Patent ID: 8366279

Claim:
An image display apparatus comprising: a plurality of image forming devices, each of which is configured to form an original image; and an observation optical system configured to guide luminous fluxes from the plurality of image forming devices to a common exit pupil, and to present images that correspond to the plurality of original images and serve as images of different field areas in an observation field, wherein the observation optical system includes at least a first optical system configured to fold in a direction of a first section a luminous flux from a first image forming device by using a plurality of reflective surfaces in the first optical system and to guide the luminous flux from the first image forming device to the exit pupil, and a second optical system configured to fold in a direction of a second section a luminous flux from a second image forming device by using a plurality of reflective surfaces in the second optical system and to guide the luminous flux from the second image forming device to the exit pupil, wherein the first section is a section in which the plurality of reflective surfaces in the first optical system reflect a ray that passes a center of the first image forming device and a center of the exit pupil, and the second section is a section in which the plurality of reflective surfaces in the second optical system reflect a ray that passes a center of the second image forming device and the center of the exit pupil, and wherein the first section intersects the second section at a right angle on an axis that directs from one point in the exit pupil to one point in the observation field.