Patents Examined by John Anthony Ward
  • Patent number: 7055985
    Abstract: A light-source assembly of a backlight module provides light sources to a liquid crystal display. The light-source assembly of the backlight module includes a bottom plate, a driving circuit board and a plurality of light-emitting elements. The driving circuit board is disposed in the middle of the bottom plate. The light-emitting element has two electrodes disposed at two ends of the light-emitting element and a uniform light section disposed on a tube body of the light-emitting element, wherein the electrodes of the light-emitting elements are respectively interlaced and connected to the driving circuit board. Simultaneously the uniform light portions are expanded to two sides of the driving circuit board outside, and the uniform light portion of the adjacent light-emitting elements located at the driving circuit board are also interlaced in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Eddie Cheng
  • Patent number: 7055996
    Abstract: A lamp comprising a housing, at least one planar substrate supporting a plurality of light sources, and a light directing member comprising a plurality of reflective surfaces. Each of the reflective surfaces is generally parabolic and reflects light emitted from the plurality of light sources. A lamp comprising a housing, at least one planar substrate, a plurality of light sources supported by each planar substrate, a lens, and a light directing member that reflects light emitted from the plurality of light sources. The light directing member produces a light distribution pattern spanning substantially five degrees to substantially ninety degrees in one direction along the longitudinal axis of said lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Truck-Lite Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Greg Pond, Todd Kolstee, Philip Roller
  • Patent number: 7055998
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp including a first lamp component having a first light source and a first reflector, and a second lamp component disposed behind the first lamp component and having a second light source and a second reflector, and front sides of the first and second lamp components being covered by an outer lens; and in this vehicular lamp, the first reflector having an overlapping area that covers the front of the second reflector so that the second reflector appears to be segmented in two or more portions; and light transmission holes through which light from the second lamp component passes being formed in the overlapping area of the first reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsumi Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 7056006
    Abstract: A nightlight with an interchangeable design disk mounted on the front thereof. A casing has an illumination area in a front side thereof, and a light bulb illuminates the illumination area from within. The nightlight also includes an electric motor mounted in the casing that has a shaft that extends through the front side of the casing proximate to the illumination area. The design disk mounts on the shaft and rotates with the shaft when the motor is energized. The design disk has a diameter that causes the disk to cover the illumination area in the front side of the casing when the disk is mounted on the shaft. The design disk has a design thereon that is visible when viewed from the front side of the nightlight when the light bulb shines through the disk from the illumination area in the front side of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: SWS Development, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Steven W. Smith
  • Patent number: 7048424
    Abstract: A light integrating column having an illumination column and windows that allow light to enter and exit the illumination column. The illumination column can be a solid rod or a hollow tube. In an embodiment, the windows are formed at an angle with respect to each other. Light from a light source enters through one of the windows. The light is internally reflected and diffused inside the illumination column. A diffused uniform light is transmitted out through another window. In an embodiment, a reflective coating is applied to a surface of the illumination column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Cross Match Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: George W McClurg, John F Carver
  • Patent number: 7048406
    Abstract: A mirror device includes one or more light devices disposed behind a mirror, to generate lights to light the mirror. A remote detecting device may be used to detect whether one or more users go toward or go close to the mirror or not, and to actuate the light device to generate the lights when the users are detected to go toward the mirror. The light device may thus be actuated to light the mirror without being contacted by the users or without being operated by the users manually. A control device may be used to actuate the light device to generate the light. The remote detecting device includes a light emitting device to generate a light to detect whether the user goes toward the mirror or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Inventor: Sen Tien Shih
  • Patent number: 7048409
    Abstract: A luminaire (1) or a system of a first luminaire (1) and a second luminaire (11) for lighting an object (V). Each luminaire has a housing (2; 12) provided with a plurality of tubular lamps (3, 3?, 3?; 13). The housing (2; 12) has a diffuser (7; 17) positioned in a light emitting window (4; 14) and a side wall (5, 5?; 15), which is orthogonal with respect to the light emitting window (4; 14). In the system, the first and the second luminaire (1; 11) abut one another via the side wall (5, 5?; 15) and/or via the light emitting window (4; 14), wherein an edge (6) of the light emitting window (4) of the first luminaire (1) abuts upon an edge (16) of the light emitting window (14) of the second luminaire (11). The diffusor (7; 17) and the side wall (5, 5?; 15) are made from an optically transparent material. Preferably, the light emitting window (4; 14) is provided with a curtain (21; 31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Norbert Dicken, Nicolaas Marinus Fierloos, Jelle Hilbrand Schuurmans
