Patents Examined by Sandra L. O'Shea
  • Illuminating apparatus and display apparatus using the same
    Patent number: 7828473
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel with a backlight module including a light-emitting diode (LED)-based illumination device is disclosed. The illumination device includes more than one LED of the waveguide type for use as a light source of the backlight. The LCD panel includes a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal (LC) layer interposed between these substrates, and a polarization plate. Output light of the LED is linearly polarized in advance. A waveguide is arranged for giving off polarized light components from the LED only in a chosen direction to thereby permit incidence in parallel with a polarized light transmission direction of the LCD polarizer plate. The LED is amounted and arranged so that the polarized light transmission direction of the polarizer plate is the same as the polarization direction through an optical system associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Tanaka, Hiroki Kaneko, Ikuo Hiyama
  • Optical sheet and backlight unit using the same
    Patent number: 7824090
    Abstract: An optical sheet and a backlight unit using the same are disclosed, in which deviation of a viewing angle is minimized to improve picture quality. The optical sheet includes a diffusion sheet provided with a plurality of diffusion patterns diffusing incident light in at least two directions to allow the incident light to have different strengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Man Hoan Lee, Won Taek Moon, Jae Hyun Park
  • LED reflector lamp
    Patent number: 7824076
    Abstract: A lamp having a reflective surface, a pedestal positioned within the interior defined by the reflective surface, and one or more light emitting diodes (LED's) mounted onto one or more occluding faces on the pedestal, such that each occluding face blocks light emitted from the LED's from a portion of the reflective surface. The occluding faces are oriented parallel to or at an acute angle to the central axis of the reflective surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Inventor: George H. Koester
  • LED lighting fixture
    Patent number: 7824070
    Abstract: A light-emitting diode (LED) lighting fixture is provided as a potential solid state lighting (SSL) replacement fixture for a conventional HID lamp fixture. The LED lighting fixture includes a main housing having a bottom surface supporting an array of LEDs, a top surface and sides, and at least one driver provided in a side housing attached to a side of the main housing to drive the LED array. The thickness of the side housing is equal to or greater than the thickness of the main housing. A plurality of heat spreading fins is arranged on the top surface of the main housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Higley, Yuming Chen, Carleton Coleman
  • Mobile terminal device
    Patent number: 7824047
    Abstract: In a cellular phone, a light guiding plate, which linearly guides light emitted by a plurality of light emitting elements (LEDs), and an LED display unit, which displays predetermined LED displays, are laminatedly arranged in a movable-side housing. A slit formed in the substantially central portion of the light guiding plate partitions the light guiding plate into a first light guiding region and a second light guiding region. A first light emitting group of the light emitting elements emits light to the first light guiding region and a second light emitting group of the light emitting elements emits light to the second light guiding region. The first light guiding region and the second light guiding region are illuminated alternately by alternately switching ON the first light emitting group and the second light emitting group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Yoshiya Matsumoto, Shigeru Yamaguchi, Manabu Sotodate, Ken Shoji, Hiroshi Kobayashi, Ryou Hattori
  • Backlight module having a plurality of groups of concentric microstructures on reflective surface thereof
    Patent number: 7824092
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light source and a light guide plate. The light source includes a light-emitting surface and at least two mean points. The light guide plate includes an incident surface, an emitting surface adjacent to the incident surface, a reflecting surface opposite to the emitting surface, and at least two groups of microstructures formed on the reflecting surface. Each group of microstructures is arranged concentric relative to a respective mean point of the light-emitting surface of the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bo Yang, Guo-Fan Jin
  • Knurled handgrip for portable device
    Patent number: 7824063
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to lighting systems and illumination devices, and more particularly to a removable handle and battery pack for a portable lighting system that produces a high intensity beam of light in the visible and infrared spectral regions that can be used for non-covert and ultra-covert operations. The battery pack includes a 360 degree ballast connector, a locking, water-proof, recharge connector and plug, and a four-function back switch. The battery pack fits tightly into the redundantly sealed, water-proof handle, which includes a specially designed knurling system around the handle to improve a user's comfort and grip during extreme conditions and a rotatable D-ring connecter that locks in place and provides covert sound protection. The 360 degree ballast connector connects to a number of sealed connectors formed within a sealed ballast assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Night Operations Systems
