Reflector Patents (Class 362/514)
  • Patent number: 11662074
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp may include a plurality of optical modules and a mixing lens for mixing light emitted from each optical module in front of the plurality of optical modules, thereby freely designing an optical system without restrictions according to a shape of a lamp, and at the same time, realizing a uniform light emitting image in a form of a surface light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Min Ji Jin
  • Patent number: 11628900
    Abstract: A straddle vehicle includes a vehicle body, a headlamp main body, and a driver circuit. The driver circuit drives the headlamp main body. The headlamp main body includes a housing that accommodates a light emission member. The driver circuit is disposed outside the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomo Yamamoto, Takashi Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 11498634
    Abstract: A straddle type vehicle comprising a vehicle body frame including a head pipe and a main frame extending from the head pipe to a rear side, and a headlight unit provided on a front side of the vehicle body frame, and further comprising a support stay fixed to the vehicle body frame to support a predetermined vehicle constituent component on the front side of the vehicle body frame, and a driving support sensor fixed to the support stay on a lower side of the headlight unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihito Kawamura, Futoshi Koga, Hiroshi Maeda, Yoshiyuki Kuroba, Naoto Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11487052
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical element including a resin body having a functional surface covered with a reflective coating capable of reflecting light beams, the reflective coating including a copper layer covering at least the functional surface, a nickel layer covering the copper layer, and a chromium layer covering the nickel layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: AML SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Hassan Koulouh, Anderson Noronha
  • Patent number: 11391434
    Abstract: An lighting device 100 includes a light source, a reflector, an actuator, and a controller. The reflector has a first reflection surface that is concave recessed toward a direction away from the light source and is configured to receive light emitted from the light source. The actuator is configured to rotate the reflector with an axis passing through the light source being a rotation axis. The controller is configured to keep the light source on over a time shorter than a rotation period of the reflector according to a rotation angle of the reflector while controlling the actuator to rotate the reflector. A casting direction of light emitted from the first reflection surface is inclined with respect to an extension direction of the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventor: Wataru Kitahara
  • Patent number: 11353188
    Abstract: An optical unit includes a light source and a rotary reflector that rotates about an axis of rotation while reflecting light emitted from the light source. The rotary reflector is disposed such that the axis of rotation of the rotary reflector intersects a horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Yamamura
  • Patent number: 11346520
    Abstract: A rotating reflector is a resin rotating reflector including: a rotating part; and a blade provided around the rotating part and functioning as a reflecting surface, wherein the rotating part has a hole in which a rotary shaft is inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Nakanishi, Teppei Muramatsu, Hidetada Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11268673
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for an adaptable vehicle light fixture is provided to activate directional illumination aspects of the light fixture based upon sensed characteristics of the vehicle. The vehicle may automatically sense its position, speed, acceleration, heading and angular velocity and may command the light fixture to emit symmetric and/or asymmetric beam patterns based upon the sensed vehicle characteristics. Directional light incident upon the light fixture may also be detected to allow intensity control thereby reducing glare to oncoming traffic. A vehicle light fixture may be pre-configured with lenses and wirelessly programmed for manual and/or automatic operation that is responsive to the pre-configuration. A plurality of vehicles with light fixtures mounted thereon comprise a network of light fixtures that are manually or adaptively controlled as a group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Nacho LED LLC
    Inventors: Stephen P. Adams, Arthur A. Wilkes, Jay B. Norrish, James V. Rhodes, Johnathan J. Heiner, Brent R. Perkins
  • Patent number: 11137126
    Abstract: A projector-type vehicle headlamp not having a physical shade is disclosed. The vehicle headlamp comprises a first light source for emitting light, a lens through which the light exits the headlamp, and a first optics for receiving light from the first light source and directing the received light towards the lens, with the lens having a focal surface between the first optics and the lens, and with the lens having an optical axis. The first optics is configured to generate multiple images of the first light source on the focal surface above an intersection line of the focal surface with a reference plane, with the reference plane containing the optical axis of the lens, and with the reference plane enclosing an angle in the range of 0-45 degree with a horizontal plane when the headlamp is installed in a vehicle. The first optics is a curved reflector with an elliptical side edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Lumileds LLC
    Inventor: Yiyu Cao
  • Patent number: 11092295
    Abstract: Disclosed is a lens including a lens body. The lens body including an incidence portion on which light from a light source is incident, a reflecting portion having a first reflecting surface configured to internally reflect the incident light, an emitting portion configured to emit the reflected light, and an attachment portion configured to attach the lens body to a lamp. A recessed portion configured to define a second reflecting surface continuous to the first reflecting surface is formed between the attachment portion and the reflecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Yui
