Patents by Inventor Masashi Tatsukawa
Masashi Tatsukawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20120201039Abstract: A vehicle headlamp includes: a lamp outer casing; a lamp unit; a stationary frame; a movable frame that is supported by the stationary frame to be rotatable about a first rotating shaft extending in a lateral direction or a second rotating shaft extending in a vertical direction; a lens unit disposed in the lamp outer casing and supported by the movable frame; a first aiming operation shaft that adjusts an optical axis, and a second aiming operation shaft that adjusts the optical axis. A focal point of the light reflected by a reflector is coincident with a center of the first or second rotating shaft. The lens unit is rotated about the first or second rotating shaft such that a distance between the focal point and the projection lens is constant. The heat sink is positioned on the outside of the lamp outer casing.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2012Publication date: August 9, 2012Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroki SHIBATA, Masashi TATSUKAWA, Hiroshi OTAKA
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Patent number: 8192062Abstract: A vehicular headlamp is provided. The vehicular lamp includes a projection lens disposed on an optical axis of a lamp extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle; a light source disposed on a rear side of a rear focal point of the projection lens; a reflector that concentrates the light emitted from the light source on the projection lens; and a shade disposed such that an upper edge of the shade extends through the vicinity of the rear focal point to block a part of the light reflected from the reflector. In plan view, the light source is disposed near the central axis of the reflector, and the reflector is disposed such that the central axis of the reflector intersects the optical axis of the lamp in a vicinity of the projection lens while being inclined toward the own lane of the vehicle on the front side.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masashi Tatsukawa
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Patent number: 8092058Abstract: There is provided a vehicle lamp unit. The vehicle lamp includes: a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction; a semiconductor light emitting element comprising a light emitting surface having an almost rectangular shape and disposed behind a rear focal point of the projection lens such that a long side of the light emitting surface is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis; and a reflector comprising a reflection surface having an almost oval shape. A first focal point of the reflector is located on the rear focal point of the projection lens, and a second focal point of the reflector is located on the semiconductor light emitting element, and a minimum distance between the reflection surface and a rear corner portion of the light emitting surface is in a range of about 0.3 millimeters (mm) to about 3 mm.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2009Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masashi Tatsukawa
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Publication number: 20110222304Abstract: A vehicle lamp unit comprising a cylindrical lens arranged on an optical axis extending in a front-back direction of the vehicle lamp unit, a semiconductor light-emitting element arranged on the optical axis behind a rear focal line of the cylindrical lens, and a reflector, which comprises a right concave curved surface located in a right side region of the reflector, and a left concave curved surface is located in a left side region of the reflector, wherein each of the right and left concave curved surfaces comprises an inner reflecting surface near the optical axis, wherein the light reflected by the inner reflecting surface of the right concave curved surface is directed to the left side region across the optical axis, and the light reflected by the inner reflecting surface of the left concave curved surface is directed to the right side region across the optical axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2011Publication date: September 15, 2011Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Masashi TATSUKAWA
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Patent number: 7922375Abstract: Light having entered a light transmitting member through a predetermined point on an optical axis undergoes internal reflection in a front surface perpendicular to the optical axis, then undergoes internal reflection again in a rear surface composed of a paraboloid of revolution having a focal point at a position of plane symmetry with the predetermined point, and then exits the front surface. A mirror-finished annular region around the optical axis in the front surface has an outer peripheral edge set to be near a position where the incident angle of the light emitted from the light emitting element is equal to a critical angle, and an inner peripheral edge near a position where the light having undergone internal reflection in the front surface enters a position immediately behind the outer peripheral edge in the rear surface.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2009Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masashi Tatsukawa
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Patent number: 7736036Abstract: An upper portion region and a lower portion region at a front side surface of a projector lens are constituted as up and down direction diverging portions provided with a plurality of lens elements extended substantially in a horizontal direction by a vertical sectional shape formed in a recessed and projected shape relative to a reference face of the front side surface. After diverging light emitted from the upper portion region and the lower portion region to a front side in an up and down direction, a diverging degree thereof is made to be able to be controlled accurately to thereby pertinently shade off the cutoff line. A spectroscopic color appearing at an upper vicinity of the cutoff line owing to a spectroscopic light phenomenon brought about when light reflected from a reflector transmits through the projector lens is made to be inconspicuous.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2007Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masashi Tatsukawa
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Patent number: 7736039Abstract: A vehicle lamp is provided with a first unit having a first main reflector for reflecting light from a first semiconductor light emitting element to a front side, and a second unit having a second main reflector for reflecting light from a second semiconductor light emitting element to the front side. A light emitting region of the first unit and a light emitting region of the second unit are arranged to be separated from each other. An additional optical unit for receiving light irradiated from the first and the second units to irradiate to the front side is arranged between the first unit and the second unit such that a light emitting region of the additional optical unit connects the light emitting region of the first unit and the light emitting region of the second unit to be optically recognized as a single light emitting region as a whole.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2007Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideaki Nakazawa, Yasuyuki Kato, Masashi Tatsukawa