    Inventor: Markus W. Frick
  • Vehicular illumination device
    Patent number: 7824085
    Abstract: A vehicular illumination device includes a light distribution control unit, a determination unit and a control unit. The light distribution control unit performs an alteration control of a vehicular illumination unit so as to alter a light distribution with respect to an illumination object detected by a detection unit. When the illumination object ceases to be detected, the determination unit determines whether or not there is a need to maintain the alteration control in a current state. When it is determined that there is a need to maintain the alteration control in the current state, the control unit controls the light distribution control unit so as to maintain the alteration control in the current state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Watanabe
  • Deployable emergency lighting system
    Patent number: 7824046
    Abstract: An emergency lighting system comprising a housing further comprising a flat cover, wherein the flat cover automatically opens during an emergency condition; a removable light source located inside the housing further comprising a rechargeable battery and a wide angle LED light bulb, wherein the removable light source remains off under a normal condition and the light source automatically turns on in response to an emergency condition. The emergency lighting system may further comprise a fixed light source for continuous illumination during an emergency condition. Furthermore, the emergency lighting system may further comprise an electrical outlet for use during normal conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Emerge Products, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick Martinez
  • Cover that has a logo and that the logo has three-dimensional appearance
    Patent number: 7824078
    Abstract: A cover of an electronic device has a body inside and is penetrable by light yield from an illumination device. The body has an inner surface having a region impenetrable by light as a light-blocking region and the remaining region penetrable by light as a light-passing region. The body further has an outer surface having a region impenetrable by light as another light-blocking region and the remaining region penetrable by light as another light-passing region. The light-blocking region of the outer surface correspond to the light-passing region of the inner surface in shape, but in a size that is smaller, so that when light pass through the body, light can give an effect that the shape of the light-blocking region looks three-dimensional.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Acer Incorporated
    Inventors: Hsueh-Chih Peng, Yan-Lin Kuo
  • Lamp unit for vehicle headlamp and vehicle headlamp
    Patent number: 7824086
    Abstract: A lamp unit for a vehicle headlamp includes a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle and a plurality of light source units disposed rearwards of a rear focal plane of the projection lens. Each of the light source units includes a light emitting device; and a light guiding member having a front end light output port and adapted to guide light from the light emitting device to the front end light output port so as to allow the light be emitted from the front end light output port. The front end light output ports of the light guiding members of the respective light source units are arranged adjacent to each other in a horizontal direction in a vicinity of the rear focal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamamura, Takuya Kotajima
  • Outdoor lighting assembly
    Patent number: 7824082
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention features a flexible base receptacle configured to be coupled to a lighting unit. The base receptacle includes a lower portion, which has a lower portion perimeter. The base receptacle includes a neck portion, which is movable relative to the lower portion. The neck portion has a lower neck portion perimeter that is proximate the lower portion. The neck portion has an upper neck portion perimeter. The neck portion has an intermediate neck portion perimeter, which is smaller than the lower neck portion perimeter and the upper neck portion perimeter. Some embodiments enable outdoor lighting assemblies to absorb forces due to bumping, thereby making it more difficult to break the outdoor lighting assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Touchstone Accent Lighting, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Hanson
  • Lamp sockets assembly guide, and backlight assembly and liquid crystal display having the same
    Patent number: 7819571
    Abstract: A lamp sockets guide is provided which includes a lamp sockets receiving and fastening portion for alignably receiving and retaining a plurality of lamp sockets and an inverter cover portion formed at one side of the lamp sockets receiving and fastening portion to protect an inverter, wherein the lamp sockets receiving and fastening portion and the inverter cover portion are integrally formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Nam Kim, Jae Hwan Chun, Jong Ho Won, Kyung Rok Ko
  • Rotating lamp
    Patent number: 7819538
    Abstract: The inventive rotating lamp comprises a substrate, a translucent globe mounted on the substrate, a shaft portion set in the substrate, a rotatable member rotatably supported by the shaft portion, a main reflecting mirror, arranged on the upper surface of the rotatable member, having a light reflecting surface constituted of a paraboloid, a light-emitting diode and a drive portion rotating/driving the rotatable member, and the optical axis of the light-emitting diode and the reflecting surface of the main reflecting mirror intersect with each other. Thus, a rotating lamp employing a light-emitting diode capable of delivering light emitted from the rotating lamp to a distance place by improving reflection efficiency can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Arrow Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Nobayashi, Takashi Uchida
