Refractor Structure Patents (Class 362/520)
  • Publication number: 20130094237
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp includes a first light source, at least one second light source and an integrally designed, transparent shaped part. The shaped part includes a first optical structure for orienting light radiated by the first light source and at least one second optical structure for orienting light radiated by the second light source. The first optical structure and the second optical structure each have a continuously curved surface or a continuous, curved surface with an extent of at least in each case half a centimetre, in particular one centimetre, in two orthogonal directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: DOCTER OPTICS GMBH
    Inventor: Docter Optics GMBH
  • Patent number: 8419246
    Abstract: An illumination device for a vehicle configured to illuminate an armrest on a door trim of the vehicle includes a light source and a light directing member. The light source is arranged above the armrest and has a light emitting portion configured to emit light toward the armrest. The light directing member is arranged so as to cover the light emitting portion from below. The light directing member is configured to direct the light emitted from the light emitting portion toward the armrest toward a front of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuki Hayashi, Kouichi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8414170
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for manufacturing a batch of motor vehicle headlight lenses, each lens comprising a lens body and a convexly curved optically operative surface. The method comprising pressing a pre-form between a first mold and a second mold, which second mold comprises a first and second mold sections. An offset depending on the volume of the pre-form a step is pressed into the headlight lens between the second mold section and the first mold section, wherein the first mold section is set back with respect to the second mold section at least in the region of the offset, and wherein the height of a step of a headlight lens of the batch differs by more than 0.05 mm from the height of a step of at least one further headlight lens of the batch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Doctor Optics GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Erward, Franz Sykura
  • Publication number: 20130083552
    Abstract: External rear-view mirror assembly comprising a housing (1), a circuit board (3) supporting a plurality of LEDs LED-1, LED-2, an opaque cover (5) arranged in front of the circuit board (3) and provided with a plurality of through holes (5a), said cover having a shape adapted to the front external surface (1a) of the rear-mirror (1), which comprises at least a prism (6) with a first surface (6a) in contact with at least a LED 4, and a second surface (6b) fitting within at least one of said holes (5a) and aligned with the front external surface (5b) of the cover (5), said second surface (6b) being a Fresnel lens adapted to direct the light coming from said LED 4 in a predetermined direction D.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventors: Juan Nestor Ruiz Ortega, Maria Luisa Novella Requena
  • Publication number: 20130082161
    Abstract: An external control stand for a self-propelled construction machine. The construction machine has a working component that can be operated from the external control stand. The invention includes a lighting device for illuminating a ground section on the external control stand, as seen in the direction of travel, in front of, behind and/or below the external control stand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: JOSEPH VOGELE AG
    Inventor: JOSEPH VOGELE AG
  • Publication number: 20130077333
    Abstract: There is provided a taillight for vehicles or trailer trucks with built-in RF signal communication antenna which, according to its features, enables the creation of a taillight with its own specific structure, electromechanical type and destined to place a lighting module with lighting function and a RF signal communication antenna with RF signal communication function regardless the frequency or type of signal on the surface of vehicles or trailer trucks in general, in order to enable an extremely practical, safe and precise way to optimize the procedures for placing communication RF signal antennas and their signal transmissions in vehicles or automotive trailers, with complete invisibility and excellent elimination of any interference in these transmissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Inventor: Naira Hosana Silvestrini Maschio
  • Publication number: 20130070471
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp assembly, comprising a lens, a lamp housing cooperating with the lens to at least partially define a lamp chamber that is generally fluidly isolated from an ambient atmosphere outside the lamp chamber, and at least one lamp provided in the lamp chamber. The lamp housing includes at least one structural member adapted to connect to and bear structural loads applied by one or more adjacent components of a vehicle in which the vehicle headlamp assembly is installed. The assembly may further comprise at least one vehicle component connected to the lamp housing, whereby the lamp housing is capable of bearing structural loads applied by the at least one component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventor: Michael F. Pickholz
  • Publication number: 20130070470
