Abstract: A vehicle door mirror assembly has a stationary base unit, a door mirror unit mounted on the base unit so that the mirror unit is swingable about a vertical swing axis, an ultrasonic motor for supplying power to swing the mirror unit, a fixed gear fixed to the base unit, and a speed reducing gear set. The ultrasonic motor and the gear reducing gear set are both mounted on the mirror unit. The speed reducing gear set has a driving gear driven by the motor, an intermediate gear engaged with, and driven by, the driving gear, and a driven gear which is connected with the intermediate gear by a joint shaft and which is engaged with the fixed gear. When the motor drives the driving gear, the driven gear is driven by the driving gear at a reduced speed, and moves around the fixed gear to swing the mirror unit about the axis of the fixed gear. This door mirror assembly is advantageous in compactness, durability and efficiency.

Abstract: An actuator device of particular use in changing the configuration of a deformable mirror faceplate includes an electrically deformable actuator confined between a back surface of a support and a nut that is threaded onto a threaded end portion of elongated tensioning element that has an end cap secured to the other end portion. The tensioning element passes through a central opening of the actuator and a passage in the support. A spring is interposed between the front surface of the support and the end cap. Tightening of the nut imparts causes the spring to exert its restoring force on the actuator to subject the same to a mechanical preload pressure. Another nut may be threaded onto the threaded end portion of the tensioning element to be received in a corresponding recess of the support and pre-deform the spring in the absence of the actuator.

Abstract: An inside rear view mirror system (10) for motor vehicle (18) employs a two-position rotary-action solenoid (16) electronically activated from a switch (54) mounted on the steering wheel spoke (52) for momentarily locating the rear view mirror (36) in a down position when the switch (54) is depressed and releasing the solenoid (16) to rotate mirror (36) to a normally up position when the switch (54) is released.

Abstract: An ultralight mirror which utilizes a light weight fibrous substrate (10), made of a tangle of silica and alumina fibers, which support a set of thin layers that form the mirror surface. These layers, from the bottom to the top, are a sealant layer (20) to plug substrate surface voids, a polished glassy layer (30), a reflective layer (40), and a protective overcoat (50).

Abstract: An optical apparatus is described which reshapes rectangular cross-section laser beams, with toroidal divergence to generally square cross-section beams with plane or spherical divergence. The apparatus uses either two spherical mirrors or two pairs of spherical mirrors.

Abstract: A vision saver for use with a computer monitor relieves eye strain, reduces focusing problems, minimizes eye convergence, reduces the number of eye and head movements by an operator using a computer keyboard with the computer monitor, and reduces glare. The vision saver comprises first and second reflecting surfaces and a supporting structure for supporting the reflecting surfaces in spaced relation in front of the computer monitor such that the first reflecting surface faces the screen of the monitor and the second reflecting surface, and the second reflecting surface faces the first reflecting surface and outwardly from the screen of the monitor whereby a person can visually observe the screen of the computer monitor by viewing the second reflecting surface which can advantageously be positioned closer to the computer keyboard than the screen of the monitor.

Abstract: An improved in-car rearview mirror structure including a mirror frame seat and a mirror, wherein the upper and lower edges of the mirror frame seat are formed with two grooves respectively and two C-shaped protecting frames are mounted on two sides of the mirror, the length of the protecting frames being adjustable in accordance with the length of the mirror, the mirror with the protecting frames being fitted into the grooves of the mirror frame seat to form an in-car rearview mirror structure, an adhesive tape being attached to the rear face of the mirror for preventing the mirror from crashing due to collision.

Abstract: A wide-angle mirror attachment for an existing side mirror of a van, pick-up truck, truck, and the like, whereby all blind spots are eliminated when viewing the rear during driving. The wide-angle mirror attachment in a first embodiment is uniquely designed for a specific type of pick-up truck, and, in other embodiments is provided will a more universal-type of mount that allows it to be mounted to most types of trucks and vans.

Abstract: A monochromator of the Czerny-Turner type includes an entrance slit, a collimating mirror for receiving light output by the entrance slit, a planar grating for receiving light reflected by the collimating mirror, a focusing mirror for receiving light reflected by the grating, and an exit slit for receiving light focused by the focusing mirror. Light generally proceeds from the entrance slit to the collimating mirror, form the collimating mirror to the grating, from the grating to the focusing mirror and from the focusing mirror to the exit slit. The improvement comprises the use of a single toroidal collimating mirror in the system in combination with a spherical focusing mirror.

Abstract: An automatic oscillating vehicle side mirror includes a basic plate body having a pair of outer hollow brackets and a solenoid with an operating lever, and a mirror fixing plate having a convex vehicle side mirror and a pair of inner brackets whereby upon operating the turning signal and upon turning the vehicle, the operating lever moves into the solenoid so that the convex side mirrors automatically oscillate at both end portions of the side mirrors for providing a wide angle view toward the left and right sides of the vehicle and which reduces or eliminates the blind spot.

