Refractor Structure Patents (Class 362/520)
  • Patent number: 6619826
    Abstract: A headlight device for motor vehicles has a light source for emitting light beams, a reflector for reflecting at least a part of the light beams emitted by the light source in a light outlet direction on a region in front of the vehicle, and a dispersing element which is bringable in beam path of the light beams reflected by the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Kirsten Redzinsky, Erwin Wittmeier, Heinz Grimm
  • Publication number: 20030169600
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp which radiates light emitted by LED light sources through indirect illumination and which has uniform brightness. Light emitted from the LED light sources is directed upward and formed into parallel beams by Fresnel lenses, and the parallel beams are reflected by a reflector in a frontward direction of the lamp. The reflector is divided into sub reflectors that differ in height and angle of forward inclination according to the areas on which the parallel light beams impinge. The distance between each of the LED light sources and the corresponding one of the Fresnel lenses increases in proportion to a decrease in the height of the corresponding one of the sub reflectors, and the intensity of the luminous flux impinging on each of the Fresnel lenses decreases in proportion to the decrease in the height of the corresponding one of the sub reflectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Amano
  • Patent number: 6607296
    Abstract: A lens 1, for use in a vehicular lamp, including a front section 4 directed generally to the front, a curved section 5 extending from the front section 4 and changing direction to face laterally and seal legs projecting generally to the back from the peripheral edges. The seal leg in the curved section has a portion that extends inwardly to form an undercut in the direction in which the lens is removed from a lens shaping mold. The curved section 5 is shaped from resin in at least two colors and the seal legs which at least form an undercut in the curved section are shaped from a resin having one of said at least two colors. Thus the lens can be shaped in a mold of a simplified structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mituteru Yoshinaga, Makoto Sano
  • Publication number: 20030133307
    Abstract: The invention is directed to provide a vehicle interior illumination device which has a high illuminating effect and which can be used for various kinds of illumination in a vehicle. The illumination device disposed in a roof portion of the interior of a vehicle, including: a first light-emitting section having a first light source constituted by a plurality of first LEDs disposed at substantially regular spaces; and a second light-emitting section having a second light source constituted by a second LED, and a second outer lens with which a light emission side of the second light source is covered and by which light emitted from said second light source is converged and radiated out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Applicant: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugihara, Hiroshi Ito, Takayuki Kamiya, Yoshio Sano, Mitsuhiro Nawashiro, Kazushi Noda
  • Patent number: 6582111
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp structure that enables reliable engagement even when variations occur during molding is described. In a vehicle lamp, an attachment base body 2 may be coupled to a lens 6 covering a front surface thereof by engagement of at least a part. The lens is provided with an engagement leg portion 9 which is inserted into the body so as to be engaged with an engagement portion 10 of the body. First and second engagement protruding portions 11, 12 are formed, with a space therebetween that face the engagement portion of the body. A front surface 11a of the first engagement protruding portion is a slanted surface that is increasingly displaced to a side opposite the insertion direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Iwase
  • Patent number: 6575610
    Abstract: A vehicle indicator lamp having a transparent cover that performs horizontal light radiation at a wide angle in which a reflecting surface of a reflector is formed so as to diffusion-reflect the light from a filament of the light source into a forward direction. Horizontal deflection lens portions are formed on the center area of the transparent plain cover and near the lamp's optical axis so as to horizontally deflection-permeate the direct light from the filament in a direction away from the lamp's optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazunori Natsume
  • Patent number: 6543923
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp such as a rear combination lamp comprising: a reflex reflector lens that is fitted in a front lens of the lamp so as to reflect the light from the outside the vehicle lamp back to the outside, and a light reflector that is formed in the front lens so as to face the reflex reflector lens and to entirely reflect the light from a light source toward the light source. The vehicle reflex reflector lens is made of a material that has a lower heat resistance than the front lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Tamai
  • Publication number: 20030053316
    Abstract: A license light for a two-wheeled vehicle capable of uniformly illuminating a display plane of a license plate. A lamp main body is supported in a light housing portion of a light cover mounted to a license plate mounting portion of a rear fender. The lamp main body is configured such that a lamp fixed to a base via a socket is covered with a lens. A prism is provided on an upper surface portion of the lens through which light emitted from the lamp is directed for illuminating a display plane of the license plate. The prism is formed by arraying a plurality of prism elements, each of which is directed in a direction parallel to the center line of a vehicular body, in a direction perpendicular to the center line direction. The light emitted from the lamp is uniformly diffused by the prism, so that the license light is uniformly illuminated with the light with a uniform brightness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventors: Seiji Yamaguchi, Toru Miyagawa, Toshinori Nakano
