Patents Examined by Robert May
  • Lens with controlled light refraction
    Patent number: 9217854
    Abstract: A lens for distribution of light from a light emitter having an emitter axis and defining an emitter plane. The lens including an emitter-adjacent base end forming an opening to an inner cavity surrounding the emitter. An inner-cavity surface includes an axis-adjacent first inner region configured for refracting emitter light rays away from the axis, a second inner region spaced from the first inner region and configured for refracting emitter light rays toward the axis, and a middle inner region joining and substantially cross-sectionally asymptotical to the first and second inner regions. The middle inner region is positioned with respect to the emitter to refract light away from the axis by progressively lesser amounts at positions progressively closer to the second inner region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Kurt S. Wilcox
  • Portable cordless multipurpose lighting system
    Patent number: 9212793
    Abstract: Systems and methods for lighting body panels of automobiles to facilitate repair of the body panels, where one embodiment is a portable lighting apparatus that includes a light board, a base and an extension member that connects the light board to the base. The light board is supported by the extension member, which is supported by the base. A battery in the base provides power through conductors in the extension member to light sources in the light board. The extension member has a conduit that holds the conductors therein and can rotate, thereby allowing the light board to rotate with respect to the base. A suction cup mount on the base enables the base to be secured to an automobile body panel, and the extension member allows the light board to be positioned as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Inventor: James M. Lee
  • Downward illumination assembly
    Patent number: 9200784
    Abstract: An illumination assembly comprising an LED module removably supported within a lamp housing configured to be mounted on an elevator ceiling panel in a position to direct light from the LED module downward into an elevator passenger compartment through an opening in the housing and a hole in the ceiling panel. The LED module is removable from the housing from below the ceiling panel through the housing opening and the hole in the ceiling panel. Threads formed in an inner cylindrical wall of the lamp housing receive threads formed in an outer circumferential surface of the LED module in threaded engagement. The LED module includes at least two LED module removal surfaces positioned to be engaged by respective engagement surfaces of a tool configured to apply torque to and rotate the LED module relative to the lamp housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: MAN-D-TEC, INC.
    Inventors: Dalton J. Mandy, Terry R. Mandy, Brandon R. Mandy
  • Decorative object that produces a complimentary shadow design
    Patent number: 9200790
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention use light to add human-like features to an inanimate object. In one embodiment, the object includes a film with an image that has been manipulated to provide for a low profile projection of an image onto a vertical surface directly adjacent to the object. For example, the image of a witch's head could be projected onto a wall and directly beneath, a witch's hat could be hanging on the wall. In another embodiment, changing lights and shadows are used to create animated objects out of otherwise inanimate objects. Various embodiments include components to create the illusion of changing facial expressions. These components include a plurality of light sources and an electronic device that controls the light sources to create the animation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: HALLMARK CARDS, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Timothy Jay Lien, Jason Blake Penrod, Steve Eikos, Robert D. Wertanen, Ma Lap Man, Wesley D. Lindquist, Kari Jean Walberg
  • Three-dimensional display apparatus and backlight module thereof
    Patent number: 9194993
    Abstract: A three-dimensional display apparatus and a backlight module thereof are provided. The display apparatus further includes a display panel disposed on the backlight module. The backlight module has a light guide plate, a plurality of microstructures, a first light source, and a second light source. The light guide plate has a bottom surface and a light emitting surface opposite to the bottom surface, wherein the microstructures are disposed on at least one of the two surfaces. The first light source is at a first corner of the light guide plate while the second light source is at a second corner opposite to the first corner. A first surface and a second surface of the microstructure define an orientation direction (or form a distribution direction) along or parallel to the diagonal line through the first and second corners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fu-Chen Fan, Hsing-Jung Chuang, Tzu-Ling Niu, Yu-Ping Wu
  • Display apparatus and optical axis adjustment method thereof
    Patent number: 9194999
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a liquid crystal panel and a backlight unit that emits light toward the back surface of the liquid crystal panel. The backlight unit includes: an LED; a wiring substrate having the LED mounted thereon; a light guide plate which light from the LED enters through a side surface and exits through a main surface toward the back surface of the liquid crystal panel; and a support component including a first support member that supports the LED and a second support member that supports the light guide plate. The support component is able to move between a first position at which the first support member supports the LED and the second support member supports the light guide plate and a second position at which the first support member is apart from the LED and the second support member supports the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Horiuchi, Akifumi Kono
  • Vehicle lighting unit
    Patent number: 9188298
