Patent ID: 8376551

Claim:
A color combining apparatus comprising: a first color channel having a first light source with first beam-conditioning optics and energizable to direct a first beam of light of a first wavelength band directly onto a first coated surface of a color combining element at a first incident angle; a second color channel having a second light source with second beam-conditioning optics and energizable to direct a second beam of light of a second wavelength band directly onto the first coated surface of the color combining element at a second incident angle; a third color channel having a third light source with third beam-conditioning optics and energizable to direct a third beam of light of a third wavelength band onto a second coated surface of the color combining element; wherein the color combining element is a single piece of a solid, transparent material and wherein the first and second flat coated surfaces are noncontiguous; wherein the first coated surface is treated to reflect incident light of the first wavelength band onto an optical axis and to transmit incident light of the second and third wavelength bands; wherein the second coated surface is treated to reflect incident light of the second wavelength band and to transmit incident light of the third wavelength band, and wherein the first and second surfaces lie in substantially parallel planes and wherein the first and second incident angles are equal.