  • Patent number: 6527425
    Abstract: A first reflection surface of a reflector is set up for a first brightness-intensity distribution pattern to be projected through a flat lens to conform to a target brightness-intensity distribution pattern. A displacement between the target brightness-intensity distribution pattern and a second brightness-intensity distribution pattern is calculated, the second brightness-intensity distribution pattern being reflected by the first reflection surface and to be projected through a curved lens. A second reflection surface of the reflector is set up for the displacement to become substantially a zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Ichikoh Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Nakata
  • Patent number: 6523983
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp assembly comprises a lamp housing, a lens, and a closeout sub-assembly. The closeout sub-assembly comprises a closeout and a template attached to the closeout. The closeout sub-assembly is created by forming the closeout around the outer periphery of the template such that the outer portion of the closeout is located adjacent to and outside of the peripheral edge of the template. The vehicle lamp assembly is created by affixing the closeout sub-assembly to the outer periphery of the inner surface of the lens and attaching the lens to the housing such that the closeout sub-assembly is located between the lens and the housing and such that the outer portion of the closeout is located adjacent to and outside of the peripheral edge of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Guide Corporation
    Inventor: Paul E. Young, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20030035299
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp which radiates a light by indirect illumination using a plurality of LED light sources which has a thin structure while providing sufficient light output to the front of the lamp, even in the case where the lamp is mounted in a wrap-around portion of the vehicle body. Respective Fresnel lenses which form light from respective LED light sources into parallel light fluxes are arranged so as to align the directions of the parallel light fluxes upward, and the parallel light fluxes are then reflected toward the front of the lamp by a reflector. The reflector is separated into sub-reflectors for every area which the parallel light fluxes from the respective Fresnel lenses strike, and the sub-reflectors are arranged in a stepped configuration extending in a lateral direction of the reflector from the front of the lamp toward the rear of the lamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Amano
  • Patent number: 6520666
    Abstract: An apparatus for lighting or illuminating spaces, bodies or surfaces, which is formed from a plurality of light emitting diodes (1). The light emitting diodes (1) are radially enclosed by a casing body (14) which is adjoined at the end by a tubular element (15) which bears against a lens (4). A set spacing is thereby established between the light emitting diode (1) and the lens (4). All light spots issuing from the light emitting diode (1) are projected to form a single light spot of a high level of brightness by virtue of the superimposed relationship at a spacing in front of the lens (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Diehl Luftfahrt Elektronik GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Beyerlein, Thomas Krummer
  • Patent number: 6517228
    Abstract: A motor vehicle headlamp comprises a source, a mirror possessing first and second focal regions, and a converging lens. The source is located in the first focal region and the lens possesses a focus situated in the second focal region. The mirror and the lens have axes which are essentially coincident defining an optical axis of the headlamp, and the headlamp further includes a mask located in the region of the focus of the lens, in order to project a beam an upper cut-off of which is defined by said mask. Finally, the mirror concentrates the light, in the vertical direction, towards a vertical focusing baseline extending substantially horizontally and transversely to the optical axis and passing close to the focus of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Pierre Albou
  • Publication number: 20030012033
    Abstract: A headlight assembly for a working vehicle includes a body (16) having a front frame (19), and side frames (20) bent and extending rearward from opposite ends of the front frame, and light source units mounted in a pair of right and left openings (21) formed in the body. The body (16) is an integral unit formed of resin. The light source units include a pair of right and left main bulbs for forward illumination, and reflector units for forwardly reflecting light from the main bulbs. A cover member (18) is provided for covering at least a large part of the body. The cover member (18) includes a pair of right and left lens regions opposed to light radiating planes of the reflector units (32), respectively, a front wall region (33) interconnecting the these lens regions, and side wall regions (34) bent and extending rearward from lateral ends of the lens regions, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Applicant: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hajime Shikiya
  • Publication number: 20030012030
