US4609266A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Elimination of internal reflections and diffractions from junctures in and at the periphery of, a segmented mirror
Assignee: ROXOR Corp A CA CORP
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Filing: 1984-08-20
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Granted: 1986-09-02
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Expires: 2004-08-20
Abstract
Abstract In a transparent molded segmented mirror having individual sectors on a transparent molding and comprising a myriad of reflecting surfaces at the rear side of the mirror away from the viewer, said surfaces located to produce, in the eyes of the viewer, a virtual image, or separate virtual images from separate portions of such molded mirror, there being zones separating the reflecting surfaces, the improvement comprising: (a) a material coating said zones and which includes a light absorber, (b) such material having approximately, the same index of refraction as the transparent molding, (c) whereby undesirable reflections from said zone are substantially reduced, because light impinging thereon cannot be reflected, but is only absorbed. Also, the thickness of light reflecting metallizing material defining the reflective surfaces may be thinned adjacent said zones, and the light absorptive coating may be applied over the thinned metallizing material; and the edges of the molding and of a glass backer may be coated with light absorptives material.
Inventors
- 👤 C. James Blom
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 14:04
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29D; B29D11/00; B29D11/00596
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
In the method of manufacturing a transparent mold segmented mirror having individual sectors on a transparent molding and comprising a myriad of metallized layers providing reflecting adjacent surfaces at the back side of the mirror away from the viewer, and oriented to produce, in the eyes of a viewer, a single virtual image, or separate virtual images from separate portions of such molded mirror, said layers having thinned peripheries, there being a network of zones separating the individual reflecting surfaces, the step that comprises (a) substantially reducing undesirable reflections from said zones of separation by coating the back sides of said zones with material that includes a light absorber, (b) the coating carried out to cover zones between reflecting surfaces and the thinned peripheries of said metallized reflecting layers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
In the method of manufacturing a transparent mold segmented mirror having individual sectors on a transparent molding and comprising a myriad of metallized layers providing reflecting adjacent surfaces at the back side of the mirror away from the viewer, and oriented to produce, in the eyes of a viewer, a single virtual image, or separate virtual images from separate portions of such molded mirror, said layers having thinned peripheries, there being a network of zones separating the individual reflecting surfaces, the step that comprises (a) substantially reducing undesirable reflections from said zones of separation by coating the back sides of said zones with material that includes a light absorber, (b) the coating carried out to cover zones between reflecting surfaces and the thinned peripheries of said metallized reflecting layers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said material has substantially the same index of refraction as the molded material, and said absorber comprises a dispersed, light-absorbtive substance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
In method of claim 2 wherein said substance comprises particulate carbon, or lamp black.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the coating is applied to said zones with thickness characterized in that light incident thereon from the transparent molding is absorbed before it can be reflected back into the transparent molding.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 where the coating is applied to substantially the entire back side of the molding, away from the viewer.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
18 words
The method of one of claims 1-5 where the coating is also applied to edges of the molding.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a glass backer is provided to adhere to the flat, front, viewer side, of the molded mirror, and including the step of coating the edges of the glass backer with a material of substantially the same index of refraction as the glass backer, and which coating material contains a light absorber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said last named light absorber comprises a finely dispersed light absorbing material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said last named light absorbing material comprises carbon particulate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
121 words
In a transparent molded segmented mirror having individual sectors on a transparent molding and comprising a myriad of metallized layers providing reflecting adjacent surfaces at the back side of the mirror away from the viewer, said surfaces oriented to produce, in the eyes of the viewer, one virtual image, or separate virtual images from separate portions of such molded mirror, said layers having thinned peripheries, there being a network of zones separating the individual reflecting surfaces, the improvement comprising: (a) a material coating the back sides of said zones, and which includes a light absorber, (b) the coating covering zones between reflecting surfaces and the thinned peripheries of said metallized reflecting layers, whereby undesirable reflections from said zones are substantially reduced.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
121 words
In a transparent molded segmented mirror having individual sectors on a transparent molding and comprising a myriad of metallized layers providing reflecting adjacent surfaces at the back side of the mirror away from the viewer, said surfaces oriented to produce, in the eyes of the viewer, one virtual image, or separate virtual images from separate portions of such molded mirror, said layers having thinned peripheries, there being a network of zones separating the individual reflecting surfaces, the improvement comprising: (a) a material coating the back sides of said zones, and which includes a light absorber, (b) the coating covering zones between reflecting surfaces and the thinned peripheries of said metallized reflecting layers, whereby undesirable reflections from said zones are substantially reduced.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The mirror of claim 10 wherein said material has substantially the same index of refraction as the material of said molding, said absorber comprising a dispersed, light-absorbtive substance.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
The mirror of claim 11 wherein said substance comprise carbon particulate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The mirror of claim 10 wherein said coating has thickness characterized in that light incident thereon from the transparent molding is absorbed before it can be reflected back to the transparent molding.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The mirror of claim 10 wherein the coating is applied to substantially the entire back side of the molding, away from the viewer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The mirror of one of claims 10-14 wherein the coating is also applied to edges of the molding.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The mirror of claim 10 for use in a vehicle, and having a front, surface, and a holding bracket, the bracket and surface having orientation that is essentially perpendicular to the vehicle's direction of travel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The mirror of claim 10 defining two flat segmented mirror sections, located in one bracket, said sections and brackets oriented to form a chevron pointed generally rearward to enable a rear view subtending more than 180°.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination of claim 16 including said vehicle mounting the holding bracket so that said front surface is inclined from vertical, being tilted steeply toward the viewer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The mirror of claim 10 wherein the mirror assembly also includes a transparent panel overlying the molding containing said reflecting surfaces and facing the viewer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
The mirror of claim 10 wherein said reflecting surfaces form multiple groups of said surfaces, one group located at a central portion of the mirror, and other groups located at left and right portions of the mirror.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
98 words
The mirror of claim 20 wherein said surfaces of said one group are oriented to intercept light rays traveling forwardly from the rear of the vehicle, for reflection toward the viewer, said surfaces of the group at the left portion of the mirror oriented to reflect light rays traveling from the left flank of the vehicle toward the mirror, for reflection toward the viewer, and said surfaces of the group at the right portion of the mirror oriented to reflect light rays traveling from the right flank of the vehicle toward the mirror, for reflection toward the viewer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The mirror of claim 20 wherein said mirror has transparent solid structure extending across and rearwardly of said myriad of surfaces.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The mirror of claim 22 wherein said solid structure includes a first molded layer extending adjacent said myriad of surfaces and a second layer overlying said first layer.
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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) | 1989-09-01 | 1990-03-03 | 1990-09-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-09-01 | 1994-03-03 | 1994-09-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-09-01 | 1998-03-03 | 1998-09-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |