Patents Examined by R. D. Shafer
  • Patent number: 5243461
    Abstract: A bicycle signalling assembly comprises a seat body having two cylinders constructed in such a manner that a circuit board can be fastened securely to cylinders without using a hand tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Inventors: Tsyan Jiann-Shyan, Polo Chion
  • Patent number: 5241426
    Abstract: A condenser optical system is provided for bringing a beam of light from a light source to a focus at a desired position. The condenser optical system has a reflecting surface including a quadric surface of revolution represented by Equation (1) described below. The reflecting surface satisfies the conditions of Equations (2) and (3) described below when the condenser optical system is disposed so that the light beam from the light source is incident, substantially parallel to a rotary axis of the quadric surface, on the reflecting surface:z=Cy.sup.2 /{1+(1-pC.sup.2 y.sup.2).sup.1/2 } (1)Ch<22 (2)78-4.theta..sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoichiro Mochimaru, Yoshiaki Horikawa
  • Patent number: 5237446
    Abstract: An optical low-pass filter comprising at least two boundary surfaces arranged substantially parallel to each other which can split incident light into two components or reflect it and at least one of which has color dependency, in order to make it possible to be favorably used to an objective optical system for for endoscopes, to have wavelength dependency to response, and to minimize the generation of color moire. The optical low-pass filter is constructed in the form of various shaped prisms and can also have two-dimensional filter characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Susumu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5237458
    Abstract: A side view mirror assembly for an automobile comprises a side view mirror having a reflective surface and a transparent portion, a target fixed with respect to the automobile, located behind the side view mirror, and an auxiliary mirror having a reflective surface which is considerably smaller than the reflective surface of the side view mirror attached to the rear of the side view mirror, and so inclined with respect to the side view mirror that it enables a driver of an automobile to see the target in the auxiliary mirror through the transparent portion of the side view mirror, and when the target is seen by the driver in the auxiliary mirror the line of sight of the driver looking in the side view mirror is directed toward a required blind spot area near the automobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Inventors: Michael L. Polanyi, Thomas G. Polanyi
  • Patent number: 5235469
    Abstract: A horizontal cut stepped mirror mounted to the pillars of an automobile to either side of the windscreen. Such mirrors may be mounted for adjustment or affixed directly to the pillar. Cushioning and mechanical adjustments may be used in mounting to the pillar for safety. The mirrors can be mounted inwardly and/or outwardly of the side window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Inventor: Richard C. Horian
  • Patent number: 5233476
    Abstract: A flexible, shape-retentent rear view mirror is mounted to a support flange having a flange forward surface, with a positioning flange orthogonally and integrally mounted to an upper edge of the support flange. First and second mounting plates are positioned at opposed ends of the support flange in a coplanar relationship, with each lower edge of each mounting flange having a channel to receive the mirror plate therewithin to capture the mirror plate between the channels and the positioning flange. An arcuate spring plate having a convex forward surface projecting beyond the forward surface of the support flange is oriented between the support flange and the mirror to effect bowing of the mirror. Suction cups mount the organization to an interior surface of a vehicular windshield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Inventor: Don W. McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 5227922
    Abstract: The present invention is a decorative mirror box provided with a hollow interior cavity. The interior cavity is defined by a bottom, a roof, and reflective interior surfaces on a front wall, a back wall, a right side wall, and a left side wall. Optionally, the bottom can be provided with an interior surface which is reflective. The walls attach perpendicularly to the bottom. The side walls are spaced apart and are parallel to each other. The front wall attaches perpendicularly to the side walls and is provided with an opening to provide visual access to the interior cavity. The back wall attaches to the side walls so that the back wall is spaced away from the front wall so that the back wall interior surface is not parallel with the front wall interior surface A roof attaches to the front wall, the back wall, the right side wall, and the left side wall. An interior surface of the roof is provided with a light source for illuminating the interior cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Inventor: Tululah J. Boos
  • Patent number: 5227923
