Four prism color management system for projection systems

A projection system comprising:

• a lamp for generating an input beam of white light;
• an illumination optics and polarization recovery unit for collimating and polarizing said beam of white light;
• a polarization beam splitter for reflecting said input light to a color management device and transmitting output light to a projection lens;
• a color management device for splitting said white light into three beams of first, second, and third colors and directing said three beams to corresponding liquid crystal display panels, and recombining said three beams to form an output beam of light and directing said output beam to said polarization beam splitter, said color management device comprising first, second, third, and fourth prisms wherein:
• said first prism is adjacent to said second prism;
• said second prism is adjacent to said third prism;
• said third prism is adjacent to said fourth prism;
• said first prism includes a first surface for inputting or outputting a beam of light;
• said second prism includes a first dichroic surface mounted at a first angle with respect to said first surface for reflecting light of a first color and for transmitting light of a second color and light of a third color;
• and
• said third prism includes a second dichroic surface mounted at a second angle with respect to said first surface for reflecting light of said second color and for transmitting light of said third color, said first and second dichroic surfaces being optimized for both s- and p-type polarized light;
• first, second, and third reflective liquid crystal display (LCD) panels corresponding to said first, second, and third colors;
• first, second, and third panel drivers for controlling said first, second, and third LCD panels;
• an electronic decoder for decoding an input signal and appropriately adjusting said first, second, and third panel drivers;
• and
• a projection lens for outputting said output light.

A color management device for projection systems comprising first, second, third, and fourth prisms wherein:

• said first prism is disposed adjacent to said second prism;
• said second prism is disposed adjacent to said third prism;
• said third prism is disposed adjacent to said fourth prism with an air gap therebetween;
• said first prism includes a first surface for inputting or outputting a beam of light;
• said second prism includes a first dichroic surface mounted at a first angle with respect to said first surface for reflecting light of a first color and for transmitting light of a second color and light of a third color;
• and
• said third prism includes a second dichroic surface mounted at a second angle with respect to said first surface for reflecting light of said second color and for transmitting light of said third color.

A color management device for projection systems comprising first, second, third, and fourth prisms wherein:

• said first prism is disposed adjacent to said second prism;
• said second prism is disposed adjacent to said third prism;
• said third prism is disposed adjacent to said fourth prism;
• said first prism includes a first surface for inputting or outputting a beam of light;
• said second prism includes a first dichroic surface mounted at a first angle with respect to said first surface for reflecting light of a first color and for transmitting light of a second color and light of a third color;
• and
• said third prism includes a second dichroic surface mounted at a second angle with respect to said first surface for reflecting light of said second color and for transmitting light of said third color, said second angle being approximately 20 degrees.

A color management device for projection systems comprising first, second, third, and fourth prisms wherein:

• said first prism is disposed adjacent to said second prism;
• said second prism is disposed adjacent to said third prism;
• said third prism is disposed adjacent to said fourth prism;
• said first prism includes a first surface for inputting or outputting a beam of light;
• said second prism includes a first dichroic surface mounted at a first angle with respect to said first surface for reflecting light of a first color and for transmitting light of a second color and light of a third color;
• and
• said third prism includes a second dichroic surface mounted at a second angle with respect to said first surface for reflecting light of said second color and for transmitting light of said third color, said first and second dichroic surfaces being optimized for both s- and p-type polarized light.