Abstract: An illuminated vanity mirror assembly for a sun visor includes a resistor screen-printed on a polymeric film substrate mounted adhesively to the back face of a glass mirror. A wiper arm is coupled to the resistor for providing a variable resistance to control the illumination from a lamp coupled to the variable resistance.

Abstract: A novel design method suitable for use in an optical system comprising a mirror, a mirror mount, and a flexure that can connect the mirror to the mirror mount. The optical system may undergo a known temperature differential. In turn, each of the components of the optical system may individually dilate or contract in response to the temperature differential. The method accommodates these dilations/contractions, so that they may be accommodated in a known way, thereby avoiding temperature differential induced distortions of the optical system.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming a multi-layer holographic device 22. A first hologram is formed on a major surface of a substrate 14. The first hologram is desensitized to prevent interaction with a second subsequently formed hologram. The second hologram is formed conterminous with said first hologram.

Abstract: A transmission grating is used to reduce chromatic aberration in a Fresnel lens, wherein the lens chromatic dispersion is offset and substantially canceled by the grating's diffraction-induced dispersion. The grating comprises a Fresnel-type pattern of microscopic facets molded directly into the lens surface. The facets would typically have a profile height of around 4.multidot.10.sup.-5 inch and a profile width of at least 10.sup.-3 inch. In its primary intended application, the invention would function to improve the optical performance of a Fresnel lens used to concentrate direct sunlight.

Abstract: A main mirror for a reflecting telescope comprises plurality of individual polygonal reflecting elements (1 to 11) and positioning and adjusting elements (12) connected thereto. Prior art main mirrors of this type have a poor capacity for transmitting ponint images and for modulation and are unsuitable for use in the infrared region, because the positioning and adjustment elements, in particular the measurement sensors arranged in the region of the separating lignes between the individual polygonal reflecting elements (1 to 11) emit interfering thermal radiation. Furthermore, the polygonal reflecting elements (1 to 11) of prior art main mirrors (20) are expensive to manufacture.

Abstract: Apparatus for combining information beams by using a space variant mirror in the context of free space optical switching and computing, where light beams comprise beamlets that are focused onto surfaces to form arrays of light spots. Beam combining is achieved by positioning the space variant mirror to coincide with the plane on which the spots are focused, and to thereby allow one beam to pass through the space variant mirror without loss and another beam to be reflected off the space variant mirror, also without loss.

Abstract: A lens housing and cover for a disposable microscope drape including a housing formed of a flexible, easily distortable, resilient material adapted to be connected to a disposable microscope drape and positioned adjacent to an objective lens of an operating room microscope. The housing includes an opening for registering with the objective lens. A lens cover includes an optically clear portion for spanning the opening and a gripping portion projecting from the optically clear portion and from the housing when the lens cover is in the housing.

Abstract: The mirror support arrangement of the invention takes up force components in the azimuthal axis of the primary mirror of a telescope as well as moments about the mirror axis at the location where they are developed. Although forces of this kind cannot occur in earthbound telescopes, a rapid rotation about several axes can generate such moments especially when the mirror is driven in a mount having three orthogonal drive axes. A hydraulic lateral support acts at several points on the rear side of the mirror. This support is realized in the form of a V-support. The lateral V-support can take up all lateral forces within the V-angle.

Abstract: A rear view mirror mounted on an interior surface of a vehicle has a base, a frame and a stay. The frame arranged on an upper surface of the stay contains an elastic engaging means including an arc-shaped leaf spring and on an inside wall surface of a cavity of the base, dents are formed for elastically receiving stoppers of respective ends of the arc-shaped leaf spring when the frame is engaged in the cavity. When an external force is applied to the stay, the stay easily drops out of the base due to removing the stopper from the dent.

Abstract: A first mirror is mounted on a backing plate which is adjustably connected to the upper end portion of a first support arm, and a second mirror is mounted on a backing plate which is adjustably connected to the forward end portion of a second support arm. The opposite end portions of both the first and second support arms are adjustably connected to the forward end portion of a third support arm, and all of the support arms and backing plates are molded of a rigid plastics material. The rearward end portion of the third support arm is adjustably connected to a split collar or clamp which mounts on the handlebar support post or gooseneck of a bicycle. The mirrors and arms are individually adjustable and adjustable as a unit to accommodate bicycles of different sizes and bicycle riders of different sizes and to provide the rider with a forward and peripheral view when the rider has a comfortable head-down and streamlined position.

