowing passage of light beam each having a specific polarization axis are provided in the light beam incident-side and the light beam irradiation-side of this optical modulator respectively.

When a light beam irradiated from a light source is irradiated onto an optical modulator, a temperature of the optical modulator will easily rise due to absorption of light by the liquid crystal layer as well as to absorption of light by a data line and a scanning line formed on the driving substrate, a black matrix formed on the counter substrate and the like. Further of the light beam irradiated from a light source and that having passed through the optical modulator, that having no specific polarization axis is easily absorbed by the incident-side polarization plate and the irradiation-side polarization plate, which often generates heat on the polarization plates.

As described above, for the projector having the optical element as described above, there has been proposed the configuration comprising a cooling device using a cooling fluid for moderate the rise of temperature in the optical element (Refer to, for instance, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 3-174134).

Namely, the cooling device described in the document comprises a housing having a substantially rectangular form with the opposing edge faces opened with a cooling chamber for filling a cooling fluid inside thereof. And of the opposing edge faces, an optical element is provided in one of the edge face sides with the incident-side polarization plate provided in the other edge face side, the opposing open edge faces are closed with the optical modulator and the incident-side polarization plate to form a cooling chamber. With the configuration as described above, heat generated by the light beam irradiated from the light source in the optical modulator as well as in the incident-side polarization plate is directly radiated to the cooling fluid.

In the cooling device described in the document, however, a capacity of the cooling fluid sealed in the cooling chamber is small, the heat exchange capacity with the optical elements such as the heated optical modulator, heated incident-side polarization plate and the like is rather low.

Further as a circulation speed of the cooling fluid sealed within the cooling chamber is low, the cooling fluid is easily warmed up by the heated optical elements, so that a temperature difference between the optical element and the cooling fluid becomes smaller by and by.

Therefore, there is the problem that it is difficult to efficiently cool an optical modulator with a cooling fluid in the cooling device described in the document.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A main object of the present invention is to provide an optical modulator holder, an optical device, and a projector each capable of efficiently cooling an optical modulator with a cooling fluid.

The optical modulator holder according to the present invention holds an optical modulator for forming an optical image by modulating a light beam irradiated from a light source according to image information, and has a cooling chamber with the cooling fluid sealed therein, and is characterized in that the optical modulator holder cools the optical modulator with the cooling fluid in the cooling chamber and comprises a pair of frame members each having an opening corresponding to an optical modulation face of the optical modulator respectively for holding the optical modulator holder therebetween and an light-transmissible substrate provided at least on either one of the sides of the openings opposite to the sides where the pair of frame members are opposed to each other; the cooling chamber is formed within at least one of the pair of frame members by closing the sides of the opening where the pair of frame members are opposed to each other and at least either one of the sides of the openings opposite to the sides where the pair of frame members are opposed to each other respectively with said optical modulator and said light-transmissible substrate; and also in that an inlet port for introducing therethrough the cooling fluid into the cooling chamber, an outlet port for discharging therethrough the cooling fluid inside the cooling chamber to the outside, and a buffer section for temporally accumulating the cooling fluid flowing in via the inlet port and adjusting a flow direction of the cooling fluid to a direction parallel to the optical modulation face and/or a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation face.

The optical modulator holder may comprise one light-transmissible substrate or two light-transmissible substrates. For instance, in the configuration in which the optical modulator holder comprises only one light-transmissible substrate, either one of the faces opposite to openings of a pair of frame members and either one of the faces in the contrary side from the faces opposite to openings of the pair of frame members are closed by the light-transmissible substrate and the optical modulator respectively, so that a cooling chamber is formed only in one of the frame members. In the configuration in which the optical modulator holder comprises two light-transmissible substrates, either one of the faces opposite to openings of a pair of frame members and either one of the faces in the contrary side from the faces opposite to openings of the pair of frame members are closed by two light-transmissible substrates and two optical modulator respectively, so that cooling chambers are formed in the pair of frame members respectively.

