Patent ID: 7360900

Claim:
An illuminating apparatus comprising: at least two solid light-emitting elements that supply light, the at least two solid light-emitting elements including a first solid light-emitting element and a second solid light-emitting element; a polarized-light combining unit that combines a first polarized light of a first oscillation direction and a second polarized light of a second oscillation direction to guide the first polarized light and the second polarized light to an illumination direction by transmitting or reflecting the first polarized light and reflecting or transmitting the second polarized light, the first oscillating direction being substantially perpendicular to the second oscillating direction; a phase modulating element that converts a polarized light from the polarized-light combining unit into either of the first polarized light and the second polarized-light; at least two reflection-type polarizing plates, each of which transmits either of the first polarized light and the second polarized light, and reflects the other of the first polarized light and the second polarized light, each of the at least two reflection-type polarizing plates being arranged to transmit the light from corresponding one of the at least two solid light-emitting elements and disposed between the corresponding one of the at least two solid light-emitting elements and the polarized-light combining unit; and a reflecting portion included in each of the at least two solid light-emitting elements, the reflecting portion reflecting polarized light reflected at the reflection-type polarizing plate in a direction to each of the at least two solid light-emitting elements, to a direction to the polarized-light combining unit.