Patents Examined by Bao Truong
  • Patent number: 6538368
    Abstract: An electron emitter, such as for a display, has a substrate and regions of n-type material and p-type material on the substrate arranged such that there is an interface junction between the regions exposed directly to vacuum for the liberation of electrons. The p-type region may be a thin layer on top of the n-type region or the two regions may be layers on adjacent parts of the substrate with adjacent edges forming the interface junction. Alternatively, there many be multiple interface junctions formed by p-type particles or by both p-type and n-type particles. The particles may be deposited on the substrate by an ink-jet printing technique. The p-type material is preferably diamond, which may be activated to exhibit negative electron affinity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignees: Smiths Group PLC
    Inventors: Neil Anthony Fox, Wang Nang Wang
  • Patent number: 6530682
    Abstract: A connecting element of a multi-sectional lamp tube comprises a locking ring, a mounting joint, a threaded tube, and a fixing ring. The locking ring has a hollow bottom end and a though hole. Two sides of the through hole of the locking ring are installed with respective slots. A stopper is formed at a side of the through hole. Each of the two sides of the top ring has the buckling blocks. The buckling blocks pass through the slots of the locking ring. Then, the mounting joint is rotated and is gradually tightened against a ramp surfaces of the locking ring so as to resist against the stopper. An upper lamp tube is welded at an outer periphery of an assembled locking ring and a lower map tube is welded at an outer periphery of the fixing ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Inventor: Wen-Chang Wu
  • Patent number: 6527427
    Abstract: A device for setting the distance between a first and a second component, in particular for the horizontal and vertical setting of motor vehicle headlamps, includes a setting screw which is connected to the first component, and which engages the second component. The drive for the setting screw has a slipping clutch that prevents overadjustment of the distance setting device after a maximum torque is reached. The slipping clutch prevents the transmission of torque to the setting screw by slipping, and thereby prevents damage to the distance setting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Asyst Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Joachim Schröder
  • Patent number: 6525472
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a dielectric barrier discharge lamp capable of recovering reduced radiation efficiency by easily, quickly cleaning dust or discoloring of a discharge tube or replacing any defective discharge tube. For this end, an internal electrode 22 in a form of electrically conductive rod is inserted into a center hole of a dual discharge tube 20 having discharge gas filled in an internal space 21. Holders 40a and 40b are removably mounted on both ends of the internal electrode 22 using mounting screws 41. A protection tube 30 is mounted onto the holders 40 by way of sealing members 31, pressure blocks 32 and pressure rings 33 in such a manner to cover an external electrode 23 of the discharge tube 20. Cooling water or the like may be permitted to flow in a continuous space 45 formed between the internal electrode 22 and the discharge tube 20 and the holders 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: ORC Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Okugi
  • Patent number: 6520667
    Abstract: A vehicle rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes a rearview mirror assembly having a reflective element and a mirror case, which is adapted to mount to a vehicle. The mirror system further includes a display, which has at least one display character, and a display screen, which is provided at the mirror case. The display screen has a central viewing area generally aligned along a viewing axis. The display screen shifts the image of the display character from the display element, which is offset from the viewing axis, to the central viewing area of the display screen. The display screen shifts the image by at least one of refraction and diffraction so that the image of the display characters may be viewed by an occupant of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventor: Rick Mousseau
  • Patent number: 6513949
    Abstract: A hybrid lighting system for producing white light including at least one light emitting diode and phosphor-light emitting diode. The hybrid lighting system exhibits improved performance over conventional LED lighting systems that use LEDs or phosphor-LEDs to produce white light. In particular, the hybrid system of the invention permits different lighting system performance parameters to be addressed and optimized as deemed important, by varying the color and number of the LEDs and/or the phosphor of the phosphor LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas M. Marshall, Michael D. Pashley, Stephen Herman
  • Patent number: 6505963