Abstract: An optical pulse waveform shaper capable of providing an optical pulse waveform of a desired intensity distribution with little loss. The optical pulse beam split by a beam splitter is directed into the beam splitter with a phase difference to combine with the transmitted optical pulse beam. The phase difference is controllable. The optical pulse waveform shaper is applicable between a laser oscillator with different exciting conditions and an amplifier.

Abstract: Apparatus according to the invention comprises a magneto-optic isolator. The isolator comprises a magneto-optic member that comprises a single crystal substrate and a single crystal garnet layer on the substrate. The garnet layer comprises a first and a second stratum. The composition of the former is chosen such that the lattice constant of the first stratum material is substantially equal to that of the substrate at a first temperature (e.g., room temperature), and is substantially larger than that of the substrate at a second temperature (e.g., the garnet growth temperature) that is higher than the first temperature. The composition of the second stratum is chosen such that the lattice constant of the second stratum is less than that of the substrate at the first temperature, and is less than that of the first stratum at the second temperature. Wafers according to the invention typically are less subject to fracture than analogous prior art wafers.

Abstract: This disclosure describes an optical system which serves to multiply the change in the path length of an optical system. The system employs an even number of pairs of mirrors which are displaceable along a line or lines parallel to an axis. Each segment of the optical path is between mirrors which are oppositely displaceable, so that the length of each segment is increased by an amount equal to twice the displacement of the mirror pairs.

Abstract: In a Schwarzschild optical system comprising a concave mirror having an aperture at its center and a convex mirror disposed in face of the concave mirror, the convex mirror is coated with a multilayer film such that an incident angle .theta.02 on the convex mirror at which reflectance is maximized with respect to light of a particular wavelength satisfies the following condition:By such structure, the Schwarzshild optical system of the present invention provides an important advantage in practical use that transmittance efficiency is extremely favorable..alpha.(.theta.02, N.A.).gtoreq.0.5 .alpha..sub.max.theta.1 .sub.min <.theta.01<.theta.1.sub.

Abstract: A back-lit display having a window including a light-collimating film. The light-collimating film has an opaque material on a surface thereof. A material of a predetermined color is on the opaque material in registration therewith.

Abstract: A method for processing exposed holograms to enhance their thermal stability and enable them to withstand a windshield lamination process is disclosed. The secondary processing procedure entails an optional step of applying a moisture barrier to the hologram, followed by heat stabilizing the hologram and storing it in a relatively low humidity environment. Specifically, the exposed holographic material is heated to a peak temperature of about 135.degree. C. and thereafter cooled to provide a thermally stabilized holographic material that maintains its holographic qualities over a relatively broad range of temperatures.

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.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a mirror for changing the geometric shape of a light beam. A two-dimensional intensity distribution substantially independent of the mode structure can be generated by mounting a grating in the optical beam path of the laser beam. The intensity distribution is constant in one direction and, in a direction perpendicular thereto, the intensity can have any preselectable intensity distribution.

Abstract: Distortion of the image displayed by a cathode ray tube display (10,10') can be compensated by placing a flat-plate optical device, fabricated from two plates (14,14') of optical material joined at their edges an an angle, in the field of view of the display. Each of the plates (14,14') is advantageously constructed so as to have a gradient index of refraction such that the index of the plate changes across its length from its free edge to the vertex (16) formed with the other plate. By fabricating each of the plates (14 and 14') such that the index of refraction of each decreases or increases from the free edge of each plate to the vertex formed with the other plate, the device formed by the plates will compensate for either barrel or pincushion distortion, respectively.

Abstract: An analog optical processor for performing affine transformations and constructing fractal objects. An optical processor for optically performing an iterated affine transformation includes a rotating prism, an imaging lens and a translatable mirror, together with a pulsed laser as an input light source and an image detector array to record the final transformed image. The amount of rotation is determined by the setting of the rotating prism. The imaging lens provides the required magnification or demagnification. The translating mirror is shifted to provide the necessary translation. The pulsed image passes through the optical loop many times to perform the transformation. An optical Iterated Function System is implemented by connecting a plurality of the optical loops in parallel, together with shutters or beamsplitters for guiding the pulsed image to different loops according to the probabilities assigned by the Iterated Function System.