Abstract: A method and system are provided for the constant path-length translation of a laser beam. At least one pair of mirrors disposed at an angle (e.g., 90.degree.) to one another and fixed in relation to one another are disposed in the path of the (incoming) laser beam. The mirrors are positioned such that the incoming laser beam impinges on the first mirror, is reflected to the second mirror, and iii) is reflected from the second mirror as an (outgoing) laser beam parallel to the incoming laser beam. A positioner is coupled to the mirrors for simultaneously moving them in a direction that is parallel to the target plane and in a plane defined by the incoming and outgoing laser beams.

Abstract: An automatic tilting side view mirror comprising a housing, a mirror pivotally connected to the housing, and a solenoid link pivotally connected to both the mirror and the housing. The solenoid link moves the mirror from a normal viewing position to its antiglare viewing position when the driver manually shifts the rear view mirror to an anti-glare viewing position or when the rear view mirror is automatically shifted to an anti-glare viewing position.

Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror has a mirror head carrier and a mirror connected to the mirror head carrier. A cover is slipped onto the mirror head carrier. A spring secures the cover to the mirror head carrier in an unstressed position of the spring. The spring has at least one locking member and the cover has a counter locking member, wherein the at least one locking member engages the counter locking member to secure the cover at the mirror head carrier. The spring has a securing latch securing the spring in an elastically compressed position, wherein the spring in the elastically compressed position releases the cover.

Abstract: In an optical sheet 10 having a prism surface 16 formed by providing unit prisms 14 on the upper surface of a transparent base material 12, a coating layer 18 is provided on the reverse surface of the transparent base material opposite to the prism surface 16, spherical beads 20 are arranged projecting from the surface of the coating layer 18 by 1 to 10 .mu.m in height, and the coating layer 18 is brought into contact with the flat and smooth surface 22A of the light-transmissive material 22 through the spherical beads 20 which are put between them. The spherical beads are 1 .mu.m or less in half bandwidth of the distribution of particle diameters and are made uniform in height projecting from the coating layer 18.

Abstract: An integrally formed optical element includes an incident surface into which light flux from an object enters, a plurality of reflecting curved surfaces decentered one to the other from which the light flux entered from the incident surface is reflected and an emergent surface from which the light flux from the reflecting curved surfaces is emitted, wherein an antireflection film is applied onto the incident surface and the emergent surface, and wherein the light flux emitted from the emergent surface forms an image.

Abstract: An array of M.times.N thin film actuated mirrors for use in an optical projection system comprises an active matrix, an array of M.times.N thin film actuating structures, and an array of M.times.N mirror layers for reflecting light beams, each of the mirror layers further including a first side, a second opposing side and a center portion located therebetween, wherein the first side and the second opposited side of each of the mirror layers are secured on top of the first and second actuating parts of each of the actuating structures, respectively, such that when the first and second actuating parts in each of the actuating structures deform in response to an electrical signal applied between the first and second electrodes, the center portion of the corresponding mirror layer tilts while remaining planar, thereby allowing all of the center portion to reflect the light beams, resulting in an increased optical efficiency.

Abstract: A dual state mirror assembly for use with motor vehicles includes a housing having an open front for receiving an outer substrate to form an enclosure. The outer substrate has a surface coated with a thin metal film to act as a beam splitter. An inner substrate having a reflective front surface is mounted within the enclosure so that in a first position, the inner substrate is in direct contact with the outer substrate, to produce a single bright reflected image, and so that in a second position, the inner substrate is placed at an angle with respect to the outer substrate, to provide a dimmed image and to minimize glare.

Abstract: A mounting assembly (10) for a vehicle interior rearview mirror (12) of the automatic dimming type includes a vehicle mount (14) having a rearwardly projecting first ball portion (22), a tube (32) having a first end that receives the first ball portion and a second end including a rearwardly projecting second ball portion (38) fixed with respect to the tube and having a wire hole (40) therethrough, a ball clamp (44) within the tube for engaging the first ball portion (22), a helical spring (46) for biasing the ball clamp to a clamping relationship with the first ball portion, and a mirror socket (48) for receiving and clamping the second ball portion. The tube (32) of the mounting assembly and the first ball portion (38) are unitary in one embodiment, while another embodiment has the tube (32') and second ball portion (38') provided with flanges (52) and (54) that are biased into engagement with each other by the helical spring (46).

Abstract: The present invention is an improved material and method for use for providing diffuse transflectance of light. By employing an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) comprising a microstructure of polymeric nodes and fibrils, the material of the present invention demonstrates exceptional diffuse reflectivity and transmission of light across a wide spectrum of ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light. Additionally, the material of the present invention provides many properties that have been previously unavailable in highly diffuse transflective material, including a high degree of malleability, moldability and flexibility, and effective reflectivity even at relatively thin cross-sections.

Abstract: An optical image field splitting system which is adapted to allow a single camera to be used to view two or more images or object scenes of a single object or one or more images from a plurality of objects is disclosed. The optical image field splitting system includes a camera, a mirror pair, a lens, and a third mirror spaced apart from the mirror pair. The mirror pair includes a first mirror defining a first reflective planar surface and a second mirror defining a second reflective planar surface. The first reflective planar surface is oriented at a first predetermined angle relative to the second reflective planar surface. The lens is coupled to the camera and disposed in an optical path defined between the camera and the mirror pair. The third mirror defines a third reflective planar surface oriented at a second predetermined angle relative to the second reflective surface of the second mirror. An optical path length is defined between the third mirror and the second mirror.

