Patent ID: 7486350

Claim:
A display device, comprising: display switching means for electrically switching a visible image between a single image display mode and a multiple image display mode; first polarizing means for causing linearly polarized light in a predetermined direction to enter the display switching means; and second polarizing means for filtering out linearly polarized light in a predetermined direction from light leaving the display switching means, wherein: the display switching means is a liquid crystal layer disposed between a pair of substrates, a polarized-light-transmission axis of the first polarizing means is parallel to a polarized-light-transmission axis of the second polarizing means, and a direction of the polarized-light-transmission axis is substantially parallel or substantially vertical to a major axis direction of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer when the liquid crystal molecules are projected from the normal to the substrates, in the single image display mode, the major axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer when the liquid crystal molecules are projected from the normal to the substrates is substantially parallel or substantially vertical to a linear polarization direction of light incident to the liquid crystal molecules, and at least some of the liquid crystal molecules are aligned so that the major axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer is substantially parallel or substantially vertical to the substrates, and in the multiple image display mode, the major axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer when the liquid crystal molecules are projected from the normal to the substrates is substantially parallel or substantially vertical to a linear polarization direction of light incident to the liquid crystal molecules, and at least some of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are aligned so that the major axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules are tilted from the substrates.