With Common Housing Patents (Class 362/544)
  • Patent number: 8714792
    Abstract: A bumper adapted for mounting to a trailer is provided. The bumper comprises a tail skirt extending horizontally across the rear of the trailer. Upright bars mount to and intersect the tail skirt. The tail skirt comprises a groove for receiving a recessed light bar comprising multiple signal lights. The wiring harness extends from the light bar into a space behind the upright bars and passes through openings in the tail skirt behind the upright bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Fontaine Trailer Company, Inc.
    Inventor: James H. Adams
  • Patent number: 8702290
    Abstract: A light emitting module without connecting with an external power supply contains a light emitting panel including a display surface on which a first raised pattern set and a second raised pattern set are formed; a plurality of lighting elements disposed on a bottom plate and secured in the light emitting panel with the bottom plate, each lighting element at least having a first light facing to the first raised pattern set and emitting light and a second light facing to the second raised pattern set and emitting light; a magnetic reed switch mounted in the light emitting panel and electrically connecting with the each lighting element; at least one cell secured in the light emitting panel and electrically coupled with the plurality of lighting elements and the magnetic reed switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Hon Yu Auto Parts Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang-An Yang
  • Patent number: 8690402
    Abstract: An illuminated grab handle assembly for a vehicle includes a handle body and at least one light source. The handle body has a center portion and two opposed ends and is adapted to be attached to a surface of the vehicle interior. The at least one light source is disposed within the center portion of the handle body for illuminating the vehicle interior. The illuminated grab handle assembly is operable to provide more than one mode of illumination for the vehicle interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jedidiah Paul Durkin, Luis Miguel Lopez Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 8672524
    Abstract: A rear lamp apparatus for a vehicle may include a plurality of reflectors mounted in a rear lamp housing of the vehicle to reflect light emitted from light sources at various angles and a light guide provided inside the reflectors and having end portions on which the light sources are mounted to guide the light emitted from the light sources through the light guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jun Ho Cha, Byeong Ho Jeong, Yang Gi Lee
  • Patent number: 8651718
    Abstract: A vehicle light fitting unit includes two headlights which irradiate a low beam. The two headlights can each include a light emitting element, an elliptical series reflecting surface provided in a state where a first focal position is positioned near the light emitting element and a second focal position is positioned on an optical axis of the headlight, and a projecting lens provided so that a focal position on a rear side of the light irradiating direction is near the second focal position. Only a first headlight among the two headlights includes a light shielding member. The elliptical series reflecting surface of a second headlight is positioned so that the first focal position is positioned to the front of the light irradiating direction than the light emitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Yamagata
  • Patent number: 8646956
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting device having at least two semiconductor light-emitting elements may include at least a first light-emitting element group and a second light-emitting element group, each having at least one semiconductor light-emitting element, the light-emitting element groups being selectively drivable and the first light-emitting element group having at least a foglight function, the first light-emitting element group and the second light-emitting element group having a daytime running light function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: OSRAM Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Oliver Hering, Jenny Trommer, Thomas Reiners
  • Patent number: 8602620
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus may include an electrically conductive housing, in whose interior at least one light source and at least one electromagnetic radiation-emitting circuit component configured to operate the at least one light source are arranged; and an electrically conductive cover configured to cover the at least one circuit component; wherein the cover and the housing are electrically connected to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: OSRAM Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Ralf Vollmer, Thomas Reiners
  • Patent number: 8596841
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp is provided. The vehicle lamp includes a lens disposed on an optical axis of the vehicle lamp, the optical axis extending in a front-and-rear direction of the vehicle lamp, the lens comprising a first concave lens portion; a plurality of light emitting elements disposed to a rear side of the lens and around the optical axis at regular intervals in a circumferential direction, the plurality of light emitting elements comprising at least one first light emitting element disposed to a rear side of the first concave lens portion; at least one first reflector corresponding to the at least one first light emitting element and disposed between the corresponding first light emitting element and the optical axis, wherein the first reflector comprises a first reflecting surface which reflects light from the corresponding first light emitting element toward the first concave lens portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Yagi, Motohiro Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20130301289