    Abstract: A design structure is provided in the effective luminous region of a lamp device. Moreover, there is provided a unit which allows the optical path of a reflected light from a reflector to avoid the design structure is provided on the reflector. Therefore, the design structure can be positively provided in the effective luminous region of the lamp device, without affecting the light distribution, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in designing of the lamp device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Applicant: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Koshiro, Katsuhiko Inoue
  • Publication number: 20020186570
    Abstract: A headlight for a motor vehicle comprises a light source, a mirror and a transparent optical deflection element placed in front of the mirror, the mirror being capable of cooperating with the light source in order to generate a beam delimited by an upper cut-off line, and the deflection element being capable of providing a generally horizontal spread of the light, without substantially modifying the vertical distribution of the light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Inventors: Pierre Albou, Herve Perrin
  • Publication number: 20020181243
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent dazzlement from being caused by beams of light directly emitted from a light source, without requiring any bulky component member. A vehicular headlamp 1 comprises a light source 7, a reflector 6, a cut-line forming shade 9 for forming a cut line, and a condenser lens 8. The cut-line forming shade cuts off some beams of light emitted from the light source and reflected by the reflector and forms shaped beams of light. The condenser lens projects the shaped beams of light forwards and radiates them according to a light distribution pattern. An opening is formed between the condenser lens and the reflector. A dazzling-light cutting shade 15 for cutting off beams of light emitted toward a region above the light distribution pattern is disposed between the light source and the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ishida, Hideki Tanaka, Kaoru Yamamoto, Kenichi Takada
  • Publication number: 20020181246
    Abstract: A vehicular headlamp having enhanced long-distance visibility in right and left diffused-beam areas without dazzling drivers of oncoming vehicles. A vehicular headlamp of the invention includes a light source, a reflector for radiating light emitted from the light source forwards, and a cover lens for covering an area in front of the reflector and the light source, wherein the light distribution pattern of the low beam emitted by the vehicular headlamp has a horizontal cut line at least on the side of the opposite lane and wherein a long-distance visibility enhancing portion extending above the horizontal cut line of the light distribution pattern is formed at an end portion of the horizontal cut line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Takada, Naoki Uchida, Hiroyuki Ishida
  • Publication number: 20020167816
    Abstract: A lens 1, for use in a vehicular lamp, including a front section 4 directed generally to the front, a curved section 5 extending from the front section 4 and changing direction to face laterally and seal legs projecting generally to the back from the peripheral edges. The seal leg in the curved section has a portion that extends inwardly to form an undercut in the direction in which the lens is removed from a lens shaping mold. The curved section 5 is shaped from resin in at least two colors and the seal legs which at least form an undercut in the curved section are shaped from a resin having one of said at least two colors. Thus the lens can be shaped in a mold of a simplified structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2000
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: Mituteru Yoshinaga, Makoto Sano
  • Patent number: 6478451
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp in which bonding failure between a front lens and a lamp body is prevented while enhancing the bonding strength and improving the quality of the outer appearance around the bonded surface therebetween. An edge surface of a seal leg of the front lens and a receiving surface of a lamp body are bonded together by laser beam welding so as to improve the quality of the outer appearance of the portion around the bonded surfaces. The bonded surface is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the bonding direction. Even if the edge surface of the seal leg or the receiving surface has a wave-like irregularity such that gaps are created in areas therebetween, the pressure in the bonding direction acting on the members to be bonded causes slippage between them, resulting in sealing the gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Akiyama, Fujihiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 6464382
    Abstract: Lighting apparatus for a motor vehicle, for illuminating or signalling purposes, comprises a light source cooperating with optical diffusing means. The diffusing means comprise a plate through which the light passes from the light source. The mass of this plate is made of a transparent first material having a first refractive index, and in which are embedded inclusions of a transparent second material having a different refractive index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Vincent Duflos
  • Patent number: 6464374
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp in which bonding failure between a front lens and a lamp body is prevented while enhancing the bonding strength and improving the quality of the outer appearance around the bonded surface therebetween. An end surface of a seal leg of a front lens and a receiving surface of a lamp body are bonded through laser beam welding so as to improve the outer appearance quality of the area around the bonded surfaces. The end surface is formed on an end portion of the seal leg that is bent and extended outward at a predetermined angle with respect to the bonding direction. The laser beam is irradiated onto the receiving surface through the end portion from a direction substantially orthogonal to the end surface. The resultant permeation distance of the laser beam is made short, resulting in a sufficient amount of irradiation energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Akiyama, Fujihiko Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20020136012
