Patents Examined by James W. Cranson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7147341
    Abstract: A light assembly for a refrigerator drawer includes a light source assembly, a reflector and a lens assembly keyed one to another for positioning, and secured to each other as a preassembled unit. The preassembled light assembly is snap fit into an opening in a panel of the drawer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
    Inventors: David R. Nowak, Richard R. Herzog
  • Patent number: 7147357
    Abstract: A backlight assembly for an LCD apparatus comprises a lamp emitting light; a light guide plate including a light-entering surface through which the light from the lamp enters, and a light-emitting surface through which the light is emitted; a lamp reflector having an opening toward the light-entering surface and combined to the light guide plate, accommodating and covering the lamp; and a light interceptive part interposed between the light-emitting surface and the lamp reflector, and preventing the light from the lamp from entering through an edge at which the light-entering surface and the light-emitting surface are intersected. With this configuration, the present invention provides a backlight assembly for an LCD apparatus, which is improved in preventing a bright-line occurring on a front area adjacent to a light-entering surface of a light guide plate and in enhancing the brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyu-seok Kim, Jae-ho Jung, Sang-duk Lee
  • Patent number: 7144134
    Abstract: A light projector is provided which includes an elliptical reflector, a first spherical retro-reflector, the first retro-reflector having an first aperture formed therein, the first aperture having a first diameter and a first center-point, a second spherical retro-reflector located between the elliptical reflector and the first retro-reflector, the second retro-reflector having a second aperture formed therein, the second aperture having a second diameter and a second center-point, the second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the first and second center-points lying along a common axis, and a light source, the light source located at a foci of the elliptical reflector, the light source lying along the common axis, the elliptical reflector reflecting light emitted by the light source, the reflected light passing through the first and second apertures, the first and second retro-reflectors being positioned so as to reflect light emitted by the light source back towards the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Morpheus Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Romano, Robert Fry, Wallace Daniels
  • Patent number: 7144135
    Abstract: An LED lamp includes an exterior shell that has the same form factor as a conventional incandescent light bulb, such as a PAR type bulb. The LED lamp includes an optical reflector that is disposed within the shell and that directs the light emitted from one or more LEDs. The optical reflector and shell define a space that is used to channel air to cool the device. The LED is mounted on a heat sink that is disposed within the shell. A fan moves air over the heat sink and through the spaced defined by the optical reflector and the shell. The shell includes one or more apertures that serve as air inlet or exhaust apertures. One or more apertures defined by the optical reflector and shell at the opening of the shell can also be used as air exhaust or inlet apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Philips Lumileds Lighting Company, LLC
    Inventors: Paul S. Martin, Franklin J. Wall, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7140757
    Abstract: A mirror assembly for a vehicle includes an opening, a mirror housing having a window portion, a mirror unit positioned over the opening, and a light unit. The light unit includes a lamp lens positioned over the window portion, a light source arranged in the mirror housing at a position closer to a front side of the vehicle than the mirror unit, and a light distribution control unit for controlling light distribution so that light from the light source is distributed to a range from the outer side to the back side of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Ichikoh Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takako Sakai
  • Patent number: 7137726
    Abstract: A lamp holder used in a backlight module is disclosed. The lamp holder includes a supporting part, a fixing part, and U-shaped holding parts. The supporting part separates the diffusion sheet of the backlight module from the lamps by a distance. The fixing part fixes the supporting part to the back plane of the backlight module. The U-shaped holding parts are used to hold lamps and the opening width of each U-shaped holding part is substantially the same as the diameter of the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chung-Te Lee, Kuang-Chou Lai, Ching-Kun Lai
  • Patent number: 7134780
    Abstract: A frame for a backlight module includes a stable case (21), a movable case (22) and connecting elements. The stable case has a bottom plate (210) and at least three sidewalls (211) connected to the bottom plate, and the movable case has a back rim (221) and two side rims (222) connected thereto. The movable case is slideably connected with the stable case by the connecting elements. The frame is compact, and which can be used for light guide plates with different sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kun-Jung Tsai
