Patents Examined by John Anthony Ward
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Patent number: 7300183Abstract: On a front wall of a mold resin (13) sealing a light emitter (12), a direct emission region (18), through which the light emitted from the light emitter (12) directly passes to the outside, and a total reflection region (19), by which the light emitted from the light emitter (12) is totally reflected, are formed. The direct emission region (18) is formed into a shape of a convex lens. A light reflection portion (20) which is made of a concave mirror is provided on the rear face of the mold resin (13). When a part of the light emitted from the light emitter (12) passes through the direct emission region (18), it is affected by the lens to be emitted to the front direction. After another part of the light emitted from the light emitter (12) is totally reflected by the total reflection region (19), it is reflected by the light reflection portion (20) to be emitted to the front direction through the total reflection region (19).Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2005Date of Patent: November 27, 2007Assignee: Omron CorporationInventors: Hironobu Kiyomoto, Hayami Hosokawa, Naru Yasuda, Kenji Homma, Yukari Terakawa
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Patent number: 7296913Abstract: The invention is a replacement for a conventional incandescent or halogen light bulb. Besides providing regular illumination, it has advantages over a conventional bulb while maintaining the bulb's decorative function, such as visual effects associated with the bulb's envelope or shade. The invention comprises a connector equivalent to a standard light bulb base, at least one light emitting diode (LED), and a driving circuit hosted on a module such as a printed circuit board and adapting the supply voltage to the requirements of the LED. Compensation for the effects of temperature may be included. The invention may also include other circuitry to support various enhanced features such as novel decorative features or control over the brightness, color, or other characteristics—all potentially varying over time or being controlled remotely.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2004Date of Patent: November 20, 2007Assignee: Technology Assessment GroupInventors: Anthony Catalano, Daniel Harrison
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Patent number: 7290922Abstract: The invention relates to a coupling member for the mechanical and electrical connection of lighting device in line and/or angled for the formation of lighting system. The coupling includes a junction body (11) having more sides and on each side mechanical connecting means (18) and an electrical end connector (16), which link up with complementary elements, both mechanical (23) and electrical (21), at the edges of each lighting device (19) to be connected. The junction body bears four sides and the electrical connector along the sides are precableable.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2003Date of Patent: November 6, 2007Assignee: Flos S.p.A.Inventor: Gianbattista Scalfi
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Patent number: 7290921Abstract: A light guide plate (300) includes a light incidence surface (310) for receiving light beams, a light-emitting surface (320) for guiding light beams out of the light guide plate, and a bottom surface (330) reflecting and scattering light beams in directions toward the light-emitting surface. The bottom surface includes scattering-dots (341), and a predetermined region of the bottom surface also includes sub-scattering-dots (342). At least one sub-scattering-dot is disposed around each scattering-dot. The sub-scattering-dots are smaller than the scattering-dots. With this micro-configuration, intensities of light beams output from the light guide plate are uniform and bright.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2004Date of Patent: November 6, 2007Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jhy-Chain Lin
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Patent number: 7290903Abstract: A projection display includes a housing, a display panel, a power plug for electrically connecting to an external power source and receiving power provided by the external power source, a light source electrically connected to the power plug for emitting light onto the display panel when receiving power from the power plug, a heat-ventilating device for ventilating heat generated by the light source to a region outside of the housing, a power storage device for storing power, and a power detector electrically connected to the heat-ventilating device, the power storage device, and the power plug for selectively electrically connecting the heat-ventilating device either to the power plug or to the power storage device.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2005Date of Patent: November 6, 2007Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.Inventors: Wen-Chih Tai, Shih-Tsung Yang, Chia-Lin Liu, Chi-Neng Mo
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Patent number: 7284356Abstract: A modular pole system for a luminaire includes an elongated pole section formed from a continuous filament winding process with a tenon wound into a tip end of the pole section. A method for making a modular pole system includes placing a tenon over a trunion end of a mandrel and winding a pre-selected thickness of a filament along the length of the mandrel up to and including a pre-selected length of the tenon to produce a tenon wound into a pole section of the modular pole system.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2005Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Genlyte Thomas Group, LLCInventor: S. Douglas Copeland
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Patent number: 7284873Abstract: A fluid column projection apparatus and method provide a unique optical effect by providing a plurality of scoops that direct fluid into a hollow chamber. The fluid preferably contains one or more types of light-scattering material. The fluid exits the hollow chamber in a manner that projects the fluid to a considerable distance past the hollow chamber. The hollow chamber may be lit, or an external light source may illuminate the fluid, thereby providing a unique and pleasing optical effect in the form of a column of light.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2005Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Merlin Technology Limited Liability CompanyInventor: Peter D. Poulsen