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Publication number: 20100085769Abstract: A vehicular headlamp is provided. The vehicular lamp includes a projection lens disposed on an optical axis of a lamp extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle; a light source disposed on a rear side of a rear focal point of the projection lens; a reflector that concentrates the light emitted from the light source on the projection lens; and a shade disposed such that an upper edge of the shade extends through the vicinity of the rear focal point to block a part of the light reflected from the reflector. In plan view, the light source is disposed near the central axis of the reflector, and the reflector is disposed such that the central axis of the reflector intersects the optical axis of the lamp in a vicinity of the projection lens while being inclined toward the own lane of the vehicle on the front side.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2009Publication date: April 8, 2010Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Masashi Tatsukawa
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Patent number: 7690818Abstract: A vehicle headlamp includes a projection lens through which an optical axis passes. The optical axis extends in a front-and-rear direction of a vehicle. The vehicle headlamp includes a light source disposed on a rear side of a rear focal point of the projection lens; a reflector which reflects a direct light from the light source toward a front direction so as to become close to the optical axis; a shade disposed between the projection lens and the light source and having an edge portion positioned near the rear focal point of the projection lens; and an auxiliary reflector disposed between the projection lens and a shade. The auxiliary reflector reflects a part of the light reflected by the reflector toward the projection lens such that an upward irradiation light is irradiated from the projection lens. The shade shields a part of the light reflected by the reflector and a part of the direct light emitted from the light source and forms a cutoff line of a light distribution pattern.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2007Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Takada, Yusuke Nakada, Masashi Tatsukawa
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Publication number: 20100046244Abstract: There is provided a vehicle lamp unit. The vehicle lamp includes: a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction; a semiconductor light emitting element comprising a light emitting surface having an almost rectangular shape and disposed behind a rear focal point of the projection lens such that a long side of the light emitting surface is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis; and a reflector comprising a reflection surface having an almost oval shape. A first focal point of the reflector is located on the rear focal point of the projection lens, and a second focal point of the reflector is located on the semiconductor light emitting element, and a minimum distance between the reflection surface and a rear corner portion of the light emitting surface is in a range of about 0.3 millimeters (mm) to about 3 mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2009Publication date: February 25, 2010Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Masashi Tatsukawa
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Patent number: 7631997Abstract: A vehicular headlamp includes a semiconductor light emitting device that faces in a direction substantially perpendicular to a forward direction, a reflector that is formed like a curved surface so as to surround the semiconductor light emitting device, has an opening at its front, has its optical center on the semiconductor light emitting device, and reflects forward light generated by the semiconductor light emitting device, and a light transmitting member that is formed so as to cover the semiconductor light emitting device. Here, the light transmitting member includes a cover member that covers the semiconductor light emitting device and transmits at least apart of the light generated by the semiconductor light emitting device, and a deflection member that covers front of the semiconductor light emitting device and deflects forward a part of the light generated by the semiconductor light emitting device.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2007Date of Patent: December 15, 2009Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Ishida, Masashi Tatsukawa
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Patent number: 7618174Abstract: In a vehicle lamp including a light source unit at inside of a lamp chamber formed by a lamp body and a transparent front face cover attached to a front opening portion thereof, a light source unit includes a light emitting element supported by a unit mounting portion, an optical unit for irradiating light from the light emitting element to a front side of the vehicle lamp, and a swivel drive mechanism for driving the optical unit without being moved cooperatively with the light emitting element. The light source unit integral with the unit mounting portion and a heat radiating portion is arranged to penetrate the lamp body.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2008Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuji Yasuda, Mitsuyuki Mochizuki, Masashi Tatsukawa, Hiroyuki Ishida, Seiichiro Yagi
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Publication number: 20090213607Abstract: Light having entered a light transmitting member through a predetermined point (the light emission center of a light emitting element) on an optical axis undergoes internal reflection in a front surface perpendicular to the optical axis, then undergoes internal reflection again in a rear surface composed of a paraboloid of revolution having a focal point at a position of plane symmetry with the predetermined point, and then exits the front surface. An annular region around the optical axis in the front surface is mirror-finished. The position of its outer peripheral edge is set to be near a position where the incident angle of the light emitted from the light emitting element is equal to a critical angle. The position of the inner peripheral edge is set to be near a position where the light having exited the light emitting element and undergone internal reflection in the front surface enters a position immediately behind the outer peripheral edge in the rear surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2009Publication date: August 27, 2009Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Masashi TATSUKAWA