  • Patent number: 7048405
    Abstract: An innovated flashing decorative article, comprising of an upper hollow pipe, a lower hollow pipe and an exterior magnet. On the top rim of the upper hollow pipe are two symmetrically positioned insert pins and a circuit board that is connected via the insert pins to the upper hollow pipe. On the circuit board are an IC and LED. The upper side of the circuit board is coated with transparent glue. Inside the upper hollow pipe is an insulating paper. At a lower part of the upper hollow pipe is an exterior pipe thread. Inside the lower hollow pipe is an interior pipe thread. On the bottom of the lower hollow pipe is a magnet. Inside the hollow of the lower hollow pipe are one to three batteries. The exterior pipe thread and interior pipe thread of the upper and lower hollow pipes are screwed together. The exterior magnet is independently installed outside the upper and lower hollow pipes. Due to variability of the shape of the circuit board, the present invention of flashing decorative article provides more fun.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Inventor: Ching-Hui Lee
  • Patent number: 7048421
    Abstract: A self-contained light-emitting means for a vehicle for not only expressing oneself but also to make the vehicle more visible. The self-contained light-emitting means for a vehicle includes a rotor securely mounted to the axle of a vehicle for rotation therewith, a stator which includes a cylindrical ring having a bore therethrough and a counterweight member integrally attached to the cylindrical ring being disposed about the rotor which is rotatably disposed within the bore of the cylindrical ring, a plurality of magnetic members attached about the rotor, a plurality of brushes also attached about the rotor, a contact member mounted to the rotor, a plurality of sets of wires mounted to the cylindrical ring and being connected to a plurality of coil members, a circuit board connected with wires to the brushes and being connected with wires to light-emitting members such as light bulbs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Inventor: Linda Marie Allen-Atkins
  • Patent number: 7048427
    Abstract: A planar light source device comprises a light guide member having light scattering members for scattering light on the rear face of it, and a first LED module and a second LED module arranged on an end face of the light guide member. The light guide member has an area having no light scattering members in the vicinity of the LED modules, and has a corner-cut portion obtained by cutting a corner at an inclination angle ? in the light outputting direction of the first LED module. The first LED module is provided in the middle of the short side face of the light guide member, and the second LED module is provided on the corner-cut portion of the light guide member. The light from the first and second LED modules is outputted into an area where light scattering members are sparse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kouzou Fujino, Ryo Anraku
  • Patent number: 7040796
    Abstract: In a front light, an intermediate light guide protrudes from a light guide plate toward a light emitting element in the direction along a light incident face of the light guide plate. A side face of the intermediate light guide opposing the light incident face serves as an emergent face from which light from the light emitting element is emitted to the light guide plate, and an outer side face remote from the emergent face serves as a reflecting face for reflecting light propagating inside the intermediate light guide. The outer side face of the intermediate light guide is provided with a prism face having a plurality of grooves of wedge-shaped cross section, and a reflective film formed thereon. The prism face is provided distant from an end face of the intermediate light guide close to the light emitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuro Sugiura, Tatsumaro Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7036972
    Abstract: The invention provides an illumination unit for liquid crystal display systems, which comprises an illumination light source for emitting visible light rays and a light guide plate or a light diffusion plate having an entrance surface and an exit surface. The illumination light source is located such that light rays therefrom are entered into the light guide plate or light diffusion plate from the entrance surface. The light guide plate or light diffusion plate is formed of a transparent synthetic resin. The maximum intensity of light in an ultraviolet range having a wavelength of 350 nm or less as measured all over the entrance surface of the light guide plate or light diffusion plate is 2 ?W/(cm2·nm) or less. The illumination light source has a maximum emission intensity of 2 ?W/(cm2·nm) or less in an ultraviolet range having a wavelength of 350 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Zeon Corporation
    Inventors: Kyoichi Kubomura, Masahiko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7036966
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lamp assembly (10) having a lamp bulb (12) for emitting light and a bulb housing (14) having a light transmissive portion (16) for transmitting light from the lamp bulb to an illumination zone. The housing is coated with a coating material (60), which covers a selected region (32, 34, 36) of the light transmissive portion of the housing. The coating material is electrically energized to alter an amount of light transmitted from the bulb to the illumination zone. A drive circuit (30) electrically coupled to the coating material energizes the coating material to control a light output from the lamp assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Illume, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Strazzanti
  • Patent number: 7036973