    Abstract: A shape of a vertical cross section and a shape of a horizontal cross section in a lens are formed in a recess shape. Accordingly, even when a prism is not formed, a light transmitting through the lens is largely refracted and an interior section is hard to be visible. As a result, it is not necessary to finish a surface of a reflection surface of a reflector so as to have an optical performance equal to or more than an optical performance required for reflection with taking an appearance into consideration, and a working operation can be easily executed in comparison with the conventional one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: Ichikoh Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Nakata
  • Publication number: 20020136022
    Abstract: A shape of a vertical cross section and a shape of a horizontal cross section in a lens are formed in a convex shape. Accordingly, even when a prism is not formed, alight transmitting through the lens is largely refracted and an interior section is hard to be visible. As a result, it is not necessary to finish a surface of a reflection surface of a reflector so as to have an optical performance equal to or more than an optical performance required for reflection with taking an appearance into consideration, and a working operation can be easily executed in comparison with the conventional one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: Ichikoh Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Nakata
  • Patent number: 6454449
    Abstract: A vehicle component assembly includes a hard coated polymeric element with a resinous polymeric molded element or gasket integrally molded to a predetermined area thereof. Preferably, the element is a polycarbonate optical lens, such as a headlight lens, which is coated with a protective coating or hard coat which provides abrasion resistance and optionally includes ultraviolet radiation absorbers to protect the resinous polymeric molded element from UV radiation degradation. Adhesion is improved by priming the area of the polycarbonate element which receives the gasket with a primer coating. Preferably, the area to be gasketed is primed with a first adhesion promoting primer followed by a second adhesion promoting primer, wherein the first adhesion promoting primer improves the adhesion of the second primer to the protective coating, while the second primer, in turn, improves the adhesion of the molded element or gasket to the first primer and the hard coated element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: David E. Nestell, James T. Ainsworth
  • Publication number: 20020122311
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp structure that enables reliable engagement even when variations occur during molding is described. In a vehicle lamp, an attachment base body 2 may be coupled to a lens 6 covering a front surface thereof by engagement of at least a part. The lens is provided with an engagement leg portion 9 which is inserted into the body so as to be engaged with an engagement portion 10 of the body. First and second engagement protruding portions 11, 12 are formed, with a space therebetween that face the engagement portion of the body. A front surface 11a of the first engagement protruding portion is a slanted surface that is increasingly displaced to a side opposite the insertion direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Inventor: Atsushi Iwase
  • Patent number: 6422727
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp having a hollow body lens unit constructed by integrally forming a lamp body and a front lens which constitute a lamp chamber, a light source provided in the body lens unit, and a diffusion step such as a cylindrical step having step elements, each of which has constant directivity, the diffusion step being provided on the outer surface of the lens portion of the body lens unit. The step elements of the diffusion step on the outer surface of the lens portion are lined up in a predetermined direction and each have directivity, so that the mud and dust do not easily stick to each step element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takayoshi Goto
  • Publication number: 20020093829
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a component for a motor-vehicle lighting or indicator device. According to the invention, it consists of a transparent material within which light-diffusion foci consisting of local discontinuities are situated only at predetermined locations in order to diffuse the light emitted by a light source associated with the lighting or indicator device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: Ghislaine Pinson, Regis Duplessy
  • Patent number: 6416209
    Abstract: A vehicle puddle light assembly is provided in an opening formed in a body panel of a vehicle. A socket including a housing and at least one contact coupled to the housing is disposed within the opening and coupled to the body panel adjacent the opening. A lamp is coupled to the contact within the housing. A lens is coupled to the socket outboard of the lamp. The lens has an opaque upper portion and a transmissive lower portion having a plurality of facets formed therein for projecting light from the assembly and a predominantly downward and outboard direction. The housing includes a reflective upper portion for directing radiation from the lamp toward the transmissive portion of the lens and a reflective lower portion for directing radiation from the lamp toward a reflective surface of the lens formed inboard of the opaque upper portion. The radiation is then redirected toward the reflective upper portion of the housing and then toward the transmissive portion of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventor: Glenn W Abbott
  • Patent number: 6409371