With the present invention, at least either one of a pair of frame members has an inlet port and an output port, so that a cooling fluid can be convected, for intance, by connecting the inlet port and the output port to each other with a fluid circulating member through which a cooling fluid can circulate, so that a circulation speed of the cooling fluid inside the cooling chamber can be raised. Further with the configuration as described above, a capacity of a cooling fluid exchanging heat with an optical modulator can be made larger as compared to that in the configuration based on the conventional technology in which a cooling fluid is sealed in a cooling chamber, and therefore a heat exchange capability between an optical modulator and a cooling fluid can be improved.

For the reasons as described above, the cooling fluid is warmed by the optical modulator, so that a temperature difference between the optical modulator and the cooling fluid is always kept large, and therefore the optical modulator can efficiently be cooled by the cooling fluid, thus objects of the prevent invention being achieved.

In the configuration in which a cooling fluid directly flows via an inlet port into a cooling chamber, a flow velocity of the cooling fluid will easily vary from position to position in the cooling chamber. When the flow velocity of the cooling fluid is different from position to position in the cooling chamber, a stripe-like image extending in a direction in which the cooling fluid flows is included in an optical image formed by the optical modulator, and the optical image can not be maintained in good conditions. Further when the flow velocity of the cooling fluid is different from position to position in the cooling chamber, the heat exchange capability between the optical modulator and the cooling fluid varies from position to position on an optical modulation face thereof, so that it is difficult to homogenize a surface temperature of the optical modulator.

With the present invention, the frame member with a cooling chamber formed therein has a buffer section formed at a position not causing planar interference to an optical modulation face of the optical modulator, so that a cooling fluid flowing in via the inlet port can temporally be stored and a flow of the cooling fluid can be changed to a direction parallel to the optical modulation face and/or a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation face. Because of the feature, a flow velocity at various positions inside the cooling chamber can be homogenized with the stripe-like image not included in an optical image formed by the optical modulator, so that the optical image formed by the optical modulator can be maintained in good conditions. Further, as the flow velocity of the cooling fluid at various positions within the cooling chamber can be homogenized, so that also the surface temperature of the optical modulator can be homogenized with local overheating suppressed, and therefore a clear optical image can be formed with the optical modulator.

Preferably the optical modulator holder according to the present invention has a cooling chamber dividing section constituted by a light-transmittable plate-shaped member having a shape corresponding to an optical modulation face of the optical modulator, the cooling chamber dividing section being placed inside the cooling chamber, and dividing the cooling chamber into a light beam incident side region and a light beam irradiation side region for rectifying the direction of the cooling fluid flowing in via the inlet port to a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation face, and the cooling chamber dividing section is provided within the cooling chamber and has a taper portion formed in a side edge section of the inlet port, the cross-sectional area becoming smaller when extends toward the inlet port side, and further the buffer section includes a recess positioned on a periphery of the opening in the frame member with the cooling chamber formed therein and recessing in a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation face, the light-transmissible plate-shaped member, and the cooling chamber dividing section.

With the present invention, as the optical modulator holder comprises the cooling chamber dividing section, a buffer section for temporally storing a cooling fluid flowing therein via an inlet port can be formed with a recess, a light-transmissible plate-shaped member, and a side edge section of the cooling chamber dividing section in the inlet port side. Because of this feature, configuration of the buffer section can be simplified.

Further, by providing the cooling chamber dividing section within the cooling chamber, it is possible to rectify a flow direction of a cooling fluid flowing therein via the inlet port to the light beam incident side or the light beam irradiation side of the cooling chamber dividing section after temporally storing the cooling fluid therein. Further, by providing the cooling chamber dividing section within the cooling chamber, it is possible to reduce the thickness of a cooling fluid layer contacting the optical modulator in the cooling chamber, so that a circulation speed of the cooling fluid contacting the optical modulator can be raised. Because of this feature, it is possible to maintain a temperature difference between the optical modulator and the cooling fluid and to further efficiently cool the optical modulator with the cooling fluid.