    Abstract: A rubbing strip for a car has a body adapted to be secured to a side face of the car and having a receiving space with an open end; a transparent cap received in the open end of the receiving space of the body and having a reflection area oppositely formed relative to the open end of the body, the reflection area having multiple reflection faces formed to enhance the reflection effect; an illuminating assembly received in the receiving space of the body and located to face the reflection faces, the illuminating assembly being composed of multiple light emitting diodes. With such an arrangement, driving safety is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Inventor: Shun-Fa Chiang
  • Patent number: 6505958
    Abstract: An electric lamp/reflector unit has a molded reflector body that includes a hollow neck-shaped portion. The electric lamp further includes a lamp vessel, having a space in which an electric element is arranged, and is provided with a first and a second, opposed end portion which is fixed at its end portion within-the neck-shaped portion. Outer current conductors extending from the electric element are connected each to a respective contact member provided on the outer surface of the molded reflector body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Leo Frans Maria Ooms, Marcus Petrus Anna Jozef Van Opstal
  • Patent number: 6499854
    Abstract: A decorative water lamp is composed of a base (10) with a projector (12) and a transmission device (11), an inner shell (20), a membrane fixer (30), and an outer shell (40) with a semi-spherical cover. The transmission device ( 11) comprises a plate (14) rotatably mounted on the projector (12) to create different colored lights, and the membrane fixer (30) has a deformable membrane (34) to stimulate water waves by the transmission device (11). The decorative water lamp has a specially dynamic and colorful visual effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Inventor: Chaur-Bing Chen
  • Patent number: 6497498
    Abstract: A kit for making decorative lawn ornaments has a set of rods and rod connectors that enable the rods to be connected together to form two dimensional shapes and three-dimensional structures. The rod connectors permit two rods to be connected end to end collinearly or to connect two or more rods together at a selected angle between pairs of connected rods. Light holders are also provided to enable strings of decorative lights to be attached to the rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Adams Mfg. Corp.
    Inventor: William E. Adams
  • Patent number: 6495952
    Abstract: A cathode ray tube includes an electron gun having plural focus electrodes and an anode in its neck portion, a voltage-dividing resistor for producing an intermediate voltage applied to a first one of the focus electrodes adjacent to the anode by dividing an anode voltage, a metal conductor attached to a second one of the focus electrodes to surround the voltage-dividing resistor, and a metal film on an insulating substrate of the voltage-dividing resistor between the metal conductor and an intermediate-voltage terminal of the voltage-dividing resistor. The second one of the focus electrodes is disposed upstream of the first one of the focus electrodes, and the metal film extends at least 1 mm axially and is spaced at least 1 mm from the metal conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Electronic Devices Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisao Nakamura, Satoru Miyamoto, Atsushi Tsuruoka
  • Patent number: 6494603
    Abstract: A projection 24 is integrally formed at a front surface 22b of a light shielding plate 22. The light shielding plate 22 is interposed between a reflector 14 and a focusing lens 18. As the reflected light from the reflector 14 is deflected or reflected upward by the projection 24, light B1 for illuminating overhead-signs is made to propagate from the focusing lens 18. A front-end portion 24b of the projection 24 is has a curved surface such that the portion 24b and an upper inclined surface 24a of the projection 24 are smoothly connected to each other. The front-end portion 24b is prevented from being seen as dark relative to the surface 24a, which can be seen as being brightly lit by external light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Takada
  • Patent number: 6494596
    Abstract: A reflector for a lighting fixture comprising a substantially bell shaped reflector wall with top and bottom openings and a substantially parabolic cross-section. The reflector wall includes an inner surface having a first top portion that is textured for diffusing light rays from the light source of the fixture, and a second bottom portion that has a smooth surface allowing the light rays to pass through the reflector. The reflector wall also has an outer surface with a plurality of curvilinear prisms for reflecting the light rays. The inner and outer surfaces of the reflector create an even distribution of light emanating therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Frederick C. Burroughs
  • Patent number: 6491412
    Abstract: An illuminated sign having an LED as a light source as claimed. A housing has a plurality of internal surfaces wherein at least one of the internal surfaces is a translucent surface. A reflective layer covers each of said internal surfaces except the translucent surface. At least one LED is positioned between the internal surfaces such that the illumination field of the LED is in a direction substantially opposite that of the translucent surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Everbrite, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Bowman, Steve Flaherty, Ferenc Mohacsi