    Abstract: A dew condensation preventing device of a head lamp for a vehicle may include a housing forming a head lamp for the vehicle and having a lens mounted on a front end portion thereof, and a Phase Change Material (PCM) unit, mounted on the housing, for preventing dew from condensing on the lens when an internal temperature of the head lamp is lowered, thereby improving the merchantable quality and the safety when the vehicle is driving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jeong Gyu YANG
  • Patent number: 8393768
    Abstract: A side-illuminating projection lens and a headlight having the same, in which a side-illuminating lamp is implemented with a projection lamp that illuminates to the side of a vehicle by radiating light in the radial direction, wherein sideways-radiated light is projected in the radial direction and is thus smoothly combined with forward-radiated light, thereby improving the driver's vision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, SL Lighting Corporation
    Inventors: Kyung Soo Lee, Dae Kon Kim, Byung Kyu Yoon, Kwang Min Ko
  • Publication number: 20130058119
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle room lamp including a lamp assembly including a resin clip, a roof panel having an opening and a reinforcement having an opening. The resin clip is locked to a peripheral edge of the opening of the reinforcement through the opening of the roof panel. The resin clip is an elastic body formed in an inverted U shape including a base portion connected to the housing, an inverted U-shaped portion connected to the base portion, and a lock connected to the inverted U-shaped portion. The resin clip has an extending portion extending downward at a protruding piece at a lower end of the lock. A peripheral edge of the opening of the roof panel reaches a vicinity of the extending portion in a state where the resin clip is locked to the peripheral edge of the opening of the reinforcement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shingo Chiba
  • Patent number: 8388202
    Abstract: A vehicle light can include an optical system for controlling a light distribution pattern, and the optical system is a light guide (being a lens body having an inner reflecting surface). The vehicle light can project illumination light with a low bean light distribution pattern. The vehicle light can include an LED light source and a lens body serving as a light guide. The lens body can include a light incident surface, a reflecting surface, and a light exiting surface. The LED light source can have a rearmost end light emitting point from which light beams are emitted to form a bright-dark boundary line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Ohno, Ryotaro Owada, Norikatsu Myojin, Mitsuo Yamada, Yasushi Kita, Satoshi Sakai
  • Publication number: 20130051055
    Abstract: An apparatus including at least one Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) mounted on a platform; a mechanism for controlling the at least one LEDs; and at least one refractive optic lenses for focusing at least one light beam from the at least one LEDs into at least one well-defined light beams and for directing the at least one well-defined light beams either in an upward direction or in a sideward direction to the platform. In one example, the platform is a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventor: Ali Omidfar
  • Publication number: 20130051056
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp that is capable of optically distributing a spot portion of a light distribution pattern having a cutoff line to a cruising lane side is provided. The present invention includes semiconductor-type light sources 2L and 2R and lenses 3L and 3R. On emission surfaces 31L and 31R of the lenses 3L and 3R, peak portions 32L and 32R that form a spot portion SP of a light distribution pattern for low beam LP are respectively provided in given locations that are close to a cruising lane side with respect to optical axes ZL and ZR of the lenses 3L and 3R. As a result, the present invention can provide the vehicle headlamp that is capable of optically distributing the spot portion SP of the light distribution pattern for low beam LP having a cutoff line CL.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventor: Yasuhiro OKUBO
  • Publication number: 20130051057
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp that is capable of optically distributing a spot portion of a light distribution pattern having a cutoff line to a cruising lane side is provided. The present invention includes semiconductor-type light sources 2L and 2R and lenses 3L and 3R. On emission surfaces 31L and 31R of the lenses 3L and 3R, peak portions 32L and 32R that form a spot portion SP of a light distribution pattern for low beam LP are respectively provided in given locations that are close to a cruising lane side with respect to optical axes ZL and ZR of the lenses 3L and 3R. As a result, the present invention can provide the vehicle headlamp that is capable of optically distributing the spot portion SP of the light distribution pattern for low beam LP having a cutoff line CL.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventor: Yasuhiro OKUBO
  • Patent number: 8382352