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes: a lamp chamber defined by a lamp body and a colorless transparent front lens; a light source disposed in the lamp chamber; and a printed sheet disposed inwardly of the front lens. The printed sheet includes a colorless transparent sheet main body of synthetic resin having a pattern consisting of a predetermined colored transparent layer printed on an internal surface of the front lens. The colored transparent layer and a convex three-dimensional colorless transparent layer are formed in a laminated fashion as a lower layer and an upper layer, respectively, on an external surface of the sheet main body. A plating-like printed layer and a light shielding layer are formed in a laminated fashion as a lower layer and an upper layer, respectively, on an internal surface of the sheet main body at a location matching the location of the convex three-dimensional colorless transparent layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Aikawa
  • Patent number: 6409370
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp lens having integrated lens members with a boundary therebetween. The front surface of the boundary portion side of at least one of the lens members is displaced in the rearward direction as the surface becomes closer to the boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Akiyama, Fujihiko Sugiyama, Masahiko Nishizaki
  • Patent number: 6406171
    Abstract: A vehicle indicator lamp includes a reflector having a diffusing and reflecting function that increases the lamp fixture efficiency by eliminating the loss of reflected light. The structure includes a reflector 14 having a reflective surface 14a which diffuses and reflects light forward from a light-source bulb 12 arranged in a lamp fixture reference axis Ax, and a transparent lens 16 in front of the reflector 14. The reflective surface 14a is formed such that the inner peripheral edge region 14a1 thereof radiates reflected light in a direction substantially parallel to the lamp fixture reference axis Ax, while the outer peripheral edge region 14a2 thereof radiates reflected light in a direction near the light fixture reference axis Ax. Consequently, the diffused and reflected light from the reflected surface 14a is not blocked by either the light-source bulb 12 or the standing wall 14c of the reflective surface outer peripheral edge, thereby substantially eliminating the loss of reflected light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Satsukawa, Hiroshi Kawashima, Yasuyuki Amano
  • Patent number: 6398396
    Abstract: A vehicle component assembly includes a hard coated polymeric element with a resinous polymeric molded element or gasket integrally molded to a predetermined area thereof. Preferably, the element is a polycarbonate optical lens, such as a headlight lens, which is coated with a protective coating or hard coat which provides abrasion resistance and optionally includes ultraviolet radiation absorbers to protect the resinous polymeric molded element from UV radiation degradation. Adhesion is improved by priming the area of the polycarbonate element which receives the gasket with a primer coating. Preferably, the area to be gasketed is primed with a first adhesion promoting primer followed by a second adhesion promoting primer, wherein the first adhesion promoting primer improves the adhesion of the second primer to the protective coating, while the second primer, in turn, improves the adhesion of the molded element or gasket to the first primer and the hard coated element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: David E. Nestell, James T. Ainsworth
  • Publication number: 20020064053
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp having a front lens that contains an antistatic agent in a base material forming the front lens. In one embodiment, the lamp includes, in addition to the front lens, a light source, a lamp body for containing the light source and forming a lamp chamber, and a reflective mirror which is disposed in the lamp chamber and used for forming outside irradiation light by reflecting light emitted from light source. The reflective mirror may include a main reflective surface portion for reflecting the light emitted from the light source, and the lamp may also include an extension reflector formed integrally with or separately from the main reflective surface portion of the reflective mirror. The front-end portion of the extension reflector portion may be disposed opposite to the front lens containing the antistatic agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Anma, Takaya Nakamura, Mariko Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6386745
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp fixture in which a reflector is housed in a lamp body, a transparent front lens is attached to the lamp body, and a non-transparent treatment is applied to a region near a seal leg of a front lens. The non-transparent treatment is done by forming a plurality of convex cylindrical lens elements in a striped pattern on the entire region of the outer peripheral side and on a predetermined region of the inner peripheral side of the seal leg of the rear and/or front surface of the front lens, thus preventing a gap between the reflector and the lamp body from appearing dark when viewing the lamp fixture from the front and also preventing a seal groove of the lamp body from being directly seen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Horiba
  • Patent number: 6382818