    Abstract: An illuminated grab handle assembly for a vehicle includes a handle body and at least one light source. The handle body has a center portion and two opposed ends and is adapted to be attached to a surface of the vehicle interior. The at least one light source is disposed within the center portion of the handle body for illuminating the vehicle interior. The illuminated grab handle assembly is operable to provide more than one mode of illumination for the vehicle interior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jedidiah Paul Durkin, Luis Miguel Lopez Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 8577218
    Abstract: An illumination device contains a light-emitting semiconductor chip containing a plurality of individually drivable emission regions. The illumination device furthermore contains an optical element designed to shape light emitted by the emission regions to form a beam of rays. The illumination device is designed such that different beam profiles of the beam of rays can be set by the individually drivable emission regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventors: Norwin von Malm, Jürgen Moosburger, Ulrich Streppel, Michael Brandl, Stefan Morgott
  • Patent number: 8562188
    Abstract: A wiring structure of a rear combination light of a vehicle includes a light-side wire, a vehicle-body-side wire holding portion, a stay, a light-side wire holding portion and a wire coupler. The vehicle-body-side wire holding portion is mounted on a rear surface of the vehicle body to hold an intermediate portion of a vehicle-body-side wire. The light-side wire holding portion is mounted on the stay to hold an intermediate portion of the light-side wire on a distal end portion of the stay. The wire coupler is arranged between the rear surface of the vehicle body and a back surface of the rear combination light. The light-side wire is connected to the vehicle-body-side wire via the wire coupler in a state where the rear combination light is mounted on the rear portion of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ono, Makoto Hattori, Koji Suzuki, Yoshiya Omuro, Masayuki Hojo, Katsuhisa Yamada
  • Patent number: 8550678
    Abstract: A headlight for a motor vehicle with light unit for daytime and nighttime front navigation light and a supplemental distance light unit, in addition to an at least one optical module (3), with light source (2). The light sources (61, 62) of the supplemental unit (7) are supplied with alternating electric current, for creation of the front nighttime navigation light when supplied with low electric current, or the front daytime navigation light when supplied with medium electric current, and when supplied with the highest electric current, a supplemental distance beam in addition to the distance light beam emerging from the optical module (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignees: Varroccorp Holding BV, Varroc Engineering Private Limited, Varroc Lighting Systems S.R.O.
    Inventors: Milan Cejnek, Rainer Neumann, Zdenek Geryk
  • Publication number: 20130257109
    Abstract: A vehicular ceiling assembly includes a ceiling board, a functional component, a bracket including a mount and a shock absorber. The bracket is mounted to an upper surface of the ceiling board to fix the functional component to the ceiling board. The bracket is arranged such that the mount is positioned above the functional component in a vehicle height direction and the shock absorber is in contact with a lower surface of a roof of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki HAMADA, Haruo HORIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20130250601
    Abstract: A light source unit is provided with a housing, a substrate, and light-emitting devices. The light-emitting devices are mounted on a mounting part of the substrate. A heat dissipation part extends from an outer edge of the mounting part in a direction opposite to a light emitting direction of the light-emitting devices. The mounting part is held on a bottom part of the housing. A peripheral groove part extends in the direction opposite to the light emitting direction along an outer edge of the bottom part. The heat dissipation part is accommodated in the peripheral groove part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Noriaki Ito
  • Patent number: 8529110
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp has a plurality of bulb sockets, each of the plurality of bulb sockets holding a bulb serving as a light source, a lamp body that accommodates the bulb sockets, a front cover that forwardly covers the lamp body, a plurality of bulb socket fixing portions formed in the lamp body, and inserted with the plurality of bulb sockets, a temporary holding member that includes a plurality of temporary holding portions of the bulb sockets, and temporarily holds each of the plurality of bulb sockets to each of the plurality of temporary holding portions, and a bulb socket mounting unit that sandwiches the lamp body and the temporary holding member via an elastic portion formed on each of the bulb sockets. The elastic portion elastically deforms when the temporarily held bulb sockets are inserted into the fixing portions and returning at predetermined fixing positions of the fixing portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hironori Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 8511874