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting unit can include a solid light guide having a light exiting surface, a reflection surface opposite to the light exiting surface, and a light incident surface through which light enters the light guide so that the light reaches and is internally reflected off the light exiting surface, then is internally reflected off the reflection surface, and exits through the light exiting surface. An LED light source can be disposed to face towards the light incident surface. The reflection surface can include a plurality of divided reflection regions, and the reflection regions can include at least one reflection region disposed at a reference position and at least one reflection region disposed at a position closer to the light exiting surface than the reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masafumi Ohno
  • Diver's underwater light for selecting between two types of light
    Patent number: 9188292
    Abstract: An LED underwater light, which can be hand-held or mounted on an underwater camera housing, is switchable between two light modes. A first embodiment of the dive light is a focus light, used for initial focusing with a still underwater camera. Incorporated in the focus light is a red light source to which the focus light can be switched from initially projected white light. The switch is used to switch off a series of white LEDs while switching on a series of red LEDs. In a second embodiment, the dive light is a flood/spot light, and enables a diver to quickly switch between flood and spot beams, via separate LED arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Light & Motion Industries
    Inventors: Jarod Armer, Doug Foss, Christopher McCaslin
  • LED wall light fixture
    Patent number: 9175840
    Abstract: A light fixture includes a lamp assembly having a housing containing a plurality of light sources. The light fixture further includes a lamp holder having a substantially flat body, a flange extending in a substantially diagonal orientation out of the plane of said substantially flat body, and a pair of side attaching members. The light fixture further includes a skirt having a face plate and a pair of stop members extending substantially perpendicular to the face plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: EVENING STAR LIGHTING INC.
    Inventor: Anthony Patti
  • Vehicular lamp with pillar shaped light guide and lens with thick walled projecting portion
    Patent number: 9169984
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp has a light source, a pillar-shaped light guide having a plurality of light controlling portions formed on a side surface thereof, and a lens disposed in front of the light guide. Light emitted from the light source enters the light guide from one end surface of the light guide. The light guide guides the light inside the light guide. The light guide emits the guided light forward of the vehicular lamp via the plurality of light controlling portions. The lens has a thick-walled projecting portion. The projecting portion is formed to have a rectangular vertical cross-section. The projecting portion guides the light emitted from the light guide and emits the light forward of the vehicular lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryo Takada
  • Illuminating structure of room lamp with actuation by sun visor
    Patent number: 9162618
    Abstract: It has a sun visor 10 arranged in the vehicle roof portion so that it can be rotated between the working position and the stored position, a room lamp 20 arranged in the vehicle roof portion and covered by the sun visor 10 stored at the stored position, and a lamp-turning-on/off switch (lens) 20L of the room lamp arranged on the room lamp itself or near it; the lens 20L can be turned between the on position and the off position and, when the lens 20L is in the on position (inclined posture) 20n, if the sun visor 10 is in the stored position, the sun visor 10 drives the lens 20L physically from the on position to the off position (horizontal posture) 20h.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Kentarou Nagai, Haruhito Ohtsuka, Ryouhei Ochiai
  • Illuminated liquid container
    Patent number: 9163826
    Abstract: Embodiments of an illuminated liquid container are disclosed herein. The illuminated liquid container can include a light source that, when activated, emits light, and a switch that activates the light source. Some embodiments of the illuminated liquid container include a bottle for holding a liquid and a cap through which the liquid can be passed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Inventor: Adam J. Citrin
  • Light spreading illumination apparatus having a light guide with inclined portion having at least one pedestal and a light blocking member disposed thereon
    Patent number: 9158056
    Abstract: A spread illuminating apparatus includes a plurality of point light sources; a printed circuit board on which the plurality of point light sources is each mounted; and a light guide plate with a light input surface facing the point light source and a light output portion that exits plane light emitted from the point light source and introduced through the light input surface, wherein the light guide plate includes an inclination portion between the light input surface and the light output portion, the inclination portion having a thickness gradually decreasing toward the light output portion side, an inclined surface of the inclination portion includes a pedestal for disposing the printed circuit board in an area except the front of the point light source, and a light-blocking member is disposed between the neighboring pedestals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shohei Takada, Tomotaka Horikawa
  • Optical sheet, surface light source device, and transmission display device
    Patent number: 9158041
    Abstract: An optical sheet is incorporated in a direct type surface light source device including a light source and is configured to allow light emitted from the light source to exit after changing a travel direction of the light. The optical sheet has a light exiting side lens part including unit lenses juxtaposed to one another and each unit lens is convex toward a light exiting side. A light scattering layer, configured to scatter the light, is provided to each unit lens. The light scattering layer extends along a light exiting side surface of each convex unit lens and constitutes the light exiting side surface of the unit lens. A thickness of the light scattering layer around an apex portion of each unit lens is greater than the thickness of the light scattering layer around each end portion of the unit lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Goto, Daijiro Kodama, Junichi Sawanobori, Akiko Goto, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Wataru Tokuhara
