Abstract: A liquid crystal projector includes a light source, a color filter for adding color projection image, a liquid crystal panel for forming a projection image on it, a projection lens and an optical unit located between the color filter and the liquid crystal panel for optically coupling the color filter and the liquid crystal panel. The color filter is separately located from the liquid crystal, and therefore the increase in temperature on the color filter because of absorbing the light from the light source has less effect on the liquid crystal panel.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display unit comprising a condenser lens, incident-side polarizing plate, liquid crystal panel and emanating-side polarizing plate is disposed in an optical path from a light source toward a projection lens. A cooler comprising a closed flat platelike glass container and a refrigerant enclosed in the container with a vacuum space of specified volume left therein is joined to each of the incident-side polarizing plate and the liquid crystal panel over an effective image area. The incident-size polarizing plate and the liquid crystal panel are prevented from overheating by the spontaneous convection and evaporation of the refrigerant and the condensation thereof within the space.

Abstract: In a flat fluorescent lamp for serving as a back light of liquid crystal panels for use in display devices, upper and lower glass plates are respectively coated with fluorescent film on its inner surface and arranged in parallel to each other, a glass side wall is disposed along the peripheral edges of the upper and lower glass plates in order to form a hermetic discharge space between the upper and lower glass plates, a pair of discharge electrodes are arranged in parallel within the discharge space and opposed to each other, at least one reinforcing glass member having a height approximately equal to the distance between the upper and lower glass plates and for supporting the upper and lower glass plates is disposed between the electrodes, and the upper glass plate is formed at its inner surface with an uncoated portion having no fluorescent film at the position where the upper glass plate is opposed to the reinforcing glass member in contact therewith.

Abstract: An apparatus in which amorphous silicon solar cells are formed on a heat collecting plate. The solar cells are formed by using a superstrate or a substrate. Both a light-permeable superstrate and a metallic substrate are available for use. If the light-permeable superstrate is adopted, metallic electrodes, formed on the side of the heat collecting plate as lower electrodes of the solar cells, are attached to the heat collecting plate through electrically insulating adhesives, provided that the upper surface of the superstrate is exposed against the incident sunlight. The light-permeable superstrate is made of a heat absorbing material transmitting light having a wavelength range which is absorbed by the amorphous silicon layer of the solar cells while absorbing light having a wavelength range which is transmitted through the amorphous silicon layer thereby to convert the light into thermal energy.