  • Patent number: 7134777
    Abstract: A surface lighting device (1) includes a light guide plate (11), a point light source (14), and a light reflector (13) substantially juxtaposed with the light guide plate. The light guide plate has a light incident surface (111). The point light source is located between one end of the light reflector and the light incident surface. The light reflector comprises a reflecting portion (131) obliquely opposite to the light incident surface. The reflecting portion is adapted to receive light beams emitted from the point light source, and reflect the received light into the light incident surface of the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang-Chieh Sung
  • Patent number: 7128449
    Abstract: A safety sign and methods are shown for use on an oversized load with advantages such as being more visible in poor conditions such as snow, dust, fog, low light, etc. Safety signs as shown can be seen from farther away than conventional signs. Safety signs as shown eliminate problems associated with point source lighting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Safe Lites, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron Golle, John Golle
  • Patent number: 7125155
    Abstract: In a lighting unit (UT1) of the present invention comprising a light guiding plate (3), casings (5, 6) covering at least a pair of side portions and a lower surface 3f of the light guiding plate so as to form a column-shaped light source unit storage space (103) along a side surface (3a) of one of the side portions, a reflecting sheet (4) disposed between the lower surface of the light guiding plate and a bottom surface of the casing such that an end (4a) thereof protrudes into the light source unit storage space, and a light source unit (L) inserted into the light source unit storage space and having a light source (1), a reflector (2), and a light source holding component (7), wherein the light source is bar-shaped and disposed along the side surface (3a) of the light guiding plate, the reflector is plate-shaped and encloses the side surface (3a) of the light guiding plate such that the light source is located inside thereof and one end thereof is located under the end (4a) of the reflecting sheet, and the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Sakuda, Toshihiko Ura, Yoshinori Yasuda
  • Patent number: 7121684
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a garage light assembly having a housing with a lamp mounting surface wherein a main high intensity discharge lamp and an auxiliary circular high output fluorescent lamp are mounted. The auxiliary lamp is mounted centrally within the assembly and above the light emitting portion of the high intensity discharge lamp so that the light pattern emitted from the auxiliary lamp is symmetrical and the auxiliary lamp does not shadow the light emitted from the high intensity discharge lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Genlyte Thomas Group, LLC
    Inventors: Claude Barozzini, Robert L. Summerford
  • Patent number: 7121712
    Abstract: A stepwise combined sockets for Christmas lights includes a pair of first and second sockets stepwise combined together with the first socket higher the second socket, a vertical space form between the pair of socket slightly extended into second socket, a first inlaid groove in an inner periphery of the second socket and pair of second inlaid groove respectively formed in an inner periphery of the sockets opposite to the vertical space for engaging a pair of single contact plates from a first and a second electric wires, a bent common contact plate striding over the two socket having an upper vertical portion disposed into the first socket a transverse portion stopping on the bottom of the vertical space and a lower vertical portion engaged within the first inlaid groove in the second socket, a wrapper ring wrapped the upper rim of the first socket having a downward projection from a side thereof blocking the vertical space, the projection having a lower end stopped against the transverse portion of the comm
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Inventor: Mei-Lu Lin
  • Patent number: 7118257
    Abstract: A vehicle window shield has a body and an illumination device. The body has a protruding surface, a lip, a mounting hole and an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is attached to the vehicle window frame. The illumination device in mounted inside the mounting hole in the body and connected to a corresponding turn signal of the vehicle. When vehicle window shield is used, the illumination device will light with the turn signal, and the assembly of the vehicle window shield is simple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Keng Lien Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuo-Hsing Lin
  • Patent number: 7118250
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp includes a lamp source, a lamp body accommodating the lamp source, and a lens attached to the lamp body. The lamp body has an abutment surface on the top portion of a peripheral wall, which is configured to rise in a direction of an optical axis of the light source along a peripheral edge of the lamp body. The abutment surface of the lamp body is configured to incline to the optical axis. Similary, the lens has an abutment surface corresponding to the abutment surface of the lamp body along a peripheral portion of the lens. In this case, the abutment surface of the lens is configured within the dimention of an outer surface of the lens so as not to protrude over the outer surface. The abutment surfaces of the lamp body and the lens are integrally jointed together by laser walding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chiharu Matsunaga, Michihiko Suzuki, Fujihiko Sugiyama, Kazuhiro Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7118255