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a first lamp unit and a second lamp unit. Light irradiated from the first lamp unit and light irradiated from the second lamp unit are superimposed to form a low light distribution pattern. The first lamp unit provides more than twice as much illuminance as the second lamp unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yusuke Nakada
  • Patent number: 8511875
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a lighting unit for vehicles, comprising a light source arranged on a circuit board and further comprising an optical attachment mounted in the direction of light emission in front of the light source, said optical attachment comprising at least one holding turret on one of the sides facing the circuit board such that, at its mounting position, the holding turret slots into a hole drilled into the circuit board, wherein the optical attachment is positive-locking to a holding body arranged on one of the sides facing away from the light source, wherein the holding body is molded to a carrier frame, and wherein the holding body or the carrier frame snaps on to the optical attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Heinz-Uwe Spork, Sonia Martinez, David Hanuschkiewitz
  • Patent number: 8506147
    Abstract: A light source apparatus for vehicle lamps and particularly vehicle headlights can include a plurality of LED elements can be mounted in a cavity located on a base surface or on a base. Each of the LED elements can be arranged in such a manner as to form an emission shape and a brightness distribution that is suited for a light distribution pattern, and especially a light distribution pattern for a vehicle headlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Yatsuda, Teruo Koike, Takuya Kushimoto
  • Publication number: 20130201704
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight and control system for a bus or large vehicle includes a headlight fixture with a center or low beam light source and side illumination light source operated independently. The side illumination light source may be activated when the vehicle is turning, as detected by the vehicle speed and steering shaft turn angle, to provide supplemental illumination. Both right and left side illumination sources may be provided, and may comprise LED light elements. The system may also include an audible sound generator to alert pedestrians when the vehicle is turning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: Jerry Lin, Yongchang Wang, Ren-Cheng Chao, Chin-Tin Hsiao, Chih-Li Wang
  • Patent number: 8496365
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting assembly is provided which includes a housing, first and second light sources located in the housing, and an articulating lighting device. The articulating lighting device is located within the housing and moves between a use position in front of another light source to provide light and a retracted position. Accordingly, light assembly housing is effectively used to provide a secondary light source, such as a daylight running lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sarbjit Singh, Edward R. Golden
  • Patent number: 8475022
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting assembly is provided which includes a housing, first and second light sources located in the housing, and an articulating reflector. The articulating reflector is located within the housing and moves between a use position in front of the first light source to reflect light from the second light source and a retracted position. Accordingly, light assembly housing is effectively used to provide a secondary light source, such as a daylight running lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Sarbjit Singh, Edward R. Golden
  • Patent number: 8475020
    Abstract: A light signalling device, particularly designed for motor vehicles. The device has a reflector with a reflecting surface and a screen arranged opposite the reflector and having a semi-reflecting zone. The screen being arranged away from the reflector and forming a cavity with the reflector. The light rays of the source penetrate the cavity; and some of these rays are transmitted by the semi-reflecting zone, and others of these rays are reflected by the semi-reflecting zone, then by the reflector into the cavity in such a way as to generate a repetitive visual or three-dimensional effect of depth. The screen is configured and arranged in relation to the direction of emission of the light source in such a way that another part of the light rays leaves the cavity at the level of the screen without meeting the semi-reflecting zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Christophe Dubosc
  • Publication number: 20130163270
    Abstract: In an elevator installation, a source of electrical energy provides electrical power to a cabin lamp mounted within a cabin to illuminate the cabin during regular and emergency situations. The lamp includes a carrier having at least one terminal to receive electrical power from the source of electrical energy. A light element is coupled to the terminal and positioned on the carrier to illuminate the cabin. The lamp includes further an energy storage device positioned on the carrier and coupled to the light element to power the light element during emergency situations. The carrier, the energy storage device and the light element may be positioned within a housing of the lamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventor: Seth Burgin
