Patents Examined by Nathaniel Lee
  • Patent number: 9069162
    Abstract: A lighting device, a method and a light wavelength conversion wheel assembly for color tuning thereof. The lighting device includes a light source which includes an excitation light source and a moving unit. The moving unit includes a light wavelength conversion wheel assembly having a heat dissipation base. The heat dissipation base is divided into a number of segments carrying different wavelength conversion materials, and is controlled to rotate intermittently or rotate to a predetermined angle around a wheel shaft serving as an axis. The heat dissipation base faces the exciting light and is illuminated locally. A control unit controls the rotation so that a predetermined area is rotated into the illumination area of the exciting light. Output light of a predetermined color is provided by the excitation light source and the predetermined area or the wavelength conversion material located in the predetermined area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: APPOTRONICS CORPORATION LIMITED
    Inventor: Yanzheng Xu
  • Patent number: 9063333
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a backlight and an aperture layer that is positioned in front of the backlight and defines a plurality of apertures. The display apparatus also includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) light modulator configured to modulate light emitted by the backlight passing through the apertures to form an image on the display apparatus. The MEMS light modulator includes a shutter that has a light blocking portion having an aperture layer-facing surface and a front-facing surface and at least one depression formed in the light blocking portion. The width of the at least one depression accounts for at least 50% but less than 100% of a distance separating two edges of the shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Pixtronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Joyce H. Wu, Jianru Shi, Mark B. Andersson, Jasper Lodewyk Steyn, Timothy J. Brosnihan
  • Patent number: 9063387
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for applying directed energy to an object. The system includes a first transmitter comprising a light source configured to emit a first light beam at a first frequency towards a focal point and a second transmitter comprising a light source configured to emit a second light beam at a second frequency towards the focal point. The first and second light beams cause a third light beam to be generated that has a third frequency that is coincident with at least one resonant frequency of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey H. Hunt, Nicholas Koumvakalis
  • Patent number: 9057496
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp that is capable of optically distributing a spot portion of a light distribution pattern having a cutoff line to a cruising lane side is provided. The present invention includes semiconductor-type light sources 2L and 2R and lenses 3L and 3R. On emission surfaces 31L and 31R of the lenses 3L and 3R, peak portions 32L and 32R that form a spot portion SP of a light distribution pattern for low beam LP are respectively provided in given locations that are close to a cruising lane side with respect to optical axes ZL and ZR of the lenses 3L and 3R. As a result, the present invention can provide the vehicle headlamp that is capable of optically distributing the spot portion SP of the light distribution pattern for low beam LP having a cutoff line CL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Okubo
  • Patent number: 9052420
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a backlight LED structure, a backlight and a display device. In the backlight LED structure, a flange structure is arranged at the upper side of an LED bracket which is defined when the LED bracket is mounted close to a light guide plate such that the flange structure covers the upper side of the light guide plate when the LED structure and the light guide plate are assembled. In addition, each of the two ends of the flange structure has an angular area extending outwards, and the lower surfaces of the two angular areas are distributed with light guide points. The backlight LED structure can prevent the LED light from being emitted from the fitting gap between the backlight LED structure and the light guide plate, and control direction of light between the backlight LED structures and scatter travel direction of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignees: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., Beijing BOE Display Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: You Li, Xiuyun Chen
  • Patent number: 9039251
    Abstract: Certain example implementations of the disclosed technology include a light emitting device. The light emitting device may include an enclosure with four sides and a top edge surface associated with each of the four sides. The enclosure may be capable of mounting on a grid frame of a suspended ceiling such that a portion of the top edge surfaces contacts a portion of the grid frame. The light emitting device may further include a light modifying element characterized by a substrate with four or more edges, a back surface disposed on the top edge surface of each of the four sides of the enclosure, and a front surface. In certain example embodiments the substrate may further comprise two or more edge trusses. A periphery of the light-emitting front surface may be capable of contacting the grid frame after the light emitting device is mounted to the grid frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Southpac Trust International Inc
    Inventor: Leslie David Howe
  • Patent number: 9033558
    Abstract: A light source includes one or more solid state light emitting devices, a heat spreader thermally coupled to the one or more light emitting devices, and a mounting carriage configured to mount the one or more solid state light emitting devices in a lighting fixture light and thermally couple the heat spreader to the lighting fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGELUX, Inc.