    Abstract: An all reflective multiple field of view optical system has a first (10) and second (12) objective assembly sharing a common eyepiece assembly (16) in a common packaging volume in a single unit. The second objective assembly is movable with respect to the first to provide multiple fields of view utilizing a common entrance pupil region (18) and viewing exit pupil plane (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Reynold S. Kebo
  • Patent number: 5226034
    Abstract: The electrically remote-controlled type mirror assembly has a pair of plungers to tilt the mirror body supporting the mirror horizontally and vertically, respectively, within certain pivoting angles. The mirror assembly has a sliding mechanism including another motor to axially slide at least one of these plungers beyond said certain pivoting angles of the mirror body. The sliding mechanism is so arranged as to have no influence on the adjustment of the mirror angle within the certain pivoting angles of the mirror body. Thus, the mirror posture can be changed quickly from the mirror angle adjusted within the certain pivoting angle for ordinary car driving to the mirror angle with which the mirror is tilted further downward, and also the initially adjusted mirror angle can be restored accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: Ichikoh Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshirou Nagayama, Takao Sekino
  • Patent number: 5225943
    Abstract: A rear view mirror unit for a commercial vehicle, comprising a mirror, a support element to which this mirror is fixed, pivot means for connecting the support element in such a manner as to project from at least one region of the vehicle body defining at least one preferential angular position of the support element itself with respect to the body, and a cable slidably engaging a bushing fixed to the support element and connected to a coil spring with its front end, the free ends of the cable and the spring are connected to respective brackets fixed to the body to the sides of the said pivot means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1993
    Assignee: Gilardini S.p.A.
    Inventor: Elio Lupo
  • Patent number: 5223975
    Abstract: A polarization beam coupler adapted to produce an output light beam for monitoring is disclosed. The polarization beam coupler includes a polarization beam coupling cube for coupling two incident light beams having polarization planes perpendicular to each other and projecting the coupled light beams on the same optic axis, a beam splitting cube having a beam splitting film formed from a dielectric multi-layer or single-layer film for extracting a monitor beam, and a quarter-wave plate interposed between the polarization beam coupling cube and the beam splitting cube such that incident light beams to the beam splitting cube may be circularly polarized light. Due to the construction, the output level of a monitor light beam can be prevented from depending upon the polarization planes of the incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Norihisa Naganuma, Hisashi Takamatsu, Kenichi Abe
  • Patent number: 5223985
    Abstract: A drive device for a motor vehicle rear-view mirror comprises a spur gear which may be driven by the shaft of an electric motor, and which is supported by a spherical bearing. The rear-view mirror is carried by a drive plate which is journaled for spherical movement about a spherical seat spaced laterally of the spur gear. A hollow pin extends from said drive plate, being non-rotatably connected for articulation therewith, the hollow pin having external threads. A guide mandrel extends from the spur gear into the hollow pin in sliding relationship, and elastically yieldable snap hooks extend from the spur gear outwardly of the guide mandrel and the hollow pin, and have hook parts for threadedly engaging the threads on the hollow pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1993
    Assignee: Gebruder Buhler Nachfolger GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Guttenberger, Werner Seichter
  • Patent number: 5222000
    Abstract: A flexible mirror assembly that may be bent into various complex configurations by the user, thus creating numerous distorted images for amusement purposes. The mirror assembly has a laminated construction comprising a first reflective layer formed of a metallic film coated on a carrier material, a second intermediate layer formed of a thin plastic sheet for stiffening the first layer, and a third backing layer formed of a foam material for providing structural support to the assembly while being sufficiently flexible to permit bending thereof about plural axes. The mirror assembly may be mounted in a flexible frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Inventor: Ronald E. Adler
  • Patent number: 5220451
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a high performance nonlinear optical device by utilizing an optical medium of large second order nonlinear optical effects, which has acceptable processability and stability. The second-order nonlinear optical device of the present invention comprises an optical element of a monoclinic crystal of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-4'-nitrostilbene represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## said crystal belonging to space group P2.sub.1, point group #4, said optical element having at least one substantially optically smooth surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Gotoh, Tetsuya Tsunekawa, Seiji Fukuda, Hiroshi Mataki, Keiichi Egawa
