Patent ID: 6893131

Claim:
A projection type image display apparatus comprising: a lamp unit which emits light; three reflective type image display devices as light valve means which make an optical image according to an image signal; a color separation unit which separates light from the lamp unit into three color light components and lets them impinge on the corresponding color reflective type image display devices; a color combining unit which combines the three color light components from the reflective type image display devices; and a projection lens which projects a color-combined optical image; flat reflective type polarizing plates as polarizers/analyzers for the reflective type image display devices which, by their diffraction function, reflect primary light polarized in a specified direction and transmit secondary light polarized in a direction virtually perpendicular to the specified direction; and auxiliary analyzers which transmit either the primary polarized light or the secondary polarized light on an exit side of the reflective type polarizing plates, wherein: the color combining unit includes a color combining prism and three color light components resulting from color separation by the color separation unit reach the reflective type image display devices through the reflective type polarizing plates and the reflected light which constitutes an optical image made by the reflective type image display devices enters the color combining unit through the reflective type polarizing plates.