Patent ID: 7106396

Claim:
A display unit, comprising: two transmissive polarization axis rotating devices to vary the polarization axis of transmitted light; an illumination device disposed between the two transmissive polarization axis rotating devices to emit light to the two transmissive polarization axis rotating devices; two reflective polarized light selecting devices, each disposed between the illumination device and each of the two transmissive polarization axis rotating devices, the illumination device transmitting the reflected light from the two reflective polarized light selecting devices, the two reflective polarized light selecting devices reflecting light linearly polarized in a predetermined direction while transmitting light linearly polarized in a direction intersecting the reflected polarized light, and the reflective polarization axes of the two reflective polarized light selecting devices intersecting each other; and two absorptive polarized light selecting devices, to absorb light linearly polarized in a predetermined direction while transmitting light linearly polarized in a direction intersecting the absorbed polarized light, interposed between the respective reflective polarized light selecting devices and the respective transmissive polarization axis rotating devices, and each of the reflective polarization axis of the reflective polarized light selecting devices and each of the transmissive polarization axes of the absorptive polarized light selecting devices intersecting each other.