Patents Examined by Bao Truong
  • Patent number: 6601968
    Abstract: A freestanding mailbox is illuminated through the structural support post by an internal light source. A support element having an at least partially translucent section is coupled to a mailbox head. An illumination source is optically coupled to the support element, wherein the at least partially translucent section of the support element is illuminated by the illumination source. As the illumination source is optically coupled to the support element, the support element and/or mailbox head may be replaced if damaged without having to replace the illumination source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Inventor: Jeff Voacolo
  • Patent number: 6603254
    Abstract: A hermetically sealed container includes a front substrate, a back substrate disposed opposite to the front substrate, and an outer frame disposed in a peripheral portion between the front substrate and the back substrate. The front and back substrates and the outer frame are bonded with an adhesive to form a hermetically sealed space. When a ratio W/T of width W and thickness of T of the outer frame is set to an aspect ratio A of the outer frame, 1.5≦A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomokazu Ando
  • Patent number: 6595673
    Abstract: A fiber optic illumination system with increased power handling capabilities for low melting point fiber optics uses an optical homogenizer. Homogenizers of the present invention preferably comprise a rod with polygonal cross-section. The output intensity of the optical homogenizer is substantially uniform such that the output fiber optic will not be damaged by hot spots created by non-uniform intensity light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Cogent Light Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald A. Ferrante, Kenneth K. Li
  • Patent number: 6590338
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing contaminants from a display device using an auxiliary chamber, and a method for attaching the auxiliary chamber to the display device. In one embodiment, an auxiliary chamber is adapted to be coupled to a surface of a display device. The auxiliary chamber is adapted to be coupled to the surface of the display device such that contaminants within the display device can travel from the display device into the auxiliary chamber. The auxiliary chamber further includes a getter which is disposed therein. The getter is adapted to capture the contaminants once the contaminants travel from the display device into the auxiliary chamber. In so doing, the present invention eliminates the need for getter material to be placed within the active area of the display device. As a result, the present invention increases the usable amount of space available within the display device. This extra space can then be utilized by features such as, for example, additional field emitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Candescent Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Fritz, Igor L. Maslennikov, Robert M. Duboc, Jr., Theodore S. Fahlen, George B. Hopple
  • Patent number: 6582091
    Abstract: A front-end surface illumination device is provided which is high in visibility when it is illuminated or not, low in power consumption, and compact. When a light beam emitted from an organic electroluminescence element formed on an end face of a light transmission plate reaches projecting portions, the light is emitted from the light transmission plate, and irradiated on an illuminated object. In this constitution, the light transmission plate has the function of projecting the light beam to the illuminated object, and transmitting the light beam reflected by the illuminated object with little diffusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuaki Funamoto, Masahiro Uchida
  • Patent number: 6575610
    Abstract: A vehicle indicator lamp having a transparent cover that performs horizontal light radiation at a wide angle in which a reflecting surface of a reflector is formed so as to diffusion-reflect the light from a filament of the light source into a forward direction. Horizontal deflection lens portions are formed on the center area of the transparent plain cover and near the lamp's optical axis so as to horizontally deflection-permeate the direct light from the filament in a direction away from the lamp's optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazunori Natsume
  • Patent number: 6572252
    Abstract: The present invention relates to illuminating an interior portion of a processing chamber in a semiconductor processing system. A fiber optic light source is operatively associated with the processing chamber to illuminate the interior of the chamber to facilitate viewing the interior of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Bharath Rangarajan, Bhanwar Singh, Khoi A. Phan, Bryan K. Choo, Ramkumar Subramanian
  • Patent number: 6570315