    Inventor: Todd Farmer
  • Patent number: 9024526
    Abstract: A detector element with one or more attached antenna for the detection of high energy transmissions, including microwaves, lasers, electromagnetic signals, RF waves, radiation, and/or other transmissions emitted by a source including a weapon system. The element may also be used as a safety device to warn and alert personnel working around high energy devices of electromagnetic leaks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Imaging Systems Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert P. Wenzlaff, Edwin F. Peters, Carol Ann Wedding, James D. Butcher
  • Patent number: 8998466
    Abstract: An interior lighting for a vehicle includes, but is not limited to a coupling-out zone for illumination of the vehicle interior, which includes, but is not limited to a lighting device. The lighting device includes, but is not limited to a light source that is configured to produce light and an optical fiber, into which the light can be coupled in or is coupled in. The optical fiber is configured to couple out the light extensively in the at least one coupling-out zone, and includes, but is not limited to an auxiliary lighting for producing an auxiliary light which is also configured for the illumination of the vehicle interior. The auxiliary lighting emits the auxiliary light starting from a side of the at least one optical fiber facing away from the vehicle interior in a trans-illumination zone through the optical fiber into the interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Ralf Wilfert
  • Patent number: 8974104
    Abstract: A backlight module includes a light guide plate, at least one light source, and a light-reflecting plate. The light guide plate includes a light-emitting surface, a bottom surface, a light-incident surface, and a guiding tilt surface. One end of guiding tilt surface and light-emitting surface are intersected at a first boundary, and the other end connects to a top edge of light-incident surface. The guiding tilt surface extends toward a direction of protruding the light-emitting surface. The horizontal distance between the first boundary and light-incident surface is L. The light-reflecting plate is disposed under the bottom surface. When the horizontal distance d between light-incident surface and an end of light-reflecting plate near light-incident surface is less than L, the horizontal distance between a vertical projection of the end on light-emitting surface and first boundary is not more than 0.5 mm. When d is more than L, x is at least 0.5 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Yi-Wen Chang, Fu-Cheng Fan
  • Patent number: 8939808
    Abstract: A spark plug includes a ceramic insulator extending in the direction of an axis (CL1) and a metallic shell provided around the ceramic insulator. Talc is pressed charged between the ceramic insulator and the metallic shell and a crimp portion is formed for fixing the metallic shell and the ceramic insulator while the metallic shell having the ceramic insulator inserted thereinto is supported by a tubular receiving member. The receiving member is made movable in relation to a pressing jig in its radial direction. Thus, at the time of pressing of the talc, etc., the eccentricity between the center axis (CL2), (CL3) of the pressing jig and the axis (CL1) in the radial direction can be reduced, whereby the misalignment between the axis (CL1) and the center axis of the metallic shell or the like assembly error can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jiro Kyuno, Keiji Ozeki, Tomoaki Kato, Akiko Maruno
  • Patent number: 8931911
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a backlight unit and a display apparatus using the same. The backlight unit includes a first reflector, a second reflector partially having an inclined surface, at least one light source module disposed between the first and second reflectors, and at least one reflective structure disposed on the second reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Sung Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 8928211
    Abstract: A 360-degree projection LED bulb includes a bulb holder, a transparent bulb seat, a transparent bulb shell, an upper luminosity module, a heat dissipating seat, and a plurality of sidelight luminosity modules. The upper luminosity module includes upper LEDs supported within an upper end of the transparent bulb seat and can be driven to project light beams towards the transparent bulb shell. The heat dissipating seat is engaged on a lower end face of an upper LED substrate of the upper luminosity module and includes side walls formed as an annular polygon. Each sidelight luminosity module is mounted on an associated side wall and includes a lateral LED substrate and at least one lateral LED disposed on the lateral LED substrate. Each lateral LED can be driven to radiate horizontally and downward via the transparent bulb seat. As such, the LED bulb realizes wide-angle radiation effect and superior cooling effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Inventor: Wen-Sung Hu
  • Patent number: 8920014
    Abstract: A backlight unit includes a light guide plate and a light source unit. The light guide plate includes an exit surface which has a polygonal shape, a lower surface which faces the exit surface, and side surfaces which connect the exit surface and the lower surface. The light guide plate guides a light such that that light exits from the exit surface. The light source unit includes a plurality of light sources which provide the light to the light guide plate. The light guide plate includes a protrusion which protrudes from an end of the lower surface in a direction opposite to the exit surface. The protrusion includes a first inclination surface which is connected to one of the side surfaces, and a second inclination surface which connects the first inclination surface and the lower surface to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seungin Baek, Taek-Sun Shin, Rae-Young Kim, Jinsung Choi
