Patent ID: 7002751
Filing Date: 2006-02-21
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An image display apparatus comprising: a display device of a reflective type for displaying an image and reflecting illumination light fed thereto from ahead so as to produce image light representing the image; an eyepiece optical system, disposed in front of the display device and composed of a rear portion nearer to the display device and a front portion farther from the display device, for directing the image light from the display device through the rear and front portions to a predetermined observation point so as to permit a virtual image of the image displayed by the display device to be observed at the observation point; a light source, disposed in a position substantially conjugate with the observation point, for emitting the illumination light fed to the display device; and a combiner, disposed between the rear and front portions of the eyepiece optical system, for introducing the illumination light from the light source into the rear portion of the eyepiece optical system in such a way that a path of the illumination light overlaps with a path of the image light, wherein the rear portion of the eyepiece optical system includes a refractive optical element having a positive power, the front portion of the eyepiece optical system includes a concave reflective surface, and the eyepiece optical system has an exit pupil behind and at a finite distance from the display device.