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Patent number: 7527405Abstract: An infrared projector for a vehicle using a semiconductor light-emitting element that prevents a lens from becoming reddish by a red light component generated with infrared rays includes: a semiconductor light-emitting element for generating infrared rays and a red light component; and a lens for irradiating in a forward direction the infrared rays and the red light component from said semiconductor light-emitting element. The infrared projector for a vehicle further includes a light source for generating white light and emitting the white light from the light source incident on the lens. Use of scattered light reduces the influence of a red light component passing through the lens.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2005Date of Patent: May 5, 2009Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masashi Tatsukawa
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Publication number: 20080247182Abstract: In a vehicle lamp including a light source unit at inside of a lamp chamber formed by a lamp body and a transparent front face cover attached to a front opening portion thereof, a light source unit includes a light emitting element supported by a unit mounting portion, an optical unit for irradiating light from the light emitting element to a front side of the vehicle lamp, and a swivel drive mechanism for driving the optical unit without being moved cooperatively with the light emitting element. The light source unit integral with the unit mounting portion and a heat radiating portion is arranged to penetrate the lamp body.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2008Publication date: October 9, 2008Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuji Yasuda, Mitsuyuki Mochizuki, Masashi Tatsukawa, Hiroyuki Ishida, Seiichiro Yagi
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Patent number: 7387417Abstract: Lamp piece units in a parabolic pillar type capable of forming a luminous intensity distribution pattern prolonged sideways are formed as side irradiating lamp piece units. Thereby, a portion of diffused and reflected light from reflectors of the respective side irradiating lamp piece units is prevented from being blocked by other lamp piece constituting members, even when a surface shape of a vehicular headlamp is flexed to the rear side. Further, although the respective side irradiating lamp piece units are constituted by the lamp piece units of the parabolic pillar type having an angular outer shape as a whole, a large depth space for arranging the units is dispensed with.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2004Date of Patent: June 17, 2008Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kiyoshi Sazuka, Hiroyuki Ishida, Masashi Tatsukawa
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Patent number: 7387416Abstract: An illumination lamp including a projection lens 12 and primary and secondary light source units 14, 16 are disposed rearwards of a projection lens 12 disposed on an optical axis Ax, which extends in a longitudinal direction of a lamp. The primary light source unit 14 includes a primary reflector 34 and an upwardly oriented reflecting surface 36a which extends rearwards from the rear focal point F of the projection lens 12. The secondary light source unit 16 includes a secondary reflector 44 that reflects light upwards so as to be caused to substantially converge on a location lying near the rear focal point F on a downwardly oriented reflecting surface 46a, which extends obliquely downwards from a front end edge of the upwardly oriented reflecting surface 36a towards a rear of the lamp.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2005Date of Patent: June 17, 2008Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Michio Tsukamoto, Hiroyuki Ishida, Kiyoshi Sazuka, Masashi Tatsukawa
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Vehicular headlamp employing semiconductor light-emitting element having improved light distribution
Patent number: 7357546Abstract: A vehicular headlamp employing a light-emitting element such as an LED and having an improved projected light pattern. A light-emitting surface of a light-emitting system has a horizontally elongated shape when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the light-emitting system so as to form a light distribution pattern which is enlarged through an optical system mainly in the horizontal direction. Since the projected pattern is obtained by enlarging the horizontally elongated light source image, it is easier to design the light distribution of the lamp in comparison to a case where the light intensity distribution of the light-emitting system is rotationally symmetric.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2003Date of Patent: April 15, 2008Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Ishida, Masashi Tatsukawa, Akinori Matsumoto -
Publication number: 20080025036Abstract: A vehicle headlamp includes a projection lens through which an optical axis passes. The optical axis extends in a front-and-rear direction of a vehicle. The vehicle headlamp includes a light source disposed on a rear side of a rear focal point of the projection lens; a reflector which reflects a direct light from the light source toward a front direction so as to become close to the optical axis; a shade disposed between the projection lens and the light source and having an edge portion positioned near the rear focal point of the projection lens; and an auxiliary reflector disposed between the projection lens and a shade. The auxiliary reflector reflects a part of the light reflected by the reflector toward the projection lens such that an upward irradiation light is irradiated from the projection lens. The shade shields a part of the light reflected by the reflector and a part of the direct light emitted from the light source and forms a cutoff line of a light distribution pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2007Publication date: January 31, 2008Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenichi Takada, Yusuke Nakada, Masashi Tatsukawa
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Publication number: 20070258259Abstract: A vehicular headlamp includes a semiconductor light emitting device that faces in a direction substantially perpendicular to a forward direction, a reflector that is formed like a curved surface so as to surround the semiconductor light emitting device, has an opening at its front, has its optical center on the semiconductor light emitting device, and reflects forward light generated by the semiconductor light emitting device, and a light transmitting member that is formed so as to cover the semiconductor light emitting device. Here, the light transmitting member includes a cover member that covers the semiconductor light emitting device and transmits at least apart of the light generated by the semiconductor light emitting device, and a deflection member that covers front of the semiconductor light emitting device and deflects forward a part of the light generated by the semiconductor light emitting device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2007Publication date: November 8, 2007Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroyuki Ishida, Masashi Tatsukawa