Further as a taper portion is formed in the side edge section of the cooling chamber dividing section in the inlet port side thereof, it is possible to smoothly rectify a direction of a cooling fluid flowing therein to the light beam incident side or the light beam irradiation side in the cooling chamber dividing section. Because of this feature, as compared to a cooling chamber dividing section not having a taper portion, a circulation speed of the cooling fluid contacting the optical modulator can be maintained in the better conditions, and also the optical modulator can efficiently be cooled by the cooling fluid.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, the taper portion preferably has a slant surface on the counter face.

In the configuration in which a cooling fluid flows into the buffer section in a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation surface from the counter face toward the light-transmissible substrate, after the cooling fluid flows into the buffer section, a flow rate of the cooling fluid in the cooling chamber dividing section toward the light-transmissible substrate increases. Therefore a flow rate of the cooling fluid toward the optical modulator decreases, and as a result, a circulation speed of the cooling fluid contacting the optical modulator decreases, so that it is difficult to maintain a temperature difference between the optical modulator and the cooling fluid.

With the present invention, the taper portion of the cooling chamber dividing section has a slant surface at lest on the counter face, after the cooling fluid is temporally accumulated in the buffer section, a larger quantity of cooling fluid can be guided toward the optical modulator by the slant surface. Because of this feature, even in the configuration in which the cooling fluid flows into the buffer section in a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation surface from the counter face toward the light-transmissible substrate, a flow rate of the cooling fluid flowing toward the optical modulator can be kept at a prespecified level, and therefore it is possible to maintain a temperature difference between the optical modulator and the cooling fluid and also to efficiently cool the optical modulator with the cooling fluid.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, the cooling chamber dividing section is preferably arranged within the cooling chamber so that the distance to the optical modulator is larger than that to the light-transmissible substrate.

In the configuration in which the cooling fluid flows into the buffer section in a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation surface from the counter face toward the light-transmissible substrate, as described above, a flow rate of cooling fluid flowing toward the optical modulator decreases, and as a result, the circulation speed of the cooling fluid contacting the optical modulator becomes lower, so that it is difficult to maintain a temperature difference between the optical modulator and the cooling fluid.

With the present invention, by arranging the cooling chamber dividing section within a cooling chamber so that the distance to the optical modulator is larger than that to the light-transmissible substrate, it is possible to adjust a flow of the cooling fluid, after the cooling fluid is temporally accumulated in the buffer section, so that a larger quantity of cooling fluid will flow toward the optical modulator. Because of this configuration, even in the configuration in which the cooling fluid cooling fluid flows into the buffer section in a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation surface from the counter face toward the light-transmissible substrate, it is possible to keep a flow rate of the cooling fluid flowing toward the optical modulator at a prespecified level, so that it is possible to maintain a temperature difference between the optical modulator and the cooling fluid and also to efficiently cool the optical modulator with the cooling fluid.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, preferably the cooling chamber dividing section comprises, when provided within the cooling chamber, a dividing section body facing the optical modulator and an extending section having the taper portion and extending from the dividing section body toward the recess two-dimensionally interfering the latter, and the extending section has a convex-curved shape protruding toward the inlet port side on a section facing against the inlet port in the side edge section having the taper portion.