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Patent number: 7284891Abstract: A line-illuminating device which is resistant to shrinkage problems caused by repetition of heating and cooling includes a white casing made of polycarbonate or the like, a light guide made of an acrylic resin or the like and accommodated in the casing such that the light-emitting surface thereof is exposed, and light-emitting elements (for example, light-emitting diodes) as a light source provided on both ends of the casing so as to abut against the end surfaces of the light guide without a gap. The casing is divided into two portions in the longitudinal direction, and a gap is formed between the two divided portions. With this gap, even if the light guide shrinks due to repetition of heating and cooling, the divided portions can effectively shrink together with the light guide via the gap, and the abutting state between the end surface of the light guide and the light-emitting element can be maintained.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2003Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomihisa Saito, Takashi Kishimoto, Hidemitsu Takeuchi, Yukihiro Kato
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Patent number: 7281816Abstract: A surface lighting device including, a surface light source in which light-emitting element groups having three light-emitting elements, which correspond to three primary colors of light, arranged to be continguous with vertexes of a triangle are arranged in a matrix shape; a substrate on which the light-emitting element groups are arranged; and a diffusion plate which is located above the surface light source. the light-emitting element groups are arranged to be deviated every other column or row such that a positional relation among the light-emitting element groups is a delta shape. Additionally, a row interval, a column interval, and an arrangement angle of the light-emitting element groups are adjusted such that, when it is assumed that an average amount of light calculated from a sum of amounts of light of the respective single color light-emitting elements at a center of gravity of the delta shape and a center of gravity of a diamond shape formed by two delta shapes is between 75% and 125%.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2004Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Toshihiro Suzuki
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Patent number: 7281828Abstract: The invention concerns vehicle headlights with two light functions, comprising a reflector (10) and a two-filament bulb (14), whose first spiral-wound filament (14?) generates a first light function and whose second spiral-wound filament (14?) generates a second light function, each light function being associated with a region (10?, 10?) of the reflector (10), wherein the second spiral-wound filament (14?) cooperates with a covering cap (18) which shields a portion of the light for the light function associated with this spiral-wound filament, which would otherwise impinge on the region (10?) of the reflector (10) which is associated with the first light function, wherein the second spiral-wound filament (14?) generates a turning and/or curve light and the regions (10?, 10?) of the reflector (10) are separated by a separating line (12) which extends in a segment of the reflector at an angle of between ±0 and 35°, in particular ±15 and 35°, with respect to the vertical line.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2004Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Automotive Lighting Reutlingen GmbHInventors: Ralf Steinhart, Michael Scholl, Friedemann Schlienz, Silke Barton
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Patent number: 7281815Abstract: A switch assembly that may be utilized as a tail cap of a lighting device. The switch assembly including at least a depressible switch with a rotatable portion that allows the user to activate distinct functional modes of the lighting device. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, the switch assembly has four channels, providing for at least three different light functions and a locking channel. The different channels are defined by the axial position of the rotatable portion relative to the lighting device body.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2005Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Blackhawk Industries Product Group Unlimited LLCInventors: Derek G. Gustafson, Michael R. Githens, Ken J. Good, Vaughn D. Baker, Eric M. Yeates
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Patent number: 7278756Abstract: A light-emitting diode (LED) (10) includes a chip body (103), an encapsulation can (105) surrounding the chip body, and a base (106) supporting the encapsulation can and the chip body thereon. Numerous fluorescent particles (1050) are provided in the encapsulation can. With the fluorescent particles, light beams from the chip body are diffused and attain wider irradiation angles. A backlight system (900) includes a light guide plate (20), and a number of the above-described LEDs disposed adjacent to the light guide plate. Light beams having wide irradiation angles are emitted from the LEDs and enter the light guide plate. This enables a light emitting surface of the light guide plate to have highly uniform brightness.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2004Date of Patent: October 9, 2007Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.Inventors: Charles Leu, Tai-Cherng Yu, Ga-Lane Chen
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Patent number: 7275846Abstract: Disclosed herein is an adaptive head light assembly, comprising a parabolic reflector for housing a filament assembly; a lever arm having one end pivotably affixed to a bearing point of the parabolic reflector; an actuator in operative communication with the other end of the lever arm to actuate motion of the lever arm, wherein the actuator comprises a shape memory material adapted to change a shape orientation or modulus property upon receipt of an activation signal; and a spring in operative communication with the other end of the lever arm and adapted to provide a restoring force.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2005Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventors: Alan L. Browne, Jan H. Aase, Nancy L. Johnson, Andrew C. Keefe
