Low scintillation, multi-component projection screen

Claim 2

An improved low scintillation screen for use with means for projecting image light, said screen having a light ingress and a light egress surface and further comprising: a. incident light redirecting means, including a plurality of closely spaced micro-optical elements, for refracting a substantial portion of the projected light rays simultaneously entering each retina-resolvable screen area, respectively along non-parallel paths within the screen; and b. spacing means for providing a distance for intra-screen light ray travel between said redirecting means and said egress surface, said distance being of magnitude sufficient that the paths of intra-screen travel of such refracted light rays differ by more than the coherence length of the image light projected onto said screen.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said spacing means includes a reflecting surface located on the opposite side of said redirecting means from incident light and at least one transparent spacing element located between said redirecting means and said reflecting surface.

Claim 4

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said egress surface is spaced from said ingress surface and further including at least one transparent spacing element located between said redirecting means and said egress surface.

Claim 5

An improved low scintillation screen for use with means for projecting image light, said screen having a light ingress and light egress surface and further comprising: a. incident light redirecting means, including a plurality of closely spaced micro-optical elements, for refracting a substantial portion of the projected light rays simultaneously entering each retina-resolvable screen area, respectively along non-parallel paths of travel within the screen; and b. means for amplifying the differences in paths of travel of such refracted light rays sufficiently that the difference in period of dwell within the screen of such rays exceeds the period in which the nature of image light changes.

Claim 6

An improved low scintillation screen for use with means for projecting image light, said screen having a light ingress and light egress surface and further comprising: a. incident light redirecting means, including a plurality of closely spaced micro-optical elements, for refracting a substantial portion of the projected light rays simultaneously entering each retina-resolvable screen area, respectively along non-parallel paths of travel within the screen; and b. means for amplifying the differences in paths of travel of such refracted light rays sufficiently that the difference in period of dwell within the screen of such rays exceeds the period in which the nature of image light changes.

Claim 7

An improved low scintillation viewing screen for use with means for projecting image light, said screen comprising: a. a first light transmissive element having an ingress surface containing a plurality of closely spaced micro-optical elements constructed to refract a substantial portion of projected light rays simultaneously entering any retina-resolvable area of the screen respectively along non-parallel paths within the screen; b. a second light transmissive element spaced closely adjacent the surface of said first element opposite said ingress surface in a manner forming a small transition space between said elements; c. means for reflecting light rays passing from said second element back toward said first element; and d. said first element and said second element being dimensioned in thickness such that a substantial portion of the light rays simultaneously emerging from each retina-resolvable area have traveled paths within said screen which differ in length by more than the coherence length of the image light projected onto said screen.

Claim 8

An improved low scintillation viewing screen for use with means for projecting image light, said screen comprising: a. a first light transmissive element having an ingress surface containing a plurality of closely spaced micro-optical elements constructed to refract a substantial portion of projected light rays simultaneously entering any retina-resolvable area of the screen respectively along non-parallel paths within the screen; b. a second light transmissive element spaced closely adjacent the surface of said first element opposite said ingress surface in a manner forming a small transition space between said elements; c. means for reflecting light rays passing from said second element back toward said first element; and d. said first element and said second element being dimensioned in thickness such that a substantial portion of the light rays simultaneously emerging from each retina-resolvable area have traveled paths within said screen which differ in length by more than the coherence length of the image light projected onto said screen.

Claim 9

The invention defined in claim 5 wherein the distance between said ingress surface and said reflecting means is in the range of about 6 to 20 mils.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said micro-optical elements are constructed to Direct egressing light within a small frontal viewing angle.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said reflecting means includes a Fresnel lens spaced closely adjacent the surface of said second element, opposite said first element.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 8 wherein the spaces between said first and second elements and between said second element and said Fresnel lens are occupied by a fluid medium.

Claim 13

The invention defined in claim 5 wherein the space between said first element and said second element is occupied by a fluid medium.

Claim 14

An improved low scintillation viewing screen for use with optical means for projecting light images thereon, said screen comprising: a. a first light transmissive element having a light ingress surface containing a plurality of micro-optical means for refracting light rays adjacently entering the screen respectively along different, non-parallel paths within the screen; b. a second light transmissive element spaced closely adjacent the surface of said first element opposite said ingress surface in a manner forming a small transition space between said elements; c. means for reflecting light rays passing from said second element back toward said first element; and d. said first element and said second element being dimensioned in thickness such that a substantial portion of the light rays simultaneously egressing each retina-resolvable area of the screen are each non-coherent.

Claim 15

An improved low scintillation viewing screen for use with optical means for projecting light images thereon, said screen comprising: a. a first light transmissive element having a light ingress surface containing a plurality of micro-optical means for refracting light rays adjacently entering the screen respectively along different, non-parallel paths within the screen; b. a second light transmissive element spaced closely adjacent the surface of said first element opposite said ingress surface in a manner forming a small transition space between said elements; c. means for reflecting light rays passing from said second element back toward said first element; and d. said first element and said second element being dimensioned in thickness such that a substantial portion of the light rays simultaneously egressing each retina-resolvable area of the screen are each non-coherent.

Claim 16

The invention defined in claim 11 wherein said transition space is occupied by air.

Claim 17

The invention defined in claim 11 wherein said reflecting means includes a Fresnel lens spaced closely adjacent the surface of said second element, opposite said first element.

Claim 18

The invention defined in claim 13 wherein the space between said first and second element and the space between said second element and said Fresnel lens are occupied by air.