Patent ID: 8638499

Claim:
An image display apparatus comprising: an image forming device including a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix; a collimating optical system configured to convert light emitted from each of the pixels in the image forming device into parallel light; and an optical device on which the parallel light is incident from the collimating optical system, in which the parallel light is guided, and from which the parallel light is emitted, wherein the optical device includes a light guide plate from which the incident light is emitted after propagating in the light guide plate by total reflection, first deflecting means configured to deflect the light incident on the light guide plate so that the incident light is totally reflected in the light guide plate, and second deflecting means configured to deflect the light, which propagates in the light guide plate by total reflection, a plurality of times so as to emit the light from the light guide plate, wherein the first deflecting means and the second deflecting means are provided on a surface of the light guide plate, and wherein the following condition is satisfied: 2 t ·tan θ−2≦ W Y ≦2 t ·tan θ+2 where an axial direction of the light guide plate is the Y-direction, a normal direction of the light guide plate is the X-direction, W Y represents the width in the Y-direction of the light incident on the light guide plate, t represents the thickness of the light guide plate, and θ represents the incident angle of the light, which is totally reflected in the light guide plate, on an inner surface of the light guide plate.