Patents Examined by Diane Lee
  • Patent number: 9243759
    Abstract: An LED-based lighting unit for retrofitting a fluorescent light fixture in a transit vehicle has a concave frame or structure conforming to the shape of the fluorescent lighting fixture cavity, connector pins on either end of the frame for secure attachment to sockets of the fluorescent fixture, a plurality of LED modules for illuminating an area of a transit vehicle, a power adapter for receiving and converting an input power supply signal, and a diffusive lens cover. The frame may have rear fins or other features for facilitating dissipation of heat generated by the LEDs. A controller adjusts the intensity of the LEDs based on a reading from a temperature sensor and on a manual brightness setting. The change in light output may be accomplished by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated (PWM) waveform supplying the LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: I/O Controls Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry Lin, Yongchang Wang
  • Patent number: 9239156
    Abstract: Structures for LED light bulbs comprise a driver board and a lighting structure having one or more LEDs disposed thereon. The driver board, in a Y shape, can be the circuit board and has a positive terminal and a negative terminal for receiving electrical power. The Y-shaped driver board having two prongs connects to the light structure to power the LEDs thereon. The lighting structure can be in the form of a grid having the LEDs disposed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: CLEDOS GREEN TECH LIMITED
    Inventors: James Wang, Kei May Lau, Parco Wang, Wei Xiong Liao, Terence Cho, Zhaojun Liu, Eddie Chong
  • Patent number: 9234647
    Abstract: A light engine that includes light emitting diodes mounted on a printed circuit board, which in turn is attached to a heat sink. An optic assembly is positioned over the printed circuit board to direct the emitted light as desired. The light engine can be positioned. within the ceiling within the opening of a mounting frame. In some embodiments, the light engine is retained on the mounting frame such that it can be moved clear of the mounting frame opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Algimantas J. Gabrius, Douglas Dewayne Grove, Jon D. Hinnefeld, Joseph J. Onda, Marvin L. Otterson, Carl Jason Schoeneberg
  • Patent number: 9228703
    Abstract: A flashlight includes a core having first and second surfaces, a side edge portion, and proximal and distal ends; along with first, second and third cavities. Light generating components include a light emitter in the first cavity, a switch in the second cavity and a battery disposed in the third cavity. A ribbon cable electrically couples the switch and battery. A first sheet-like stiffener overlays the first surface of the core. A first cover sheet overlays the first sheet-like stiffener to sandwich the sheet like stiffener between the first surface of the core and the first cover sheet. A second cover sheet overlays the second surface of the core. The first and second cover sheet members are joined together to form a flexible casing having an interior cavity. The core stiffener and light generating components are disposed within the interior cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Inventor: Thomas Killion
  • Patent number: 9222660
    Abstract: A lighting device may be provided that includes: a housing having a top opening and a bottom opening; an optical plate disposed in the top opening; heat sink disposed in the bottom opening; a driving unit which is received in the housing, disposed between the optical plate and the heat sink and receives external electric power; and light source which is received in the housing, disposed between the optical plate and the driving unit, spatially separated from the driving unit and is electrically connected to the driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jae Jin Kim, Young Joo Ahn, Jae O Kwak, Ki Woong Kim
  • Patent number: 9212810
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a lighting apparatus includes a board, a base, a globe, a housing, and a cap part. The board is provided with a light emitting element to emit light. The board is thermally connected to the base. The globe is provided on the base to cover the light emitting element. The globe includes a maximum diameter part in which an external diameter of the globe is maximum. The housing is thermally connected to the base. The housing includes a cylindrical radiator through which air flows. The cap part is attached to the housing. One end part of the radiator is located between the cap part and the maximum diameter part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Katsumi Hisano, Mitsuaki Kato, Tomoyuki Suzuki, Tomonao Takamatsu, Tetsuya Kugimiya
  • Patent number: 9206988
    Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a muffle having walls to delimit a cooking chamber. The muffle has a front face provided with a loading opening which is delimited peripherally by a front edge of the muffle. A lighting apparatus has at least one light source which is configured to light up the cooking chamber and/or to display information. The at least one light source is disposed outside the cooking chamber and in front of the front edge of the muffle when the cooking appliance is viewed from the front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventor: Reinhard Wiedenmann
  • Patent number: 9200777