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lighting head assembly that incorporates a high intensity LED package into an integral housing for further incorporation into other useful lighting devices. The present invention provides for the LED to be installed onto a circuit board that also includes a clad layer formed thereon that acts as a spreader plate. When the circuit board is in mated relation with a thermally conductive reflector cup, the clad heat spreader serves to conduct heat from the led into the reflector cup. In this manner, high intensity LED packages can be incorporated into lighting assemblies through the use of the present invention by simply installing the present invention into a housing and providing power connections thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Inventor: Robert D. Galli
  • Patent number: 7114829
    Abstract: A multi-facet full color illuminator is provided, including a case, a plurality of separated areas inside the case, a plurality of separators for forming separated areas and each separator being shared by two adjacent separated areas, a light source module inside each separated area, each light source module having at least two elements capable of emitting different colors of light, and a controller for adjusting the electric current to control the brightness of each light source module. By using the controller to adjust the electric current, a facet can display light of various color and brightness. This, combined with other facets can create more varieties of light patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Inventor: Wen-Cheng Lai
  • Patent number: 7114835
    Abstract: A headlamp adjuster is provided for use and access from the front of a headlamp assembly on which it is installed. The adjuster includes an input shaft and an output screw in substantially parallel, spaced arrangement. A gear train drivingly connects inner ends of the input shaft and the output screw. Rotation of the input shaft about its longitudinal axis causes axial translation of the output screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter B. Brazas
  • Patent number: 7114841
    Abstract: An LED light engine includes a flexible electrical cable and a plurality of LEDs. The flexible electrical cable includes first, second and third electrical conductors and an electrically insulating covering for the electrical conductors. The conductors are arranged substantially parallel with one another having an insulating material therebetween. A first LED including a first lead electrically connects to the first electrical conductor and a second lead of the first LED electrically connects to the second conductor. A second LED includes a first lead electrically connected to the second electrical conductor and a second lead electrically connected to the third electrical conductor. A third LED includes first and second leads electrically connected to the second conductor. The third LED is interposed between the first LED and the second LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: GELcore LLC
    Inventors: Srinath K. Aanegola, Mathew Sommers, Matthew Mrakovich, Christopher L. Bohler, Michael McCoy
  • Patent number: 7111971
    Abstract: An LED lamp and a method of making an LED lamp in which the lamp includes a heat conductive post with a base and a top, an insulative body within the post that includes plural wireways and plural electrical leads that each extend through a different one of the wireways and whose ends emerge from the top and the base of the post, a head with plural LED assemblies on the top of the post, and a circuit board for the LED assemblies at the base of the post, the leads being connected to respective LED assemblies and to the circuit board. During manufacture, the leads are mounted in the wireways of the insulative body and the assembled body is inserted into the post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventors: Charles M. Coushaine, Michael Tucker, Paul R. Lyman
  • Patent number: 7104672
    Abstract: A light source arrangement for substantially enhaning the lighting intensity of the light beams emitted from the light source therefore includes a lens body and an illumination unit. The lens body has an illumination portion defining a light projecting surface and at least a diffraction portion defining a light diffraction surface inclinedly extended at a diffraction angle, wherein a diffraction density of the illumination portion is different from that of the diffraction portion. The illumination unit is covered by the lens body for radially generating light towards the illumination portion. When the light reaches the light diffraction surface of a diffraction portion at an angle larger than the diffraction angle, the light is substantially reflected at the light diffraction surface back towards the light projecting surface, such that the light from the illumination unit is converged to project at the light projecting surface of the lens body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: A.L. Lightech, Inc.
    Inventor: Long Bao Zhang