Abstract: An inspection mirror incorporates an extremely thin glass substrate and low profile mount to produce a mirror that can provide visual access to spaces that would otherwise be too small or otherwise inaccessible. An aluminized layer forms the first reflecting surface. The mirror is protected by an amorphous carbon layer which forms a second reflecting surface. The mirror may be framed or frameless. Where provided, the support frame has a mirror receiving recess in which the mirror is retained by adhesive. Frameless mirrors are supported by a planar wire mount secured to the rear surface of the mirror by adhesive. The mirrors may be carried on a spring wire shaft received in a handle or by a flat strip that forms the handle and mirror support.

Abstract: An endoscope has a first end for insertion into a body, or other visually obscured area, with an optical image-forming lens device in the first end for forming two, side-by-side images of an object on opposite sides of the central axis of the endoscope. The images are transmitted to the opposite end of the endoscope, where they are received by a viewing device for three-dimensional viewing of the images by an operator. An image converging mechanism is provided in the image paths to provide a suitable convergence angle between the images at the viewing device.

Abstract: A side-viewing mirror device particularly suitable for viewing objects such as components on printed circuit boards, comprises a mirror having at least one straight edge for placing against a flat surface and a reflective front surface extending up to the straight edge, and a handle member extending at an angle less than 90 degrees to the straight edge of the mirror, so that when the straight edge is positioned against a flat surface facing the side of an object to be viewed, while viewing the object from above, the handle member will be offset out of the plane of the optical path including the mirror.

Abstract: An optical inspection method particularly suitable for viewing objects such as components on printed circuit boards, comprises the steps of viewing an object from above with a magnifying optical device and at the same time placing a side-viewing mirror in the optical path of the optical device facing the side of the object and tilted at an angle up to 90 degrees to the optical path so as to rotate an image of the side of the object by at least 90 degrees to present simultaneous front and side views of the object to an observer.