Display apparatus capable of controlling range of visually recognizable observation angle

A display apparatus comprising:

• a liquid crystal display panel that includes a screen region where pixels that control transmission of light are arranged in a matrix, and displays an image;
• a viewing angle restricting element that selectively irradiates light with directivity in a restricting direction at a predetermined angle with respect to a direction normal to the display panel, toward an observation side of the display panel;
• and
• a surface illuminant that is arranged on a side opposite to the observation side of the liquid crystal display panel and radiates illumination light spreading in an angular range that includes an exit direction of the light with directivity irradiated from the viewing angle restricting element and is wider than a range of a spread angle of the light irradiated from the viewing angle restricting element, toward the liquid crystal display panel.

A display apparatus comprising:

• a display panel that displays an image within a predetermined viewing angle range in which an image is visually recognizable;
• a viewing angle restricting element that is arranged on an observation side of the display panel, transmits image light irradiated from the display panel, and selectively irradiates, toward the observation side, restricting light with directivity having a light intensity peak in a restricting direction that is within the viewing angle range and inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a direction normal to the display panel;
• and
• a surface illuminant that is arranged on a side opposite to the observation side of the display panel and irradiates the display panel with illumination light that spreads in the viewing angle range.

A display apparatus comprising:

• a liquid crystal display panel that includes a screen region where pixels that control transmission of light are arranged in a matrix, and displays an image formed of the pixels within a visually recognizable predetermined viewing angle range;
• a viewing angle restricting element that comprises a light guide member and a light source unit, the light guide member being arranged on an observation side of the liquid crystal display panel and including a transparent plate including two opposing plate surfaces and end faces intersecting the plate surfaces, wherein the viewing angle restricting element transmits image light irradiated from the liquid crystal display panel, and wherein the viewing angle restricting element irradiates light entering the transparent plate through at least one incident end face thereof, through one of the two plate surfaces of the transparent plate in two directions that are within the viewing angle range and are inclined toward one side of the liquid crystal display panel and another side opposite thereto at predetermined angles with respect to a direction normal to the plate surface, and wherein the light source unit is arranged at the incident end face of the light guide member and causes the light to enter the light guide member through the incident end face;
• and
• a surface illuminant that is arranged on a side opposite to the observation side of the liquid crystal display panel and irradiates the liquid crystal display panel with illumination light that spreads within the viewing angle range.