1. A materials moving implement attachment apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
a U-shaped frame having a first side member and a second side member connected at respective first ends by a base member extending therebetween;
a blade support is provided on the base member for attachment of a materials moving blade;
a rear pivot hinge connected between a respective second end of each of the first and second side member; and
wherein the first and second side members define an opening therebetween having a larger dimension than a front body section of the vehicle permitting the U-shaped frame to be rotated about the rear pivot hinge and allowing at least a portion of the front body section of the vehicle to pass into the space between the first and second side members.
2. The materials moving implement attachment apparatus for a vehicle as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a frame link for rotatably supporting the U-shaped frame at the rear pivot hinge and wherein the frame link is supported on opposing sides of the front body section of the vehicle.
3. The materials moving implement attachment apparatus for a vehicle as set forth in claim 2 wherein the frame link comprises a first and second substantially horizontally aligned receiving slots spaced wider than the width of the front body section of the vehicle for receiving spaced apart respective mating points affixed to opposing sides of the front body section of the vehicle.
4. The materials moving implement attachment apparatus for a vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein the frame link further comprises a first and second frame attachment member spaced wider than the width of the front body section of the vehicle, each having a single attachment aperture for receiving a securing member to secure the frame link to opposing sides of the front body section of the vehicle.
5. The materials moving implement attachment apparatus for a vehicle as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a hydraulic piston attached between the U-shaped frame and the frame link to rotate the U-shaped frame member about the rear pivot hinge and raise the U-shaped frame member to a height so that at least a portion of the front body section of the vehicle passes entirely through the opening between the first and second side member.
6. The materials moving implement attachment apparatus for a vehicle as set forth in claim 5 wherein the frame link comprises a stop surface defining an upper limit to the vertical articulation of the U-shaped frame member.
7. The materials moving implement attachment apparatus for a vehicle as set forth in claim 6 wherein the U-shaped frame further comprises a hydraulic piston attachment point positioned along the first and second side members for supporting a hydraulic piston for controlling lateral movement of the materials moving implement.
8. The materials moving implement attachment apparatus for a vehicle as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a base support member extending between the first and second side members and with the base member defining a substantially triangular shaped portion of the U-shaped frame for reinforcing the blade support on the U-shaped frame.
9. The materials moving implement attachment apparatus for a vehicle as set forth in claim 8 where the substantially triangular shaped portion of the U-shaped frame is co-planar with the plane defined by the side members and the base member.
10. A materials moving implement hitch for a vehicle comprising:
a U-shaped frame having a pair of generally parallel side members, each side member having a vertical actuator attachment and a horizontal actuator attachment, a base member connecting forward ends of the side members, a blade support affixed to the base member for attachment of a materials moving blade, a rear pivot brace affixed to the rearward end of each side member;
a frame link for vertically, pivotally affixing the U-shaped frame to a vehicle, the frame link having a pair of oppositely disposed mounting plates, each mounting plate adapted to secure to a vehicle and rotatably engage with one of the pivot braces of the U-shaped frame; and
wherein the pair of generally parallel side members are spaced apart a distance exceeding a width of a front body portion of the vehicle and the U-shaped frame is movable between a first position substantially parallel aligned with a ground surface below the front body portion of the vehicle and a second position wherein U-shaped frame at least partially encompasses the front body portion of the vehicle between the generally parallel side members.
11. The materials moving implement hitch as set forth in claim 10 wherein each rear pivot brace comprises a forward end collinear with the side member and a rearward end offset relative to the forward end inward between the parallel side members.
12. The materials moving implement hitch as set forth in claim 11, wherein each mounting plate comprises a receiver passage for receiving one of a securing bolt and stud for securing the mounting plate to the vehicle.
13. The materials moving implement attachment apparatus for a vehicle as set forth in claim 12, wherein the receiver passage for attaching the respective mounting plates of the frame link to opposite sides of the vehicle comprises a hanger having generally horizontal channel on the frame link bracket.
14. The materials moving implement hitch as set forth in claim 10 further comprising a set of cooperating vertical actuators each connected at respective upper ends to the frame link and at respective lower ends to the corresponding side members to articulate the U-shaped frame between the first and second positions.
15. The materials moving implement hitch as set forth in claim 14 further comprising a set of cooperating horizontal actuators connected at respective rearward ends to the side member horizontal actuator attachments and at respective forward ends to a materials moving implement supported by the blade support.
16. The materials moving implement hitch as set forth in claim 11 wherein the U-shaped frame further comprises a rear pivot hinge arranged at the rearward offset end of each of the rear pivot brace to engage with the frame link.
17. The materials moving implement hitch as set forth in claim 10 wherein the first and second position of the U-shaped frame define an angle through which the U-shaped frame rotates and the angle includes at least a part of the front body portion of the vehicle within the angle.
18. A method for manufacturing a materials moving implement attachment apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
forming a U-shaped frame having a first side member and a second side member connected at respective first ends by a base member extending therebetween;
providing a blade support on the base member for attachment of a materials moving blade;
connecting a rear pivot hinge between a respective second end of each of the first and second side members; and
defining an opening between the first and second side members having a larger dimension than a front body section of the vehicle permitting the U-shaped frame to be rotated about the rear pivot hinge and allowing at least a portion of the front body section of the vehicle to pass entirely through the space between the first and second side members.
19. The method for manufacturing a materials moving implement attachment apparatus as set forth in claim 18 further comprising the step of providing a frame link for rotatably supporting the U-shaped frame at the rear pivot hinge and supporting the frame link on opposing sides of the front body section of the vehicle.
20. The method for manufacturing a materials moving implement attachment apparatus for a vehicle as set forth in claim 18 further comprising the step of forming at least the first and second side members and the base member from hollow bar stock material.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A spatial light modulator, comprising:
a light-modulating array comprising a plurality of light-modulating elements each having a cavity defined by first and second optical surfaces, said second optical surface movable with respect to the first optical surface;
at least one optical aperture region in said light-modulating array; and
at least one reflecting element formed between a substrate and the plurality of light-modulating elements and configured to receive light passing through the optical aperture region and to reflect at least a portion of the received light to said cavity, wherein the at least one reflecting element has a sloped surface.
2. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the at least one optical aperture region is positioned at a substantially central location in the light-modulating array.
3. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the at least one reflecting element comprises at least one of aluminum, silver, titanium, gold, and copper.
4. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the at least one reflecting element has a substantially convex geometry.
5. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the at least one reflecting element has a substantially concave geometry.
6. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, further comprising a mask aligned with the at least one reflecting element so as to at least partially obstruct a view of the at least one reflecting element.
7. The spatial light modulator of claim 6, wherein the mask comprises at least a portion of an etalon.
8. The spatial light modulator of claim 7, wherein the portion of the etalon comprises one or more layers of partially reflective, partially transmissive material and one or more spacing layers.
9. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the at least one reflecting element comprises at least a shaped feature and a reflecting material over the shaped feature.
10. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the substrate of the light-modulating array comprises at least one cavity, and wherein the at least one reflecting element is formed in the cavity of the substrate.
11. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the at least one reflecting element comprises sections interconnected so as to form a continuous unitary structure extending proximal to a plurality of light-modulating elements.
12. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-modulating elements comprise a metal layer, and wherein the metal layer has a plurality of optically transmissive apertures.
13. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein at least some of said light-modulating elements are separated from each other so as to form an optical aperture region therebetween.
14. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the at least one reflecting element comprises a reflective material in substantially particulate form suspended in a substantially transparent material.
15. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the sloped surface is curved.
16. The spatial light modulator of claim 1, wherein the at least one reflecting element has flat or planar sections tilted with respect to the substrate.