With the present invention, the extending section constituting the cooling chamber dividing section has a convex-curved shape protruding toward the inlet port side on a section facing against the inlet port in the side edge section having the taper portion. Because of this configuration, it is possible to guide a portion of the cooling fluid flowing therein via the inlet port, after temporally accumulating therein, in a direction becoming farther from a section facing against the inlet port in the edge section of the extending section because of the convex-curved shape of the side edge section of the extending section, so that it is possible to change a direction of the cooling fluid to a direction parallel to the optical modulation face of the optical modulator. Because of this configuration, it is possible to change a flow direction of the cooling fluid both to a direction parallel to the optical modulation face and a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation face of the optical modulator by the taper portion of the extending section as well as by the convex-curved shape. Therefore, a flow velocity of the cooling fluid at each position inside the cooling chamber can further be uniformed by the cooling chamber dividing section and an optical image formed by the optical modulator can be maintained in better conditions. Further, because the flow velocity of the cooling fluid at each position within the cooling chamber can be further uniformed, the surface temperature of the optical modulator can further be uniformed to suppress local overheating, so that a clearer optical image can be formed with the optical modulator.

The dividing section body preferably has the thickness larger as compared to that of the extending section and also has a shape expanding toward the counter face described above.

When the cooling chamber dividing section has the extending section, the extending section two-dimensionally interferes with the recess on the frame member, and when the cooling chamber dividing section is provided within the cooling chamber, the distance between the dividing section body and the optical modulator will be unnecessarily larger than that between the dividing section body and the light-transmissible substrate. Because of this feature, it is difficult to control a circulation speed of the cooling fluid flowing toward the optical modulator at a desired speed, and therefore it is difficult to maintain a temperature difference between the optical modulator and the cooling fluid.

With the present invention, the dividing section body has the thickness larger than that of the extending section and has a shape expanding toward the counter face, so that it is possible to set a distance between the dividing section body and the optical modulator and that between the dividing section body and the light-transmissible substrate to desired values respectively. Because of this feature, a circulation speed of the cooling fluid flowing toward the optical modulator can be controlled to a desired value, so that it is possible to effectively maintain a temperature difference between the optical modulator and the cooling fluid.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, the extending section preferably has a shape with the thickness gradually becoming larger toward the dividing section body.

With the present invention, even when the dividing section body has a shape with the thickness gradually becoming larger toward the extending section and expanding to the counter face, as the extending section has a shape with the thickness gradually becoming larger toward the dividing section body, a step caused by a different in the thickness between the extending section and the dividing section body can be eliminated, so that a cooling fluid flowing toward the optical modulator does not-collide the step and can smoothly be convected. Because of this feature, a circulation speed of the cooling fluid flowing toward the optical modulator can easily be controlled to a desired speed and the temperature difference between the optical modulator and the cooling fluid can be maintained in the better conditions.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, the extending section preferably has, when placed inside the cooling chamber, a shape in which a portion facing against the inlet port on an edge face of the counter face has a convex-curved surface protruding toward the counter face.

In the extending section according to the present invention, the portion of the extending section facing against the inlet port on an edge face of the counter face has a convex-curved face protruding toward the counter face. Because of this feature, it is possible to guide a portion of the cooling fluid in a direction away from the portion of the extending section facing against the inlet port in an edge face of the counter face opposite to the optical modulator, so that a flow direction of the cooling fluid can more smoothly be rectified to a direction parallel to an optical modulation face of the optical modulator. Therefore, with the taper portion of the extending section, convex-curved shape of the side edge portion of the extending section, and also the convex-curved shape of an edge face of the extending section on an edge face in the counter face side, a direction of the cooling fluid can smoothly be rectified both to a direction parallel to the optical modulation face and to a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation face. Because of this configuration, a flow velocity of the cooling fluid at each position within the cooling chamber can further be uniformed by the cooling chamber dividing section, so that an optical image formed by the optical modulator can be maintained in further better conditions. As the flow velocity of the cooling fluid at each position inside the cooling chamber can further be uniformed, also a surface temperature of the optical modulator can further be uniformed with the local overheating suppressed, and a clearer optical image can be formed with the optical modulator.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, the cooling chamber dividing section is formed by laminating a plurality of plate-shaped members, and preferably at least one optical converter for converting optical modulator of an incident light beam is provided at a space between at least a pair of adjoining plate-shaped members.

As the optical converter, for instance, any of a polarizing plate, a phase contrast plate, a view angle correcting plate or the like may be used.

With the present invention, as at least one optical converter is provided at a space between at least a pair of adjoining plate-shaped members among the plurality of plate-shaped members in the cooling chamber dividing section, also the heat generated not only in the optical modulator but also in the optical converter by a light beam irradiated from a light source can be released via the plate-shaped members to a cooling fluid circulating in the light beam incident side as well as in the light beam irradiation side of the cooling chamber dividing section.

As not only an optical modulator but also a peripheral optical converter can be integrated with the optical modulator holder, so that the cooling capability of these optical elements can be improved and also the size reduction is possible.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, preferably the cooling chamber dividing section has a recess in which at least one optical converter capable of converting optical characteristics of an incident light beam can be engaged, and the recess is covered with a water-repelling film so that at least one optical converter engaged in the recess is covered with the film.

As the optical converter, any of a polarizing plate, a phase contrast plate, a view angle correcting plate or the like may be used as described above.

With the present invention, as at least one optical converter is engaged in a recess formed in the cooling chamber dividing section and a water-repelling film covers the at least one optical converter, not only the heat generated in the optical modulator, but also the heat generated in the optical converter by the light beam irradiated from a light source can be release via the water-repelling film or the cooling chamber dividing section to the cooling fluid circulating in the light beam incident side and also in the light irradiation side of the cooling chamber dividing section.

Further as at least one optical converter is engaged in the recess formed in the cooling chamber dividing section and covered with the water-repelling film, heat is easily released to the cooling fluid via the water-repelling film, and the cooling capability for the at least one optical converter can be improved.

Further as at least one optical converter is engaged in the recess formed in the cooling chamber dividing section and covered with the water-repelling film, the property of the dividing section to be wet by the cooling fluid can be suppressed by making larger a contact angle between the cooling chamber dividing section and the cooling fluid. Because of this feature, air bubbles and dusts contained in the cooling fluid are hardly deposited on the water-repelling film, so that generation of an unnecessary image in an optical image formed by the optical modulator due to bubbles and dusts can be prevented, and an optical image formed by the optical modulator can be maintained in good conditions.

Further as not only an optical modulator but also a peripheral optical converter can be integrated with the optical modulator holder, so that the capability of cooling these optical elements can be improved and also the size reduction is possible.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, preferably the buffer section comprises, in addition to the recess, light-transmissible substrate, and cooling chamber dividing section, a rectifying section provided in the recess for rectifying a flow direction of the cooling fluid flowing in via the inlet port so that the flow extends inside the cooling chamber keeping the flowing direction parallel to the optical modulation face and the cooling chamber and the rectifying section are arranged so that the facial interference will not occur.

With the present invention, the buffer section has the recess, light-transmissible substrate, cooling chamber dividing section and rectifying section, it is possible to rectify a flow direction of a cooling fluid flowing in via an inlet port, after once accumulating therein, to a direction parallel to the optical modulation face of the optical modulator with the rectifying section and also to rectify a flow direction of the cooling fluid to a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation face of the optical modulator inside the cooling chamber dividing section. Because of this feature, with both of the rectifying section and the cooling chamber dividing section, a flow velocity of the cooling fluid at each position inside the cooling chamber can further be uniformed, and an optical image formed by the optical modulator can be maintained in better conditions. As a flow velocity of the cooling fluid at each position in the cooling chamber can further be uniformed, also a surface temperature of the optical modulator can further be uniformed with local overheating suppressed, so that a clearer optical image can be formed with the optical modulator.

In the cooling chamber dividing section and the rectifying section of the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, a distance between the cooling chamber dividing section and the light-transmissible substrate is preferably larger than that between the rectifying section and the light-transmissible substrate.

