Patent ID: 7293878

Claim:
A projector having an image display element for modulating light on the basis of an image signal and a projection lens for protecting light emitted from said image display element on a screen, the projector comprising: a lamp which has a light emitting source for emitting light; a reflector which reflects light emitted from said light emission source; a cover glass which covers an emission surface of light from said reflector; a cooling fan disposed outside said reflector; and an air direction changing unit which changes a direction of cooling air caused by said cooling fan, disposed within a space surrounded by said reflector and said cover glass, and outside an emission light path for light reflected by said reflector; wherein cooling air within said space is exhausted outside said projector through said cooling fan; wherein said reflector is formed in the shape of an approximate parabola surface; wherein said light emitting source is disposed on an approximate focus of said approximate parabola surface; and wherein said air direction changing unit is disposed outside a straight line extending approximately parallel with an optical axis from the outermost periphery of said reflector.