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a reflector, and a lens attached to a front open portion of the reflector. Cantilever-type elastic legs are formed on those portions of the lens respectively opposed to engagement holes in the reflector, and extend in a direction of the circumference of the lens. Engagement projections, for engagement in respective engagement holes, are formed at respective distal end portions of the elastic legs. When the lens is formed into a thin design, the length of the elastic legs in the circumferential direction is not limited, and each elastic leg can have a length sufficient to enable it to be elastically deformed so as to fit the engagement projection into the engagement hole. Therefore, the engagement projection can be positively and easily engaged in the engagement hole. Even if one tried to forcibly engage the engagement projection in the engagement hole, the elastic leg will not break.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takafumi Iwama, Makoto Ito
  • Publication number: 20020034078
    Abstract: A lamp unit having a dome-shaped translucent panel disposed in front of several light sources is provided. Opening portions corresponding to certain light sources are formed crosswise in the translucent panel. A condenser lens is provided in the rear of each opening portion in the translucent panel. The dome-shaped portion of the translucent panel is formed as a half-mirror portion, whereby five small cross-shaped translucent domes are visible when the vehicle lamp is in an off state. The light sources positioned to the rear of the opening portions and the light sources positioned to the rear of the half-mirror portions provide an unexpected luminous intensity distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazunori Natsume
  • Publication number: 20020030998
    Abstract: A lamp chamber is defined by a translucent cover and a lamp body supporting a light source bulb. A translucent panel is provided within the lamp chamber. A front surface of the translucent panel is half mirror-treated. An upstanding wall portion extends in a fore-aft direction in the lamp body to surround the translucent panel. A plurality of quasi-reflector elements are formed in an inner surface of the upstanding wall portion. The half mirror portion is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the upstanding wall portion. When the lamp is off, a reflection of the quasi-reflector elements of the upstanding wall portion is seen in the half mirror portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Inventor: Kazunori Natsume
  • Publication number: 20020018349
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes: a lamp chamber defined by a lamp body and a colorless transparent front lens; a light source disposed in the lamp chamber; and a printed sheet disposed inwardly of the front lens. The printed sheet includes a colorless transparent sheet main body of synthetic resin having a pattern consisting of a predetermined colored transparent layer printed on an internal surface of the front lens. The colored transparent layer and a convex three-dimensional colorless transparent layer are formed in a laminated fashion as a lower layer and an upper layer, respectively, on an external surface of the sheet main body. A plating-like printed layer and a light shielding layer are formed in a laminated fashion as a lower layer and an upper layer, respectively, on an internal surface of the sheet main body at a location matching the location of the convex three-dimensional colorless transparent layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Inventor: Shinji Aikawa
  • Publication number: 20020012250
    Abstract: A vehicle component assembly includes a hard coated polymeric element with a resinous polymeric molded element or gasket integrally molded to a predetermined area thereof. Preferably, the element is a polycarbonate optical lens, such as a headlight lens, which is coated with a protective coating or hard coat which provides abrasion resistance and optionally includes ultraviolet radiation absorbers to protect the resinous polymeric molded element from UV radiation degradation. Adhesion is improved by priming the area of the polycarbonate element which receives the gasket with a primer coating. Preferably, the area to be gasketed is primed with a first adhesion promoting primer followed by a second adhesion promoting primer, wherein the first adhesion promoting primer improves the adhesion of the second primer to the protective coating, while the second primer, in turn, improves the adhesion of the molded element or gasket to the first primer and the hard coated element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Applicant: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: David E. Nestell, James T. Ainsworth
  • Publication number: 20020003708
    Abstract: A marker lamp distributes light without the use of mirrors or reflectors. The marker lamp uses a combination of corner cube optics and intersecting cylindrical prisms on the lens, distributing light in accordance to the United States and the United Nations standards for the European community for marker lamps. The marker lamp uses as a light source a reduce number of light emitting diodes, a maximum of three. The marker lamp is design to be slim and sturdy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventors: Philip C. Roller, Jon A. Stineman
  • Patent number: 6305830
    Abstract: Lighting optics is provided for lights of vehicles, preferably motor vehicles. The lighting optics has a light-refracting lens element that is disposed in the path of rays of at least one light. The lens element has at least one aperture through which a portion of the rays of the light passes without undergoing refraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Hubert Zwick, Helfried Sandig
  • Publication number: 20010028569
    Abstract: A car lighting fixture lens structure comprising: a lens body molded of a transparent resin material and attached to cover an opening of a lamp housing; and a transparent protective film laminated and formed on an outer surface of this lens body, the lens body being molded of a transparent thermoplastic resin material, and said transparent protective film being molded of a thermoplastic polyurethane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Applicant: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Shingo Hanasaki
  • Publication number: 20010028568