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Patent number: 7275851Abstract: A radiating member, an illuminating device, an electro-optical device, and an electronic device are provided which are capable of absorbing the heat generated from an LED, thereby increasing the amount of electric current flowable through the LED. More particularly, there are provided a point light source, a light guide plate for receiving the light radiated from the point light source, and a radiating plate including an adhesive layer formed to contact the point light source, and a metal layer formed over the adhesive layer and made of the material having a thermal conductivity (?) equal to or greater than 90 W/mK at room temperature.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2003Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Shinji Sakurai
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Patent number: 7275854Abstract: The invention relates to a lamp comprising a lamp bulb (2) and a lamp base (3), which lamp base (3) comprises a projection (4) located in a substantially central position of the lamp base (3) and extending in a direction away from the lamp bulb (2), at least one lock-engaging portion (6), and a substantially flat base surface (5) opposed to the lamp bulb (2) and surrounding the projection (4), characterized in that the at least one lock-engaging portion (6) is located on the edge of the base surface (5) surrounding the projection (4) remote from the central projection.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2003Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V.Inventors: Jan Willem Frederik Dorleijn, Nicolas Gerardus Antonius Peeters, Markus Pieper, Karl-Wilhelm Vogt
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Patent number: 7270434Abstract: An indicator lighting device in which light introduction efficiency into a indication portion can be improved, brightness is good and unevenness in lighting is small is provided; wherein an indicator 7 which has a translucent indication member (indication portion) 72 and a light introduction member (light introduction portion) 73 and is operated around an axis by a drive shaft 1 of a drive unit 2, light sources L which are disposed around the drive shaft 1 and illuminate the indication member 72 through the light introduction member 73 are provided, and the light introduction member 73 has a light receiving surface 73a for receiving light from the light sources L, a first reflective surface 73b for focusing light introduced from the light receiving surface 73a to a position of a rotation axis Va of the drive shaft 1, a second reflective surface 73c which is formed between the first reflective surface 73b and the rotation axis and reflects light from the first reflective surface 73b in a direction along the roType: GrantFiled: December 12, 2003Date of Patent: September 18, 2007Assignee: Nippon Seiki Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masato Obata, Naoji Shoji
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Patent number: 7270467Abstract: In a backlight assembly and a flat panel display apparatus, the backlight assembly has a diffusing plate, a supporting member and a reflecting plate. The supporting member has a base body portion, a supporting portion supporting the diffusing plate and a lamp holder receiving lamps to uniformly maintain spaced intervals between the lamps. The base body portion is disposed under the reflecting plate. The supporting portion and the lamp holder are inserted through engaging openings formed at the reflecting plate such that the supporting portion and the lamp holder are upwardly protruded with respect to the reflecting plate. Accordingly, the backlight assembly may reduce an area of the reflecting plate covered by the supporting member, thereby providing the light having uniform brightness distribution.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2004Date of Patent: September 18, 2007Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yong-Il Kim
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Patent number: 7267470Abstract: An exemplary backlight module (2) includes: a light guide plate (21) having an incident surface (211); a light source (23) facing toward the incident surface; a light source cover (25) partially covering the light source, a wall of the light source cover defining an opening located between the light source and the incident surface; and an optical switch element disposed between the light source and the incident surface and adjacent to the incident surface, and configured for adjusting the amount of light beams emitted by the light source that transmit through each of the opening and the incident surface. The optical switch element can control the light beams to pass through the opening in order to provide illumination for taking of photos. Moreover, the backlight module can also be used as a backlight source to supply bright light for a display screen of a display device.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2005Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.Inventor: Jen-Tsorng Chang
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Patent number: 7267469Abstract: A compact backlight system for illuminating a display device has a front wall and a rear wall situated opposite thereto. At least one light source comprising a light-emitting diode is provided with a translucent lens-shaped cover. The system has at least one light input structure for coupling light from the light source into the light-emitting panel. During operation, light originating from the light source is incident on the light input structure and distributes itself in the light-emitting panel. According to the invention the light input structure is conically or frustoconically shaped towards the light source. The thickness dp of the light-emitting panel is smaller than the diameter dc of the translucent lens-shaped cover of the light source. Preferably, the light input structure is of prismatic or pyramidal shape.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2003Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignee: Philips Lumileds Lighting Company, LLCInventor: Matthijs Hendrik Keuper
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Patent number: 7267457Abstract: A method for detecting forensic evidence. The method includes use of a forensic light that may utilize a variety of semiconductor light sources to produce light that contrasts forensic evidence against its background for viewing, photographing and collection. Example semiconductor light sources for the forensic light include light emitting diodes and laser chips. A heat sink, thermoelectric cooler and fan may be included to keep the forensic light cool. A removable light source head may beutilized on the forensic light to provide for head swapping to give the user access to different wavelengths of light.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2005Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignee: CAO Group, Inc.Inventors: Calvin D. Ostler, Densen Cao, Hongyan Li, Zhaohui Lin