Abstract: An apparatus is provided that integrates puddle and footwell lighting in a vehicle with a speaker grille. The apparatus includes a grille having a plurality of apertures configured to permit transmission of acoustic energy generated by a speaker or other audio device. The apparatus further includes a light emitting device configured to illuminate a surface, such as the floor of a vehicle or the ground outside of a vehicle, through the grille.

Abstract: A display device with a holographic diffuser which has at least first and second adjacent sets of holographic regions which overlap each other and wherein the first and second holographic regions diffract and direct light to respective first and second sets of imaging elements of a lcd to displays an image.

Abstract: An optical device that includes a filter element which affects a beam incident thereon by shifting it is provided with a lens, wherein a distance between the lens end face and the filter is different than the distance between the lens end face and the input waveguide. By ensuring an appropriate difference in distance, optimum coupling is achieved even in view of the beam shift from the filter.

Abstract: An elongated thin wall plastic tube device, containing decorative un-printed images along its length as transparent light-transmissive openings, while also containing printed or painted opaque sections to block out unwanted light-transmission around the images. The decorative tube device will surround a fluorescent light bulb color sleeve, which in combination with a fluorescent light bulb are inserted into a fluorescent lighting fixture. Once the fixture is powered on, the light transmitted by the light bulb passes through the color sleeve and through the un-printed image openings, while the opaque sections block out unwanted light around the images and throughout the remaining sections of the decorative tube device. When illuminated, the apparatus give the appearance of neon signage at a fraction of the cost of conventional neon signs.

Abstract: A shower mirror, for attaching onto a shower head pipe, comprising a generally rectangular housing and an attachment device for attaching onto the pipe. The housing has a housing front having an inner frame, which encloses a fog-free, wide view mirror element. The attachment device includes a tubular clip having an opening for selectively mounting onto the shower head pipe, and a pair of ropes which extend from the clip to the housing to support the housing immediately below the shower head pipe. Lights are present on the housing front, which are operable with a push-button. A clock is also present on the housing front to provide the current time of day.

Abstract: A laser flashlight employs a laser emitter disposed within a housing for emitting a coherent light along an optical axis toward the light emitting end of the housing. A power supply selectively applies electricity from a battery pack disposed within the housing to the laser emitter. An optical system disposed within the housing intermediate the laser emitter and the light emitting end of the housing includes a laser element pumped by the laser emitter, a frequency/wavelength converter, and a resonator, to form the coherent light into a laser beam. A beam expander receives the laser beam, disperses the laser beam, and transmits the dispersed laser beam from the light emitting end of the housing into the ambient environment. The dispersion of the laser beam is such that the laser beam is safe for the human eye at the light emitting end of the housing.

Abstract: A lamp holder for three-wire Christmas flashing control lamp is disclosed. The flashing control lamp is provided with three conductive wires, in which three conductive wires extend from a lower end of a lamp base, and then the lamp base is mounted in a fitting hole of the lamp holder. Three metal plates are disposed in the fitting hole corresponding to the three conductive wires. The outer wall face of the lamp base and the inner wall face of the fitting hole are respectively formed with a rib and a guide channel corresponding to each other. When the lamp base is fitted into the lamp holder, the rib is slided along the guide channel so as to make sure that the three conductive wires respectively contact with the three metal plates at correct leg positions to conduct electricity.

Abstract: A rotatable mirror assembly is described comprising a spherical housing (1) rotatable about an axis (A). The housing contains a mirror (2) bonded in the rear end of the housing. The housing at the front of mirror (2) has a flange (3) while a second enlarged flange (4) is formed at the rear of the mirror (2) the front of the mirror (2) has a sloping end face (5) at an angle of 45.degree. of the rotary axis (A) which fives toward an opening (6) in the side of the housing (1). The opening (6) in a first embodiment is closed by an optically flat sapphire window (7) bonded into the opening (6) and in a second embodiment has a curved lens (17) mounted in the aperture. The improved assemblies reduce noise generation of high speed rotating mirrors and prevent the deposit of small particles of dust on the mirror surface.

Abstract: A scanner scans the scan subject by means of utilizing a rotative movement of a rotatable movable member for rotatably moving on a predetermined rotation axis. A scan mirror is supported by a single support axis. A rotary power of drive motors is converted into a reciprocating motion by crank mechanisms to rotatively move the scan mirror. A rotary angle of the scan mirror is detected by utilizing a principle of an interferometer.

Abstract: A light source device has a first mirror for reflecting light emitted by a light source, and a second mirror for reflecting the light reflected by the first mirror and guiding the reflected light toward the irradiation target portion. The first mirror has a curved reflection surface having an elliptic or parabolic shape in section along the optical axis direction. The light source is set at the position of a focal point of the elliptic or parabolic shape of the curved reflection surface. The second mirror has a linear reflection surface which has a linear shape in section along the optical axis direction and faces the curved reflection surface of the first mirror.

Abstract: An authenticatable product includes a non-opaque latent image layer of polymer material treated so as to contain at least one region having anisotropic optical properties such that, when viewed directly, the at least one region is indistinguishable from the remainder of the latent image layer and, under polarized visualization, the at least one region is distinguished readily from the remainder of the latent image layer. The latent image layer may be supplemented with visible information, a reflective layer, a quarterwave plate, a polarizer, or may be part of a more complex multi-layer structure. The product may be used in a wide range of authentification applications. Also described is a method for producing such a latent image including steps of photoactivation, selective exposure and processing/fixing of the image.