    Abstract: Disclosed is a projector-type headlight that can include a light emitting device, a reflector having a reflection surface to reflect a light from the light emitting device forward, a projector lens to project the reflected light from the reflection surface forward, the projector lens being a resin molding, and a shade to form a light distribution pattern having a light-dark border line by blocking a part of the reflected light heading from the reflection surface to the projector lens. A gate trace can be formed in a circumference portion of the projector lens. The gate trace can be provided lower than a horizontal surface on which a light axis of the projector lens passes through, and at the same time can be provided in a state of being shifted either leftward or rightward from a vertical surface on which the light axis of the projector lens passes through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Yatsuda, Yoshihiro Nakata, Eiji Kawamoto
  • Publication number: 20130044504
    Abstract: There is provided a light source lighting device for a headlamp including: a headlamp case to which a front lens is attached; and a planar fixation section that is inserted into the headlamp case, together with an optical component having a light source, from a front opening portion formed in the headlamp case, and that is fixed along an inner wall of the headlamp case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Ushio, Fumihiro Minami, Takashi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 8376599
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light module (10) for an illumination device, in particular for a headlight (1), of a motor vehicle. The light module (10) comprises at least one light source (18) for emitting light beams, at least one primary optical unit (20) for concentrating the emitted light beams, a diaphragm arrangement (22) in the beam path of the concentrated light beams, and at least one secondary optical unit (30) for imaging the light beams that have traveled past the diaphragm arrangement (22) onto a roadway in front of the motor vehicle in order to generate a desired light distribution. There is formed in the diaphragm arrangement (22) at least one opening (26) and/or cutout to which is assigned an optically active element (28), which deflects or attenuates at least a portion of the light beams passing through the opening (26) and/or cutout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Automotive Lighting Reutlingen GmbH
    Inventors: Florian Stade, Benjamin Stauss, Michael Scholl
  • Publication number: 20130039087
    Abstract: An optical device for a motor vehicle comprising a surface light source emitting light rays in a first direction, wherein it comprises an optical system including first deflecting optical means that are at least locally remote from the surface light source and deflecting the light rays emitted in the first direction, in a second direction different from the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Gasquet, Pierre Albou, Christophe Dubosc, Antoine De Lamberterie, Marc Brassier, Vincent Godbillon, Vanesa Sanchez
  • Publication number: 20130027960
    Abstract: An optical device for a motor vehicle, in particular a lighting and/or signaling device for a motor vehicle, comprising a main light source and an auxiliary light source, wherein the auxiliary light source comprises a surface light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Christophe Dubosc, Pierre Albou, Vincent Godbillon
  • Publication number: 20130016518
    Abstract: A debris protector for use with a vehicle lamp assembly installed to an opening in a vehicle body panel or garnish to prevent the migration of accumulated road debris through a gap between the lamp assembly and the body panel opening. Such a debris protector is generally in the form of a cover element that is installable along an upper, hidden portion of a vehicle lamp assembly and an inner surface of a corresponding vehicle body panel or garnish to prevent road debris from accumulating on the lamp assembly near the body panel opening. Such a debris protector may also include a seal that is located between the cover element and the rear surface of a body panel or garnish to assist with the debris blocking function of the cover element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Derik Thomas Voigt, Aaron Wright, Nick A. Massaro, Adam Patrick Gress, Jamison Weirup, Nathan M. Fisher, Joshua T. Glazier
  • Publication number: 20130016517
    Abstract: Aircraft washlight systems having an asymmetric lens are disclosed. An example vehicle cabin illumination system includes a light source located one side of a surface of a vehicle cabin, and an asymmetric lens through which the light passes to illuminate the surface with a substantially uniform light distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: B/E AEROSPACE, INC.
    Inventors: David P. Eckel, Gannon T. Gambeski, William H. Valentine, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130003402
    Abstract: A method using lens imaging to control hotspots of a vehicle light has steps of providing the area light source having a first shape and a first size, mounting the lens in front of the area light source, choosing a focal length between the area light source and the lens, and determining an angle of view ? using the first size of the area light source and the focal length of the lens and generating a hotspot of the vehicle light having the first size and a size range. By changing the height of the area light source and the focal length of the lens, an angle of view formed by light emitted from the area light source and passing through the lens is adjustable. Accordingly, a range of hotspots of the vehicle light is controllable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: PHOENIX OPTRONICS CORP.
