Patent ID: 7495719

Claim:
A device capable of switching between an image display status and a mirror status, the device comprising: an image display portion that emits image light for displaying a desired image; and a mirror function portion that is superposed on the image display portion and is capable of being switched between an image transmittance state that transmits the image light and a mirror status that reflects outside light, the mirror function portion comprising reflective polarization selection means, transmission polarization axis variable means, and absorbing polarization selection means successively disposed from the image display portion side, with the reflective polarization selection means transmitting a first polarization of a predetermined polarization axis and reflecting a second polarization whose polarization axis intersects that of the first polarization, the transmission polarization axis variable means being capable of switching between a state that transmits by changing the incident first polarization to the second polarization and a state that transmits without changing the polarization axis of the incident light, and the absorbing polarization selection means transmitting one of the first polarization and the second polarization and absorbing the other, and the image display portion comprising a lighting system, a liquid crystal display panel and an image light-use polarization selection means disposed proximate to the liquid crystal display panel, wherein: the image light-use polarization selection means transmits light of the desired image of the first polarization and absorbs light of the second polarization, and the image display portion emits the desired image, as the image light, light of the first polarization transmitted through the image light-use polarization selection means.