Abstract: Retroreflective sheeting includes a body layer having a structured surface with recessed faces forming cube corner cavities. A reflective film is disposed at least on the recessed faces, and a fill material fills the cube corner cavities. The fill material comprises radiation-curable materials, adhesives, or both, and preferably transparent radiation-curable pressure-sensitive adhesives. The fill material preferably forms a continuous layer covering both the recessed faces and upper portions of the structured surface. A transparent cover layer preferably contacts the fill material layer.

Abstract: Retroreflective sheeting includes a body layer having a structured surface with recessed faces forming cube corner cavities. A reflective film is disposed at least on the recessed faces, and a fill material fills the cube corner cavities. The fill material comprises radiation-curable materials, adhesives, or both, and preferably transparent radiation-curable pressure-sensitive adhesives. The fill material preferably forms a continuous layer covering both the recessed faces and upper portions of the structured surface. A transparent cover layer preferably contacts the fill material layer.

Abstract: An image display device capable of maintaining continuity of images of adjacent image display elements on a display screen that is composed of a plurality of image display element includes image display elements (1, 2) and a prism (3). The prism (3) is an L-shaped prism having two planar surfaces, and image display elements (1, 2) are arranged on the portion of the prism that corresponds to the rear side as seen from the viewing direction (9). Image display elements (1, 2) are arranged such that the virtual images (5, 6) of the image display portions of each are optically continuously connected in the prism (3).

Abstract: Scanning beam systems based on a two-dimensional polygon scanner with different reflective polygon facets tilted at different tilt facet angles to use rotations of the polygon scanner to scan one or more optical beams both horizontally and vertically on a surface which can be a display screen or a printing surface.

Abstract: A two-dimensional optical scanner and an image display apparatus are provided. The optical scanner includes: a movable portion having a mirror portion, and a first driving portion which is configured to oscillate the mirror portion around a first axis; a second driving portion which is configured to oscillate the movable portion around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and a driving controller which is configured to drive the first driving portion in a first driving method and is configured to drive the second driving portion in a second driving method different from the first driving method. While the first driving portion oscillates the mirror portion around the first axis, the second driving portion oscillates the movable portion around the second axis, so that the mirror portion reflects a beam of light incident to the mirror portion such that the two-dimensional optical scanner performs a two-dimensional scanning.

Abstract: A scanning projector includes a MEMS device with a scanning mirror that sweeps a beam in two dimensions. Actuating circuits receive scan angle information and provide signal stimulus to the MEMS device to control the amount of mirror deflection on two axes. The period of movement on one or both axes may be modified to effect changes in line density in a resultant display.

Abstract: Disclosed are several embodiments of a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) mirror and a mirror scanner employing the same. An optical scanning unit employing such mirror scanner and an image forming apparatus including the optical scanning unit are also disclosed. The MEMS mirror may include a movable unit, which may in turn include a mirror portion and a magnet frame portion. The mirror portion may have mirror surfaces on the face surface(s) thereof. The magnet frame portion may include an opening into which a magnet is received. The MEMS mirror may also include a first fixing end and a second fixing end, to which the moving unit may be elastically supported by one or more elastic members that allows oscillating or pivoting movement of the moving unit.

Abstract: An image recording medium in which a refractive index modulation is recorded in a material in a layer such that, when the hologram recording medium is illuminated from a predetermined angle and a viewpoint is moved horizontally with respect to a normal line, a hologram image having continuous parallax in at least the horizontal direction is reproduced and that, when the viewpoint is moved in a direction with respect to the normal line different from the horizontal direction, another image that is different from and thus is not continuous with the hologram image is reproduced.

Abstract: A major object of the present invention is to provide a volume hologram transfer foil that gives a volume hologram laminate higher in antiforgery function. The present invention achieves the object by providing a volume hologram transfer foil comprising: a substrate, a volume hologram layer carrying a recorded volume hologram that is formed on the substrate, and an image forming layer carrying a formed image and a heat seal layer containing a thermoplastic resin that are formed on the volume hologram layer, and comprising no reflective layer having a function to reflect light.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a piezoresistive stress sensor comprises a plurality of piezoresistive elements coupled in a bridge circuit disposed on, near, or contiguous to a flexure to detect torsional flexing about an axis of the flexure. The bridge circuit has at least two nodes disposed along the axis of the flexure and at least two nodes disposed off the axis of the flexure to maximize, or nearly maximize, an output of the bridge circuit in response to the torsional flexing of the flexure. A torsional flexing component of the output signal of the bridge circuit is relatively increased with respect to a component of the output signal generated by non-torsional stress of the flexure, or a component of the output signal generated by non-torsional stress of the flexure is reduced with respect to the torsional flexing component of the output signal, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: An optical deflector includes a plurality of piezoelectric unimorph oscillating bodies (210a to 210d) that cause a reflecting plate (1) to oscillate rotationally, centering upon a pair of flexible support units (2a and 2b). The optical deflector forms a single structure of the oscillating plates (23a to 23b), the reflecting plate (1), the flexible support units (2a and 2b), and a support body (9), by connecting one set of the terminals of the oscillating plates (23a to 23d) of the suite of piezoelectric unimorph oscillating bodies (210a to 210d) to the flexible support units (2a and 2b), and connecting the other set of terminals to the support body (9). Furthermore, the plurality of piezoelectric unimorph oscillating bodies (210a to 210d) each respectively comprise a plurality of parallel oscillating bodies (23a1 to 23a-3, 23b-1 to 23b-3, 23c-1 to 23c-3), and (23d-1 to 23d-3), and a suite of parallel actuators (28a-1 to 28a-3, 28c-1 to 28c-3, and 28d-1 to 28d-3).