With the present invention, the cooling chamber dividing section and the rectifying section are formed as described above, a cooling fluid flowing into the buffer section can temporally be blocked by the rectifying section positioned nearer to the inlet port as compared to the side edge section of the cooling chamber dividing section. Because of this configuration, a flow velocity of the cooling fluid at each position within the cooling chamber can more effectively be uniformed by the cooling chamber dividing section and the rectifying section.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, a recess positioned on a periphery of the opening and recessing in a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation face is formed in the frame member with the cooling chamber formed therein, and the buffer section preferably has the recess, light-transmissible substrate, and the rectifying section provided between the recess and the light-transmissible substrate for rectifying a flow direction of the cooling fluid flowing therein via the inlet port so that the flow extends into the cooling chamber keeping the flow direction parallel to the optical modulation face.

With the present invention, as the optical modulator holder has the rectifying section, a buffer section for temporally accumulating therein a cooling fluid flowing therein via the inlet port can be formed by the recess, light-transmissible substrate and rectifying section. Because of this feature, configuration of the buffer section can be simplified.

Further it is possible to once accumulate a cooling fluid flowing therein via the inlet port and then rectify the flow direction to a direction parallel to the optical modulation face of the optical modulator with the rectifying section. Because of this feature, a flow velocity of the cooling fluid can effectively be uniformed on a surface parallel to the optical modulation face of the optical modulator with the rectifying section.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, preferably the rectifying section comprises a plurality of columns each having a rectifying face capable of rectifying the cooling fluid flowing therein via the inlet port so that the cooling fluid extends in the cooling chamber keeping the flow direction parallel to the optical modulation face.

With the present invention, as the rectifying section comprising a plurality of columns each having a rectifying face, after the cooling fluid flowing in via the inlet port is temporally accumulated, a flow direction of the cooling fluid can easily be rectified to a direction parallel to the optical modulation face of the optical modulator with the simple configuration.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, the rectifying section preferably has a plurality of grooves each extending in a direction perpendicular to the flow-in direction of the cooling fluid flowing therein via the inlet and provided on an edge face of the light-transmissible substrate side along the flow-in direction of the cooling fluid.

With the present invention, for instance by forming the rectifying section so that, the rectifying section is positioned near the light-transmissible substrate when placed inside the cooling chamber, it is possible to temporally block the cooling fluid flowing into the buffer section with the rectifying section. The cooling fluid once blocked flows through the plurality of grooves formed on an edge face of the rectifying section in the light-transmissible substrate side. Because of this configuration, the cooling fluid flowing at a uniformed flow velocity in the direction parallel to the optical modulation face of the optical modulator can effectively be flown from the buffer section to a region two-dimensionally interfering the optical modulation face.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, preferably the rectifying section extends in a direction perpendicular to a flow-in direction of the cooling fluid flowing in via the inlet port and has a height dimension in the direction perpendicular to the optical modulation face becoming smaller toward at positions farther away from a portion facing against the inlet port.

With the present invention, as the rectifying section has the shape as described above, it is possible to once accumulate a cooling fluid flowing in via the inlet port and then guide the cooling fluid toward a portion away from that facing against the inlet port in the rectifying section, so that a flow direction of the cooling fluid can easily be rectified to a direction parallel to the optical modulation face of the optical modulator.

By forming the rectifying section as described above and also providing the rectifying face described above, it is possible to effectively rectify a flow direction of a cooling fluid in a direction parallel to the optical modulation face of the optical modulator and also to effectively uniform a flow velocity of the cooling fluid.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, the rectifying section preferably can be loaded on and off from the recess.

In the present invention, the rectifying section can be loaded on and off from the recess, namely the rectifying section and the frame member are independent bodies respectively. Because of this configuration, as compared to the configuration in which the rectifying section and the frame member are integrated with each other, the rectifying section can be formed in various shapes. Because of this feature, a freedom in designing the optical modulator holder is improved.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, the frame member in which the cooling chamber is formed therein is preferably a molded product formed by molding, and the rectifying section is monolithically formed in the recess.

