Patent ID: 7972019

Claim:
An optical device comprising: a plurality of light modulating devices for forming optical images by modulating a plurality of color lights into image information for each color light, each of the light modulating devices comprising a liquid crystal panel that is not provided with a frame member; and a color combining optical device having a plurality of light flux incoming end surfaces opposing the respective light modulating devices for combining optical images formed by the respective light modulating devices, wherein the optical device includes a first fixed member and a second fixed member for mounting the light modulating devices so as to face the light flux incoming end surfaces of the color combining optical device, the first fixed member includes a plate-shaped first base portion mounted to oppose the light flux incoming end surface and having an opening for transmitting the light flux and a pair of first upright strips extending upright from an outer peripheral edge of the first base portion toward the light flux incoming side and opposed to each other, the second fixed member includes a plate-shaped second base portion having an opening for transmitting the light flux and a pair of second upright strips extending upright from an outer peripheral edge of the second base portion toward the light flux outgoing side and opposed to each other, the liquid crystal panel is directly bonded by an adhesive agent to a peripheral edge of the opening of the second base portion of the second fixed member, the optical device further comprises a shielding member being interposed between the liquid crystal panel and the first base portion of the first fixed member, the shielding member being formed by performing sheet-metal-processing on a plate-shaped metal plate, the shielding member comprising: a substrate surface having an opening for transmitting light, the substrate surface being disposed on a side of the liquid crystal panel opposite the second base portion of the second fixed member, and a plurality of locking strips extending from the substrate surface toward the second base portion of the second fixed member, the plurality of locking strips being engaged with engaging holes defined in the second fixed member, and the first fixed member and the second fixed member are assembled in such a manner that: the first base portion of the first fixed member and the second base portion of the second fixed member are opposed to each other, the liquid crystal panel and the shielding member are disposed between the first base portion of the first fixed member and the second base portion of the second fixed member; and the first upright strips and the second upright strips slide with respect to each other.