  • Patent number: 11047543
    Abstract: A light system comprising: (a) one or more reflectors; (b) a lens; (c) an optical axis extending through the one or more reflectors, the lens, or both; and (d) a light source located entirely on one side of the optical axis so that light from the light source is directed at an angle relative to the one or more reflectors and the one or more reflectors redirect the light through the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Valeo Vision SAS
    Inventor: Brant Potter
  • Patent number: 10989384
    Abstract: A lighting device for a motor vehicle is provided that includes a laser light source including a plurality of laser diodes, a vector scanner on which falls at least one light bundle from the laser light source, and a control device. The vector scanner changes the position of the light bundle which moves a light spot produced from the light bundle to generate a predetermined light distribution. The vector scanner includes at least one MEMS component containing a housing, a semiconductor chip, a mirror on which at least one light bundle falls, and a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the MEMS component. The control device controls the electrical power of the laser light source and/or a cooling element arranged on the MEMS component according to the detected temperature of the MEMS component, such that the detected temperature does not exceed a predetermined temperature threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Helmut Erdl, Abdelmalek Hanafi
  • Patent number: 10883692
    Abstract: A lamp unit includes a light source including a first light emitting element that emits visible light and a second light emitting element that emits infrared light, and a rotating reflector that rotates about a rotational axis while reflecting visible light and infrared light emitted from the light source. The light source is configured such that part of the second light distribution pattern overlaps with the first light distribution pattern and such that a region of the second light distribution pattern, which does not overlap with the first light distribution pattern, is provided on the side closer to a middle region in front of the vehicle with respect to the first light distribution pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuma Kitazawa
  • Patent number: 10875445
    Abstract: A bearing configuration is disclosed, particularly for a pivotable holder of a light module in a carrier frame for a headlamp. A detent bearing element is provided that is positioned on the light module and that has a pivot bearing section that is held by the formation of a latch mechanism in a bearing shell formed on the carrier frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Marco Ludwig, Gerd Pawliczek
  • Patent number: 10801689
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a motor vehicle headlight which at least comprises a laser diode (1) and a light conversion element (8) paired with the laser diode (1). Light conversion element (8) regions corresponding to different regions of the light image (11?) can be illuminated periodically and with a varying intensity by means of a light beam (2) of the laser diode (1), and the illumination intensity in the light conversion element (8) regions corresponding to the different regions of the light image (11?) is adjusted simultaneously by both the relative illumination duration of the different regions as well as different luminous intensities of the laser diode (1) in the light conversion element (8) regions corresponding to the different regions of the light image (11?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Mitterlehner, Jan Koller, Emanuel Weber, Patrik Schantl
  • Patent number: 10752161
    Abstract: A headlamp for a vehicle comprising a housing, a low beam light unit and at least one high beam light unit. Both the low and high beam light units are received in the housing, along with a headlight range adjusting unit for adjusting the range of the low beam by tilting the low beam light unit about a low beam tilting axis. The headlamp comprises a mechanical coupling unit coupling the low beam light unit to the high beam light unit such that the high beam light unit is tilted about a high beam tilting axis simultaneously with the low beam light unit being tilted about the low beam tilting axis. The mechanical coupling unit comprises a coupling element, a first coupling link and a second coupling link. The first coupling link is arranged between the low beam light unit and the coupling element and the second coupling link is arranged between the high beam light unit and the coupling element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Ralf Seiger
  • Patent number: 10670216
    Abstract: An optical unit includes a light source and a rotary reflector configured to reflect a light emitted from the light source and rotate around a rotation axis in one direction. The rotary reflector is provided with a reflective surface such that a desired light distribution pattern is formed by scanning a light of a light source reflected by the rotary reflector while the rotary reflector is rotated. The light source includes a first light-emitting portion configured to be turned on when forming a first light distribution pattern that mainly illuminates a range lower than a horizontal line, and a second light-emitting portion configured to be turned on when forming a second light distribution pattern that illuminates a range at least higher than the horizontal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Kazutoshi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 10634302
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a light source, and a reflector which reflects light emitted from the light source to form a low-beam light distribution pattern. The light source includes first and second light emitting elements. The reflector includes a first reflecting surface which reflects light emitted from the first light emitting element to form a first light distribution pattern configuring a part of the low-beam light distribution pattern, and a second reflecting surface which reflects light emitted from the second light emitting element to form a second light distribution pattern for enhancing brightness of a lower vicinity region of a cut-off line on an oncoming vehicle lane side. The second reflecting surface is arranged in a surface normal direction of a light emitting surface of the second light emitting element on a front side of the first reflecting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ippei Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10591127
