Patent ID: 7561331

Claim:
An image display comprising: a display panel for displaying images; a light source for irradiating light toward said display panel; polarization axis control means arranged between said light source and said display panel for separating said light irradiated from said light source into light having a first polarization axis and another light having a second polarization axis different from said first polarization axis; a lens, arranged between said polarization axis control means and said display panel to be directly adjacent to said polarization axis control means for advancing said light having said first polarization axis and said light having said second polarization axis separated by said polarization axis control means in prescribed directions respectively, including at least one lens portion formed to extend in a first direction intersecting with a line segment connecting the left and right eyes of an observer with each other; and a first retardation plate arranged between said display panel and said lens to be adjacent to said display panel and said lens and provided with a third polarization control area for emitting light having a third polarization axis and a fourth polarization control area for emitting light having a fourth polarization axis different from said third polarization axis, both extending in a second direction intersecting with said first direction alternately in said first direction, wherein: said display panel is provided with a first pixel train and a second pixel train both extending in said second direction alternately in said first direction, said third polarization control area and said fourth polarization control area of said first retardation plate extending in said second direction are provided to correspond to said first pixel train and said second pixel train of said display panel extending in said second direction respectively, said polarization axis control means is provided with a first polarization control area for emitting said light having said first polarization axis and a second polarization control area for emitting said light having said second polarization axis, both extending in said first direction alternately in said second direction intersecting with said first direction, and said lens includes a first lenticular lens provided with a substantially semicylindrical first lens portion formed to extend in said first direction in correspondence to a set of said first polarization control area and said second polarization control area for advancing said light, having said first polarization axis emitted from said first polarization control area and said light having said second polarization axis emitted from said second polarization control area in said prescribed directions respectively.