  • Patent number: 6488394
    Abstract: A method for forming a coating film, comprising making a siloxane bond (Si—O bond)-containing coating composition adhere to a surface of a silicone protective film 3 formed for protecting a vapor deposition layer 2 formed on a surface of a base material 1 to thereby enhance the adsorbability of the coating film 4 to the silicone protective film 3, and a vehicle lamp device formed by using this method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiro Mabe, Koichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6488398
    Abstract: The substage illuminator is in the form of a housing having therein an opening disposed to register with the underside of a workpiece that is being inspected by optical gaging apparatus which is disposed to overlie the workpiece and which has an image inlet aperture registering with the opening in the substage housing. A collimating lens is mounted in the opening of the housing beneath an anti-reflection filter, and a light source which is mounted in or connected to the housing, projects a circular beam of light successively through the collimator lens and filter toward the underside of the inspected workpiece. The light source may be in the form of a plurality of radially spaced, circular arrays of LED's that can be selectively illuminated to control the diameter of the beam emitted thereby, or the source may comprise an L.C.D. aperture generator which may be energized to produce light beams of selectively different diameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Optical Gaging Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephanie M. Bloch, Albert G. Choate
  • Patent number: 6486603
    Abstract: To provide a lamp device that is a point light source, that withstands high pressure, and that produces high-intensity light, a high-frequency excitation point light source lamp device has been devised having a discharge vessel made of a transparent, non-conductive material and having an expanded part forming a discharge space and with tubules joined to the expanded part; at least one discharge concentrator, that concentrates the electrical field within the discharge space of the expanded part, which is supported in a tubule with an end within the discharge space; and a high-frequency supply external to the lamp for providing excitation energy that excites a discharge of the concentrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Ushiodenki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuru Ikeuchi, Yukiharu Tagawa, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 6481870
    Abstract: An emergency lighting fixture includes a frame employing an indicator on the front of the frame, an illumination lamp installed in the inside of the frame, a laser projector exposed to the front of the frame from the inside of the frame, an angle adjusting unit for adjusting a projecting angle of the laser projector, and an emergency power supplying battery, installed in the inside of the frame, for impressing a power supply into the illuminating lamp and the laser projector in response to a signal of a fire sensor in the event of fire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Inventor: Jae-Sul Son
  • Patent number: 6481869
    Abstract: A portable electric torch with a double lighting includes a housing containing a first bulb associated to a first reflector, an actuating ring movable in rotation to perform both control of the lighting circuit of the bulb and adjustment of the focusing sing by relative movement of the bulb and reflector in translation. The lighting circuit includes a first disconnecting gap designed to be open or closed for switching the first bulb off and on, and in addition a second disconnecting gap for power supply of a second bulb when the actuating ring is in a preset angular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Zedel
    Inventors: Ulrich Horandel, Paul Petzl, Alain Maurice
  • Patent number: 6478453
    Abstract: A luminaire for projecting an image comprises a housing (1) having a light emission window (2). The housing (1) accommodates a light source (3), an optical system (4) for directing light originating from the light source (3) along a longitudinal axis (5), and an image-forming surface (6) which is positioned orthogonally with respect to the longitudinal axis (5). According to the invention, the light source is a LED (3), and the optical system (4) comprises a collimating element (14) for collimating the light originating from the LED (3). Preferably, the luminaire comprises only one LED (3) which, during operation, has a luminous flux of at least 5 lm. Preferably, the housing (1) also comprises a focusing lens (15) for focusing the collimated light originating from the collimating element (14) on the image-forming surface (6) and, preferably, a projection lens (7, 7′) for projecting an image of the image-forming surface (6). Preferably, parts of the collimating element show total internal reflection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Liane Lammers, Johannes Petrus Maria Ansems, Antonius Johannes Maria Van Hees, Theodorus Franciscus Mattheus Maria Maas