    Inventor: Ren-Cheng CHAO
  • Publication number: 20120327678
    Abstract: A headlamp for a vehicle includes a light source adapted to emit a spotlight, a lens adapted to receive and transmit the spotlight, a lens actuator adapted to adjust a size of the spotlight transmitted through the lens, a two-dimensional optical deflector adapted to deflect the spotlight from the lens to an illumination area ahead of the vehicle, and a control circuit configured to control the lens actuator in such a way that irregularity of illumination in the illumination area is avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Teruo Koike, Yoshiaki YASUDA
  • Patent number: 8337054
    Abstract: A lighting device, suitable for example for urban lighting of interiors or exteriors, or for lighting of interiors and exteriors of motor vehicles, said device comprising a substantially plane substrate and one or more LED or chip-LED semiconductor light sources distributed over the substrate and electrically connected to conductive supply paths, an optical means associated to the semiconductor source or sources, designed to modify the direction of the rays of light emitted by said semiconductor source, said device being characterized in that said optical means is of a substantially semicylindrical shape and consequently has a substantially plane base, two side faces and a substantially cylindrical outer surface, said optical means has a cavity obtained starting from said base within the body of said optical means and designed to house the source or sources, said side faces and said cavity are obtained by means of a rotation about a longitudinal axis of a two-dimensional profile and are designed to reduce the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: C.R.F. Società Consortile per Azioni
    Inventor: Stefano Bernard
  • Publication number: 20120320618
    Abstract: A lighted exterior mirror assembly includes a housing that houses a reflectance element that is movably positionable by the driver of a vehicle to adjust its rearward field of view when the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at a side of the vehicle. A ground illumination lamp is disposed at a portion of the lighted exterior mirror assembly and separate from the reflectance element. The ground illumination lamp is a substantially moisture-impervious unit having an enclosure and a lens that is permanently joined with the enclosure. The ground illumination lamp includes a light source disposed within the enclosure behind the lens and, when the lighted exterior mirror assembly is attached at the side of the vehicle and when the light source is electrically powered, the light source emits light that passes through the lens and illuminates a ground area adjacent the side of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Todd W. Pastrick
  • Publication number: 20120314441
    Abstract: An automotive lamp includes an LED, a substrate that mounts the LED, a reflector that reflects the light emitted from the LED, and an projection lens having an incident surface, which receives the light reflected by the reflector, and an emission surface that emits the light toward a front area of the automotive lamp. A fine asperity structure is formed on the incident surface of the projection lens. The fine asperity structure includes recesses or raised portions formed with the pitch less than or equal to the visible light wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicants: ITOH OPTICAL INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noriko FUKAWA, Masashi OMOTE, Mamoru KOSUGE, Yuji SAITO, Hirohisa KATO, Takehiro SHIMIZU, Norihito SOMA
  • Publication number: 20120298866
    Abstract: A snowmobile is disclosed, the snowmobile comprising a terrain visualization device. The device comprises a mounting structure fixed to the snowmobile, and a light emitting unit attached to the mounting structure. The light emitting unit is configured to project a predetermined contrast pattern onto terrain in front of the snowmobile in use. A method for driving a snowmobile across terrain is also disclosed, the method comprising projecting a predetermined contrast pattern onto the terrain using a light emitting unit while driving the snowmobile across the terrain, so that the topography of the terrain can be determined from distortion of the contrast pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventor: Julian Stevens
  • Patent number: 8317379
    Abstract: The invention provides a car lighting unit comprising a reflector and a light source arranged to generate light. The reflector circumferentially surrounds the light source and has a reflector opening. The reflector is arranged to reflect at least part of the light from the light source through the reflector opening. The car lighting unit further comprises a source-related 3D hologram and a source-unrelated 3D hologram. The car lighting unit is 5 constructed to generate a beam of light and a source-related holographic 3D image, using light from the light source, during operation of the lighting unit, and a source-unrelated 3D holographic image when the lighting unit is not in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Emmanuel Wilhelmus Johannes Leonardus Oomen, Lingli Wang
  • Publication number: 20120287661
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for manufacturing a batch of motor vehicle headlight lenses, each lens comprising a lens body and a convexly curved optically operative surface. The method comprising pressing a pre-form between a first mould and a second mould, which second mould comprises a first and second mould sections. An offset depending on the volume of the pre-form a step is pressed into the headlight lens between the second mould section and the first mould section, wherein the first mould section is set back with respect to the second mould section at least in the region of the offset, and wherein the height of a step of a headlight lens of the batch differs by more than 0.05 mm from the height of a step of at least one further headlight lens of the batch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: DOCTOR OPTICS GMBH
