Patent ID: 7044607

Claim:
An image display device having three reflective image display elements for red, green and blue to form an optical image according to a video signal from light output from a light source, and an optical system to supply the light onto the reflective image display elements and to combine and output the light reflected from the reflective image display elements, comprising: a first polarity converting unit to convert luminous flux from the light source to S polarized light; a first polarized beam splitter; and a second polarized beam splitter; wherein the reflective image display element for green is installed in a vicinity of the first polarized beam splitter; wherein the light reflected by the first polarized beam splitter and input to the reflective image display element for green is S polarized light; wherein green light output from the reflective image display element for green permeates the first polarized beam splitter and the second polarized beam splitter; and wherein one of red light output from the reflective image display element for red and blue light output from the reflective image display element for blue is reflected by the first polarized beam splitter and the other of the red light output and the blue light output is reflected by the second polarized beam splitter.