  • Patent number: 8922103
    Abstract: A spark plug (1) includes a metallic shell (3) and a ground electrode (27) resistance-welded to the metallic shell (3). The ground electrode (27) is formed from a metal material in which precipitates PR containing at least one of an oxide, an intermetallic compound, etc., are precipitated in grain boundaries. The diameter of an equivalent circle of a precipitate PR having the greatest area is 50 ?m or less, and the shortest distance between the precipitates PR is 2 ?m or greater. The area occupied by the precipitates PR on the section of the heat-affected zone 27A is equal to 65% or more the area occupied by the precipitates PR (the diameter of an equivalent circle of a precipitate PR having the greatest area) on a section of the normal zone 27B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Yoshimoto, Tomo-o Tanaka, Norihide Kachikawa
  • Patent number: 8915623
    Abstract: A more versatile cover for a light bulb, such as a compact fluorescent lamp or light emitting diode, that is aesthetically pleasing, flexible, and requires no modifications to the bulb while also capable of fitting a multitude of bulb configurations and sizes. The cover may include a hollow and at least partially elastic body in a pre-formed shape having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the body is removable and frictionally secured to said bulb to form an envelope around the bulb. The body may also include a collar and a bulbous section, which extends from the collar. The collar is configured to engage the base of the light bulb and create a substantially airtight seal between the base and the body. The body is fabricated from a light pervious material, and any light transmitted by the cover is preferably substantially diffuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: St. Albert Innovations, LLC
    Inventor: Ryan Claudet
  • Patent number: 8911111
    Abstract: The present invention provides an LED backlight system and display device. Backlight system includes power source module, LED array, master switch module, current detection module, current equalizer module and current shunt module. LED array is connected to power source module and includes LED strings with common anode. Master switch module includes first switch transistors for receiving switch control PWM signal of LED strings. Current detection module outputs current feedback signals corresponding to currents of LED strings. Current equalizer module is connected to current detection and includes equalizer control unit and equalizer switch unit. Based on current feedback signal, equalizer control unit controls on-and-off of equalizer switch unit. Current shunt module is connected in parallel with current equalizer module and performs current shunt on current equalizer module. As such, the present invention reduces energy-consumption of current equalizer module and temperature of LED drive chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xinming Gao, Fei Li, Xiang Yang
  • Patent number: 8905600
    Abstract: A Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lamp includes a heat sink with a number of passive air flow ducts defined at least partially by fins of the heat sink and a cover plate over the fins. The heat sink includes a body with a cavity, a number of fins radiating outwards from the body, and a cover plate covering the fins. Each passive air flow duct includes top and bottom openings for air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: TSMC Solid State Lighting Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hsuan Sun, Hsiao-Wen Lee
  • Patent number: 8899812
    Abstract: A front bezel assembly is adapted to cover a display panel and a backlight module of a non-self-luminous display device. The backlight module includes an optical module. The front bezel assembly includes a front bezel. The front bezel assembly includes a front wall disposed in front of the display panel and formed with a bezel opening to expose the same, and a sidewall extending rearward from the front wall into the optical module. A backlight source is mounted to the sidewall such that light emitted from the backlight source irradiates toward the display panel through the optical module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Cheng-Hua Tien, Tian-Yu Yeh, Tai-Yu Chen, Chueh-Yang Tsai
  • Patent number: 8888313
    Abstract: A troffer door assembly having a heat conductive frame assembly, a lens member and a light emitting diode (LED) assembly having a rigid heat conductive brace member, wherein the rigid brace member is affixed to the frame assembly such that the rigidity of the frame assembly is increased and such that heat is passed from the rigid brace member to the frame assembly. Hinge members and latch members are positioned in exterior slots on the frame assembly such that the location of the hinge members and latch members can be adjusted. In this manner installed troffer light fixtures can be retrofitted by replacing the installed troffer door with the troffer door assembly as described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Harris Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott A. Green, Scott W. Lowden, Efrain Padilla, George S. Wilson