    Abstract: An illumination device for planar light sources gives uniform illumination on an illuminated plane. A of lengthwise direction and length of breadthwise direction are different from each other. The illumination device includes a planar light source and an optical element including a light receiving surface for receiving light form the planar light source and a light exiting surface. A shape of the planar light source is symmetric with respect to x-axis and y-axis and a length of the shape in x-axis direction is shorter than length of the shape in y-axis direction; the center of the planar light source is set as the origin and two axes orthogonal to each other are selected as x-axis and y-axis. Assuming that the maximum value of x-coordinate of the planar light source is a and the maximum value of y-coordinate of the planar light source is b, the following relationships hold: h ab = ( h a + a ) - ( h b + b ) ( h a + a ) h ab ? 0.02 .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: NALUX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsumoto Ikeda, Daisuke Seki
  • Patent number: 9177492
    Abstract: Light emitting diode (LED) display modules, display screens comprising a plurality of display modules and methods of forming display screens are disclosed. Each display module 10 forming a display screen comprises a flexible substrate 11 supporting a plurality of LEDs 14. A set of connectors 16, 50, 52, 54 comprising male connectors and female connectors are coupled to the flexible substrate for connecting the display module to a respective set of connectors 16, 50, 52, 54 of an adjacent display module along at least one first edge 18 of the display module such that horizontal and vertical alignment of the display modules and the LED pitch size is maintained during flexing of the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: GT BiomeScilt Light Limited
    Inventors: C. K. Wong, Oon Siang Ling, Sidney Chu
  • Patent number: 9162609
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight can form a variable light distribution pattern with a simple structure including a favorable fail-safe. The headlight can include a movable mirror facing a light source unit, a static mirror between the movable mirror and the light source unit and a controller to emit light from the light source unit and to scan the light toward the static mirror using the movable mirror having a default position, where receives the light at a position substantially perpendicular thereto. The controller can enable the headlight to provide various light distribution patterns by varying a scanning method and the movable mirror is configured to return the light toward the light source unit even if it fails to operate properly. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide a vehicle headlight that can form various light distribution patterns in accordance with surroundings and can have the simple structure including the favorable fail-safe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Nakaya
  • Patent number: 9151484
    Abstract: Lighting apparatus or luminaires for use in wet, humid, or underwater environments are disclosed. The luminaire may include a plastic housing block, port assembly including a copper or copper alloy fitting and transparent port window disposed within the housing block, and a compound LED light-engine unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: DEEPSEA POWER & LIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Mark S. Olsson, Jon E. Simmons, John R. Sanderson, Steven B. Weston
  • Patent number: 9150144
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor-type light source 2, a lens 35, a heat sink member 4, a light control member 6, a driving member 7, and a cover member 8. The cover member 8 is fixed to a fixing surface of the heat sink member 4 such a manner as to be integrated with the semiconductor-type light source 2. The light control member 6 is mounted to the cover member 8 in such a manner as to be changeably movable between a first location and a second location. As a result, the present invention is capable of reducing dispersion in relative position between the semiconductor-type light source 2 and the light control member 6, and reducing dispersion between a light distribution pattern for low beam LP and a light distribution pattern for high beam HP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Toshiya Abe
  • Patent number: 9136072
    Abstract: In an indicator apparatus, a prism member includes: a prism member side surface; and a transmitting and reflecting surface that is inclined relative to the prism member side surface, and into which light from a light source is admitted. An adjacent member has an adjacent surface that is adjacent to the prism member side surface. The light from the light source is admitted into the transmitting and reflecting surface when the light source is lit, and passes through the prism member. If the prism member is viewed frontally when the light source is not lit, the adjacent surface is visible by optical reflection at the transmitting and reflecting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiji Yuasa, Tatsuhito Ishii, Motohiro Doi
  • Patent number: 9079529
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting unit serving as a vehicle headlight can form a light distribution pattern optimized according to the country or the area with a smaller number of parts when compared with the conventional vehicle headlights of this type. Further, there can be provided a light guide lens for use in such a vehicle lighting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sadayuki Konishi