    Inventors: Klaus ERWARD, Franz Sykura
  • Publication number: 20120287660
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to control light distribution so that light is distributed to a predetermined point while a light distribution pattern for overhead is transversely spread. The present invention includes a discharge lamp, a reflector, a projection lens, a shade, and a reflection member. At a window portion of the shade, edges, are provided for forming cutoff lines CL1, CL2, and CL3. The reflection member is disposed between the projection lens and the shade. At the reflection member, recessed reflection surfaces are provided for transversely spreading a light distribution pattern OSP for overhead sign. As a result, the present invention is capable of controlling light distribution so that light is distributed to a predetermined point in a state in which the light distribution pattern OSP for overhead sign is transversely spread.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventor: Kazuhiro MURAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20120268959
    Abstract: A lighting assembly for movable control surfaces of a vehicle. The light assembly includes a lens, a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a housing that receives the plurality of LEDs and the lens. The housing of the light assembly is received within the movable control surface, such that the lens is flush with a surface of the movable control surface. The light assembly includes a plurality of reflectors. The plurality of LEDs is rotatably mounted within the housing. The light assembly includes a controller that controls the position of the LEDs relative to the housing, based on a received control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: David Barnett, Jeffrey M. Singer, Timothy C. Martin
  • Publication number: 20120262937
    Abstract: An illumination device for a vehicle configured to illuminate an armrest on a door trim of the vehicle includes a light source and a light directing member. The light source is arranged above the armrest and has a light emitting portion configured to emit light toward the armrest. The light directing member is arranged so as to cover the light emitting portion from below. The light directing member is configured to direct the light emitted from the light emitting portion toward the armrest toward a front of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuki Hayashi, Kouichi Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20120243250
    Abstract: A vehicular illumination lamp includes a projection lens configured to output forward, as light that is parallel with an axial line extending in a lamp front-rear direction, light emitted from a prescribed point on the axial line, and a light source disposed in the rear of the projection lens. A front surface of the projection lens is a convex free surface and a perimeter of the front surface extends approximately along a plane that is perpendicular to the axial line. A rear surface of the projection lens is a curved surface which is formed so that light emitted from the prescribed point and incident on the projection lens is output from the projection lens as light that is parallel with the axial line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takayuki YAGI
  • Publication number: 20120218773
    Abstract: A semiconductor luminaire includes a carrier; an optoelectronic semiconductor chip mounted on the carrier, the semiconductor chip emitting ultraviolet or visible radiation; a luminaire housing not covering the semiconductor chip in a direction of main emittance; an optical cover placed downstream of the semiconductor chip in a direction of mails emittance: and an index matching layer located between the semiconductor chip mid the optical cover, wherein the optical cover provides a radiation exit surface of the luminaire, and wherein radiation running along the direction of main emittance from the semiconductor chip to the radiation exit surface solely propagates in solid or liquid materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: OSRAM OPTO SEMICONDUCTORS GMBH
    Inventors: Kimberly Peiler, Christopher L. Eichelberger
  • Patent number: 8251557
    Abstract: The invention relates to a headlight lens for a vehicle headlight, particularly for a motor vehicle headlight, wherein the headlight lens comprises a bright-molded lens body made of a transparent material, having a substantially plane optically effective surface and a convexly curved optically effective surface, wherein the headlight lens comprises a lens edge on the outside of the convexly curved optically effective surface, wherein the substantially plane optically effective surface, protrudes over the lends edge, or over part of the lens edge, in a stepped manner in the direction of an optical axis of the headlight lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Docter Optics GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Erward, Franz Sykura
  • Publication number: 20120212970
    Abstract: A low profile vehicle lamp assembly includes a housing having a top end, body with an interior portion and a lens portion covering the top end. The housing is adapted to fit within an opening in a surface such that the lens portion is substantially flush with the surface and the body is positioned behind the surface. In addition, circuitry is disposed within the interior portion of the housing and at least one light source is electrically connected to the circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Gary Johnson, Adam Wagner, Robert C. Bartkowski, Timothy A. Dil'enti, Kurt L. Schwab, Rodney Ehrlich
