Patents Examined by Sandra O'Shea
  • Patent number: 7287889
    Abstract: A lamp or blinker apparatus for a vehicle for saving power and providing a long life and for achieving miniaturization of a lamp body by using a light emitting diode as a light source. The lamp or blinker apparatus for a vehicle includes a front blinker having a light emitting diode as a light source in a lamp body, and a resistance circuit for adjusting the voltage to be applied to the light emitting diode. The resistance circuit is provided separately outside the lamp body. The lamp body case may be formed from a heat transfer member with the light emitting diode attached to the lamp body case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takao Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7287870
    Abstract: An illuminated display system or assembly. In particular, the illuminated system is designed to display various food items such as wedding cakes, hors d'oeuvres, buffets, pies, and the like. The assembly includes a plurality of plates and sheets adapted to be engaged to form enclosures for lighting. Lighting is secured to the sheets within the enclosures. The assembly further includes one or more pillars each adapted to engage the plates and to house additional lighting. The invention also includes methods of assembling the display system and methods of displaying and illuminating the various food items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Inventor: Joanne J. Knoch
  • Patent number: 7287871
    Abstract: A lightbox and bracket assembly for use preferably as a display at the end of a bank of devices, such as gaming devices is disclosed. The lightbox has an easily removable, magnetically secured cover. The lightbox includes features for reducing display installation time and removing hot spots cause by the light source from the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Digital Sports Graphics, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam J. Wiesberg, Steve E. Wiesberg, Mark Wittmeyer, Cindy Lamy, Joseph J. Galati, Jr., Anthony J. Galati
  • Patent number: 7287885
    Abstract: An automotive storage compartment includes a compartment body defining a cavity and having an opening for accessing the cavity. The compartment body includes a first connecting member integrally formed therein. The storage compartment further includes a cover having a second connecting member integrally formed therein, the first connecting member cooperating with the second connecting member to moveably couple the cover to the compartment body. An electroluminescent lamp is molded to the compartment body to illuminate the cavity. A two-shot molding process may be used to form the storage compartment, with the compartment body and the first connecting member being formed in the first shot. The electroluminescent lamp is molded to the compartment body in the first shot. The cover and the second connecting member are then formed in the second shot so that the cover is pivotally coupled to the compartment body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: International Automotive Components Group, LLC
    Inventors: Bogdan Radu, Alan G. Dry
  • Patent number: 7287882
    Abstract: A lock includes a main body, a shining device, and a switch; the main body has a holding portion on one side thereof, which is formed with a through hole; the shining device is held in the holding portion of the main body, and it includes a power source, and a light emitting element; the light emitting element is held in the through hole of the holding portion of the main body such that light emitted from it will travel outside the main body; the switch is connected to the shining device for turning on/off the power for the light emitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Jaeyou Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Cheng-Tao Tsai
  • Patent number: 7287896
    Abstract: A light access can be integrally formed with a light guide on at least one end of the light guide. A printed circuit board with an LED lamp mounted thereon can be press-fitted in the light access for transient arrangement, and can be fixed by a cover. The position of the printed circuit board can be determined in relation to the light guide. For example, engagement hooks of the light access can be fitted with recesses in the printed circuit board for positioning the circuit board in a plane normal to the longitudinal direction of the light guide. Similarly, positioning ribs of the light guide can be employed for positioning in the longitudinal direction of the light guide. The light guide can be formed in an almost rod shape having four sides in section normal to the longitudinal direction of the light guide. A light guide lens can be formed in one surface and a diffuser cut can be formed in the opposite surface of the light guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidefumi Okamoto, Toshiyuki Kondo, Shinichi Ito
  • Patent number: 7287888
    Abstract: An adjusting device for automobile headlamp projection angle comprises a case, a bearing ring, a connection beam, a magnet, a main axle, a pair of forward-wound coil and backward-wound coil, a pair of active transmission gear wheel and passive transmission gear wheel, and a circuit board. The circuit board controls the charging of the coils, determining the poiarity of the magnet, whereby the transmission gear wheels will move and drive an up or down shift of the main axle. A stopping piece mounted on the passive transmission gear wheel will move and confine the movement of the main axle between an upper and a lower limits, which limits are controlled by a handle on the circuit board. Therefore, over-extension and over-contraction of the main axle can be prevented. Further, the transmission will be more sensitive, and the total volume of the device will be small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Inventor: Hsian-Yi Huang
