Image projection apparatus

Claim 2

An image projection apparatus comprising: projection means for projecting an image of a transparent original onto an image receiving surface with a variable magnification, and illumination means for illuminating the original, the illumination means including a light source unit, a divergent lens unit, and a convergent aspherical lens unit in order from a reduction side, so that Kohler illumination can be realized in any magntification, wherein the image projection apparatus satisfies the following expression: 0.7e.sub.2 <(P.sub.A +e.sub.1)f.sub.1 /(P.sub.A +e.sub.1 -f.sub.1)<1.3e.sub.2 where f 1 : is a focal length of the convergent aspherical lens unit; e 1 : is a calculated distance between the transparent original and the convergent aspherical lens unit; e 2 : is a calculated distance between the convergent aspherical lens unit and the divergent lens unit, and P A : is a distance between the transparent original and a pupil position of the projection lens system when the pupil position is at the smallest distance from the transparent original.

Claim 3

An image projection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projection means includes a plurality of projection lenses of different magnifications.

Claim 4

An image projection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projection means includes a zoom lens.

Claim 5

An image projection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source unit includes a lamp and a concave mirror.

Claim 6

An image projection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the convergent aspherical lens unit comprises a Fresnel lens.

Claim 7

An image projection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the convergent aspherical lens unit causes an off-axis principal ray emergent from a pupil position of the projection means to intersect an optical axis in the vicinity of the divergent lens unit when rays are traced from an enlargment side.

Claim 8

An image projection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherien a refracting power of the convergent aspherical lens unit becomes smaller than a spherical lens unit with an increase in a distance from an optical axis.

Claim 9

An image projection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the divergent aspherical lens unit is prepared from a heat-insulating glass.

Claim 10

An image projection apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projection means includes a zoom lens and the light source unit includes a lamp and a concave mirror.

Claim 11

An image projection apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the convergent aspherical lens unit comprises a Fresnel lens.

Claim 12

An image projection apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the convergent aspherical lens unit causes an off-axis principal ray emergent from a pupil position of the projection means to intersect an optical axis in the vicinity of the divergent lens unit when rays are traced from an enlargement side.

Claim 13

An image projection apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein a refracting power of the convergent aspherical lens unit becomes smaller than a spherical lens unit with an increase in a distance from an optical axis.

Claim 14

An image projection apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the divergent aspherical lens unit is prepared from a heat-insulating glass.

Claim 15

An illumination system for use in an image projection apparatus in which an image of a transparent original is projected onto an image receiving surface through a projection lens system having a variable magnification, the illumination system comprising: a light source unit; a divergent lens unit, and a convergent aspherical lens unit of which a refracting power becomes smaller than a spherical lens unit with an increase in a distance from an optical axis, wherein the illumination system satisfies the following expression: 0.7e.sub.2 <(P.sub.A +e.sub.1)f.sub.1 /(P.sub.A +e.sub.1 -f.sub.1)<1.3e.sub.2 where f 1 : is a focal length of the convergent aspherical lens unit; e 1 : is a calculated distance between the transparent original and the convergent aspherical lens unit; e 2 : is a calculated distance between the convergent aspherical lens unit and the divergent lens unit, and P A : is a distance between the transparent original and a pupil position of the projection lens system when the pupil position is at the smallest distance from the transparent original.

Claim 16

An illumination system for use in an image projection apparatus in which an image of a transparent original is projected onto an image receiving surface through a projection lens system having a variable magnification, the illumination system comprising: a light source unit; a divergent lens unit, and a convergent aspherical lens unit of which a refracting power becomes smaller than a spherical lens unit with an increase in a distance from an optical axis, wherein the illumination system satisfies the following expression: 0.7e.sub.2 <(P.sub.A +e.sub.1)f.sub.1 /(P.sub.A +e.sub.1 -f.sub.1)<1.3e.sub.2 where f 1 : is a focal length of the convergent aspherical lens unit; e 1 : is a calculated distance between the transparent original and the convergent aspherical lens unit; e 2 : is a calculated distance between the convergent aspherical lens unit and the divergent lens unit, and P A : is a distance between the transparent original and a pupil position of the projection lens system when the pupil position is at the smallest distance from the transparent original.

Claim 17

An illumination system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the light source unit includes a lamp and a concave mirror.

Claim 18

An illumination system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the convergent aspherical lens unit comprises a Fresnel lens.

Claim 19

An illumination system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the convergent aspherical lens unit causes an off-axis principal ray emergent from a pupil position of the projection lens system to intersect an optical axis in the vicinity of the divergent lens unit when rays are traced from an enlargement side.

Claim 20

An illumination system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the divergent aspherical lens unit is prepared from a heat-insulating glass.