  • Patent number: 8469565
    Abstract: A vehicle light includes a multi-focal lens that has a mid-level lens portion, an upper-level lens portion, and lower-level lens portion, a separator plate with a front edge positioned at or near the focal point of the mid-level lens portion, and a plurality of light emitting elements mounted on the top and bottom of the separator plate, respectively. A first elliptical reflecting surface whose first focal point is set at or near the first light emitting element and whose second focal point is set at or near the focal point of the mid-level lens portion is provided on the top of the separator plate; a second elliptical reflecting surface is provided on the bottom of the separator plate, with a first focal point set at or near the second light emitting element and the second focal point set at or near the focal point of the upper-level lens portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasushi Yatsuda
  • Patent number: 8469567
    Abstract: An optical lens for use in a vehicle light can be compact and less expensive and has an outer appearance that has a high commercial value and achieves a high light utilization efficiency. The optical lens can include a light incident surface that receives light from a light source and a light output surface to output the light. The light incident surface can include a center light incident surface formed at its center and being convex toward the light source with a plurality of prisms with a polygonal shape formed radially from its center to its periphery. The light output surface can include a toroidal surface corresponding to the center light incident surface and a surrounding light output surface corresponding to the prisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Futami
  • Publication number: 20130130674
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a door of a vehicle includes a handle portion and an illumination module. The handle portion is disposed at the vehicle door and movable to actuate a locking mechanism of the vehicle door to open the vehicle door. The illumination module includes at least one illumination source and an icon element and a cover element. The illumination source, when operated, backlights the icon element so that an icon of the icon element is viewable through the cover element at an exterior surface of the handle portion. The icon element includes a security icon and the illumination module is operable to backlight the security icon when a security system of the vehicle is operational.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
  • Patent number: 8430543
    Abstract: A light device for a bicycle wheel that includes a body having a rim end and a hub end, a row of at least seven independently controllable lights extending between the rim end and the hub end, electronic controls for the lights, and three mounts for securing the body to spokes of the wheel. A first mount is located near the hub end to secure the body to a first spoke. A second mount is located near the rim end to secure the body to the first spoke. A third mount is located on a side of the lights opposed to the first and second mounts and between the first and second mounts to secure the body to the second spoke. Each of the mounts includes a mounting pad located between the body and the spokes and made of a resiliently deformable material to dampen vibration and offset the body and lights from the plane of the spokes. Each of the mounts also includes an attachment clamping the mounting pad between the body and the spokes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Inventor: Dan Goldwater
  • Publication number: 20130100693
    Abstract: A tail light assembly includes a housing, one or more lights arranged to emit light in a first direction, and a side marker connected to the housing and arranged to emit light in a second direction, approximately perpendicular to the first direction. The lights may include one or more light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) to reduce power consumption of the tail light assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Inventor: Kathleen Anne Johnson
  • Patent number: 8419248
    Abstract: A vehicle light is provided which can prevent the accumulation of assembly errors during the assembling of separate optical components. The vehicle light can include a first heat sink having a first heat sink body and a first heat radiation fin, and a first optical system configured to form a part of a predetermined light distribution pattern. The first optical system can include a first LED light source, a first reflector configured to reflect light emitted from the first LED light source, and a projection lens configured to allow light reflected from the first reflector to pass therethrough. The first LED light source, the first reflector, and the projection lens can be secured to an upper surface of the first heat sink body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Toyoyama, Yoshiaki Akiyama
  • Patent number: 8408768
