Patent ID: 6840626

Claim:
A color separating/recombining unit which is formed in a cube and comprises: a light incidence surface directly facing a light source unit which emits light having a predetermined polarization direction; three light incidence/output surfaces each facing reflective light modulating elements; a light output surface facing a projection optical system; another surface; and a cubical color separating/recombining means inside wherein the cubical color separating/recombining means for separating light emitted from the light source unit into three primary color components, for emitting the separated components from the light incidence/output surfaces and for recombining the three color components which are rotated their polarization directions by 90 degrees and reflected by the reflective light modulating elements placed opposite to light incidence/output surfaces, and emits the recombined color component directly toward the projection optical system, wherein said light incidence surface, said three light incidence/output surfaces, said light output surface and said another surface each constitute different surfaces of said cube.