Patent ID: 7477392

Claim:
An apparatus for measuring first, second, and third wavelength components of electromagnetic energy propagating along an incident axis, comprising: a first optical element positioned in intersecting relation relative to the incident axis, and having a first surface and an opposite second surface, and wherein the first surface and second surface are each positioned in substantially non-parallel relation one relative to the other, and wherein the first surface reflects a substantial portion of the second and third wavelength components of the electromagnetic energy along a first axis, and wherein the first wavelength component travels through the first optical element along a first path, and wherein the first wavelength component emerges from the first optical element and travels along a second axis that is substantially parallel to the incident axis; a second optical element positioned in intersecting relation to the first axis, and having a first surface and an opposite second surface, and wherein the first surface and the second surface are each positioned in substantially non-parallel relation one relative to the other, and further wherein the first surface is configured to reflect a substantial portion of the third wavelength component of the electromagnetic energy along a third image axis, and wherein the second wavelength component travels through the second optical element along a second path, and wherein the second wavelength component emerges from the second optical element and travels along a second image axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis; a first sensor having a sensing surface, and positioned in receiving relation to the first wavelength component; a second sensor having a sensing surface, and positioned in receiving relation to the second wavelength component; a third sensor having a sensing surface, and positioned in receiving relation to the third wavelength component; and wherein the first surface of the first optical element and the first surface of the second optical element are positioned in substantially parallel, predetermined spaced relation, one relative to the other.