Patents Examined by Leah S Lovell
  • Patent number: 7510316
    Abstract: An illumination system includes a light guide having an entrance face, an exit face and an aperture in which a light source can be arranged Various elements are arranged in the light guide to increase the angle of light beams incident in the light guide with respect to the optical axis of the system and to create a homogeneous illumination at the exit face of the light guide. With this arrangement, the length of a given light guide is reduced, making the illumination system smaller, lighter and more compact with even illumination and a high optical efficiency. The illumination system can be included in a display system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Adrianus Johannes Stephanes Maria De Vaan
  • Patent number: 7506995
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lighting system for use within a display sign, wherein the lighting system comprises a first module having a multi-layer circuit board and an arrangement of components electrically connected to the circuit board. The component arrangement includes a driver control chip that provides regulated voltage to the light emitting diodes, at least one surface mounted resistor, and a pair of light emitting diodes wherein each diode is mounted to a longitudinal end portion of the circuit board. Thus, the driver control chip is positioned between the light emitting diodes. The component arrangement further includes a high-frequency capacitor that filters undesired electrical noise and a rectifying diode that converts electrical potential from alternating current to direct current. A second module is electrically connected to the first module by a pair of flexible conductor wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Inventors: James G. Thomas, Bryan T. Warner, Michael J. McCarthy
  • Patent number: 7497610
    Abstract: A light guiding plate comprises a pair of main surfaces opposite to each other, and an end surface on which light emitted from a light source is incident. One of the pair of main surfaces has a plurality of prisms. Each of the prisms has a first surface which is relatively close to the end surface and has a relatively gentle slope, a second surface which is relatively distant from the end surface and has a relatively steep slope, and a third surface located between the first surface and the second surface, and an angle between the second surface and the third surface is an acute angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuro Sugiura, Koichi Yamamoto, Hideaki Nagakubo
  • Patent number: 7494236
    Abstract: A safety warning light emitter (6) according to the present invention includes a button cover (12) tightly attached to a housing (8) at the bottom of an upper opening of the housing (8), a printed circuit board (20) located on the upper surface of a fixing member (30), the printed circuit board (20) having a light emission diode blink control chip mounted thereon, a push button (16) located on the printed circuit board (20), and a plurality of surface mounted device light emission diodes (26) connected to the printed circuit board (20). The fixing member (30) is fitted into the housing (8), while the surface mounted device light emission diodes (26) are positioned at the outside of the fixing member (30), and then the fixing member (30) is integrally fixed to the housing (8) by welding. A base (10), which has batteries (38) received therein, is coupled to the housing (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Inventor: Seong-Kyu Lim
  • Patent number: 7494245
    Abstract: An exemplary backlight module (30) includes a frame (31), a plurality of light emitting diodes (32) and at least one optical plate (34). The light emitting diodes are regularly disposed on a base of the frame. The optical plate is positioned on sidewalls of the frame. Each light emitting diode includes a light output unit (321), an optical lens (323) having a light input surface (3231), a top surface (3233), and a light output surface (3235); and a reflective sheet (325) including a peripheral flange extending down from an edge thereof for being interference fitted around the top surface of the optical lens. The backlight module can have a thin configuration while still providing good, uniform optical performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shao-Han Chang
  • Patent number: 7494239
    Abstract: An attachment for cell phones contains a light and bottle opener. The attachment may be affixed to or be removably attached to the back of a cell phone and/or to a cell phone case. If removable, the structure attaches to the back of a cell phone or case via VELCRO® fastening. The removable light may be held in place by the bottle opener and/or by walls formed on the plate. In another embodiment, the bottle opener also serves as a spring loaded belt clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Inventor: Michael Riccardi
  • Patent number: 7473013
    Abstract: It is sought to provide an indicator lamp, which is excellent not only in short distance visual recognition property but also in long distance one, as well as being further excellent in sight field angle property. An indicator lamp includes a light-emitting element 1 and a light-emitting element lens 2 having a light-emitting element mounting cavity 3 formed at the bottom, in which the light-emitting element disposed in the cavity 3 emits light to be fully reflected by the peripheral surface of the lens 1 and proceeds as emission light flux forwardly of the lens 1. The slope angle of the peripheral surface with respect to the lens axis is reduced progressively from the bottom toward the lens front surface 5 in three stages, thus forming circumferential corners 7 and 8 as boundaries between adjacent ones of the three stages. The circumferential corners scatter light emitted from the light emitting element 2 to provide concentric emission light fluxes as viewed from the side of the lens front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Okaya Electric Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshio Shimada
