Abstract: A liquid crystal display 50 includes: a light source 10; a liquid crystal display panel 213; a wire-grid polarization plate 211, 214 located on at least one of a light-incident side and a light-emission side of the liquid crystal display panel 213, and including a base plate 101 and a plurality of wires 100 arranged in stripes on the base plate 1; a projection lens 23; a cooling part 25 which supplies wind to the liquid crystal display panel 213 and the polarization plate 211, 214 to cool them; and a covering wall 102 which covers end faces of the plurality of wires 100 and ends of a plurality of grooves 108 formed between the plurality of wires 100, at a windward side of the polarization plate 211, 214 in a flow direction of the wind supplied from the cooling part 25.

Abstract: A coupling structure for a wire grid type inorganic polarization plate. The coupling structure includes a holder and a wire grid type inorganic polarization plate. The holder includes a flat portion and an open portion through which light passes. The inorganic polarization plate includes a glass substrate, a wire grid formed by metal elements on the glass substrate, and a surface protection substrate that covers the wire grid. The inorganic polarization plate is coupled to the holder with the flat portion of the holder held between the glass substrate and the surface protection substrate, and the wire grid inserted into the open portion of the holder.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display 50 includes: a light source 10; a liquid crystal display panel 213; a wire-grid polarization plate 211, 214 located on at least one of a light-incident side and a light-emission side of the liquid crystal display panel 213, and including a base plate 101 and a plurality of wires 100 arranged in stripes on the base plate 1; a projection lens 23; a cooling part 25 which supplies wind to the liquid crystal display panel 213 and the polarization plate 211, 214 to cool them; and a covering wall 102 which covers end faces of the plurality of wires 100 and ends of a plurality of grooves 108 formed between the plurality of wires 100, at a windward side of the polarization plate 211, 214 in a flow direction of the wind supplied from the cooling part 25.

Abstract: An LCD panel (214) is provided on the light-incidence side thereof with a reflective polarizer. An optical compensator (213) is provided between a reflective polarizer (211) and the LCD panel (214) to reduce birefringence that takes place in the liquid crystal of the LCD panel (214). A further absorptive polarizer (212) is provided between a reflective polarizer (211) and the optical compensator (213). The reflective polarizer (211) and the absorptive polarizer (212) are arranged so that their transmission axes coincide to each other. Thus, the absorptive polarizer and optical compensator together cooperate to compensate for the deficient polarization degree of the reflective polarizer to improve the contrast of a displayed image. The absorptive polarizer absorbs unwanted catoptric light. The optical compensator removes irregularity in the blackness of the LCD panel that would otherwise appear in the black display screen.

Abstract: A coupling structure for a wire grid type inorganic polarization plate. The coupling structure includes a holder and a wire grid type inorganic polarization plate. The holder includes a flat portion and an open portion through which light passes. The inorganic polarization plate includes a glass substrate, a wire grid formed by metal elements on the glass substrate, and a surface protection substrate that covers the wire grid. The inorganic polarization plate is coupled to the holder with the flat portion of the holder held between the glass substrate and the surface protection substrate, and the wire grid inserted into the open portion of the holder.

Abstract: An LCD projector has LCD panels, each including polarization plates one on the light incidence side and another on the light emitting side of each LCD panel. The LCD panel is provided with a highly transparent auxiliary polarization plate between the LCD panel and the polarization plate on the light emitting side. The LCD panel is further provided with an optically anisotropic transparent substrate for supporting the highly transparent auxiliary polarization plate. The transparent substrate is arranged such that one of its anisotropic optical axes is inclined at an angle not more than 0.5 degrees with respect to the face of the auxiliary polarization plate when the face is parallel to the direction of light propagation. This arrangement ensures longer lives of the polarization plates on the light emitting sides while suppressing color irregularity on a black screen and degradation of picture contrast of the LCD projector.

Abstract: An LCD apparatus includes LCD panels for modulating irradiated light based on picture signals, a projection lens for extendedly projecting the light modulated by the LCD panels, a light source for emitting light to irradiate the LCD panels, an inorganic polarizer having a relatively higher degree of polarization and disposed on a light-emission side of each of the LCD panels, and an absorptive polarizer having a lower degree of polarization than the inorganic polarizer and disposed on a light-emission side of the inorganic polarizer. The inorganic polarizer having the higher degree of polarization and the absorptive polarizer having the lower degree of polarization have respective light transmission axes coincident with each other.

Abstract: An LCD apparatus includes LCD panels for modulating irradiated light based on picture signals, a projection lens for extendedly projecting the light modulated by the LCD panels, a light source for emitting light to irradiate the LCD panels, an inorganic polarizer having a relatively higher degree of polarization and disposed on a light-emission side of each of the LCD panels, and an absorptive polarizer having a lower degree of polarization than the inorganic polarizer and disposed on a light-emission side of the inorganic polarizer. The inorganic polarizer having the higher degree of polarization and the absorptive polarizer having the lower degree of polarization have respective light transmission axes coincident with each other.