  • Patent number: 7287876
    Abstract: A cold cathode fluorescent lamp lighting device includes a lens cover, a cold cathode fluorescent lamp and a control box. The lens cover is a semicircular-shaped tube and includes a post having a threaded hole for insertion of a bolt. The cold cathode fluorescent lamp is circular and secured in the lens cover. The control box includes a control circuit to control the lighting of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp. The control box further comprises electric wires and a connector to be connected with a connector of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Inventor: Yu-Chu Lin
  • Patent number: 7284883
    Abstract: A lighting system and device for providing indirect light using free-cavity, double-diffusing configurations are disclosed. In accordance with the embodiments of the invention, a lighting fixture comprises a cover structure with a diffusion layer and a reflective plate that form the free-cavity. The free-cavity is preferably configured to provide an output of light from a light source positioned within the free-cavity with an efficiency rating of 70% or more and provide better than an 8:1 ceiling lighting contrast between the rows of fixtures with rows on 16 feet spacing. Further, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a device is configured to couple to a ceiling structure and provide the indirect lighting from a fluorescent light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Finelite
    Inventors: Walter Blue Clark, David Daoud Aziz
  • Patent number: 7285784
    Abstract: A real-time method and computer system for identifying radioactive materials which collects gamma count rates from a HPGe gamma-radiation detector to produce a high-resolution gamma-ray energy spectrum. A library of nuclear material definitions (“library definitions”) is provided, with each uniquely associated with a nuclide or isotope material and each comprising at least one logic condition associated with a spectral parameter of a gamma-ray energy spectrum. The method determines whether the spectral parameters of said high-resolution gamma-ray energy spectrum satisfy all the logic conditions of any one of the library definitions, and subsequently uniquely identifies the material type as that nuclide or isotope material associated with the satisfied library definition. The method is iteratively repeated to update the spectrum and identification in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Mark S. Rowland, Douglas E. Howard, James L. Wong, James L. Jessup, Greg M. Bianchini, Wayne O. Miller
  • Patent number: 7284884
    Abstract: Primary light is directed to a light path control plate from at least one point-like light source. The light path control plate has an inner face on which projection-like transmission-reflection portions and curved-for-refraction portions are alternately formed along a leaving-direction from an optical axis direction of the point-like light source, wherein each transmission-reflection portion is composed of a transmission face permitting primary light to transmit through the transmission face and a reflection face which reflects the transmitted light as to bring changed light paths directed to an outer face of the light path control plate while each curved-for-refraction portion refracts primary light as to bring changed light paths directed to the outer face of the light path control plate. First light reaching the outer face via the transmission-reflection portions and second light reaching the outer face via the curved-for-refraction portions are generated from primary light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 7286193
    Abstract: A backlight unit for a display device and a liquid crystal display device using the backlight unit suppresses light leakage to a neighboring region with a display area that is divided and driven by a DDAM (Divided Display Area Method). The backlight unit in one aspect includes a main light guide plate defined by an n number of regions for a field sequential driving, auxiliary light guide plates arranged below edges of the main light guide plate, first and second reflection plates arranged below the main light guide plate and the auxiliary light guide plate, a plurality of light source parts arranged at a predetermined interval at both sides of the auxiliary light guide plate, and a housing configured to enclose a side of the main light guide plate, the auxiliary light guide plate and side and lower portion of the light source parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jang Jin Yoo, Jong Hoon Woo
  • Patent number: 7284875
    Abstract: Apparatus for securing a flashlight and an object to one another, the flashlight including a body with a lamp housing along a longitudinal axis, the lamp housing including longitudinal slots and the body including a groove perpendicular to the axis and intersecting the slots. The object, which may be a knife blade or a bracket, includes slot-engaging parts (preferably longitudinally extending tangs) for being slidably received by the slots. A retainer is disposed in the flashlight body groove and is adapted for cooperation with the tangs for releasably retaining the tangs in the slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Surefire, LLC
    Inventor: Paul Y. Kim
  • Patent number: 7284887
