Patents Examined by Andrew Coughlin
  • Patent number: 10024526
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to connectors for connecting strips of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) end-to-end and for connecting a single strip of LEDs to a power source. The connectors define a compartment to receive a strip of LEDs. Tabs extending inwardly from the sides of the connector retain the strip. Electrical contact with the strip is made by a pair of spring clip contacts that bear against electrical terminals on the strip. A hinged lid has an opening positioned so as not to obstruct the last LED on the strip, and carries a downwardly-facing block that bears against the spring clip ends to keep them in contact with the terminals of the strip. In a strip-to-power connector, the connector defines one compartment for each conductor, and each conductor carries connecting structure. Ends of the spring clip connectors carry complementary connecting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Elemental LED, Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Dankelmann, Mark D. Kelley
  • Patent number: 10012379
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a sunshade lamp fixing device, comprising: a lower sunshade disc, a sunshade disc plug and a lamp fastener; wherein the lower sunshade disc is disposed below a sunshade canopy of the sunshade; the sunshade disc plug is fixed at a lower end of the lower sunshade disc; the lamp fastener is detachably mounted at a lower end of the sunshade disc plug, and the sunshade lamp is detachably fixed on the lamp fastener. The sunshade lamp fixing device according to the embodiments of the present invention is simple in structure, detachable and convenient in operation and use. Embodiments of the present invention further provide a sunshade having a sunshade lamp fixing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Yotrio Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jianqiang Xie
  • Patent number: 10006609
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the instant invention, an LED Engine is provided preferably for use with a Fresnel fixture having a globe socket wherein the LED Engine is plug compatible with the globe socket. A Fresnel lighting fixture generally includes a housing; a Fresnel lens supported from the housing; a focus rail; and a globe socket supported by the focus rail. The globe socket electrically receives a Fresnel globe or bulb. The plug compatible LED Engine of the present disclosure is positionable to be inserted in the globe socket of the existing Fresnel fixture thereby replacing the incandescent bulb. Alternatively, the globe socket may be removed and the LED Engine mounted to the focus rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: LITEPANELS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kevin C. Baxter, Fred H. Holmes
  • Patent number: 10001321
    Abstract: Disclosed is an illuminated cooler with a light source positioned below an expected top level of contents of the cooler. A light source is preferably between two and six inches below an expected top level of contents. Most preferably, the cooler will comprise multiple lights arranged at varying heights within the cooler or a single light that provides light sources at a range of heights. The cooler may also comprise a switch to activate the lights when the cooler is opened, an ambient light sensor, and a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Inventor: James Larson Statham
  • Patent number: 9997682
    Abstract: A light emitting element unit according to the present invention includes a semiconductor light emitting element that has a surface, a back surface, and a side surface, where the surface or the back surface is a light extracting surface from which light generated inside is emitted, a submount which has a bottom wall and a side wall, has a recess portion defined by the bottom wall and the side wall, and supports the semiconductor light emitting element by the bottom wall in a position in which the light extracting surface is directed upward at the recess portion, and has an inclined surface on the side wall, inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the bottom wall so as to face the side surface of the semiconductor light emitting element, and a light reflecting film formed on the inclined surface of the submount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: ROHM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takao Fujimori, Yasuo Nakanishi, Nobuaki Matsui, Hirotaka Obuchi
  • Patent number: 9995477
    Abstract: The luminaires of the present disclosure provide a slim profile and simple construction for use in a variety of lighting applications. A circuit board can have a plurality of light sources thereon, and a lens can at least partially encapsulate the circuit board to protect and electrically insulate the circuit board. When used, for example, in a lighted shelf application, power can be provided to the luminaire through shelf brackets along the side of the shelf panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: SCHOTT GEMTRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Greg Miedema, Craig Bienick
  • Patent number: 9989237
    Abstract: A light source device includes a light emitting element adapted to emit exciting light; a fluorescent element having a phosphor and adapted to convert at least a portion of the exciting light emitted from the light emitting element into fluorescence and to reflect the fluorescence; and a common cooling member adapted to cool the light emitting element and the fluorescent element. The cooling member includes a first cooling surface coupled to the light emitting element for cooling the light emitting element, and a second cooling surface coupled to the fluorescent element for cooling the fluorescent element. The first cooling surface and the second cooling surface are placed in parallel with each other and are placed in such a way as to be oriented in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takada, Masaki Inoue, Osamu Osawa
  • Patent number: 9989216