    Abstract: With a lighting device for a vehicle with at least one signal lamp as well as an additional lamp a first covering, through which a part of the light generated by the signal lamp is radiated, is arranged. A part of the light generated by the signal lamp is directed via a light guide into the region of the additional lamp and radiated in the region of the additional lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ingolf Schneider, Heiko Eckert, Ralph Schneider
  • Patent number: 8400286
    Abstract: A spacer lamp in passenger and/or goods traffic, with a light field which dispenses light according to an illuminating configuration, wherein the light field 6 has a first and a second light source, and a control unit is provided for controlling the illumination configuration of the light field, wherein the light field 6 has a first illuminating characteristic for the eye of an average adult as he approaches the light field until a predefined spacing depending on a configuration parameter is reached, and has a second illuminating characteristic different from the first one if the spacing falls short of the predefined spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: MAGNA STEYR Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Gereon Johannes Pusch
  • Publication number: 20130058120
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rear trim strip for a motor vehicle, having at least one base support and at least one luminous body which is arranged on an opening of the base support in order to illuminate the outer area of the motor vehicle, having an actuating element arranged on the base support, wherein a switch can be actuated by means of said actuating element, whereby it is possible to activate a lock on the motor vehicle, such that a lid is attached on the base support, the lid is designed having an electronics board which projects into the base support, wherein an electronic device, including the switch, is arranged on said electronics board, and the lid is designed in such a manner that a reliable transmission of force takes place through the electronics board when the actuating element is actuated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: HUF HULSBECK & FURST GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Heiko SCHÜTZ
  • Patent number: 8353604
    Abstract: An illuminated cup holder assembly for a vehicle includes at least one side wall and a base wall together defining a cup holder recess. The base wall has a light transmissive portion. An illumination source is secured to an underside of the base wall for illuminating the cup holder recess through the light transmissive portion of the base wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joshua T. Glazier
  • Publication number: 20120275177
    Abstract: A safety illumination device that is mountable to an edge of a ski or snowboard is provided. The device has a curved exterior housing with a front window panel along the convex front portion, an upper window panel along the top and a concave cutout along the rear portion. A circuit board containing control circuitry, a power source and two arrays of lights is housed within the exterior housing. When the device is turned on, light is emitted through the window panels. This assists persons uphill and downhill from the user to see the user in the dark. Selection of an illumination pattern is controlled by a magnetic wand that the user waves over the upper surface of the device. Users may thus easily operate the device and customize their lighting experience. The device is secured to a ski or snowboard via the concave cutout and a pair of screws.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventor: Roland Edmisten
  • Patent number: 8297814
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp includes a first light source configured to emit first light that is projected to form a first irradiation region, a second light source configured to emit second light that is projected to form a second irradiation region joined to the first irradiation region to extend in a transverse direction with respect to an optical axis, a movable shade configured to move between a position at which light irradiation to a joined region of the first irradiation region and the second irradiation region is shielded, and a position at which the light irradiation to the joined region is permitted, and a controller configured to select one of light distribution patterns that are determined by combinations of turning on and off of the first light source, turning on and off of the second light source, and the positions of the movable shade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Satoshi Yamamura, Motohiro Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8297812
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting system having a plurality of lighting apparatuses disposed so as to make a vehicle front surface reminiscent of a “face,” wherein an outline of a light-emitting surface of each of the lighting apparatuses from blurring to be fused. A glare area G has a width y as expressed in an expression “y=a+b·ln(x) (ln is a natural logarithm),” “a=?107,” and “b=39.6” when a main lighting apparatus has a luminous intensity of x is defined outside an outline OL of a main light-emitting surface in a vehicle front view, and an auxiliary lighting apparatus disposition area, in which an auxiliary lighting apparatus of a steadily lighting type different from a flashing type lighting apparatus is disposed, is set upwardly of the main lighting apparatus and outside the glare area G.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Maruyama, Yutaka Murata, Yojiro Tsutsumi, Toru Miyagawa