Abstract: A solar screening film for a motor vehicle windshield comprises an interference filter having one or more heat reflecting metal layers and one or more coacting reflection-suppressing layers to minimize reflection and enhance visible transmission and a gradient band continuation of the interference filter above the direct line of forward vision through a windshield when the film is disposed therein in a motor vehicle, for reflective rejection of infra-red solar energy, such band including a light-reflecting metal layer gradually increasing in thickness toward an edge of the film.

Abstract: A retractable turn-over type rearview door mirror in which angular adjustment of the mirror member can be effected by manually operating an actuation lever. By using a certain linkage mechanism, a favorable correspondence is achieved between the direction of movement of the actuation lever and the direction of movement the mirror member. The use of a clutch unit permits the adjusted state of the mirror member to be conserved, even when the rearview door mirror is retracted and restored, by minimizing the influences of the retracting movement upon the linkage mechanism. This can be accomplished by applying a suitable amount of friction to the linkage mechanism, but, by using a lock lever which fixes the angular orientation of the mirror member when the rearview door mirror is retracted, the angular orientation of the mirror member may be kept fixed without requiring such a friction and it allows the operation of the actuation lever to be performed with a small force.

Abstract: An infrared polarizer has a transparent substrate on which a pattern of spaced metal stripes is deposited. The stripe thickness is approximately equal to at least the stripe spacing which results in a substantial increase of the polarization contrast as compared to that of conventional polarizers having thinner stripes.

Abstract: An all-reflective three-mirror afocal system has a negative power primary (12), positive power secondary (14), and positive power tertiary (16) mirror which form an afocal reimaging optical system. The system is capable of imaging very wide fields of view at low magnification and may be utilized in pilotage, navigation, driving or the like operations.

Abstract: A change in the wavelength of a laser beam is achieved by causing the beam to have a conical wavefront and applying it to a nonlinear crystal so that the beam converges along the center axis producing an output beam of a different wavelength. The conical wavefront is achieved by use of lenses, mirrors and crystals with conical surfaces.

Abstract: An all-reflective optical three-mirror system has a negative power primary (12), positive power secondary (14), and positive power tertiary (16) mirror which form a focal reimaging optical system. The system is capable of imaging very wide fields of view and may be utilized in pilotage, navigation, driving or the like operations while providing substantially complete detector cold shielding.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for removing foreign substances from a mirror. A vibrator for vibrating the mirror includes a vibration controlling unit for supplying power to the vibrator. As the vibration controlling unit is located close to the vibrator, the length of the conductive wire which transmits the power can be minimized so as to reduce radio noise. The heat generated by the vibration control unit can be radiated sufficiently through a metallic case member and the vibration controlling unit can be disposed in the closed, small space between the mirror and the housing. Therefore, the size of the housing can be reduced so as to minimize the space which surrounds the vibration control unit. Further, the vibration control unit can be protected from contamination due to the closed case member.

Abstract: An exterior view mirror for a motor vehicle has a mirror housing secured to a cylindrical boss which is pivotally mounted on a base. A clutch, which secures the housing at a predetermined orientation relative to the base, comprises a first member carrying a detent formation, a second member journalled on the first member so as to be axially movable relative thereto to bring the detent formation into engagement with a complementary formation on the second member, and a spring for causing relative axial movement between the first member and the second member to bring the detent formation into engagement with the complementary formation. The clutch can be released by heating a shape memory alloy wire which is arranged to oppose the spring so as to cause disengagement of the detent formation from the complementary formation.

Abstract: An auxiliary mirror that can be easily attached to a vehicle's existing rear-view mirror to improve visibility of the back seat or blind spots. The auxiliary mirror is mounted on a pair of telescoping brackets for attachment on either side and above or below the existing rear-view mirror. The pair of L-shaped brackets have intersecting back plates and arms that clamp onto the upper and lower edges of the existing rear-view mirror. The brackets are clamped with a finger nut and bolt in one embodiment and with a stiff coil spring in another.

Abstract: A mirror is pivotally mounted to an interior surface of a cabinet door. The mirror has a first reflective surface and a second surface. A hinge interconnects the second surface of the mirror and the interior surface of the cabinet door for allowing the mirror to pivot with respect to the interior surface between a first position wherein the second surface of the mirror is positioned proximate the cabinet door interior surface and a second position wherein the second surface of the mirror is positioned away from the cabinet door interior surface. When the mirror is in the first position the cabinet door can be closed to place the mirror out of view from the exterior of the cabinet and when the cabinet door and the mirror are in the second or open position, the mirror is positionable such that the mirror can be squarely viewed from the exterior of the cabinet.