Abstract: A new visibility aid for providing a mirror for assisting in the hitching of a trailer to a towing vehicle and method of use have been developed. The visibility aid comprises a mounting portion adapted to be fit to a receiving portion of a towing vehicle and an extension coupled to the mounting portion. Attached to the extension is a reflective member. The mounting portion is constructed of a bendable member arranged for being configured by the user for a custom fit to the towing vehicle. The visibility aid is also uniquely designed to be adapted by the user to form a custom fit with various types of towing vehicle. The mounting portion is coated with a buffering material to avoid scratch damage to the receiving portion of the towing vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle blind spot mirror with a mirror having a single plane outwardly curved surface, an extension member attached to the rear portion of the outwardly curved mirror and having a double stick foam tape attachment means on the opposite surface of the extension, allowing the extension and attached blind spot mirror to be affixed to a vehicle's existing rear view mirror even if the rear view mirror is set in a recessed frame, thereby allowing for a larger blind spot mirror than the original rear view mirror. A preferred embodiment includes wherein said outwardly curved mirror is approximately seven and one half inches wide and five inches tall and is radially curved in such a way that the vertical center axis of said mirror is raised between thirty and eighty thousandths of an inch higher than the right or left edge. An alternate embodiment wherein the outwardly curved mirror is installed in place of a traditional flat plane driver's side rear view mirror found in current motor vehicles.

Abstract: A planter light accessory for illuminating a plant within a planter. The accessory includes a generally cylindrical housing having a side wall defining openings at upper and lower ends of the housing. The side wall supports a generally horizontal edge portion adjacent and extending outwardly from the opening at the upper end of the housing. A light source mounted on the edge portion for illuminating the plant.

Abstract: This invention concerns a large-diameter optical fiber that is improved in the bandwidth and bending loss and that can be produced at low cost with higher productivity. The optical fiber comprises an inner core having a refractive index profile in which refractive indices increase toward the center axis thereof, an outer core provided outside the inner core and having a constant refractive index not more than the minimum refractive index of the inner core, and a cladding provided outside the outer core and containing a plastic material having a refractive index lower than that of the outer core. In the optical fiber, total refractive index difference (.DELTA.n.sub.total), defined as the difference between the maximum refractive index of the inner core and the refractive index of the cladding, is not less than 0.015 and not more than 0.1; and a outside core diameter of the outer core (d.sub.1) is not less than 100 .mu.m and not more than 500 .mu.m.

Abstract: A horticulture lighting system with at least two light tubes mounted in opposite directions within a hollow column to produce a 360-degree field of substantially parallel radiant energy. The column is adapted with a cooling air flow across the light tubes and a protective lens.

Abstract: An electrochromic layer system, in particular for motorcar mirrors, comprising one first transparent, electrically conductive layer deposited on a glass carrier and serving as an electrode, one electrochromic layer, one second electrically conductive layer serving as a backplate electrode, and one reflecting layer. The electrochromic layer includes at least one oxidation-reduction layer as a metal oxide layer or a polymer layer having a conjugate double bond system, which is deposited upon the electrode. Hence, preferably a storage layer for ions is also provided.

Abstract: A mirror housing is formed of two colors in a two-stage molding process. An inlay of the first color is inserted into a mold, and plastic of a second color is molded to surround the inlay. In this way, a two-toned mirror housing is formed without the necessity of painting or masking.

Abstract: For focusing an operation microscope within a defined focusing range, a main objective and parts of an illuminating device are arranged in a focusing module that is separate from the microscope body. The focusing module is movable along the optical axis in a defined manner by means of manual or motor drives, so that focusing on a desired object detail is possible. Desired fine focusing can thus take place, in addition to coarse focusing by spatial positioning of the operation microscope by means of a stand. The advantages are a compact design, prevention of reflections through the main objective, and widely varied possibilities for filling of additional accessories.

Abstract: A mounting assembly for a vehicle interior rearview mirror of the automatic dimming type includes a vehicle mount having a rearwardly projecting first ball portion, a tube having a first end that receives the first ball portion and a second end including a rearwardly projecting second ball portion fixed with respect to the tube and having a wire hole therethrough, a ball clamp within the tube for engaging the first ball portion, a helical spring for biasing the ball clamp to a clamping relationship with the first ball portion, and a mirror socket for receiving and clamping the second ball portion. The tube of the mounting assembly and the first ball portion are unitary in one embodiment, while another embodiment has the tube and second ball portion provided with flanges that are biased into engagement with each other by the helical spring.

Abstract: An inspection mirror incorporates an extremely thin glass substrate and low profile mount to produce a mirror that can provide visual access to spaces that would otherwise be too small or otherwise inaccessible. An aluminized layer forms the first reflecting surface. The mirror is protected by an amorphous carbon layer which forms a second reflecting surface. The mirror may be framed or frameless. Where provided, the support frame has a mirror receiving recess in which the mirror is retained by adhesive. Frameless mirrors are supported by a planar wire mount secured to the rear surface of the mirror by adhesive. The mirrors may be carried on a spring wire shaft received in a handle or by a flat strip that forms the handle and mirror support.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser module of the present invention comprises a semiconductor laser, a pig tail optical fiber, a optical part, and a transition metal doped optical fiber. The optical part optically couples the semiconductor laser and the pig tail optical fiber to each other. The transition metal doped optical fiber is formed in a length corresponding to an attenuation amount with which desired distortion characteristics and desired noise characteristics are realized, and is connected to the side of the pig tail optical fiber opposite to the side which faces the semiconductor laser. The distortion characteristics of the semiconductor laser is improved by the action of the transition metal doped optical fiber. Consequently, the yield of semiconductor laser modules is improved.