  • Patent number: 9081190
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus relating to implementations of an electrically controlled light conditioning sheet. In one aspect, the electrically controlled light conditioning sheet includes a planar electrode having a first conductor and a second conductor and a transmissive elastic layer. The transmissive elastic layer is configured to deform in response to a potential difference applied between the first and the second conductor and produce regions of optical refractive power. The angular spread and/or the radiation pattern of an incoming beam of light incident on the electrically controlled light conditioning sheet is altered by the action of the regions of optical refractive power produced by the applied potential difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Holman, Matthew B. Sampsell
  • Patent number: 9045079
    Abstract: Described are reading light units for a passenger service unit in an overhead panel above a number of passenger seats, including a reading light having a light source for emitting light to a passenger seat, an automatic adjustment arrangement, a beam forming element for adjusting the light beam geometrical properties, and a light forming element for adjusting the light optical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Zodiac Aerotechnics
    Inventors: Gunter Boomgarden, Mark Niedostatek, RĂ¼diger Meckes, Wolfgang Rittner
  • Patent number: 9027834
    Abstract: Provided is a card reader capable of increasing visibility over the prior art for a location into which a card is actually inserted. A card reader is provided with a main body frame constituting a card passage through which an inserted card passes, and a light source for illuminating the interior of the card passage. With this card reader, the light source is illuminating the interior of the card passage through which the card passes, and therefore, it is possible to brighten the interior of the card passage through which the card passes. Therefore, it is possible to brighten the location into which the card is actually inserted so that it is easier to visually confirm the location into which the card is actually inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Nidec Sankyo Corporation
    Inventors: Takeki Watanabe, Toshio Tatai, Koji Oguchi
  • Patent number: 8985820
    Abstract: A lighted interior accessory assembly for a vehicle includes an interior accessory such as an armrest or console and a plurality of fasteners mounting the interior accessory on the interior panel. A mounting plate has a light pipe mounted thereon and emitting light along the length of the light pipe. The mounting plate is sandwiched between the armrest and the interior panel so that the mounting plate creates a gap between the armrest and the interior panel through which the light pipe emits light into the vehicle interior. Mounting the armrest directly to the door trim without inter-positioning the mounting plate between the armrest and the door trim eliminates the gap and eliminates the light pipe. Accordingly, a vehicle manufacturer can readily include a lighting feature in a luxury version of the vehicle and omit the lighting feature from a standard version of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Lorin A. Mazur, Darryle R. Woodham, Ralph Brink
  • Patent number: 8979347
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for providing illumination for lighting systems. One or more light emitters can be disposed about a longitudinal axis, such as in an at least partial polygonal shape, so that the light sources emit light radially outwardly away from the longitudinal axis. A collimating reflector can be disposed radially outward of the one or more light emitters and can be configured to at least partially collimate the light and to substantially preserve etendue of the light emitted from the light emitters. The one or more light emitters can substantially fill an input aperture of the collimating reflector in a direction of the longitudinal axis. The light can be coupled into a light guide, which can be configured to distribute the light to a target lighting area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert L. Holman
  • Patent number: 8974107
    Abstract: An aroma capsule assembly lamp system that disperses scent fast is provided, including a lamp and an aroma capsule. The lamp includes a support stand, a lamp stand installed on the support stand, a light bulb installed on the lamp stand, and a lamp cover installed on the support stand and covering the light bulb and the lamp stand, the lamp cover having a top opening. The aroma capsule is installed in the top opening of the lamp cover and includes a disposable container. The disposable container has an opening and an aroma material disposed in the disposable container. The light bulb is supplied with power and emits radiation light, the radiation light heating the disposable container and the aroma material, facilitating the system to disperse scent. When emitting radiation light, the light bulb of the lamp also generates heat at the same time, which heats the aroma material to disperse scent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Serene House International Enterprise Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming Jen Hsiao