Patent US1917065A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3663084A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Hollow retroreflectors
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1970-06-18
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Granted: 1972-05-16
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Expires: 1990-06-18
Abstract
Abstract In one form, a hollow retroreflector is here made of three plates joined together at right angles to each other with only one edge of each plate bonded to a reflecting face of another plate, thereby making non-critical the relationships between the edges of any one of the plates. In another form, one of the three plates has two edges that intersect at a slight obtuse angle that is non-critical, the length of one edge abutting the reflecting face of another plate while the other edge contacts the remaining plate only at a location remote from the common corner of the retroreflector, again involving non-critical edge relationships as to each of the plates of the retroreflector. For stability of the optically flat faces, the plates are made relatively thick and accordingly have relatively wide edges that abut others of the plates. The abutment edges are joined to related reflecting faces by bonding material restricted to a zone that is narrow relative to the width of the abutment edge. The plates have individual corners remote from the common corner of the retroreflector, and a common glass plate is bonded to those individual corners so as to resist deforming stresses that may be imposed on the plates.
Inventors
- 👤 Morton S Lipkins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 14:43
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/12; G02B5/122
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
A hollow retroreflector including three plates having optically flat reflecting faces disposed at right angles to each other to form a hollow retroreflector, one edge only of each of said plates abutting and being joined by bonding material to the reflecting face of another of said plates and each of said plates accordingly having the reflecting face thereof joined to an edge of only one other plate of said three plates, said bonding material being confined essentially to a fillet between each of said plates and the plate abutted thereby.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
90 words
A hollow retroreflector including three plates having optically flat reflecting faces disposed at right angles to each other to form a hollow retroreflector, one edge only of each of said plates abutting and being joined by bonding material to the reflecting face of another of said plates and each of said plates accordingly having the reflecting face thereof joined to an edge of only one other plate of said three plates, said bonding material being confined essentially to a fillet between each of said plates and the plate abutted thereby.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
119 words
A hollow retroreflector including three plates having optically flat reflecting faces disposed at right angles to each other to form a hollow retroreflector, one edge only of each of said plates abutting and being joined by bonding material to the reflecting face of another of said plates and each of said plates accordingly having the reflecting face thereof joined to an edge of only one other plate of said three plates, each of said plates being of relatively thick glass and therefore having relatively wide edges, said bonding material being confined to a zone that is relatively narrow compared with the thickness of the plates, for minimizing distortion of the plates that might be caused by the bonding material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
119 words
A hollow retroreflector including three plates having optically flat reflecting faces disposed at right angles to each other to form a hollow retroreflector, one edge only of each of said plates abutting and being joined by bonding material to the reflecting face of another of said plates and each of said plates accordingly having the reflecting face thereof joined to an edge of only one other plate of said three plates, each of said plates being of relatively thick glass and therefore having relatively wide edges, said bonding material being confined to a zone that is relatively narrow compared with the thickness of the plates, for minimizing distortion of the plates that might be caused by the bonding material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A hollow retroreflector pursuant to claim 2, wherein the surface of each abutting edge is essentially flat and said abutment edge of each plate and the reflecting face of that plate form an obtuse angle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A hollow retroreflector pursuant to claim 2, wherein said abutting edge of each plate has a rib extending therealong, for limiting the engagement of any abutting edge with the opposed face of another said plate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
A hollow retroreflector pursuant to claim 2, wherein each reflecting face abutted by the edge of another of said plates ends at an edge thereof that is spaced from the reflecting face of the abutting plate by a relatively narrow zone compared with the width of the abutting edge, the extent of abutment of each plate by the plate which abuts it being limited to said relatively narrow zone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
140 words
A hollow retroreflector including first, second and third plates each having an optically flat reflecting face, the reflecting faces of said three plates being disposed at right angles to each other to form a hollow retroreflector, first means securing an edge of one of said first and second plates to the reflecting face of the other of said first and second plates, said third plate having first and second edges opposed to the reflecting faces of said first and second plates, said first and second edges intersecting to form a slightly obtuse angle therebetween, second means securing the reflecting face of said first plate to said first edge along the length thereof, and means securing the reflecting face of said second plate to said second edge only at a location remote from the intersection of the first and second edges.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
140 words
A hollow retroreflector including first, second and third plates each having an optically flat reflecting face, the reflecting faces of said three plates being disposed at right angles to each other to form a hollow retroreflector, first means securing an edge of one of said first and second plates to the reflecting face of the other of said first and second plates, said third plate having first and second edges opposed to the reflecting faces of said first and second plates, said first and second edges intersecting to form a slightly obtuse angle therebetween, second means securing the reflecting face of said first plate to said first edge along the length thereof, and means securing the reflecting face of said second plate to said second edge only at a location remote from the intersection of the first and second edges.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
A hollow retroreflector in accordance with claim 6, wherein said plates are relatively thick and have relatively wide edges, and wherein bonding material forms each of said securing means, the bonding material of said first and second securing means being confined to a relatively narrow zone along its related edge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
A hollow retroreflector including three plates having respective optically flat reflecting faces, said plates being joined together at right angles to each other to form a hollow retroreflector having a common corner, each of said plates having a corner remote from said common corner, and a transparent plate joined to the remote corners of said three plates.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
A hollow retroreflector including three plates having respective optically flat reflecting faces, said plates being joined together at right angles to each other to form a hollow retroreflector having a common corner, each of said plates having a corner remote from said common corner, and a transparent plate joined to the remote corners of said three plates.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
A hollow retroreflector in accordance with claim 8, wherein each of said three plates is joined to the other two by bonding material extending along the abutment edges of each of the plates, the bonding material being confined to a zone that is relatively narrow compared to the width of said abutment edge.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
A hollow retroreflector in accordance with claim 8, wherein said plates are relatively thick and wherein certain of the edges thereof abut respective reflecting faces of others of said plates, each abutting edge being relatively wide and being joined to its related reflecting face by bonding material extending along such edge and being confined to a zone that is relatively narrow compared to the width of such edge.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
76 words
A hollow retroreflector including three plates having optically flat reflecting faces joined together at right angles to each other to form a hollow retroreflector, said plates being relatively thick, certain of the edges of said plates individually abutting respective reflecting faces of others of said plates and being joined thereto by bonding material, said bonding material at each abutment being confined to a zone that is relatively narrow compared to the width of the abutment edge.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
76 words
A hollow retroreflector including three plates having optically flat reflecting faces joined together at right angles to each other to form a hollow retroreflector, said plates being relatively thick, certain of the edges of said plates individually abutting respective reflecting faces of others of said plates and being joined thereto by bonding material, said bonding material at each abutment being confined to a zone that is relatively narrow compared to the width of the abutment edge.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
A hollow retroreflector in accordance with claim 10, wherein each plate having an abutting edge and the plate abutted thereby form an inside corner remote from the active reflecting faces of the retroreflector, the bonding material being confined to a fillet extending along said inside corner.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-16 | 1975-11-15 | 1976-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-16 | 1979-11-15 | 1980-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-16 | 1983-11-15 | 1984-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |