Abstract: An optical film is provided which includes a disperse phase of polymeric particles disposed within a continuous birefringent matrix. The film is oriented, typically by stretching, in one or more directions. The size and shape of the disperse phase particles, the volume fraction of the disperse phase, the film thickness, and the amount of orientation are chosen to attain a desired degree of diffuse reflection and total transmission of electromagnetic radiation of a desired wavelength in the resulting film.

Abstract: A light beam deflection unit is formed of a light-transmissive deflection prism extending in the direction of an optical axis and of a carrier prism. The deflection prism has a light entry face oriented essentially perpendicular to the optical axis, a reflection face proceeding obliquely relative to the optical axis and a light exit face. The carrier prism is joined to the deflection prism at the reflection face and supplements the latter to form a composite unit essentially symmetrical relative to the optical axis that is seated rotatable around the optical axis. For the purpose of reducing air turbulence upon rotation of the composite unit, a hollow-cylindrical element whose cylinder axis essentially coincides with the optical axis and whose inside diameter at least corresponds to the diameter of the light beam incident onto the light entry face and that is connected to the composite unit is arranged in front of the light entry face.

Abstract: A laser audio-visual unit is provided that includes a laser pattern displaying device having a full-image spectral device therein. The laser pattern displaying device is operated in different control modes, such as automatic, manual or sound control modes, to project various laser patterns to be displayed onto a wall or screen or other objects. The displaying device includes a housing, a fixed plate, a fixed rack and a mounting stand. The full-image spectral device includes a first reflecting mirror connected to a first rotating motor, serving to reflect light rays. On the first rotating motor there is provided a biasing device to provide for adjustment, by way of the varying rpm of the first rotating motor, of an inclination angle of the first reflecting mirror.

Abstract: As extensible mirror apparatus for a vehicle including an elongate arm having a rack gear thereon, a mirror housing mounted for moving longitudinally along the arm, and a driving motor and spur gear enclosed within the mirror housing operable to drive such along the arm for extending and retracting the mirror. An extensible and retractable flexible boot provides a cover between the vehicle and mirror housing for portions of apparatus which otherwise would be exposed upon extension of the mirror.

Abstract: A metal such as Au and a dielectric such as borosilicate glass are simultaneously sputtered to form a film on a glass substrate. Next, this film is heated to grow metal particulates. Next, the substrate is drawn on heating to give an anisotropy to the metal particulates and produce a polarizer. The metal particulates are spheroidal and are dispersed almost homogeneously in the dielectric.

Abstract: An added light display for alerting traffic passing left and right of a moving or parked van consisting of a light-reflecting strip advantageously positioned in a gap about the window which serves as a weather barrier compartment protecting the strip against deterioration due to weather elements and ultraviolet light impingement and permits it to provide a rectangular light display.

Abstract: A non-deviating prism system (40) and method provides continuously variable dispersion of light with limited deviation. Light is dispersed in a prism arrangement which includes a selected liquid filled in the spaces between adjacent prism elements (41, 51). The indices of refraction and the apex angles of the prisms (41, 51) and the intervening liquid are set to limited deviation according to predetermined relationship. The prisms are mounted near the edges of mutually insertable tubes (62, 64) and a refractive liquid is secured in a containment space bounded by the prism elements (41, 51).

Abstract: A combined optical diffuser and light concentrator uses a layer of optically transmissive material having a first surface to receive light at a range of angles of incidence and a second surface from which the light emerges at a range of angles of emergence, the second surface including a relief pattern featuring a multiplicity of minute projections, the shape and distribution of the projections resulting in diffused light at a range of angles of emergence narrower than the range of angles of incidence. The projections may be produced in accordance with various techniques, including the processing of a photoresist layer exposed to a random speckle pattern or microlithography, including e-beam/x-ray sources.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical micromotion amplifier generates a controlled lateral motion in response to a small deformation in the axial direction of a MEM beam or body. Lateral motion is produced by buckling of one or more long slender beams, the buckling motion being relatively large with respect to the axial motion which causes such lateral motion. The beams may be designed with a slight asymmetry to achieve gradual buckling in a desired direction. The device is capable of amplifying a driving motion in the range of 1-5 micrometers to produce a transverse motion in the range of 50-200 micrometers.

Abstract: An optical-path switching apparatus for an optical microscope, which is simple structure, has a plurality of optical devices to be inserted and removed to and from at least two or more switching positions provided for optical paths so as to switch the optical paths. A drive force generator generates a drive force, and an insertion/removal device transmits the drive force generated by the drive force generator so as to insert and remove the plural optical devices to and from the switching positions while relating the plural optical devices to one another. A control unit controls switching of the optical devices to be performed by the insertion/removal device in order to obtain a required optical path.

Abstract: A high-resolution light-beam scanning apparatus utilizing only mass-producible holograms instead of utilizing auxiliary optical systems, and capable of compensating for disadvantages.

