Abstract: An optical engine in which full-spectrum light is split into its three primary beam components of red, blue and green, which components are then modulated by reflective or transmissive light valve structure and ultimately recombined for projection of a full color image, which engine includes a source of unmodulated full-spectrum light, and immediately optically downstream therefrom, a two-dichroic-surface V-splitter/mirror structure from which emerge the mentioned three primary beam components.

Abstract: A projection illumination system which includes a source light with a projection axis passing generally centrally through this light, and dual-side light-gathering structure, including a reflector and a TIR lens structure generally embracing the source light on opposite sides thereof and along the projection axis, with this light-gathering structure being capable of directing, ultimately outwardly from the source light and unidirectionally along the projection axis, a major percentage of light generated by the source light.

Abstract: An optical projector is described that orients its optics engine preferably vertically within an enclosure that is higher than it is wide or deep. The invented optics engine uses a prismatic cube for color separation or beam splitting, with the prismatic elements within the cube being secured within a durable frame that mounts the three color light valves, e.g. twisted nematic liquid crystal display (LCD)-type shutters, in a predefined position and orientation relative to the prismatic cube. In order to improve image quality and brightness, especially of the notoriously difficult-to-reproduce green color, red and blue beams are S polarized, as is conventional, but the green beam is P-polarized.

Abstract: An optical engine for combining or splitting color light beams, compatible with modern high-speed projection systems, is described. The invention utilizes a unique pentaprism core element, partially bounded by five faces, two each on either side of a plane of bilateral symmetry and one opposite, bisected by the plane of bilateral symmetry. Two of the faces of the pentaprism are coated with dichroic films. Functioning as a light combiner, the pentaprism uses these dichroic surfaces and its geometry to interact with incoming tri-color light beams which, after first passing through appropriately modulated light valves, are selectively transmitted and reflected such that all beams exit, axially aligned, from one side of the pentaprism. Functioning as a light splitter, the pentaprism uses the dichroic surfaces and its geometry to split a white light beam into its component primary colors and pass these colors out of the pentaprism.

Abstract: Described is an improved optical engine including dichroic mirror elements that have opposing substantially parallel planar surfaces, with the mirror elements positioned and oriented selectively and simultaneously to split a first light beam incident upon one of the opposing surfaces and to recombine modulated second and third beams incident upon the other of the opposing surfaces, wherein a beam of light emerging from the one of the opposing surfaces contains both modulated and unmodulated color components. Preferably, the invented optical engine takes the form of concentric squares, when viewed normal to a plane in which its optical elements lie, wherein the interior square contains plural dichroic elements and the exterior square contains plural turning mirror elements. The optical engine may be used along with conventional other optical elements including, for example, white light sources, turning mirrors, liquid crystal shutters and optical output stacks, to render a pixel-modulated tricolor projector.

Abstract: An optical projector is described that orients its optics engine preferably vertically within an enclosure that is higher than it is wide or deep. The invented optics engine uses a prismatic cube for color separation or beam splitting, with the prismatic elements within the cube being secured within a durable frame that mounts the three color light valves, e.g. twisted nematic liquid crystal display (LCD)-type shutters, in a predefined position and orientation relative to the prismatic cube. In order to improve image quality and brightness, especially of the notoriously difficult-to-reproduce green color, red and blue beams are S polarized, as is conventional, but the green beam is P-polarized.

Abstract: The invented optical engines are characterized as including generally parallel planar glass plate-mounted or coated dichroic and turning mirror and light valve elements. An important topological feature of the invented optical engines is the fact that like optical elements are positioned and oriented to be coplanar, i.e. the light-splitting dichroic mirror elements are coplanar with one another, the split beam-turning mirror elements are coplanar and the light valves are coplanar. This important feature of the invention renders compact optical engines that are simply and inexpensively manufactured and maintained because the critical optical elements are in part self-aligning when like optical elements are placed in an aligning mounting structure or more preferably on a common substrate that renders them self-positioning and self-aligning relative to one another.