Abstract: Reflective image-providing displays illuminated with chromatically-adjusted holographically diffused light are provided. In one particular and preferred embodiment, a liquid crystal display component is presented comprising a liquid crystal display element backed with a reflective transmission holographic diffuser. Chromatic adjustment is effected by the inclusion in said liquid crystal display component of a compensatory filter layer of relatively low density designed to restore the ambient color balance of input light, the balance being otherwise upset by transit through said liquid crystal display element. Achromatically illuminated images of good contrast are displayed and viewed from the liquid crystal display component under ambient lighting conditions.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for increasing detection signal-to-noise ratio, by reducing the effect of optical scatterers from a holographic storage medium, are disclosed. The method comprises the step of sensing the phase of scattered radiation and the subsequent step of writing the hologram data into the holographic storage medium. The image containing the hologram data is written with phase characteristics such that, during a subsequent hologram readout, the electric fields from the image and scatterers are 90 degrees out of phase. This optimum phase relationship greatly reduces the effect of scatter noise, thereby increasing signal-to-noise ratio and reducing bit-error-rate.

Abstract: A FLIR system having a refractive FLIR optical configuration including a substantially spherical housing and an optical window disposed in and extending to the outer housing surface. The window aperture diameter exceeds the housing radius and is a near dome-shaped, relatively high dispersive negative lens forming a part of the FLIR optical system and is disposed adjacent a positive relatively low dispersive lens. A first optical system extends to a first housing window for receiving light and is within a hemispherical housing portion comprises an afocal lens system of a first pair of lenses, one lens disposed at a housing wall, a first mirror disposed within the hemisphere and reflecting light passing through the first pair of lenses, a second mirror for receiving the light reflected from the first mirror and reflecting the light along a path parallel to the light impinging upon the first mirror and a further plurality of lenses for transmission of the light reflected from the second mirror.

Abstract: A light diffusing film is produced by preparing a paint by adding a light transmissive diffusing material comprising resin beads to a light transmissive resin, and coating the paint on one or both of the surfaces of transparent film substrate made of TAC, to produce a light diffusing layer. In the light diffusing film, the haze value on the surface of light diffusing layer is three or more, the difference between the haze value along the normal and that along the lines .+-.60.degree. apart from the normal is four or less, and the surface is practically smooth whose roughness is so adjusted as to give a surface roughness Ra of Ra.ltoreq.0.2 .mu.m. Application of such a light diffusing film onto a display panel inhibits scattering reflection which would otherwise cause the display to be whitish, reduces the variation of haze values which vary depending on the viewed angle, and thus improves display quality.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source, a first optical system which includes a coupling lens for coupling a beam from the light source, a polygon mirror for deflecting the beam from the first optical system at a constant angular velocity, and a second optical system which includes a scanning and imaging element for converging the deflected beam on a scanned surface so as to scan the scanned surface substantially at a constant velocity, wherein following conditions are satisfied.THETA./2<.alpha.<(4.pi./N)-(.THETA./2) (1)R.multidot.sin(.alpha./2).multidot.1.03<h<R.multidot.sin(.alpha./2).multido t.1.1 (2)where N indicates the number of deflecting and reflecting surfaces of the polygon mirror, R indicates a radius of an inscribed circle in the deflecting and reflecting surface, .alpha. indicates an angle formed by a chief ray of the deflected beam so as to be perpendicular to the scanned surface and an optical axis of the first optical system, .THETA.

Abstract: A head lamp device has a connector guide which enables a feeder connector to be insertable into a bulb, only rotating the bulb to a fixed position specified. In this manner, a feeder connector is not insertable in a socket when the bulb is not in the fixed position so that even inexperienced operators can surely enforce the replacement of the bulb, therefore, a specified light distribution can be surely obtained.

Abstract: Packaged electroluminescent apparatus including an organic electroluminescent device carried by a glass substrate and a glass cover sealed with the glass substrate at a perimeter seal bounding the organic electroluminescent device in a cavity. Wherein the perimeter seal includes a cured epoxy adhesive seal sealingly engaging the glass cover with the glass substrate, and desiccant and/or inert fluorocarbon liquid disposed proximate the cured epoxy adhesive.

Abstract: An illuminated teardrop shaped sign mounted on the roof of a taxicab carries at least one transparency backlighted by an electroluminescent panel. Two separately backlighted transparencies may be employed, one for displaying an advertising message and the other carrying an emergency message to enable the cab driver to alert police if a criminal act is taking place in the cab.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polarization beam splitter which has; a lithium niobate or lithium tantalate substrate which has an in-plane optical axis; proton exchanging regions formed periodically on a surface of the substrate; and phase compensating film regions formed periodically on the proton exchanging regions; wherein each of the proton exchanging regions has a step cross section with 2.sup.n -step depths and each of the phase compensating film regions has a step cross section with 2.sup.n -step thicknesses corresponding to the depths of the each proton exchanging region, where n is an integer of 2 or more. Also disclosed is a method for making a polarization beam splitter which has the steps of: forming periodically first proton exchanging regions with a depth of h.sub.a on a lithium niobate or lithium tantalate substrate which has an in-plane optical axis; forming repeatedly and sequentially n-th proton exchanging regions with a depth of h.sub.a /2.sup.