  • Patent number: 8297815
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp including a main lamp unit that forms a main light distribution pattern for a headlamp, and an additional lamp unit that emits blue light or mixed light including blue light to form a lane marker irradiation light distribution pattern, wherein the lane marker irradiation light distribution pattern is superimposed onto the main light distribution pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Shimodaira, Gosuke Ohashi, Nobukazu Ishikawa, Yuichi Shibata, Hiroyuki Serizawa
  • Patent number: 8292480
    Abstract: A lamp is provided. The lamp includes a lamp housing; light emitting diodes (LEDs); a main reflector disposed so as to oppose to the LEDs for reflecting light emitted from the LEDs towards a front side of the lamp; a sub-reflector which is interposed between the LEDs and the main reflector, and which reflects and diffuses the light emitted from the LEDs towards the main reflector; an LED element assembly which extends in parallel with the sub-reflector and comprises a plurality of flat portions, each flat portion corresponding to one of the plurality of LEDs and on which the corresponding LED is mounted, adjacent ones of the flat portions being coupled together by at least one step portion; and a center portion which covers the LED element assembly and the LEDs such that the LEDs are not exposed to the front side of the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroya Koizumi, Miki Mochizuki
  • Publication number: 20120250344
    Abstract: An outer casing for headlights and a headlight using the outer casing can include an outer lens having an opening portion and a casing having an opening portion. The opening portion of the outer lens can include a sealing projection and a water guard rib, and the opening portion of the casing can include an end surface and a sealing concave portion. The outer lens can be attached to the casing so that the sealing projection is inserted in the sealing concave portion while the water guard rib contacts the end surface. The outer lens can be casted by a simple molding tool such that a burr is prevented from occurring on the opening portion. Therefore, the headlight using the outer casing can incorporate various lamps with an airtight structure and an adequate mechanical strength even when the outer lens is formed in a thickness of less than 2.5 millimeters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventor: Akiyasu KOSHIBA
  • Publication number: 20120243246
    Abstract: An annular lighting fixture having a housing, a channel, and a plurality of lights disposed in the channel. The fixture can be attached about a tubular portion of a motorcycle. In one embodiment, the plurality of lights are light emitting diodes surface mounted on a flexible printed circuit board disposed in the channel. In another embodiment a collimator is associated with each LED unit to redirect light in a desired direction. In another embodiment reflective portions are arranged on respective sides of the channel so as to redirect light in a desired direction. A method is also provided herein for the illumination of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventor: Jennifer S. Waring
  • Patent number: 8262270
    Abstract: A system and method for providing added functionality to a personal transporter by way of adding increased lighting, sound, and cargo carrying options is described. The system can include front, side, and rear lighting and an audio alert system. The system can further include flatbed structures for carrying hazardous or other materials, as well as cargo organizing systems for carrying supplies and equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Consultus, LLC
    Inventors: David Purinton, Alex Purinton, Shayne Ashton, Gary Sivertsen, Mary Sivertsen, Bryan Perry
  • Patent number: 8256939
    Abstract: A straddle-type vehicle that reliably inhibits entry of fluid to a tail lamp unit. An extending member protrudes upward from a rear fender and extends in a vehicle width direction. The extending member covers a sealing member of flasher lenses and a tail lamp lens when the motorcycle is viewed from the rear. A gutter guides fluid that enters a space between the extending member and the tail lamp unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Onoda, Yasuo Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8256942
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp is provided. The vehicle headlamp includes a lamp body having a front opening, a cover which covers the front opening of the lamp body to form a lamp housing, a first lamp unit which is disposed inside the lamp housing to produce at least one of a high beam and a low beam, and a second lamp unit disposed in a gap region between the lamp body and the first lamp unit to produce a beam other than the high beam and the low beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori Tsukamoto, Ryosuke Hara
  • Publication number: 20120201041
    Abstract: An emergency system for a vehicle integrates many disparate equipment into single housing, including the power supply for the equipment. In one embodiment of the invention, the emergency system is a light bar. The light bar houses a power source comprising solar cell panels, a Lithium-Ion battery pack and a connection to an external supply such as the vehicle's electrical power. Energy for operating the light bar is provided by one or more of the power sources, depending on operating conditions of the light bar and each of the power sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: FEDERAL SIGNAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul M. Gergets, Jacek J. Jozwik