  • Illumination device and lens of illumination device
    Patent number: 7819560
    Abstract: Provided are an illumination device and a lens employed in the device for controlling light travelling direction, the device being capable of illuminating brightly and uniformly a certain limited region (region-to-be-illuminated) corresponding to an object such as subject for photography. The illumination device emits light H coming from a light emitting element (point-like light source) employing a LED as a light emitting source via the lens. A light control emission face of the lens emits light (rays), which is included in light H introduced into the lens through an incidence face thereof and travelling within the lens to the light control emission face without undergoing inner-reflection at any surface of the light control emission face, as illumination light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Ohkawa
  • Collection optics for led array with offset hemispherical or faceted surfaces
    Patent number: 7819550
    Abstract: An array of LEDs (30) is provided having a lens array (34) for collecting divergent light from each LED (30). Each lens (34) in the array is associated with a respective LED (30) and has a compound shape including a curved surface (40) that may be spherical or may have an offset aspherical shape. The curved surfaces (40) are centered about each side of its associated LED (30). The lens (34) may alternatively include faceted surfaces (46) that approximate the curved lens surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Phoseon Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Duwayne R. Anderson, Roland Jasmin
  • Light source mounting system and method
    Patent number: 7819551
    Abstract: A mounting system and method for a light source includes a light source support structure. The light source support structure positions the light source with respect to a source of electrical power which, when connected to the light source, will cause the light source to emit light energy. Further included in the mounting system and method of present invention is a mounting for a pair of electrical contacts which enable connection between the source of electrical power and the light source. Still further included in mounting system is a heat sink which is attachable to the light source support structure for conducting heat energy away from the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Luciter Lighting Company
    Inventor: Pat Ward
  • Integral reflector lamp assembly
    Patent number: 7819562
    Abstract: An integral HID reflector lamp may be formed with an HID held in a reflector. An inner element is mechanically coupled to the reflector. The inner element is formed with a first mechanical coupling to mate with the reflector, a second mechanical coupling to mate with a circuit board, and an electrical coupling to at least electrically couple one of the leads to the circuit board. A circuit board has an edge mechanically coupled to the inner element and electrically connected to the leads by an electrical coupling on the inner element. A heat sink spans at least one side of the circuit board and forming an EMI shielding. An outer cover encloses the heat sink, circuit board, and inner element and coupled to the assembly of the reflector, HID lamp, inner element, and heat sink with each elements of the assembly clipped together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn Freeman, Randall D Brown
  • Protective sleeve combination for tubes of fluorescent bulbs
    Patent number: 7819548
    Abstract: A safety sleeve apparatus comprises a safety sleeve encapsulating a fluorescent tube for protecting the fluorescent tube from physical damage and for preventing the tube from sliding out of the sleeve and breaking if the sleeve is tilted from the horizontal during installation of the tube into a pair of lamp sockets. The sleeve protects the tube from damage if the sleeve is struck by a hard object, and creates an airspace around the tube to protect the tube from cold and prevent the escape of fragments from a broken tube. The sleeve has a greater inside diameter than the outside diameter of the tube. An end cap is mounted on each end of the sleeve, and the end cap includes a cylindrical ring extending upright from the edges of a flat end wall. Projections are included in the cylindrical ring and the projections attach to the slots in the ends of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Light Lines, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Schultz, Anthony Kasmar
  • Optical plate and backlight module using the same
    Patent number: 7819570
    Abstract: An exemplary optical plate includes one or more transparent plate section. The transparent plate section includes a light output surface, a bottom surface, a plurality of spherical depressions, a plurality of protruding structures and one or more lamp-receiving portion. The light output surface is opposite to the bottom surface. The spherical depressions are formed on the bottom surface. The protruding structures are formed on the light output surface. Each protruding structure includes two conical frustums aligned at a center axis and stacked together. The lamp-receiving portion is defined in the bottom surface. A backlight module using the present optical plate is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shao-Han Chang