  • Patent number: 7465211
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a combinational storable decoration structure that combines detachable components including a head portion, a shoulder portion, a body portion, a leg portion, and a hand portion into a decoration structure. The storing characteristic of the decoration structure allows users to store each detachable component into the body portion to form a cylindrical body so as to facilitate the storage and transportation of the decoration structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Inventor: Chi-Shih Lai
  • Patent number: 7465063
    Abstract: A fixture for lamps used for portable and temporary applications has an elongated rail with a central channel, preferably with holes spaced along the channel bottom wall. Adapter bases are fit and fixed to the rail to support various types of light sources. In the case of a fluorescent lamp, each adapter base has one or more spring clamps into which a fluorescent lamp tube can be snapped and for other types of light sources the appropriate types of sockets and/or clamps, brackets or supports are provided. A wiring harness can be attached to the rail and secured by clips, clamps or holders attached to adapter bases along the rail. The rail with its attached light source or sources preferably has a flat back so that it can be mounted either permanently or temporarily to a flat surface by suitable fasteners or suspended from a ceiling or other elevated structure by a suitable tether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Inventor: Allen M. Stillman
  • Patent number: 7465080
    Abstract: An optical waveguide system has a discharge lamp with a reflector and an asymmetrical burner. The reflector has a reflecting surface and a hollow reflector neck. The asymmetrical burner is partly arranged in the hollow reflector neck, without making contact with it. The shape and the size of the inner contour of the reflecting surface of the reflector corresponds substantially to the contour of the asymmetrical burner, and the asymmetrical burner is centrally located in the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Nicasius G. T. Van Gennip, Michael Haacke, Thomas Luce, Petrus J. M. Fransen
  • Patent number: 7455415
    Abstract: A compact operation device that illuminates illumination windows with a simple structure and has a high level of design freedom. The operation device has an ornamental panel including operation portions and illumination windows. An elastomeric sheet below the ornamental panel is resiliently deformed by the operation portions. Contacts are arranged on the elastomeric sheet. A circuit board is arranged adjacent to the elastomeric sheet. Switches are arranged on the circuit board in correspondence with the contacts. The switches contact the contacts when the elastomeric sheet is deformed. A light guide arranged on the circuit board guides light from a light source arranged on the circuit board to the illumination portions. Openings extend through the circuit board in correspondence with the illumination portions. The light guide includes a reflection structure for reflecting light from the light source toward the openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Akihito Miyahawa, Kouichi Itoigawa
  • Patent number: 7446829
    Abstract: To compensate for uneven brightness in the longitudinal direction of fluorescent lamps of a backlight unit and achieve a display screen with an even brightness, a reflection unit of the backlight unit, the fluorescent tube surface of the fluorescent lamps or a diffusion unit is used to either reduce the reflectance, transmittance, or radiation brightness of the high-voltage side of the fluorescent lamps or increase the reflectance, transmittance, or radiation brightness of the low-voltage side thereof so as to compensate for uneven brightness of the illumination light and thereby ensure an even brightness. For example, dot pattern regions D1, D2 and D3, i.e., the regions whose density increases in stages, are imparted to the portion of a reflection layer 13 of the backlight unit with a relatively high brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Inoue, Kohji Ohtsuka, Kazuya Idei, Masaki Shimizu, Takashi Yoshii
  • Patent number: 7431472
    Abstract: A flexible light assembly is provided. The flexible tight assembly is mountable with respect to the underside of the brim of the hat. The light assembly can be made of a flexible resilient material and be conformed to correspond to any configuration of brim. The light assembly 10 includes at least one light emitter, means for powering the light emitter, and means for controlling the emission of light. The light assembly can be completely positional under the brim of a hat. The light assembly can be removably associated with respect to a hat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Angel Lighting LLC
    Inventor: Kenneth Becker
  • Patent number: 7429117
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus comprises a light panel having a panel frame, and a plurality of LEDs or other light elements secured to the panel frame. A self-contained battery unit securably attaches to the outside of the panel frame. The light panel may have a dimmer switch, and may also be capable of receiving power from a source other than the self-contained battery unit. The lighting apparatus can be mounted to a camera or a stand through adapters. Diffusion lenses or color gels can be integrated with or detachable from the light panel. The lighting apparatus may conveniently be provided in the form of a kit, with one or more of a light panel, self-contained battery unit, compact stand, connecting cable(s), adapter(s), lenses or color gels, and so on, provided in a single package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Litepanels LLC