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The illumination apparatus comprises at least one vehicle panel having a first photoluminescent portion and a second photoluminescent portion. The first photoluminescent portion has a first luminescent absorption range and the second photoluminescent portion has a second luminescent absorption range. The illumination apparatus further comprises a first light source configured to emit a first emission at a first wavelength, wherein the first wavelength is within the first absorption range and outside the second absorption range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, James J. Surman
  • Patent number: 9989204
    Abstract: An example embodiment of substrate tensioning system is disclosed that may comprise a frame including four sides and channels, wherein the channels may comprise a first surface, a second surface that opposes the first surface, and an edge truss retention feature. The substrate tensioning system may further comprise at least one substrate including four major edges and a first surface, wherein each major edge is configured with one or more edge trusses configured from corresponding folds in the at least one substrate, such that the edge trusses may be configured at an angle relative to the first surface of the substrate. The at least one substrate may attach to the frame, wherein each edge truss may nest inside, and be secured inside a corresponding frame channel, wherein a perimeter edge of each outermost edge truss may be engaged by the corresponding frame channel's edge truss retention feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: SOUTHPAC TRUST INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Leslie David Howe
  • Patent number: 9964297
    Abstract: An assembly for use with a heat producing electronic device is disclosed. The assembly may include a heat sink in thermally conductive contact with a shell containing the electronic device, and a light pipe having a first thermal conductivity and configured to transmit light from a light-emitting diode (LED) to a front side of the heat sink. The light pipe may include at least a portion having a thermally conductive layer with a second thermal conductivity greater than the first thermal conductivity. The thermally conductive layer may cover at least a portion of an outer surface of the light pipe, and be positioned between, and in thermally conductive contact with a portion of the heat sink protrusions. The thermally conductive layer may be designed to conduct and radiate heat away from at least a portion of the heat sink protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Andrew S. Auyeung, Michael J. Craven, Huu Dang, Harvey Hum
  • Patent number: 9964684
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a light emitting device that can improve design of emitted light. A communication substrate is provided with an LED indicator which emits light. A light guiding plate has a concave surface portion which is a concave surface to cover the LED indicator, and receives the light from the LED indicator using the concave surface portion. A storage case stores the communication substrate and the light guiding plate in a state where a part of the light guiding plate is exposed. The light guiding plate allows the light from the LED indicator to penetrate to a part of the light guiding plate exposed from the storage case by diffusing the light received using the concave surface portion. For example, the present disclosure is applicable to the light emitting device that emits light using an LED or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Soichiro Nakamura, Hiroyasu Sato, Masao Kondo, Hirotaka Tako, Keiichi Takahashi, Shin Yamamoto, Ken Yano, Takanobu Wada, Kazuya Tateishi
  • Patent number: 9956901
    Abstract: A curvature estimation unit estimates the curvature of the road on which a vehicle is driving. A swivel angle setting unit is configured to perform a first mode in which a swivel angle of a lamp unit is set such that a light distribution pattern follows the travelling direction of the vehicle based on the curvature estimated by the curvature estimation unit, and perform a second mode in which a swivel angle of the lamp unit is set such that a shielded area created in a light distribution pattern follows the position of the vehicle detected by a vehicle position detector. A pattern determination unit determines a light distribution pattern such that the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detector remains in the shielded area. A swivel angle setting unit performs the first mode when it is determined that the road is a curved road based on the curvature estimated by the curvature estimation unit, and performs the second mode when it is determined that the road is a straight road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Nakanishi, Manabu Sasa, Atsushi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9958126
    Abstract: A laser headlight optical module is disclosed herein and comprises a laser light source, a convex lens, a substrate, a mirror set, supporting rods, and a driving member. The laser light source generates a laser light and the convex lens is located at a transmitting path of the laser light generated from the laser light source and configured to focus the laser light. Yellow fluorescent powders are coated on the substrate. The mirror set is located at a transmitting path of the laser light reflected from the substrate with the phosphor layer. The supporting rods are located behind the mirror set to support the mirror set. The driving member is located behind the mirror set and connected with the supporting rods. The driving member drives the supporting rods to change a light reflective surface of the mirror set to vary an optical field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: National Chung Cheng University
    Inventors: Hsiang-Chen Wang, Yuan-De Su, Yao-Ting Chiang
  • Patent number: 9958143
    Abstract: A flashlight assembly includes a bistable safety bail to prevent inadvertent depression of an operational push button switch. The flashlight assembly further includes a bistable pivoting mode selection lever which controls operational modes of the flashlight. Further, the flashlight operates with a thermal optimization circuit which automatically, over time, reduces the duty cycle of the control circuit to reduce the temperature of the LED junction, improve LED performance and increase battery life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: EMISSIVE ENERGY CORP.
