Patent ID: 7184213

Claim:
An integrating rod comprised of: an elongated body, said elongated body operable to reflect light traveling through said elongated body on a first light path; a quarter wave plate on said first light path; and a polarizer on said light path allowing light of a first polarization to travel along a second light path and returning light of a second polarization to said first light path. an entrance face on a first end of said elongated body; and a mirrored entrance aperture at said entrance face, said mirrored entrance aperture having a transmissive entrance aperture portion and a mirrored portion, said mirrored entrance aperture allowing light to pass through the aperture thereof to enter the elongated body of said integrating rod, said mirrored entrance aperture operable to reflect light traveling through said elongated body to said entrance face that strikes said mirrored entrance aperture outside said transmissive entrance aperture.