Patents Examined by Ricky D. Schafer
  • Patent number: 5774283
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror for a motor vehicle has a mirror support and a mirror housing connected with a first end to the mirror support. The mirror housing has a holder for a mirror pane. A turn signal light is positioned in the mirror housing. At least one first receiver for receiving remote control signals is also positioned within the mirror housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Bernd Nagel, Bernd Waldmann
  • Patent number: 5726802
    Abstract: An optical device comprising a glass prism that functions as a 180.degree. fold prism and a quarter-wave retarder. The optical device comprises a 180.degree. folding glass prism having first and second total internal reflecting surfaces that provides a 90.degree. phase shift of laser energy at a plurality of wavelengths propagating therethrough. The composition of the glass prism is selected so that its refractive index provides a 45.degree. shift at each of first and second total internal reflecting surfaces. Dispersion in the glass is chosen to be small enough so that the phase shift of the energy propagating therethrough is relatively insensitive to wavelength. Consequently, the prism also functions as a quarter-wave retarder at the plurality of wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Hughes Electronics
    Inventor: Robert D. Stultz