    Inventors: Robert D. Galli, Chris O'Brien, Kevin Okruta
  • Patent number: 9958591
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light guide plate having a bottom surface, a light emitting surface, a first light incident surface, and microstructures. Each microstructure recesses into or protrudes from the bottom surface and has a first and a second surfaces. The first and the second surfaces of at least one of the microstructures are located on two sides of a first reference plane parallel to the first light incident surface. A section-line of each first surface on a second reference plane perpendicular to the first light incident surface and perpendicular to the light emitting surface is a straight line. A first angle between each first surface and a third reference plane parallel to the light emitting surface in the light guide plate is between 0 degrees and 20 degrees, and a thickness of each microstructure is between 0 micrometers and 20 micrometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Young Lighting Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Chien-Hui Lee, Min-Chun Chou, Ming-Dah Liu, Ching-Hsiang Li, Chang-Cheng Liu, Wen-Yen Chiu
  • Patent number: 9946006
    Abstract: A backlight unit (10) and a display device are provided. The backlight unit (10) comprises a light guide plate (101), and a light source (102), a first reflective film (101), and a second reflective film (104). The light source (102) includes a plurality of LEDs (1021) uniformly arranged. The first reflective film (103) is disposed correspondingly on a backlight side of a region opposite to each of the LEDs on the light guide plate (101); The second reflective film (104) includes at least one first sub-reflective film (1041), the first sub-reflective film (1041) being disposed correspondingly on a backlight side of a region opposite to a gap between two adjacent LEDs on the light guide plate (101).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., Beijing BOE Display Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yanjun Sun, Woong Kim, Zhanchang Bu, Jing Yuan
  • Patent number: 9944181
    Abstract: Provided herein is a display unit for a vehicle which is designed for representing information and for arrangement in an interior space of the vehicle with respect to a viewing direction of the driver of the vehicle. The display unit may include: a display device which can be connected to a device for operating the display device, in particular for operating as a function of a measured value for a state of the vehicle; an OLED display having three-dimensional geometry, in particular for a flat emission of light, where the OLED display, seen in the viewing direction, seen in particular in the forward direction, is arranged so that it overlaps with the display device and, in the overlap area, it includes a passage through which the display device can be connected to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Lutz Diederichs, Matthias Wunderlich
  • Patent number: 9939129
    Abstract: Metalenses and technologies incorporating the same are disclosed. In some embodiments, the metalenses are in the form of a hybrid multiregion collimating metalens that includes a first region and a second region, wherein the hybrid multiregion collimating metalens is configured to collimate (e.g., visible) light incident thereon. In some instances the first region includes an array of first unit cells that contain subwavelength spaced nanostructures, such that the first region functions as a subwavelength high contrast grating (SWHCG), whereas the second region includes an array of second unit cell, wherein the array of second unit cells includes a near periodic annular arrangement of nanostructures such that the second region approximates the functionality of a locally periodic radial diffraction grating. Lighting devices including such metalenses are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc., The President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Steve Byrnes, Francesco Aieta, Federico Capasso, Alan Lenef
  • Patent number: 9941258
    Abstract: An LED lead frame assembly includes a circuit strip assembly, a plastic dam member overmolded onto the circuit strip assembly and a LED chip assembly disposed in a pocket of the plastic dam member. The LED chip assembly is electrically coupled to the circuit strip assembly to power the LED chip assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: GE LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Ming Kong, Jeffrey Bisberg, John Powell
  • Patent number: 9928764
    Abstract: An illuminated support mount for a vehicle flag may include a base, a power input jack disposed outwardly of the base, a mast connected to the base, and a light source disposed within the mast and electrically connected to the power input jack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Inventors: Charles M. Heath, Eric M. Heath, Theodore G. Yaksich