Abstract: Image derogating optical noise due to light scattering of an object under examination, embedded in a light scattering medium, is substantially reduced by passing a modulated signal laser beam through the scattering medium, and interfering the emerging signal with a coherent modulated reference beam to produce a hologram in a photorefractive member of the object, which in turn is read out of the crystal by a third unmodulated coherent beam to retrieve a clear image of the object. A smart pixel image convertor light valve may be substituted for the photorefractive member.

Abstract: A scanner (40) is disclosed which includes a source of coherent light (12), a radial holographic deflector (16), a F.theta. lens (62), which images a scanned spot onto an image plane (18). The F.theta. lens (62) is comprised of a decentered aspheric mirror (64) and a diffractive--refractive toroidal lens (66). The apparatus is relatively insensitive to variations in the wavelength of the source of coherent light.

Abstract: An optical element (8) is provided on a substrate, for example a display screen (3) of a display device (1), which optical element comprises a light-transmitting layer whose transmission in the visible region varies in response to a change in ambient light. The optical element (8) is characterized in that it further comprises a colored coating which selectively absorbs light in the visible region. The colored coating has such an absorption characteristic that the color coordinates (x;y) of the combination of the light-transmitting layer and the colored coating vary in such a way, as a result of a variation in ambient light, that a line, which interconnects the color coordinates, is partly situated in an elliptical area with achromatic point (0.333;0.333) in the color triangle, which ellipse comprises a major axis and a minor axis, which major axis terminates in (0.30;0.28) and (0.36;0.38) and the eccentricity of which ranges between 2 and 3.

Abstract: The light emitted from a point light source is converged by a relay lens to form an intermediate image which is an enlarged image of the light source. The light source and the relay lens are accommodated in the same lens-barrel, and are thereby united as a light source unit. When a problem occurs in the light source, the light source is not independently replaced, but the light source unit is replaced as a unit. That is to say, the intermediate image formed by the light source unit is used as an apparent new light source (referred to as a "pseudo light source"). The emitted luminous flux from this pseudo light source is made parallel by a collimator lens and then is linearly focused into an image on a reflection plane of a deflector by a first cylindrical lens. First cylindrical lens 6 has its focal point in a plane including the rotation axis of the deflector and a slit.

Abstract: An optical system for an optical character reader in which a camera, such as a TV camera, reads an image field in a document, includes at least one pair of mirrors which shift half of the image both laterally and vertically to convert a relatively long image, for example with a length to height aspect ratio of 1.5:8, into a rectangular image with a much lower aspect ratio, for example 3:4. Preferably two pairs of mirrors are used, so that the image light path for both parts of the image field is the same length. This optical system reshapes the image field from one having an aspect ratio which does not match the 3:4 aspect ratio of most cameras, such as camcorders, TV cameras, security and surveillance cameras and the like, into one that does, thus significantly simplifying the optical character reader, and lowering its cost.

Abstract: In a reflection type angle of view transforming optical apparatus for transforming an angle of view in an image apparatus and so forth, sufficient strength can be provided and process is facilitated by using reflecting mirrors in a wide angle optical system. The reflection type angle of view transforming optical apparatus includes a primary mirror 8 having a reflecting surface provided in an axisymmetric form to reflect incident light 12 as primary reflected light 13, a secondary mirror 10 having a reflecting surface provided in an axisymmetric form about the same axis of rotational symmetry 9 as that of the primary mirror 8, opposed to the primary mirror 8 so as to reflect the primary reflected light 13 and to get secondary reflected light 14 for focusing on a view point, and a transparent case 11 to support the primary mirror 8 and the secondary mirror 10, and transmit the incident light 12.

Abstract: A polarizing type optical apparatus has a first polarizing element disposed in a path of an incident luminous flux produced by a light source and a second polarizing element disposed in the path of a luminous flux reflected from the first polarizing element.

Abstract: A percussion pad includes an upper surface 28 that may be struck to activate the pad and a lower surface 18 on which is mounted a sensor 20 for detecting when the upper surface 28 is struck. An enclosed cavity 24 is located above the region of the lower surface 18 on which the sensor 20 is mounted. The cavity 24 prevents the shock wave of an impact above the sensor 20 from being transmitted directly to the sensor 20. Because shock waves will not propagate significantly around the cavity or along oblique paths from other parts of the surface 28, the sensitivity of the pad is uniform over the surface 28. An outer layer 26 of the pad is preferably formed of rubber-like material to reduce the acoustic sound of an impact and give a drum-like feel.

Abstract: A light diffusion composite comprises a light diffusion material disposed on a prism sheet, wherein the light diffusion material is obtained by laminating a light diffusion layer including 100 parts by weight of acrylic resin and 100-220 parts by weight of spherical particles of polymethyl methacrylate on a transparent support. The light diffusion composite has better luminance in the front direction than the conventional light diffusion sheet and also has good light diffusibility.