  • Publication number: 20120195058
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp has a focused-beam lamp unit, and a diffused-beam lamp unit. The focused-beam lamp unit has a first semiconductor light emitting device having a first rectangular light emitting surface, and a first optical member that projects light from the first semiconductor light emitting device to form a focused beam pattern. The diffused-beam lamp unit has a second semiconductor light emitting device having a second rectangular light emitting surface, and a second optical member that projects light from the second semiconductor light emitting device to form a diffused beam pattern, the diffused beam pattern being wider than the focused beam pattern in a direction along a vertical line in front a vehicle on which the vehicle headlamp is mounted. The focused-beam lamp unit and the diffused-beam lamp unit are arranged to form a light distribution pattern by combining the focused beam pattern and the diffused beam pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Naoki Uchida
  • Patent number: 8231255
    Abstract: A vehicle light can electrically change over between a horizontally wide light distribution pattern and an AFS suitable light distribution pattern for projecting light beams leftward (or rightward according to the traffic system). The vehicle light can include a projection lens having a light incident surface and a light exiting surface; and a horizontally long rectangular surface light source including a plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices that are horizontally disposed on both sides with respect to a focus of the projection lens and are independently controlled to be turned on/off. The projection lens can vertically converge and horizontally diffuse light beams for projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sadayuki Konishi
  • Publication number: 20120147619
    Abstract: An auxiliary lighting device for vehicle lamps which is a refractive body is revealed. One end of the refractive body is a light emitting surface and the other end is a tapered curved surface. Moreover, curved light-gathering ridge lines and an emitter receiving slot for mounting light emitting diode (LED) are disposed on one end of the refractive body having the curved surface. Thereby linear light emitted from the LED is refracted by the emitter receiving slot into a plurality of radial lines. Then the radial lines are gathered by the curved surface to be emitted from the light emitting surface. The light refracted to the surface of the refractive body is guided by the light-gathering ridge lines to project toward the end of the refractive body with the light emitting surface. Therefore, intensity of the light from vehicles lamps is increased significantly to provide excellent illumination and warning signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: JUN YAN AUTO INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: MING-HSIEN TSAI
  • Publication number: 20120140505
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicular headlamp which includes a lamp unit placed in a lamp unit outer case constituted by an outer cover and a lamp housing. The lamp unit includes a light emitting diode provided as a light source; a circuit substrate mounted with the light emitting diode and having a connection terminal for supplying power to the light emitting diode; a projection lens configured to project light emitted from the light emitting diode and irradiate the projected light forwardly; and a cover member placed to surround the light emitting diode and include a colored part of which an inner peripheral surface is formed as an incident surface, on which a part of the light emitted from the light emitting diode is incident, and in which a predetermined color other than a yellow color is given to a surface other than the incident surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Michio TSUKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20120140507
    Abstract: A lighting unit can form a plurality of light distribution patterns without use of a shield and without an act of shielding light from a light source. The lighting unit can include a laser diode, a fluorescent member with a fluorescent portion configured to receive blue light from the laser diode and emit white light, and a projector type lens configured to project the white light. The fluorescent member can be rotated around a rotation shaft perpendicular to the optical axis of the projector type lens and shaped such that when the fluorescent member is rotated by a predetermined angle by the driving member and viewed from the projector type lens, a plurality of contours of the fluorescent portion can be changed according to the predetermined angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Takashi Sato, Takao Saito
  • Patent number: 8192062
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masashi Tatsukawa
  • Publication number: 20120099337
    Abstract: A dustproof lens for an LED road lamp has an incident surface and an exit surface. The exit surface is flat. The incident surface is saddle-shaped and has a section in a shape of a concave curve along a road direction and in a shape of a convex curve vertically to the road direction. A lens module thereof has the dustproof lenses jointed with each other and has an integrally flat exit plane. The dustproof lens and its module, while meeting requirements in distributing lights for road lighting, adopt a flat surface for emitting lights, in such a manner that the lens is protected from dusts piled up thereon, can be cleaned simply, and is better fit for using. By accomplishing modularization of the lens module in production and assembly, a productive efficiency of lamps is greatly improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventors: Shikang Zhou, Xin Cheng, Mengsheng Wang, Yuexia Chen