    Abstract: A vehicle luminaire according to an embodiment includes: a flange; a mount portion provided on one side of the flange; a light-emitting unit that is provided on an end of the mount portion opposite to the flange side and includes at least one light-emitting element; a holder which is provided on another side of the flange and into which a connector is insertable; and at least one first thermal radiation fin that is provided on the another side of the flange and extends from a peripheral edge of the flange toward the holder. In a direction in which the holder projects from the flange, the position of an end face of the holder opposite to the flange side is different from the position of a holder-side end of an end face of the first thermal radiation fin opposite to the flange side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 10502383
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp includes an excitation light source; a light deflector configured to receive light from the excitation light source and two-dimensionally scan the light received from the excitation light source; and a projection lens that transmits the light scanned by the light deflector. The vehicle headlamp includes a first auxiliary lens that is arranged between the light deflector and the projection lens so as to transmit the light scanned by the light deflector toward the projection lens, and the first auxiliary lens has a negative force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Uchida, Honami Fujii, Kazuomi Murakami
  • Patent number: 10501012
    Abstract: A lamp for a vehicle includes: a lens; a first light source positioned at a rear side of the lens and configured to generate a first light; a first reflector configured to reflect the first light toward the lens; a second light source positioned at the rear side of the lens and configured to generate a second light; and a second reflector configured to reflect the second light toward the lens, wherein the first light source is configured to output the first light in a first direction, and the second light source is configured to output the second light in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Taeyoung Na, Sangshin Park
  • Patent number: 10499022
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a MEMS device including a fixed structure, a mobile structure, and deformable structures extending therebetween. The deformable structures have first ends anchored along X and Y axes of the fixed structure, and have second ends anchored offset from the X and Y axes of the fixed structure. The deformable structures are shaped so as to curve from their anchoring points along the mobile structure back toward the mobile structure, to extend along the perimeter of the mobile structure, and to then curve away from the mobile structure and toward their anchoring points along the fixed structure. Each deformable structure has two piezoelectric elements that extend along the length of that deformable structure, with one piezoelectric element having a greater length than the other piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Domenico Giusti, Roberto Carminati, Nicolo′ Boni
  • Patent number: 10336239
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp comprises a first light source group for forward illumination comprising at least one light emitting element, a second light source group for road surface drawing comprising at least one light emitting element provided separately from the at least one light emitting element, a first projection lens through which light emitted from the first light source group is to pass, a second projection lens through which light emitted from the second light source group is to pass, and a light shade arranged between the first and second light source groups and the first and second projection lenses so that the lights from the first and second light source groups do not intersect with each other before entering the first and second projection lenses, respectively. Light distribution control functions of the first and second projection lenses are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Misako Nakazawa, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 10260705
    Abstract: An LED module combines a heat sink portion and an LED arrangement. The heat sink portion is a first part of a multiple part heat sink having at least this first part and a second part. The heat sink portion is not sufficient alone to provide the required cooling for the operation of the LED arrangement so it can be small and low cost. A user can simply replace the LED module as a single unit, without the significant waste and cost of disposing of the full heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Jürgen Gerhard Mertens, Astrid Marchewka, Ralph Hubert Peters, Benno Spinger, Georg Friedrich Alfons Henninger
  • Patent number: 10180222
    Abstract: An optical unit includes a first light source, a second light source, a rotary reflector rotating around its rotation axis while reflecting a first light emitted from the first light source, and a projection lens configured to project the first light reflected by the rotary reflector in a light irradiation direction of the optical unit. The second light source is disposed such that a second light emitted from the second light source is incident on the projection lens without being reflected by the rotary reflector. The projection lens is configured to project the second light in the light irradiation direction of the optical unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Takayuki Yagi
  • Patent number: 10180156
    Abstract: A connecting element comprising a head and a shaft configured to fasten one or more components to a bearing ring of a rolling-element bearing, wherein the head is configured to adjust to a form of a circumferential groove in the bearing ring to be inserted in the groove, and the shaft is configured to adjust to fasten in a bore of the one or more components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Joerg Kegeler
  • Patent number: 10160376