Abstract: An elemental mirror having a high luminous reflectance of at least about 60% of incident light at the wavelength region of about 550 nanometers and being acromatic includes a substrate coated with a reflector comprising a multilayer thin film stack. The thin film stack comprises a first thin film layer of an elemental semiconductor which is closest to the first surface of the glass substrate and has a refractive index of greater than 3.0, a second thin film layer which is farthest from the first surface of the glass substrate, and a third thin film layer disposed between the first thin film layer and the second thin film layer, the third thin film layer having a refractive index between about 1.3 and 2.7, the second thin film layer having a refractive index greater than the third thin film layer. A light absorbing coating is included on at least one surface of the substrate and a layer of the reflector, the light absorbing coating absorbing light transmitted by the reflector coated substrate.

Abstract: When splicing optical fibers of different kinds to each other by means of arc welding, a matching of the mode field diameters of the fibers is desired. This is accomplished by prolonging (period 55) the heating after making the splice (period 53). During the prolonged heating the hot-fiber indices of the two fiber ends are continuously determined. Either one of these indices or some suitable quantity derived therefrom is all the time compared to a threshold value and when it is reached the heating is stopped. The threshold value has been determined in a preceding stage using test fiber pieces of the same kind in a splicing operation with prolonged heating. Then, in such a threshold level determining stage in addition to the hot-fiber indices, the transmission of light is constantly measured during the heating and when it has its maximum value the corresponding hot-fiber indices are stored and used for deriving the threshold value. This method of matching mode field diameters is simple and takes a short time.

Abstract: A rear view safety mirror includes two single-planed mirrors mounted at an angle to one another. In the preferred embodiment, the inside mirror is mounted at a steeper pitch than the outside mirror. Preferably, the mirrors are mounted in pockets or slots in a one piece molded plastic housing, wherein the pockets or slots are configured to have the angle. The plastic housing is mounted to the vehicle in a conventional manner, thereby providing the vehicle's operator with familiar adjustment control.

Abstract: An ocular mounting assembly for adjustably mounting a pair of ocular devices, such as telemicroscopic loupes, to an eyeglass frame or head mount with linear and rotational adjustments, but with view angle being permanently preset in accordance with working distance. The ocular mounting assembly includes an adjustable ocular support assembly and an adjustable clamp assembly rotatably attached to the ocular support assembly. The ocular mounting assembly includes a housing and two slidable mounting arms to which the ocular devices are attached, the transverse cross-sectional shape of the housing interior and mounting arms being such that substantially all of the volume of the housing interior is consumed apart from close tolerances to facilitate the sliding motion, thus resulting in a structure which cooperates to assist in providing a substantially rigid assembly.

Abstract: Fabrication and mounting of an array of M.times.N mirrors on an array of M.times.N electrodisplacive actuators is carried out by one of the two inventive methods, comprising the steps of: patterning a substrate into an array of M.times.N protrusions; forming subsequently a separation layer, a first, a second and a third metallic layers on a top of the array of M.times.N protrusions; bonding the array of M.times.N actuators on the protrusions; disengaging the array of M.times.N protrusions from an array of M.times.N mirror bodies by removing the separation layer; and forming a fourth metallic layer on the first metallic layer so as to provide the reflector to thereby provide the array of M.times.N actuated mirrors. The other method comprises the steps of: clamping physically a thin glass on a top surface of a substrate; plating a top surface of the thin glass with a bonding layer; bonding the array of M.times.

Abstract: A system of mirrors for a vehicle which augments an operators vision to allow a clear vision path past a forward obstacle. The operators vision is reflected backwards by a first mirror. This first mirror is angles towards a second mirror facing forward. The resulting reflection of the second mirror allows the operator to see along side of any obstruction which may be blocking forward vision, such as a larger vehicle.

Abstract: A modular lighted vehicle trailer hitching socket covering means system which when mounted to a vehicle trailer hitching socket essentially blocks it from view in a decorative manner, is disclosed. The system provides a single tongue element which is of a shape and size to slide into a vehicle trailer hitching socket, (wherein it is secured in place by a securing means during use), in combination with a selected detachably affixed, ornamental item with a shape such as a football, a basketball, a soccer ball etc., or a hockey puck, or an item with outer shape of a mascots etc., or even simple flat surface.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing micromechanical devices. The process includes the step of covering the activation circuitry (201) and those parts of the device that come in contact with moving parts with a pad film (202). The pad film prevents frictional wear and sticking of the moving parts, and can prevent electrical shorts between different parts of the activation circuitry. Additionally, the pad film can prevent particulates from interfering with the operation of the device.

Abstract: An improved laser projector collimator includes a plurality of specifically designed and arranged mirrors and lenses such that reflected light from a housing window for the laser projector is not directed onto a reflected light source sensor. In this way, the sensor only sees light reflected from a reference reflector. In addition, the specific arrangement of the lenses and mirrors is such that the overall length of the collimator housing is greatly reduced.