  • Publication number: 20120182753
    Abstract: An illumination device including a light emitting element and a lighting control circuit on a metal base flexible printed circuit board (FPC) that is formed by integrating a flexible metal base with a flexible printed circuit board which is formed by integrating a copper foil pattern (conductive body) with films, wherein end portions of the metal base FPC are formed as thick terminal portions so that the end portions are thicker than the metal base FPC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki OTSUBO, Takashi MATSUNAGA, Noriaki ITO
  • Publication number: 20120170299
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight having a plurality of semiconductor emitters for the alternative production of a low-beam light distribution and a daytime driving light distribution is provided. For producing the low-beam light distribution, a low-beam light luminous surface is generated by the vehicle headlight. For producing the daytime driving light distribution, a daytime driving light luminous surface is generated by the vehicle headlight. The low-beam light luminous surface and the daytime driving light luminous surface are essentially identical.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Sebastian MORGENSTERN, Stefan Danner, Christopher Weil, Helmut Erdl
  • Publication number: 20120170298
    Abstract: An exterior assembly component for a vehicle and a manufacturing method thereof, where the component is in the form of an exterior mirror, door handle, door sill, skirt or similar, the component including a light module having at least one lamp emitting visible light toward the outside, and a plug to supply the lamp with electrical energy, where the light module represents a separate component of the assembly component which can be mounted on the assembly component and wherein the plug is designed as a single part with the a case of the light module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ralf LENNHOFF
  • Patent number: 8210726
    Abstract: The present invention provides a door mirror for an automobile, in which molding errors are made difficult to occur in a housing and assembling accuracy between the housing and a lamp assy is improved. A housing applied to the door mirror for an automobile is divided into two parts, that is, an upper housing located on the upper side and a lower housing located on the lower side, and a lamp assy constituting a side-turn lamp is disposed between the upper housing and the lower housing. Since the housing is divided vertically into two parts, materials or colors of the upper housing and the lower housing can be made different so that a texture and an appearance of the housing can be easily changed. Moreover, assembling errors between the housing and the lamp assy due to deformation by injection molding or thermal deformation applied during painting can hardly occur, and a gap can be hardly generated between the housing and the lamp assy on the surface side of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Murakami Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro Suzuki, Yosuke Sato
  • Publication number: 20120155100
    Abstract: The present disclosure sets forth a composite headlight assembly which increases the visibility and sight afforded to the driver of a vocational truck using such a composite lighting assembly. A composite lighting assembly includes a low beam light and a high beam light, as well as a turn signal and a parking light within one composite housing. As the overall size of the housing is limited by the size of the grill of the vehicle, the present disclosure increases the visibility and sight afforded to the driver by taking advantage of the untapped space within known composite headlight assemblies. More specifically, the turn signal and parking light may include a downwardly depending trapezoidal appendage increasing the overall area of the turn signal and parking light by at least ten percent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Eric J. Hanson, Marcey Collins, Susan M. LaBounty, Greg C. Miller, Erik C. Wilson, George C.A. McCowan, Joe F. DeNatale, Kim Hemme
  • Patent number: 8197107
    Abstract: The present invention provides a housing structure of a door mirror in which a fixed-side housing portion is reliably crimped to a fixing-side housing portion on the surface side of a housing. In the housing structure of a door mirror, a boss portion and a contact piece are located on the deeper side than first and second butting portions located on the surface side, and a projection portion is located farther than a screwing portion in a positional relationship in the vertical direction (an arrow Y direction) with respect to a horizontal plane passing through the first butting portion. Therefore, when the boss portion (first mounting portion) of an upper housing (fixing-side housing portion) and the contact piece (second mounting portion) of a lamp assy (fixed-side housing portion) are fixed by a screw, a screw tightening force can be concentrated on the projection portion as shown by an arrow A, and this force can be made to act on the first and second butting portions as shown by an arrow B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Murakami Corporation
    Inventor: Kentaro Suzuki