    Abstract: A road surface drawing lamp unit includes a light source module and an optical system. In the light source module, a plurality of light sources which correspond individually to drawing patterns, each of which is long in a first direction which is a width direction of a road and short in a second direction which intersects the width direction of the road and an emitting axis of the light sources, are arranged so that the drawing patterns are drawn at a plurality of locations on the road along the second direction, and the light sources are formed so as to be turned on and off independently. The optical system emits light emitted from the light sources to the front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Shibata, Noriko Sato, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 10118536
    Abstract: A road surface drawing lamp unit includes a light source module and an optical system. In the light source module, a plurality of light sources which correspond individually to drawing patterns, each of which is long in a first direction which is a width direction of a road and short in a second direction which intersects the width direction of the road and an emitting axis of the light sources, are arranged so that the drawing patterns are drawn at a plurality of locations on the road along the second direction, and the light sources are formed so as to be turned on and off independently. The optical system emits light emitted from the light sources to the front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Shibata, Noriko Sato, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 9869440
    Abstract: A lamp for a vehicle includes a reflector configured to reflect received light and rotate with respect to at least one rotation axis to control an irradiation angle. A light source is positioned outside the reflector spaced apart from the reflector and is configured to generate light to be incident on the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Byoung Suk Ahn
  • Patent number: 9803821
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted headlamp using an LED includes a projector lens projecting the LED light to the vehicle front. A light distribution member forming a low-beam lamp light distribution includes: a first incident surface through which the LED light emitted frontward enters; a first reflecting surface disposed on an optical axis such that a projector lens side edge overlaps an LED side focus of the projector lens; a second incident surface and a second reflecting surface disposed on an upper side of the optical axis such that the LED light emitted upward enters through the second incident surface and is reflected frontward by the second reflecting surface; and a third incident surface and a third reflecting surface disposed on the upper side of the optical axis such that the LED light emitted downward enters through the third incident surface and is reflected frontward by the third reflecting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shuichi Iha, Takashi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 9801259
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light fixture comprising at least one visible light source emitting visible light, at least one IR light source emitting infrared light in an infrared spectrum, an outer housing in which the at least one visible light source and the at least one IR light source is located, a first projection system configured to collect at least some of the visible light and configured to generate at least one first light beam of the visible light along an optical axis having a first beam characteristic, a second projection system configured to collect at least some of the infrared light and configured to generate at least one second light beam of the IR light along the optical axis, wherein the second projection system is configured such that at least outside the outer housing the second beam characteristic substantially corresponds to the first beam characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Inventor: Niels Jorgen Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 9732925
    Abstract: Headlight lens for a vehicle headlight having a monolithic body of transparent material, the monolithic body including at least one light entry face, a light passage section and at least one optically operative light exit face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Docter Optics SE
    Inventors: Dmitry Fedosik, Wolfram Wintzer
  • Patent number: 9726352
    Abstract: A lamp for a vehicle includes a light source generating a light. A reflector is rotatably coupled with a support. A reflecting body is connected to the reflector to rotate along with a rotation of the reflector, receives the light from the light source, and reflects the light to the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Byoung Suk Ahn
  • Patent number: 9677732
    Abstract: A headlight lens for a vehicle headlight, the headlight lens having a body of transparent material. The monolithic body includes a light passage section having at least one optically operative light exit face and a light tunnel having at least one optically operative light entry face. The light tunnel transits into the light passage section via a bend being curved in its longitudinal extension, wherein the light passage section is configured for imaging the bend as a bright-dark-boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Docter Optics SE
    Inventors: Dmitry Fedosik, Wolfram Wintzer
  • Patent number: 9435505
    Abstract: A tilt sensor housing case includes a main body part including a housing space and an opening portion and a lid part configured to close the opening portion. The lid part has a first engaging portion extending along an outer surface of the main body part. The main body part has a second engaging portion on the outer surface corresponding to the first engaging portion. The lid part is mounted to the main body part by a snap-fit coupling using the elasticity of the lid part and locked to the main body part by the engagement of the first and second engaging portions. The main body part has a first protrusion and a second protrusion that are positioned to sandwich the first engaging portion between them, and each of the first and second protrusions protrudes at least up to the same height as the first engaging portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaaki Ishikawa, Yusuke Kasaba, Masashi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9273844