  • Patent number: 8162507
    Abstract: A lamp unit includes a first light source; a projection lens that forms a light distribution pattern using light radiated from the first light source; a second light source; and a parabola optical system reflector that reflects light radiated from the second light source. The projection lens has a paraxial outer peripheral portion that is closer to a first optical axis than at least part of another outer peripheral portion as seen in the direction of the first optical axis. The parabola optical system reflector reflects light radiated from the second light source such that the reflected light passes through a space adjacent to the paraxial outer peripheral portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuaki Inaba
  • Patent number: 8152345
    Abstract: A headlamp assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a housing and a lens. At least one protrusion is located on or adjacent to the housing such that the protrusion and lens are urged together when the headlamp assembly is subjected to an impact, contact between the lens and the at least one protrusion initiating controlled deformation and/or breakage of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Mats Erlingfors, Anders Fredriksson, Gunnar Hallneus, Gert Walden, Daniel Zugan
  • Publication number: 20120075877
    Abstract: A lens includes a light incident surface, a first light emitting surface, and a second light emitting surface. The first light emitting surface is a convex curved surface and is opposite to the light incident surface. The first light emitting surface includes a first border. The first light emitting surface and the light incident surface cooperatively form a convex lens portion with an optical axis. The second light emitting surface is located at a side of the first light emitting surface adjacent to the first border. An angle formed between any tangent plane of the second light emitting surface and a plane perpendicular to the optical axis is larger than an angle formed between any tangent plane of the first light emitting surface passing any point on the first border and the plane perpendicular to the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: FOXSEMICON INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: HSIU-PING CHANG
  • Publication number: 20120026747
    Abstract: A capacity of a sealing member is reduced to its required minimum. The present invention provides: a board 3; light emitting chips 40 to 44; a control element; wiring elements 51 to 56, 61 to 65, and 610 to 650; a bank member 18; and a sealing member 180. The sealing member 180 is injected into the bank member 18, and the light emitting chips 40 to 44 and a part of the wiring elements are sealed. The present invention is capable of reducing the capacity of the sealing member 180 to its required minimum by means of the bank member 18.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Masateru HAYASHI, Katsuaki Nakano
  • Patent number: 8100569
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight can include an LED optical unit with a high cooling efficiency. The LED optical unit can include a projector lens, a lens holder including a frame that has a tapered portion, and an LED light source mounted on a base member. The base member can be located in the tapered portion of the frame to define an air flow space between the frame and the base member. The projector lens can be attached to the lens holder so as to face the light source. Cool air can flow from the air flow space towards the light source, and heat generated from the light source can flow toward the upward air flow space. The LED light source can be efficiently radiated even when it is located close to the projector lens. Thus, the vehicle headlight can be used for various vehicles including a small size car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryotaro Owada
  • Publication number: 20110317443
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting fitting can include a housing including an opening end portion, a lens, an outer peripheral portion of which is laser-welded to the opening end portion to define a lighting chamber, and a decorative member disposed in the lighting chamber. The resin decorative member can include an outer peripheral portion on which a joint portion and a non-joint portion are alternately formed along a perimeter thereof, wherein the joint portion of the decorative member and the opening end portion of the housing are laser-welded in a state in which clearances are maintained between the non-joint portion of the decorative member and the housing, and between the lens and the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Kazuaki Hokoda, Yoshihiro Zaitsu, Tatsuya Umeyama, Takashi Akabane
  • Publication number: 20110280031
    Abstract: The invention relates to an LED light module for a motor vehicle, or for a headlight for a motor vehicle, wherein the light module comprises a lens and an LED light source, wherein according to the invention a diffusion disk is disposed between the LED light source and the lens as viewed in the light exit direction, wherein the diffusion disk has at least one aperture for the direct passage of at least one component of the light emitted by the LED light source, and wherein the direct component of the light emitted by the LED light source, which component emerges through the aperture of the diffusion disk, is projected through the lens so as to generate a lighting function in the region in front of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: Zizala Lichtsysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Luger, Andreas Moser