Abstract: A vehicle global positioning system includes a mirror assembly having a reflective element and a housing for the reflective element that is made from a material that is electrically substantially non-conducting. The system further includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and control module and at least one receiving antenna. The vehicle GPS is adapted to receive earth satellite signals with the receiving antenna and to convert the signals to location, velocity and/or time parameters. The GPS receiving antenna is positioned within the housing of the mirror assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the GPS receiving antenna is positioned within the housing of a vehicle exterior mirror. The vehicle GPS may include a plurality of GPS receiving antennas, such as one located in the vehicle's driver side exterior mirror and the other located in the vehicle's passenger side exterior mirror.

Abstract: An interior rearview mirror is provided for vehicles having electrically operated components requiring connection to a power source with a blind assembly. The mirror includes a mirror housing having a back wall that defines an opening adapted to closely receive an electrical power source connector for operating components in the mirror. An electrical component connector in the housing is aligned with the opening and has substantially parallel sidewalls with a cross-sectional shape configured and adapted to stably engage the power source connector when the power source connector is attached to the component connector. The housing includes a protruding ridge that juts outwardly and protrudes from an exterior surface of the wall on one or more sides of the opening. The ridge includes angled inner surfaces forming a comer leading toward the opening.

Abstract: An exterior rear view mirror for a motor vehicle of the breakaway design is disclosed which a mirror support member having a one piece integrally formed clamp mechanism for securing the mirror housing to the pivot post and in which the clamping pressure may be easily and conveniently adjusted without requiring removal of the mirror or its outer housing.

Abstract: The multi-use articulation includes a stationary articulation section (10), mounted on the internal face of the rear wall of the housing (2), a moveable articulation section (20) on which the mirror plate (1) is mounted and a U-shaped connecting element (30) for torque adjustment and vibration absorption connecting both sections. The U-shaped connecting element (30) of the articulation sections has respective outwardly extending end portions (31) connected to a pair of opposite hook-shaped projections (23) of the moveable articulation section (20) so that the hook-shaped projections (23) and/or end portions (31) of the U-shaped element (30) can provide an axially tighter or looser assembly.

Abstract: A vehicle exterior rearview mirror assembly, especially suited for vehicles used for towing trailers, which selectively holds a mirror subassembly in one of a plurality of positions along a mounting arm to provide at least an inboard, non-towing position and an outboard, towing position. The vehicle exterior rearview mirror assembly includes the mirror subassembly, which includes a housing and a reflective element supported in the housing, a mounting bracket adapted for mounting to a vehicle, and a support for mounting the mirror subassembly to the mounting bracket. The support includes a pair of arms which cooperate with the housing to support the mirror subassembly in one of two or more extended positions from the mounting bracket.

Abstract: A fundamental surface for a reflection surface of a reflection mirror of a vehicle lamp is formed in a manner such that a curved surface where an insertion hole, through which a light source is inserted into the reflection mirror in the direction oblique to the optical axis of the reflection mirror, is to be formed, is made smoothly continuous to the remaining curved surface without any level-difference. A group consisting of a number of paraboloids of revolution with different focal distances are put on the fundamental surface, and a group of closed curves formed as intersecting lines of the fundamental surface and the group of paraboloids of revolution are determined. A number of reflection steps in the form of loop are formed on the reflection surface. The reflection steps between the adjacent ones of the closed curves are defined by portions of the paraboloid of revolution between the adjacent ones.

Abstract: A rear view exterior mirror mount assembly for a vehicle includes a sealing device that seals off an interface between the mirror mount and a moveable shell to eliminate wind noise. The shell can be pivoted relative to the remainder of the vehicle from a normal viewing position to a folded position. In the normal viewing position, the interface between the shell and the mirror mount includes a gap that is sealed off by a sealing member in the form of a resilient gasket. The sealing member includes a mounting surface that preferably is adhesively secured to a contoured surface on the shell. At least one lip member extends away from the mounting surface and across the gap at the interface between the shell and the mirror mount when the mirror is in the normal viewing position.

Abstract: A system for managing specimens in a clinical laboratory comprises specimens and a computer controlled instrument. Each specimen includes a biological sample and an identifier which is unique to the specimen to which it is applied. The computer controlled instrument includes a reader for automatically logging and verifying the specimen to be analyzed, and a print head for modifying the identifier to indicate whether the specimen has been analyzed and whether the sample includes any abnormalities. The print head is also used to indicate whether the specimen has been reanalyzed. Further, the print head works to print symbols adjacent the locations of the abnormalities in the sample.

Abstract: A light weight arcuate reflector facet, for a solar concentrator is disclosed, which comprises a thin mirrored glass sheet such as a microsheet, and a backing sheet or substrate, the glass sheet being bonded to the backing sheet, with the backing sheet providing a smooth surface to the glass sheet. A support member or support structure is attached to the backing sheet and maintains the mirrored glass sheet at a desired radius of curvature. The backing sheet is preferably a composite, and according to one embodiment of a fixed focal length light weight reflector facet, the support member is a resin-impregnated fiberglass sheet having a rib structure. In another embodiment of a variable focal length light weight reflector facet, the support member is a mechanical structure comprising a circular support structure having intersecting center support beams positioned diagonally across the circular support structure.

Abstract: A relay lens assembly and a method for manufacturing a relay lens system for an endoscope includes the steps of providing at least one rod member having first and second curved end surfaces, positioning a mold surface at a predetermined distance from one of the curved end surfaces of the rod member wherein the mold surface has a profile which is the negative of a required optical profile to be formed on the curved end surface, filling a space defined by the predetermined distance between the mold surface and the curved end surface with a moldable light transmissive material and solidifying the moldable material to form a molded layer adhered to the curved end surface.