  • Patent number: 5216543
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for patterning areas of a radiation absorbent film material. In the preferred embodiment, the film material is at least partially electrically conductive. The radiation is focused onto the film by a lenticular lens having a plurality of optically active elements to provide a radiation pattern on the film and remove or displace portions of the film to form a corresponding pattern, preferably a conductive pattern. The film may have one or more layers or regions, but at least one region must be radiation absorbent in order to allow the formation of patterns in the film in accordance with the present invention. The areas of the film affected by the phenomenon of radiation absorption are non-conductive voids which may separate the film into a plurality of conductive grid lines whereby the film is useful with a conductive lens film to increase the apparent efficiency of a photovoltaic cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Clyde D. Calhoun
  • Patent number: 5216544
    Abstract: A beam-combining laser beam source device comprising an airtight housing and a laser beam source unit housed in the housing. The laser beam source unit comprises laser beam sources and collimator optical systems respectively positioned in optical paths of laser beams, which are radiated from the laser beam sources, in order to collimate the laser beams. Optical path adjusting elements are respectively positioned in the optical paths of the laser beams in order to radiate the laser beams along optical paths parallel and close to one another. The laser beam sources, the collimator optical systems, and the optical path adjusting elements are supported on a single support. The housing is provided with a temperature sensor, which detects the temperature in the housing, and temperature adjusting elements which heat or chill the housing on the basis of control of the temperature sensor so that the temperature in the housing is kept constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Horikawa, Kouichi Okada, Ichirou Miyagawa
  • Patent number: 5214540
    Abstract: Optical mirror systems are provided by cooperative arrangements of a plurality of curved mirrors, preferably of approximately elliptical and hyperbolic shapes. In one arrangement, a convex segment of an hyperbolic primary mirror and a concave segment of an hyperbolic secondary mirror form a forward looking magnification system. In another arrangement, a concave segment of an elliptical primary mirror and a convex segment of an hyperbolic secondary mirror form a microscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Inventor: Yoram Yakimovsky
  • Patent number: 5212588
    Abstract: A projection reflection optical system has two mirrors in a coaxial, four reflection configuration to reproduce the image of an object. The mirrors have spherical reflection surfaces to provide a very high resolution of object feature wavelengths less than 200 .mu.m, and preferably less than 100 .mu.m. An image resolution of features less than 0.05-0.1 .mu.m, is obtained over a large area field; i.e., 25.4 mm .times.25.4 mm, with a distortion less than 0.1 of the resolution over the image field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Vriddhachalam K. Viswanathan, Brian E. Newnam
  • Patent number: 5210658
    Abstract: A sight glass assembly generally consisting of a first housing section having an opening therethrough mountable on a vessel wall, a second vessel section having an opening therethrough registrable with the first housing section opening when the first housing section is disposed in assembled relation with the second housing section, a pair of lenses disposed in the housing sections across the openings thereof, provided with beveled surfaces along the mating surfaces thereof, a packing member disposed between annular side walls of the lenses and the housing sections, and means for urging the housing sections together to compress the packing material and cause it to expand laterally to place the lenses in radial compression to maintain their structural integrity upon being fractured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: PresSure Products Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert J. Foster
  • Patent number: 5210642
    Abstract: This invention relates to a reflector unit for attachment to the sides of abnormally long vehicles and trailers. The reflector units have reflecting surfaces which reflect incident light towards the rear, sides and front of the vehicle thereby providing an indication, particularly at night, of the overall length of the vehicle. It is envisaged that this will reduce the hazards of overtaking abnormally long vehicles at night.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Peter John Cowling
    Inventor: George Coligionis