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp includes: a projection lens; a light source arranged to a rear of a rear side focal point of the projection lens; a reflector that reflects light from the light source toward the projection lens; a cut-off forming member arranged between the light source and the projection lens; a first sub-reflector that is arranged in front of the reflector and reflects the light from the light source rearward; and a second sub-reflector that is arranged to the rear of the rear side focal point and reflects reflected light from the first sub-reflector toward the projection lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akinori Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9128344
    Abstract: An LED vehicle headlamp includes an LED light source, at least one electrochromic device optically coupled to the LED light source, and a collimator positioned between the LED light source and the electrochromic device. The electrochromic device has an alterable light transmission characteristics in response to voltage/current level applied thereto. The collimator is configured for collimating and converging light emitted from the LED light source and directing light into the electrochromic device. When a forward bias voltage/current is applied to the electrochromic device, the visible light transmission of the electrochromic device decreases accordingly to generate a first light intensity distribution pattern, which is a low beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Po-Chou Chen
  • Patent number: 9103509
    Abstract: A lighting device may include: at least one two-dimensional semiconductor light source, at least one reflector unit, which can be switched between a plurality of reflector settings, wherein in a first reflector setting, a first reflector surface of the reflector unit can be illuminated by the at least one semiconductor light source, and in a second reflector setting, a second reflector surface of the reflector unit can be illuminated by the at least one semiconductor light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: OSRAM GmbH
    Inventor: Juergen Hager
  • Patent number: 9028119
    Abstract: According to another aspect of the present invention, a light system for use in a rearview mirror assembly is provided and includes a light source and a first optical element. Said first optical element has a collection optic configured to direct light received from said light source, a reflector optic in optical communication with said collection optic and configured to reflect light from said collection optic, a plurality of light steering areas configured to steer light propagating in said first optical element, and a light spreading optic configured to spread light exiting said first optical element. A second optical element is in optical communication with said first optical element and is configured to diffuse light received from said first optical element to illuminate an indicia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Gentex Corporation
    Inventors: Michael F. Lisowski, Danny L. Minikey, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9022624
    Abstract: The present invention provides: semiconductor-type light sources; a fixed reflector having reflection surfaces; movable reflectors having reflection surfaces; a solenoid; and a driving force transmission mechanism. The driving force transmission mechanism is made of: a rack that is elastically deformable; and pinions. A height H1 of a respective one of gear portions at each end part of the rack is greater in comparison with a height H2 of a respective one of gear portions at an intermediate part of the rack. As a result, the present invention is capable of maintaining a load between the rack and a respective one of the pinions at its required minimum level, and is capable of maintaining positional precision in stop location of the movable reflectors at high precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Ichikoh Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiya Abe
  • Patent number: 8998465
    Abstract: A method for injection molding of plastic-material lenticular bodies for lights; of motor vehicles and similar, the method comprising the steps of coupling a punch half-mold with a first matrix half-mold so as to define, on the surface of the punch half-mold, a first closed cavity that copies in reverse the shape of the first plastic-material sheet; filling said first cavity with a first plastic polymer in a liquid state, injecting the first plastic polymer in the first cavity from an injection point located at said first segment of the peripheral edge of the first plastic-material sheet; and finally separating, after the first plastic polymer has solidified to form the first plastic-material sheet, the punch half-mold from the first; matrix half-mold maintaining the first plastic-material sheet still on the surface of the punch half-mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Automotive Lighting Italia S.p.A.
    Inventors: Daniele Dereani, Franco Marcori, Bruno Norio
  • Patent number: 8976439
    Abstract: An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror casing and a prismatic reflective element. The mirror casing is a unitarily molded mirror casing having at least one attachment surface. The prismatic reflective element includes a glass substrate having a front surface and a rear surface and a perimeter edge about a periphery of the glass substrate. A mirror reflector is established at the rear surface of the glass substrate. The perimeter edge of said glass substrate has a generally rounded surface disposed between the front surface and the mirror casing. The prismatic reflective element is attached at the attachment surface of the mirror casing. The perimeter edge of the glass substrate is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the vehicle when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Darryl P. De Wind, Michael J. Baur, Timothy G. Perkins
  • Patent number: 8967841
    Abstract: The invention relates to an LED light module (1) for a motor vehicle or for a head light for a motor vehicle, wherein the LED light module (1) has at least one LED light source (3) which comprises at least one light-emitting diode, and wherein the light (10, 11) which is emitted by the at least one LED light source (3) is emitted via at least one reflector (2) into a region located in front of a motor vehicle, wherein the light (10?, 11?) which is emitted via the reflector (2) forms a defined basic light distribution (30?), wherein according to the invention at least one shutter (4) is provided after the at least one LED light source (3) in the light exit direction, which at least one shutter (4) is located in the beam path of at least part of the light (20) which is emitted in the light exit direction by the at least one LED light source (3), and wherein the at least one shutter (4) is designed to reflect light at least in certain areas on its side (4?) facing the at least one LED light source (3), and where