    Abstract: A lamp adjuster for adjusting the aim of a headlamp is disclosed. The lamp adjuster includes an input shaft, a ball stud bracket in threaded engagement with the input shaft and an o-ring mounted on the ball stud bracket. Rotation of the input shaft causes linear translation of the ball stud bracket, thereby adjusting the aim of the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Asyst Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Scott Fladhammer
  • Patent number: 7284878
    Abstract: The present invention is a fluorescent light lumen regulating apparatus. More specifically, in one aspect, the present invention is a fluorescent lighting assembly for mounting at least one fluorescent lamp. In this aspect, the lighting assembly comprises a lamp housing. In another aspect, the invention further comprises a thermal dissipater to selectively dissipate heat from the fluorescent lamp to the ambient air to maintain the temperature of the cold spot of the fluorescent lamp within a predetermined temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Acuity Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Jay Dorogi, Eric Seth Perkins, Luke Jonathon Siefker, Terry Alan Richards
  • Patent number: 7284876
    Abstract: There is provided a display system for gaming cabinets comprising a backlit display and a mounting plate. The backlit display comprises a lighting source, an arcuate translucent face sheet, and a support frame for supporting said lighting source and said face sheet, said support frame comprising a hinged top cover, a base member, and an opposing pair of side clamp frame assemblies. The side clamp frame assemblies each retain a side edge of the arcuate face sheet. The mounting plate comprises a back panel for fixing to the back side of said backlit display and a base plate including a plurality of anchor holes for securing the display system to a cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Ericson Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg Ericson
  • Patent number: 7284894
    Abstract: A light source having light emitting modules coupled to a flexible circuit carrier. The flexible circuit carrier includes a sheet of flexible material having electrically conducting traces connecting a circuit mounting area and a connector region. The light emitting modules are electrically connected to the circuit mounting area. In one embodiment, the light emitting modules are arranged in a linear array. The light source preferably includes a light pipe having a planar layer of transparent material, the light emitting modules being bonded to an edge of the planar layer. The light pipe is preferably attached to a printed circuit board and the connection region of the flexible circuit carrier is attached to the printed circuit board. The flexible circuit carrier can move heat from the light emitting modules to the printed circuit board as well as providing electrical connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Avago Technologies ECELIIP (Singapore) Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Thye Linn Mok, Sundar Yoganandan, Ju Chin Poh, Siew It Pang
  • Patent number: 7281832
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp used in a vehicle includes a semiconductor light emitting element for producing light, a sealing member formed of a material, through which the light passes, for sealing the semiconductor light emitting element, a fixing member for fixing the semiconductor light emitting element by fitting an apparent position of one side of the semiconductor light emitting element when viewed through the sealing member into a reference position to which the semiconductor light emitting element is to be attached, and an optical member for forming at least a part of a cut line, which determines a boundary between bright and dark of a light distribution pattern of the vehicular lamp, by projecting a shape of the one side of the semiconductor light emitting element out of the vehicular lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ishida, Kiyoshi Sazuka
  • Patent number: 7281817
    Abstract: A traffic light includes a circuit board on which linear arrays of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are mounted in a V-shaped arrangement, an inner cover having a first inner surface facing the LEDs to receive light from the LEDs and an opposite, first outer surface forming elongate prisms inclined with respect to a predetermined axis at a predetermined angle of 65-80 degrees, and a front cover having a second inner surface facing the first outer surface of the inner cover to receive the light from the inner cover, and an opposite, second outer surface through which the light is further projected out of the traffic light. The second inner surface of the front cover forms a honeycomb structure including a plurality of hexagonal lens blocks, each composed of an array of individual lens segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Chip Hope Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi-Tang Hsieh, Po-Laung Huang, Chan-Ching Lin
  • Patent number: 7281812
    Abstract: A backlight unit includes: common electrodes for applying a voltage to opposite ends of a plurality of lamps; a lower member for receiving the common electrodes and positioning the common electrodes at the opposite ends of the lamps; upper members for positioning opposite to the common electrodes, each upper member having air inlet/outlets at opposite sides of the upper members and an unobstructed space between two inner side surfaces of the upper members for allowing a free flow of air between the inlet/outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: LG.Philips LCD Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gi Bin Kim