  • Optical element for a light source and lighting system using same
    Patent number: 9157602
    Abstract: An optical element for a light source and a lighting system using the optical element are disclosed. In example embodiments, the optical element includes an entry surface and an exit surface opposite the entry surface. The entry surface includes at least three subsurfaces, wherein each subsurface is disposed to receive light rays leaving light source. Each of the three subsurfaces is geometrically shaped and positioned to receive light rays entering the optical element through that subsurface in order to direct the light passing through the optical element. In some embodiments the optical element includes a concentrator lens disposed in the exit surface. The optical element can also include a mixing treatment. A lighting system can include multiple optical elements, each paired with a light source such as an LED or LED package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Kenneth Pickard
  • Magnetically-mountable lighting device and associated systems and methods
    Patent number: 9151453
    Abstract: A lighting device comprising a heat sink, a light source in thermal communication with the heat sink, and a power source operably coupled with the light source. The heat sink, light source, and power source are positioned in a cavity defined by an enclosure and an optic which present a puck-like shape when assembled. A magnetic attachment member installed in the cavity of the enclosure magnetically binds the lighting device to a ferromagnetic material external to the lighting device. The power source receives an AC input voltage through inductive and/or conductive coupling, and converts the voltage to DC to support light-emitting diodes (LEDs). A controller may operate the light source based on instructions transmitted by a beam adjustment device and/or an occupancy sensor. A method aspect of the invention details steps for assembling the lighting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Lighting Science Group Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Holland, Mark Penley Boomgaarden, Eric Thosteson
  • Wearable lighting device
    Patent number: 9155168
    Abstract: A user wearable device may be implemented with a light source to provide illumination to an area of interest. In one example, the light source may be selectively operated by switches, physical displacement (e.g., movement) of the device, or other approaches. In another example, the device may be implemented as a wristwatch to display time, date, or related information to a user. In another example, the device may be implemented with appropriate processing or communication components to perform other tasks. In other embodiments, various methods of using, operating, or manufacturing such devices are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: SureFire, LLC
    Inventors: Luis Araujo, Kevin Skehan, Douglas J. Port, Ammar Burayez
  • Slim frame backlight module
    Patent number: 9140930
    Abstract: The present invention provides a slim frame backlight module, which includes a backplane, a backlight source arranged inside the backplane, a side reflector plate arranged inside the backplane, and a light guide plate arranged inside the backplane. The light guide plate includes a bottom surface, a top surface opposite to the bottom surface, and at least one light incident surface connecting between the bottom surface and the top surface. The light incident surface is set inwardly inclined with respect to the top surface, so that the light incident surface and the top surface form therebetween an included angle less than 90°. Light emitting from the backlight source can be reflected by the side reflector plate to the light incident surface or is directly projected to the light incident surface to transmit through the light incident surface into the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jianfa Huang
  • Tool handle and tool box comprising the same
    Patent number: 9138883
    Abstract: A tool box of the present invention comprises a tool handle, a case, and cap. The tool handle comprises a housing, a battery assembly, a luminous source, and a conductive element. The luminous source comprises a first leg and a second leg. One of the anode and the cathode electrically connects to the first leg. A top surface of the cap is formed with an engaging groove. The housing of the tool handle engages in the engaging groove. Wherein either the other one of the anode and the cathode or the second leg electrically connects to the conductive element when a tool inserts to the housing and pushes the conductive element to move to the second position. As such, the tool handle can turn on and off the luminous without disposing any switch. An interior of the case has enough space for receiving tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Inventor: Yi-Hung Lin
  • Aircraft light
    Patent number: 9132923
    Abstract: An aircraft light comprises a housing (24), at least one light source (32) to be cooled, the at least one light source (32) being arranged in the housing (24), a heat sink element (26) thermally coupled to the at least one light source (32) and defining a cooling surface (36) exposable to a cooling airstream (52) for the cooling airstream (52) to flow along the cooling surface (36) in a flow direction. The cooling surface (36) extends between upstream and downstream end portions (40,42) spaced apart in the flow direction and means for generating a pressure difference between the upstream and downstream end portions (40,42) of the cooling surface. Due to the pressure difference, a cooling airstream (52) flowing along the cooling surface (36) is created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: GOODRICH LIGHTING SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventor: Andre Hessling