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Zizala Lichtsysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Gerald Bohm
  • Patent number: 8960963
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source that emits an electromagnetic radiation input beam, a dichroic first mirror that reflects a first output beam and transmits a second output beam, a second mirror positioned to reflect the second output beam, and an absorber for absorbing radiation emitted by the light source. An adjustable support for the dichroic and second mirror is also provided and is adjustable between a first position where the first beam is transmitted and a second position where the second beam is transmitted, with the other beam being directed to the absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Douglas R. Jungwirth, Gregory A. Campbell, Emilio Quezada
  • Patent number: 8956027
    Abstract: A projector lens of a vehicular headlamp has a shape of a convex lens in which the upper and lower portions are cut by a predetermined amount. A light source is disposed above optical axis Ax of the projector lens while a light emission surface is inclined downwardly. A first reflecting mirror has an elliptical reflective surface, and is adjusted in size such that almost all the light reflected from the reflective surface is incident on the projector lens. A shield plate is disposed in the vicinity of the focus of the first reflecting mirror to form a horizontal cutoff line. A second reflecting mirror is disposed to reflect light that is not incident on the first reflecting mirror. The third reflecting mirror is disposed above the upper end of the shield plate at a position that does not interfere with the light reflected from the first reflecting mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Ishida
  • Patent number: 8944650
    Abstract: The invention provides a lamp with adjustable beam cut-off, useful for e.g. vehicle headlamps. The lamp comprises a solid-state light source 1 and a reflector 2, as well as a movable beam limiter 3. To adjust the cut-off, the beam limiter 3 may be moved by an actuator 4. An advantage is that the beam limiter 3 reflects incident light into the emitted beam instead of absorbing it, which increases efficiency. Furthermore, because the reflector 2 and also the beam limiter 3 may be positioned very close to the light source, which may be a LED or a laser diode, they may be flat and very small. Both circumstances ensure that the beam cut-off may be adjusted very quickly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Marco Van As, Ralph Hubert Peters
  • Patent number: 8944653
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp is provided with: a projection lens; a light source; a reflector that reflects light from the light source to the projection lens; and a shade member. A shade member includes an opening, and a portion of an inner peripheral edge of the opening is defined by an upper edge of a shading part for shielding a portion of the light reflected on the reflector. A side end portion of a reflection surface of the reflector penetrates the opening of the shade member and extends forward beyond the shading part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Tajima, Akinori Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8939623
    Abstract: Disclosed is a projection lens that is disposed in front of a first semiconductor light emitting device and configured to irradiate light incident from the rear side to the front side. A first reflector reflects a part of the light emitted from the first semiconductor light emitting device to converge on the rear side of the projection lens. A light guide member is disposed across the front side of the projection lens and configured to emit the light incident from the second semiconductor light emitting device to a predetermined direction. A second reflector reflects a part of the light reflected by the first reflector toward the projection lens. The light reflected by the second reflector to be incident on the projection lens is emitted from the projection to avoid the light guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Michio Tsukamoto
  • Publication number: 20150016135
    Abstract: An illumination device for a motor vehicle includes a light source consisting of a number of semiconductor diodes, and a scanner onto which a light beam obtained from light of the light source falls and which modifies the position of the light beam during operation of the illumination device and thereby moves a light spot produced by the light beam at a distance from the illumination device. The moved light spot allows a predetermined light distribution to be generated. The illumination device is designed such that the scanning speed at which the light spot is moved, the scanning path along which the light spot is moved, and/or the size of the light spot can be varied and is/are controlled to generate the predetermined light distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Helmut ERDL, Abdelmalek HANAFI
  • Publication number: 20150016134
    Abstract: An illumination device is provided for a motor vehicle, including a light source consisting of a number of semiconductor diodes, and a scanner onto which a light beam produced by light of the light source falls and which modifies the position of the light beam during operation of the illumination device and thereby moves a light spot generated by the light beam at a distance from the illumination device. The moved light spot allows a predetermined light distribution to be generated. The illumination device is characterized in that a beam delimiting device, which allows the cross-section of the light beam to be delimited along a predetermined boundary, is provided between the light source and the scanner. The illumination device is designed in such a way that one or more light-shadow lines can be formed in the predetermined light distribution by way of at least one section of the predetermined boundary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Helmut ERDL, Abdelmalek HANAFI