    Inventors: Rudy G. Pohlert, Pat Grosswendt, Kevin Baxter, Ken S. Fisher
  • Patent number: 7422339
    Abstract: A chemiluminescent container system comprises an outer container forming an outer cavity for holding a first fluid and an internal cavity located within the outer cavity for holding a chemiluminescent device. The chemiluminescent device is secured to the outer container within the internal cavity and comprises an outer container for holding a first chemiluminescent material and a frangible inner container which holds a second chemiluminescent material. The chemiluminescent device further comprises an actuator formed on the outer container of the chemiluminescent device in a location accessible to a user for breaking the frangible inner container and admixing the first and second chemiluminescent materials to produce a chemiluminescent effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Inventor: Andrew S. Jordan
  • Patent number: 7422344
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a full color flashlight with high power LEDs. The flashlight is primarily composed of a full color LED module having LED chip set of different wavelengths, a control-circuit module, a function switch, batteries, and a barrel body. By controlling the LED chip set of different wavelengths through the control-circuit module, light beams of various colors can be emitted and uniformly mixed. The flashlight further comprises a function switch for changing the color of light and/or switching operation modes between a fast flash mode, a slow flash mode, a brightness control mode and un-lighting. Accordingly, the full color flashlight can be employed in different environments, for example, yellow or light blue light can be used at night to prevent the eyes from dazzling, and red flash can be as warning signal during traffic events; in conclusion, the present invention can be elaborate in the day-to-day life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignees: Anteya Technology Corporation, Sean & Stephen Corporation
    Inventors: Ting-Feng Wu, Jun-Hong Lin
  • Patent number: 7393124
    Abstract: A support assembly capable of being raised and lowered on a mast and configured in a compact, volumetrically efficient conformation lending architectural significance to the appearance of the support assembly when used to mount a plurality of luminaires or other apparatus intended for use in a location above a surface, such as the surface of the earth, the invention permits remote latching and unlatching of the support assembly through use of an improved latching mechanism having dimensions permitting housing of the latching mechanism within an enclosure of a reduced height, thereby lending an esthetically pleasing appearance to a mast-mounted support arrangement relative to prior art assemblies intended to perform similar functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Inventor: Kenneth Riley Williams
  • Patent number: 7387416
    Abstract: An illumination lamp including a projection lens 12 and primary and secondary light source units 14, 16 are disposed rearwards of a projection lens 12 disposed on an optical axis Ax, which extends in a longitudinal direction of a lamp. The primary light source unit 14 includes a primary reflector 34 and an upwardly oriented reflecting surface 36a which extends rearwards from the rear focal point F of the projection lens 12. The secondary light source unit 16 includes a secondary reflector 44 that reflects light upwards so as to be caused to substantially converge on a location lying near the rear focal point F on a downwardly oriented reflecting surface 46a, which extends obliquely downwards from a front end edge of the upwardly oriented reflecting surface 36a towards a rear of the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michio Tsukamoto, Hiroyuki Ishida, Kiyoshi Sazuka, Masashi Tatsukawa
  • Patent number: 7387403
    Abstract: Devices for providing light and methods and devices for fabricating them are described. Lighting devices having lighting elements (e.g., based on LEDs, OLEDs, or other lighting technology) coupled to a frame allow for efficient dissipation of heat generated by the lighting elements. Each lighting device can be configured to be easily expandable, replaceable, and adaptable to different lighting device systems. A modular lighting device is also described. According to various embodiments, modular stacked frames and/or modular lighting element subassemblies are used. A manufacturing assembly is also described for fabricating the lighting devices. The use of reclaimed materials in the present invention is also described, which may further add value to the apparatus and methods of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Inventor: Paul R. Mighetto
  • Patent number: 7380962
    Abstract: An optical manifold for efficiently combining a plurality of blue LED outputs to illuminate a phosphor for a single, substantially homogeneous output, in a small, cost-effective package. Embodiments are disclosed that use a single or multiple LEDs and a remote phosphor, and an intermediate wavelength-selective filter arranged so that backscattered photoluminescence is recycled to boost the luminance and flux of the output aperture. A further aperture mask is used to boost phosphor luminance with only modest loss of luminosity. Alternative non-recycling embodiments provide blue and yellow light in collimated beams, either separately or combined into white.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Light Prescriptions Innovators, LLC
    Inventors: Julio C. Chaves, Waqidi Falicoff, Juan C. Minano, Pablo Benitez, William A. Parkyn, Jr., Roberto Alvarez, Oliver Dross