    Abstract: A field ion display device comprises a field ion emission plate, a microchannel plate and a fluorescent display plate, said plates being parallel to each other, with gaps there between, and being peripherally sealed with a thin gas filled inside. The device is addressed by X-Y encoding. When a signal is applied to an addressed point, positive ions are emitted from the corresponding point on the emission plate based on the signal strength, pass through the microchannel holes, impinge on the wall of the holes, so that the emission of the multifold secondary electrons is multiplied. Said secondary electrons are accelerated by the accelerating electrode, converted into a strong electron flow, extracted from the other side of the holes, again accelerated by the screen electrode, and finally bombard a corresponding pixel on the screen, thereby forming an image. The image has the advantage of good quality, high efficiency and low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Beijing New Century De'en S&T Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: En ze Luo, Hong Luo, Wei Luo
  • Patent number: 6565246
    Abstract: A vehicular head lamp enables rotation of an upper reflector (1) relative to an intermediate reflector (2), thereby changing a dispersed light-distribution pattern (WP) with respect to a fixed reference light-distribution pattern (LP and HP). By causing a lower reflector (3) to rotate relative to the intermediate reflector (2), a collimated light-distribution pattern (SP) is changed with respect to the reference light-distribution patterns (LP and HP). The result of this arrangement is an improvement in visibility when the vehicle negotiates a curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Ichikoh Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasufumi Suzuki, Hirokazu Yoneyama, Takayuki Kawamura
  • Patent number: 6559585
    Abstract: A shadow mask includes a mask body having a principal mask surface with electron beam passage apertures, a skirt portion, and long and short axes, and a mask frame attached to outside the skirt portion. The mask frame has a coefficient of thermal expansion higher than that of the mask body. The skirt portion includes first and second tongue portions situated on the short and long axes, respectively. Each of the first and second tongue portions is fixed to the mask frame. The mask body is formed to fulfill relations given by (Ca·Wb)<(Cb·Wa), and V<H, where Ca and Wa are the length and width of the first tongue portion, respectively, Cb and Wb are the length and width of the second tongue portion, respectively, H and V are the length of the principal mask surface in the directions of the long and short axes, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takashi Murai, Shinichiro Nakagawa, Yoshiaki Ito
  • Patent number: 6555962
    Abstract: A metal halide lamp has a ceramic discharge vessel with an inside length L, an inside diameter D, and an aspect ratio L/D of between 3 and 5. The fill gas includes xenon, mercury, sodium halide, and halides of rare earth metals. Hydrogen iodide voltage spikes during start-up are related to product of volume and the cold xenon pressure, which are adjusted to limit the spikes. Voltage crest factor is related to the product of total operating pressure and the square of the inside diameter, which are adjusted to limit the crest factor. The ceramic discharge metal halide (CDM)lamp may have a power rating of 200 W or more and can be used with an existing ballast for a high pressure sodium (HPS) lamp of like power rating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Andrew D. Jackson, Ray G. Gibson, Sarah Carleton
  • Patent number: 6554443
    Abstract: A pumpkin lighting fixture, comprising a pumpkin-shaped housing, and a lighting mechanism that is installed inside the hollow of the housing: The lighting mechanism is composed of a lamp carrier, a fan and a battery box, which are jointly assembled in a round depression of a base. On the lamp carrier is a plurality of LED lamps, and a woven fabric that is cut in the shape of a flame, so that each LED projects light on the woven fabric. The fan has an air outlet that is aligned with the woven fabric, so air is blown onto the woven fabric to make it bellow. Such a lighting mechanism presents realistic and beautiful burning-flame effects, enabling safety in application of this pumpkin lighting fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: T.W. Piin Hung Commodities Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sheng Ping Fan
  • Patent number: 6555952
    Abstract: A final focus electrode includes a cylindrical base on one end and a conical portion on the other end such that the diameter of the conical portion is greater than that of the base and also gradually increases with distance from the base. The conical portion of the final focus electrode is located inside a cylindrical accelerating electrode such that it is coaxially surrounded by the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Duk-sung Park, Sang-kyun Kim, Bong-wook Jung, Chul-sik Cho
  • Patent number: 6550933
    Abstract: The invention relates to an array and a method for illuminating a skin surface of an examined person, especially the face, with the purpose of examining and determining the effect of color on the skin surface. Several light sources having different colors are provided for illumination. The intensity of said light sources can be adjusted individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Inventor: Ulla-Monika Panz