Abstract: An LCD projector has LCD panels, each including polarization plates one on the light incidence side and another on the light emitting side of each LCD panel. The LCD panel is provided with a highly transparent auxiliary polarization plate between the LCD panel and the polarization plate on the light emitting side. The LCD panel is further provided with an optically anisotropic transparent substrate for supporting the highly transparent auxiliary polarization plate. The transparent substrate is arranged such that one of its anisotropic optical axes is inclined at an angle not more than 0.5 degrees with respect to the face of the auxiliary polarization plate when the face is parallel to the direction of light propagation. This arrangement ensures longer lives of the polarization plates on the light emitting sides while suppressing color irregularity on a black screen and degradation of picture contrast of the LCD projector.

Abstract: An LCD panel (214) is provided on the light-incidence side thereof with a reflective polarizer. An optical compensator (213) is provided between a reflective polarizer (211) and the LCD panel (214) to reduce birefringence that takes place in the liquid crystal of the LCD panel (214). A further absorptive polarizer (212) is provided between a reflective polarizer (211) and the optical compensator (213). The reflective polarizer (211) and the absorptive polarizer (212) are arranged so that their transmission axes coincide to each other. Thus, the absorptive polarizer and optical compensator together cooperate to compensate for the deficient polarization degree of the reflective polarizer to improve the contrast of a displayed image. The absorptive polarizer absorbs unwanted catoptric light. The optical compensator removes irregularity in the blackness of the LCD panel that would otherwise appear in the black display screen.

Abstract: A projector includes: a liquid crystal panel in which liquid crystal molecules to be irradiated with light from a light source are sealed; a polarizing plate disposed in a position to face the liquid crystal panel; and an optical compensation sheet disposed between the polarizing plate and the liquid crystal panel and compensating birefringence of the liquid crystal molecules. The optical compensation sheet can be adjusted by being swung in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis, and its normal can be adjusted so as to be tilted from the optical axis.

Abstract: A projection device includes on a chassis a liquid crystal panel for irradiation with light from a light source, a polarizing plate opposing the liquid crystal panel, and an optical compensation sheet provided between the liquid crystal panel and the polarizing plate, for compensating a twist angle of polarized light. The optical compensation sheet is attached to a rotational adjusting mechanism provided on the chassis so that it can be rotatively adjusted within a plane perpendicular to an optical axis L.

Abstract: A projector includes: a liquid crystal panel in which liquid crystal molecules to be irradiated with light from a light source are sealed; a polarizing plate disposed in a position to face the liquid crystal panel; and an optical compensation sheet disposed between the polarizing plate and the liquid crystal panel and compensating birefringence of the liquid crystal molecules. The optical compensation sheet can be adjusted by being swung in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis, and its normal can be adjusted so as to be tilted from the optical axis.

Abstract: A projection device includes on a chassis a liquid crystal panel for irradiation with light from a light source, a polarizing plate opposing the liquid crystal panel, and an optical compensation sheet provided between the liquid crystal panel and the polarizing plate, for compensating a twist angle of polarized light. The optical compensation sheet is attached to a rotational adjusting mechanism provided on the chassis so that it can be rotatively adjusted within a plane perpendicular to an optical axis L.

Abstract: The 2-D/3-D compatible type image display according to the present invention is constructed by arranging a liquid crystal panel which is a display panel, a dispersed type liquid crystal panel which is a diffusing effect on/off panel, a light separating means, a backlight which is a plane light source, so as to be nearer to an observer in this order. It is possible by processing the image signal supplied to the liquid crystal panel to form a first group of pixels lined in longitudinal direction of a picture and a second group of pixels lined in the same direction of the picture alternately formed in horizontal direction, and to make the first group of pixels and the second group of pixels have different observing points respectively as left eye pixels and right eye pixels (when 3-D images are displayed), or to make the first group of pixels and the second group of pixels have the same observing points with each other (when 2-D images are displayed).

Abstract: A liquid crystal display comprising a liquid crystal and a polyimide alignment layer for orienting the liquid crystal, wherein the polyimide alignment layer has a plurality of regions which are at different imidiation ratios, whereby liquid crystal portions corresponding to the respective regions are oriented at different pretilt angles which are responsive to the imidiation ratios.

Abstract: A liquid crystal shutter has a liquid crystal layer which is made of a liquid crystal material prepared from a nematic liquid crystal. The ratio d/p of the thickness d of the liquid crystal layer to the chiral pitch p of the liquid crystal material and a twist angle .theta. which is set by a pair of alignment layers for liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer satisfy the relation of .theta./360.degree.<d/p.