Abstract: A method for monitoring movement of at least one moving mirror in a MEMS device comprising one or more moving mirrors, and wherein the monitoring is based upon capacitance changes over time in the MEMS device. The method comprises the steps of: if the at least one moving mirror is an in-plain mirror, then: a. providing DC voltage to the MEMS device in addition to a driving voltage required for the movement of that at least one moving mirror; b. measuring current proportional to capacitance changes associated with the movement of the at least one moving mirror; and c. monitoring the movement of the at least one moving mirror based on the measured current. If the at least one moving mirror is a staggered mirror, then: d. measuring a current associated with the movement of the at least one moving mirror; e. identifying a plurality of ripples associated with capacitance changes in the MEMS device over time, in the measured current; and f.

Abstract: An optical scanner includes: a light reflecting section having a light reflecting surface; a supporting section supporting the light reflecting section; a movable section supporting the supporting section; at least a pair of movable beams extending from the movable section and disposed in such a way that the movable beams face each other; a displacement section connected to the movable beam; two drive beams each extending from the displacement section; and a supporting frame supporting the drive beams, wherein the movable beams each include a bending section which is bent and deformed in a thickness direction of the supporting frame, and an end on the side of the movable section of the supporting section is fixed in a position more distant from the light reflecting section than an end face on the side of the light reflecting section of the movable section.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator corrects for imperfections in printed material caused by the vertical rotation of a photosensitive image forming surface, such as a photoconductive drum. The piezoelectric actuator may be mounted to the base of a reflective surface holder, such as a mirror holder, that holds a mirror. The reflective surface holder may be operable to horizontally rotate the mirror as the mirror reflects a laser onto the photosensitive image forming surface. A power supply in communication with the piezoelectric actuator applies a voltage to the piezoelectric actuator. The resulting voltage allows the piezoelectric actuator to tilt the mirror in a vertical direction. A memory storage device may store tilt adjustment data usable by a microprocessor or controller to control the amount of voltage the power supply supplies to the piezoelectric actuator.

Abstract: A blade speed adjustable mechanism includes: a board having an opening; a shutter blade opening or closing the opening; a drive lever supported by the board and bringing the shutter blade into an overlapped operation or an expanded operation; a biasing member engaging the drive lever and biasing the shutter blade in an overlapped direction or in an expanded direction; a ratchet member engaging the biasing member and having ratchet teeth; an engagement member holding the ratchet member at a desired stop position and adjusting an biasing force of the biasing member by changing the stop position. The engagement member has a plurality of pawl portions different from each other in length. The pawl portion engages the ratchet tooth to hold the ratchet member at the stop position. A difference in length between the pawl portions is shorter than a distance corresponding to a pitch of the ratchet teeth.

Abstract: A lens device includes a base, a lens unit, a dividing plate, a cover plate, a shutter unit, and an actuator unit. The base has a front section with a front surface, a rear section with a rear surface, a lens hole, and a mounting space. The lens unit is disposed in the lens hole, and includes a lens. The dividing plate is mounted on the front section and has a first light hole. The cover plate is mounted on the front section and has a second light hole. The dividing plate and the cover plate define a working space therebetween. The shutter unit includes a first shutter piece pivotally disposed in the working space. The actuator unit is mounted in the mounting space, and includes a rotation portion, and an operating portion formed on the rotation portion and extending into the working space.

Abstract: An improved solar reflector with a frame structure suitable for spanning longer distances that utilizes light-weight side beams, ridgecaps and tensioned cables to form a truss-system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to produce a hologram of an object includes an electromagnetic radiation assembly configured to receive a received electromagnetic radiation, such as light, from the object. The electromagnetic radiation assembly is further configured to diffract the received electromagnetic radiation and transmit a diffracted electromagnetic radiation. An image capture assembly is configured to capture an image of the diffracted electromagnetic radiation and produce the hologram of the object from the captured image.

Abstract: One or more embodiments of an optical system includes a primary mirror configured to reflect light incident thereupon; a secondary mirror facing the primary mirror configured to receive the light reflected from the primary mirror and redirect the light reflected from the primary mirror in multiple channels; and one or more tertiary mirrors of common prescriptions, configured to reflect divergent light rays incident from the secondary mirror in multiple channels.

Abstract: A light deflection apparatus, including a stator section including a radial bearing having a first dynamic pressure generating groove, a thrust bearing having a second dynamic pressure generating groove, and a stator coil; and, a rotor section including a polygon minor, a magnet facing the stator coil, and a rotating body having a dynamic pressure surface facing the radial bearing and a dynamic pressure surface facing the thrust bearing, the rotor supporting the polygon minor and the magnet; wherein one end portion of the dynamic pressure bearing section included of the thrust bearing, the radial bearing and of the rotating body in the thrust direction is closed excluding a gap between the dynamic pressure bearing section of the radial bearing and the dynamic pressure bearing section of the rotating body.