  • Patent number: 6550940
    Abstract: A lighting device has an LED light source and a lens. The lens includes a light emitting surface arranged substantially parallel to a wall of a container when the device is attached to the wall, and a first light receiving surface. The first light receiving surface receives light that is emitted from the LED light source in a direction slanted with respect to the light emitting surface, and takes a concave surface configured such that a distance of the first light receiving surface to the light emitting surface increases from one end to the other end of the lens. The LED light source is disposed while being confronted with one end part of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co,., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Kamiya, Hiroshi Ito, Akihiro Misawa
  • Patent number: 6550942
    Abstract: Improved linear illumination sources are disclosed which utilize external, highly reflective enclosures containing one or more linear openings and thereby achieve improved source efficiency, output irradiance and/or output radiance. Such improved illumination sources may be combined with additional optical elements to produce more complex illumination systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventors: Han Zou, Scott M. Zimmerman, John Colvin Wilson, Karl W. Beeson, Michael James McFarland, Hefen Lin, Jerry Wayne Kuper, Lawrence Wayne Shacklette
  • Patent number: 6550934
    Abstract: A light emitting device having a lamp for producing light when supplied with electric current, and an elongated optical material having a portion disposed within the lamp and one end located outside the lamp and serving as an outlet of emitted light. The optical material may be (a) a light transmissive, fluorescent or phosphorescent adapted to emit fluorescent or phosphorescent light upon being excited by irradiation with the light of the lamp so that the fluorescent or phosphorescent light is transmitted to the outlet, (b) a rod transparent to the light of the lamp so that the light from the lamp entering the rod is transmitted to the outlet, or (c) a light transmissive, laser generating optical material adapted to emit a laser beam upon being excited with the light of the lamp so that the laser beam is transmitted to the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Secretary of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Hiroaki Tao, Tetsuya Nakazato
  • Patent number: 6547415
    Abstract: A portable device is equipped with a clip for attachment thereof to an object. That device is provided with an undercut groove, and the clip is provided with a head fitting into that undercut groove. The clip is attached to the portable device by fitting that head of the clip into that undercut groove. A portable device may comprise a combination of an undercut groove and a device attachment clip having a head fit into that undercut groove. A clip for attachment of a portable device to an object may have a combination of a bent over end portion and lateral protrusions on that bent over end portion, such as for engagement of undercut sides of a groove in a portable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Surefire, LLC
    Inventor: John Wallace Matthews
  • Patent number: 6543915
    Abstract: A recessed down light includes a mounting base frame, a rotary carrier revolvably supported in the mounting base frame, two friction members fastened to the mounting base frame and pressed on the rotary carrier and adapted hold the rotary carrier in position when external force disappeared, a lamp holder holding a halogen lamp and pivoted to the rotary carrier for turning in and out of the rotary carrier by hand, and a track frame fastened to the rotary carrier and adapted to guide circular motion of the lamp holder relative to the rotary carrier within 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Tai-Jan Luminaire Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Huei Chen
  • Patent number: 6540390
    Abstract: A hand-held surgical light assembly is provided with a light source, and a handpiece which is adapted to be grasped and manipulated by a user. The handpiece has a light guide with a proximal end optically connected to the light source, and a distal end which projects outwardly from said handpiece so as to direct light guided thereby onto a field of view determined by manipulation of the handpiece by the user. The handpiece includes a switch assembly which is operatively coupled to the light source to allow user selection between at least two different light intensities (e.g., essentially on/off) discharged by said light guide onto the field of view. In preferred forms, the switch assembly includes an electrically conductive inner base member and an electrically conductive outer tubular elastomeric member concentrically positioned in surrounding, but spaced relationship, with the inner base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Duke University
    Inventors: Cynthia A. Toth, Ronald F. Overaker, Brian C. Dodge