    Abstract: The backlight assembly includes a lamp unit, a light guide plate and a receiving container. The light guide plate includes a light exiting surface, a light reflecting surface facing the light exiting surface, and side surfaces. The receiving container includes a frame plate and sidewall protruding from an outer edge of the frame plate to form a receiving space for receiving the lamp unit and the light guide plate. The first distance between an inner surface of the sidewall and an outer surface of the light guide plate at a first region is greater than a second distance between the inner surface of the sidewall and the outer surface of the light guide plate at a second region. The light guide plate is more spaced apart from the sidewall at the corners where much noise was made, in a general backlight assembly, so that the noise is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung-Chul Jeong
  • Patent number: 7036970
    Abstract: An optical fiber layout of light decorative object, in that the layout is for simulating illuminating accumulated snow in a decorative object, includes a house, a separate roof covering a top portion of the house, and an optical fiber strip formed by a plurality of optical fiber threads and clamped between the house and the roof. The invention is characterized that, a light curtain is exposed at a bent end portion of the optical fiber strip for simulating glittering effects of an icicle screen of the decorative object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Inventor: I-Tsung Shen
  • Patent number: 7036959
    Abstract: An LED lampshade for advertisement brand and decoration comprises a deformable cover having two tenons at two ends; the cover being originally a flat shape; after assembly, the cover having a U shape; and a seat having two trenches positioned corresponding to the two tenons of the cover. The seat has a groove for locating an LED lamp. Two lower ends of the seat have the tenons, respectively. An upper side of each tenon has a stopper; and a transparent portion is formed on the cover. The groove is formed between the two trenches. Each trench has a corresponding elastomer aside the trench; each elastomer has a corresponding seat notch for receiving the elastomer as the elastomer is pressed downwards. In assembly, the two tenons of the cover are inserted into the trenches of the seat so that the cover is formed on the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Inventor: Cho-Ten Chiu
  • Patent number: 7033054
    Abstract: A lamp assembly with a peripheral auxiliary function is described for use with automobile lamps. A moveable shield and a fixed shield are positioned about a light source inside a housing. A first reflective surface and a second reflective surface are formed on the inside of the housing. The moveable shield is moveable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the moveable shield blocks light from striking the second reflective surface, and a main beam is projected from the lamp assembly. In the second position, the moveable shield blocks light from striking the first reflective surface, and a peripheral beam is projected from the assembly. Thus, the moveable shield may be moved to switch between the main beam and the peripheral beam, creating the ability to alter the functionality of the lamp assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Guide Corporation
    Inventor: Paul D. Van Duyn
  • Patent number: 7029155
    Abstract: A motor vehicle headlight comprises a reflector arranged to be oriented along the horizontal axis of the vehicle, together with a light source situated in the vicinity of the focus of the reflector. It also includes a filter which is able to occupy a withdrawn first position in which it does not interfere with the light beam, and a working second position in which it interferes with at least part of the beam. Means are provided for moving the filter between its working and withdrawn positions. The filter is a diffusing and absorbing filter which does not substantially modify the wavelengths of the emergent light as compared with the incident light, and which is arranged so that, with the filter in the working position, a second type of light beam is produced having a reduced intensity, and, optionally, a modified photometric distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventors: Patrice Bos, Etienne Pauty
  • Patent number: 7029161
    Abstract: An internal sleeve in a double-lamp socket includes a tubular socket having a through hole in middle periphery abutting a longitudinal slot in upper portion, a pair of hooks each facing a block plate on lower opposing peripheries to define a pair of gaps therebetween, a common contact plate disposed in an inlaid groove in an inner periphery, an internal sleeve disposed in an upper inlaid groove, a pair of first and second contact plates from a pair of electric wires respectively engaged within a concave of the internal sleeve and a lower inlaid groove in the socket and a pair of first and second lamps inserted into the top and the bottom of the socket each having a pair of lead-in wires respectively engaged with the common contact plate and the first and second contact plate. Wherein the first lamp has an inverse L-shaped stop plate engaged within the slot and the second lamp has a pair of L-shaped stop plates respectively engaged within the gaps. Thereby, a series circuit is constituted inside the socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Inventor: Mei-Lu Lin
  • Patent number: 7025483
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a projection device in which a projection lens has undergone arrangements at its exit surface, and more particularly side areas of this exit surface. The arrangements are intended to divert certain light rays emitted by a light source of the light in order to illuminate overhead lights without interfering with the homogeneity of the light beam of said light. The arrangements made may consist of protuberances in the form of serrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Pierre Albou