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp in which bonding failure between a front lens and a lamp body is prevented while enhancing the bonding strength and improving the quality of the outer appearance around the bonded surface therebetween. An edge surface of a seal leg of the front lens and a receiving surface of a lamp body are bonded together by laser beam welding so as to improve the quality of the outer appearance of the portion around the bonded surfaces. The bonded surface is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the bonding direction. Even if the edge surface of the seal leg or the receiving surface has a wave-like irregularity such that gaps are created in areas therebetween, the pressure in the bonding direction acting on the members to be bonded causes slippage between them, resulting in sealing the gaps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Inventors: Kazuo Akiyama, Fujihiko Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20010028567
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp in which bonding failure between a front lens and a lamp body is prevented while enhancing the bonding strength and improving the quality of the outer appearance around the bonded surface therebetween. An end surface of a seal leg of a front lens and a receiving surface of a lamp body are bonded through laser beam welding so as to improve the outer appearance quality of the area around the bonded surfaces. The end surface is formed on an end portion of the seal leg that is bent and extended outward at a predetermined angle with respect to the bonding direction. The laser beam is irradiated onto the receiving surface through the end portion from a direction substantially orthogonal to the end surface. The resultant permeation distance of the laser beam is made short, resulting in a sufficient amount of irradiation energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Inventors: Kazuo Akiyama, Fujihiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 6296382
    Abstract: A multi-chamber lamp has a lamp housing with a plurality of reflectors. A closure pane is provided on the lamp housing. An intermediate pane, located between the reflectors and the closure pane extends over an entire light emergence plane of at least one reflector. The closure pane as well as the intermediate pane are at least partially free of optical function. The intermediate pane supports a shield device for the light source associated with the at least one reflector, which is surrounded by an optics-free area. A cover apparatus completely encompasses the at least one reflector provided with the intermediate pane and covers also a peripheral rim of the intermediate pane as well as shields an interior of the lamp housing from view from the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventor: Antonius Hamelbeck
  • Publication number: 20010019484
    Abstract: A headlight for a vehicle operating in accordance with the projection principle has a light source, a reflector which reflects light emitted by the light source as a converging light beam, a screen arranged in a beam path of the light beam reflected by the reflector and screening a part of the light beam, a lens arranged after the screen in a light outlet direction for projecting an upper edge of the screen as a bright-dark limit of a light bundle exiting the headlight, so that a part of the light bundle reflected by the reflector illuminates at least a region arranged at a distance above the bright-dark limit, the screen being provided with at least one opening which is located at a defined region below the upper edge of the screen and formed so that a part of the light beam reflected by the reflector passes through the opening and illuminates at least one region above the bright-dark limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2001
    Publication date: September 6, 2001
    Inventors: Friedrich Schauwecker, Horst Oschmann, Hartmut Stephan
  • Patent number: 6280064
    Abstract: The reflective surface of a reflector 16 is divided through steps into a plurality of vertically elongated reflective surface elements. In each of those reflective surface elements, the light incidence section to which the output light of a light source bulb is applied is made up a convex cylindrical curved surface and a concave cylindrical curved surface which are arranged substantially in parallel with the step adjacent to the light incidence section. Accordingly, when the lamp is turned on, and the reflector is observed from the front, the light incidence sections function as follows; that is, the apex portions of the cylindrical curves surfaces look glittered as bright sections. Therefore, the reflective surface looks more sparkling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Sato, Kazunori Natsume
  • Publication number: 20010015898
    Abstract: A vehicle indicator lamp having a transparent cover that performs horizontal light radiation at a wide angle in which a reflecting surface of a reflector is formed so as to diffusion-reflect the light from a filament of the light source into a forward direction. Horizontal deflection lens portions are formed on the center area of the transparent plain cover and near the lamp's optical axis so as to horizontally deflection-permeate the direct light from the filament in a direction away from the lamp's optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazunori Natsume
  • Patent number: 6273591
    Abstract: An indicator light for a motor vehicle has a point source, an intermediate screen which receives the light directly from the source, and a cover glass outside the screen. The intermediate screen comprises a series of optical cells, each of which has, on an internal face, a curved surface for straightening and spreading the light. Each cell further has, on an outer face, a set of at least two flat facets which are oblique with respect to a plane of the intermediate screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Pierre Albou