With the present invention, as the rectifying section and the frame member are formed monolithically, as compared to the case in which the rectifying section and the frame member are independent bodies respectively, a work for setting the rectifying section can be omitted, so that the work for assembling the optical modulator holder can be performed easily.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, the rectifying section preferably has a plurality of holes each enabling passage of the cooling fluid.

With the present invention, as a plurality of holes are formed in the rectifying section, when the cooling fluid flows through the plurality of holes, bubbles, dusts and the like contained in the cooling fluid can be captured by the plurality of holes. Because of this feature, it is possible to prevent an image formed due to a light beam incident to bubbles, dusts and the like contained in the cooling fluid from being included in an optical image formed with the optical modulator, so that an optical image formed with the optical modulator can be maintained in good conditions.

In the optical modulator holder according to the present invention, preferably the buffer section is formed both in the inlet port side and in the outlet port side.

With the present invention, as the buffer section is formed both in the inlet port side and in the outlet port side, even when a flow direction of the cooling fluid is inverted, namely when the inlet port functions as an outlet port and the outlet port as an inlet port, as the buffer section is formed in the outlet port side, it is possible to temporally accumulate a cooling fluid flowing in via the inlet port and then rectify the flow direction of the cooling fluid to a direction parallel to the optical modulation face and/or to a direction perpendicular to the optical modulation face. Because of this feature, for instance, even when a flow direction of the cooling fluid is inverted, a flowing velocity of the cooling fluid at each position within the cooling chamber can be uniformed, so that an optical image formed with the optical modulator can be maintained in good conditions with the surface temperature of the optical modulator uniformed, so that a clearer optical image can be formed.

The optical device according to the present invention comprises an optical modulator for modulating a light beam irradiated from a light source according to image information to form an optical image and comprises the optical modulator holder described above, a plurality of fluid circulating members each connected to an inlet port and an outlet port of the optical modulator holder for guiding the cooling fluid to outside of the cooling chamber and again into the cooling chamber, and a fluid pressuring and circulating section provided in a flow-pass for the cooling fluid in each of the plurality of fluid circulating members for pressurizing and circulating the cooling fluid via the plurality of fluid circulating member to forcefully circulate the cooling fluid.

With the present invention, the optical device comprises the optical modulator holder, the plurality of fluid circulating sections and fluid pressurizing and circulating section, so that the same actions and advantages as those provided by the optical modulator holder described above are provided.

Further as a cooling fluid is forcefully circulated by the fluid pressurizing and circulating section, so that a cooling fluid in the cooling chamber can always be convected without fail. Because of this feature, it is possible to secure a large temperature difference between the optical modulator and the cooling fluid, so that the efficiency in cooling the optical modulator can be improved.

Further as the buffer section is formed in the optical modulator holder, the cooling fluid pressurized and circulated by the fluid pressurizing and circulating section can temporally be accumulated in the buffer section. Because of this feature, a pressure of the cooling fluid pressurized and circulated by the fluid pressurizing and circulating section is not directly loaded to inside of the cooling chamber, namely the pressure is not loaded to the optical modulator nor to the light-transmissible substrate. Therefore, a pressure loaded to the optical modulator can be adjusted by the buffer section, and degradation of image quality due to a pressure loaded to the optical modulator can be prevented.

The optical device according to the present invention has at least one optical converter for converting optical characteristics of an incident light beam, and the optical converter comprises a light-transmissible substrate and an optical conversion film formed on the light-transmissible substrate for converting optical characteristics of an incident light beam, and the light-transmissible substrate constituting the optical modulator holder described above is preferably the light-transmissible substrate constituting the optical converter.

As the optical converter, any of a polarizing plate, phase differential plate, a viewing angle correcting plate and the like may be employed as described above.

With the present invention, the light-transmissible substrate constituting the optical modulator holder is the one also constituting the optical converter, not only heat generated by the optical modulator, but also heat generated i