Patents Examined by Sandra O'Shea
  • Patent number: 7347604
    Abstract: A lantern structure comprising a base, at least one luminous body, at least one light pipe and a lantern cover, wherein the light source of the luminous body is the LED. The luminous body is disposed on a surface of the base, and the base and the luminous body are enclosed under the lantern cover. The light pipe connects the luminous body to the lantern cover in order to guide the light radiated from the luminous body to a desired irradiating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Hung-Chun Li, Li-Ling Lee, Wen-Lune Wu
  • Patent number: 7347590
    Abstract: A lens used for a light-emitting diode (LED) includes a body having an axis and a retaining part, wherein the body of the lens is symmetrical about the axis. The lens is mounted onto an LED and further includes a first lens part and a second lens part. When entering into the first lens part, light rays will be totally reflected through the first lens part and the light rays emitted from the first lens part will approximately parallel to the axis. When the light rays emitted from the first lens part enter into the second lens part, they will be totally reflected, and the light rays emitted from the second lens part will be approximately perpendicular to the axis. Thus, the lens has a structure that may control the emitting direction of light emitted from an LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Chi Lin Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventors: I-Chang Lee, Shen-Yin Tsai
  • Patent number: 7347576
    Abstract: An instrument cluster assembly includes a first instrument cluster graphic and a second instrument cluster graphic. The second instrument cluster graphic is superimposed on the first instrument cluster graphic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Continential Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventors: Taochuan Bruce Wang, Vyacheslav B. Birman, Richard Sanders, Werner Eckardt, Christopher J. Volpe
  • Patent number: 7348723
    Abstract: A display has a member irradiated by a surface light source device comprising a light diffusion member and emission device. The emission device is provided with a light flux control member having a recess and light control emission face which is configurated so as to satisfy Conditions 1 and 2 in a range at least covering a half-intensity-angular-range. Light emitting element(s) may be sealed. Condition 1 is that relation ?5/?1>1 is satisfied except for light emitted from a light emitting element toward within an angular-neighbourhood of a standard optical axis of the emission device, and Condition 2 is that value of ?5/?1 decreases gradually according to increasing of ?1, where ?1 is an emission angle of any light at being emitted from the light emitting element, and ?5 is an emission angle of that light of ?1 at then being emitted from the light control emission face of the light flux control member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Yamaguchi, Shingo Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 7347608
    Abstract: The invention relates to a window element (10), comprising at least one at least periodically transparent sheet-like element (11) and at least one surface (display) for replay of images, whereby the sheet-like element comprises at least one display (12) which is part of the sheet-like element. In a first state with an operating display a replay of image elements occurs on the sheet-like element and in a second state with a switched-off display a view through the sheet-like element is at least partly possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Inventor: Thomas Emde
  • Patent number: 7345420
    Abstract: An organic electroluminescent display panel includes one or more organic electroluminescent elements and a substrate supporting them. Each organic electroluminescent element has first and second display electrodes and one or more organic functional layers of organic compounds sandwiched and layered between the first and second display electrodes, the organic functional layers including a light-emitting layer. Such display panel has a high-molecular compound film covering the organic electroluminescent elements and a surface of the substrate around the one or more organic electroluminescent elements; and an inorganic barrier film covering the high-molecular compound film, an edge thereof, and a surface of the substrate around the high-molecular compound film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kubota
  • Patent number: 7345414
    Abstract: An electric lamp assembly 10 for emitting near infrared radiation includes a reflector housing 20 and a lamp vessel 24 positioned within the reflector housing. A source of illumination 28 is enclosed within the lamp vessel. A continuous multi-layer interference film 40 on an exterior surface 42 of the lamp vessel transmits near infrared radiation within the range of 850-1100 nm and is substantially non-transmissive towards visible radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nathaniel Miller, Rajasingh S. Israel, Tianji Zhao, Peter W. Brown, Bart P. Terburg
  • Patent number: 7344278
    Abstract: Luminaire with reflector of adjustable rotation comprises a luminaire housing, a reflector received in the housing and an assembled component at ends of reflector. Each longitudinal end of the luminaire has a recess and a projection on internal surface, the recess defining a circular arc, with center as longitudinal axis of a fluorescent lamp. Each assembled component has first and second axially outwardly protruding parts, cooperating with an associated recess and projection, respectively. The first part is received in the recess for guiding rotation of the reflector. The second part has a circular arced, toothed surface concentric with its associated recess, and cooperating with an associated projection that engages a respective one of a plurality of cavities of the toothed surface, to secure the reflector in a respective one of a plurality of rotational positions. Locations of recess and projection can be interchanged with locations of first and second parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Pilux & Danpex A.G.
    Inventor: Antonios Paravantsos
  • Patent number: 7344280
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a lens having a light entrance end forming a recess defining a concave surface, a heat sink having an end portion facing the recess and a light source positioned to transmit light having a predetermined wavelength via the concave surface of the recess into the lens. The lens may be a non-imaging lens or a total internal reflection lens (TIR) configured to radiate optical radiation received at the concave surface. The light source is in thermal communication with the heat sink to conduct heat generated by the light source to the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Teledyne Lighting and Display Products, Inc.
    Inventors: George W. Panagotacos, David G. Pelka, Roland Winston
  • Patent number: 7344269
    Abstract: An improved flashlight includes a barrel, a light source and a variable length conductor. The barrel contains a plurality of batteries which may be arranged end-to-end. The light source is held in a holder. The variable length conductor is interposed between the plurality of batteries and the light source. The variable length conductor is configured to selectively electrically couple or de-couple the light source and the batteries. The holder of the light source may further be configured to move the light source substantially laterally relative to an axis of the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: MAG Instrument, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony Maglica
  • Patent number: 7344279
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for providing active and passive thermal or cooling facilities for LED lighting systems, including radiating and convective thermal facilities, including fans, phase change materials, conductive polymers, potting compounds, vents, ducts, and other thermal facilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: George G. Mueller, Frederick M. Morgan, Ihor A. Lys, Kevin J. Dowling, Edward Nortrup
  • Patent number: 7344291
    Abstract: Disclosed is an illuminating device which, as a light source for a backlight device, mixes the colors of light rays of three prime colors radiated by light emitting diodes to emit white light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Hatanaka, Takeo Arai
  • Patent number: 7344273
    Abstract: An illumination device having a plurality of light sources, a user manipulable control and a circuit. The circuit receives an input from the user manipulable control, determines an illumination angle of the plurality of light sources based upon the input, and illuminates at least one of the light sources such that the light sources are illuminated in accordance with the illumination angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Binary Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter F. Lewis, Leonard R. Missler
  • Patent number: 7344292
    Abstract: An edge-type backlight unit having a plurality of rows of red, blue and green LEDs to provide a light source. In the backlight unit, a light guide plate has a light incidence part formed on a side surface thereof to receive light, the light guide plate inducing the light from the light incidence part to be emitted through a top surface of the light guide plate. A light source is disposed near the light incidence part of the light guide plate, and includes a plurality of red, green and blue light emitting diodes along the light incidence part. The light emitting diodes are grouped into at least three rows according to color. Here, the row of the green light emitting diodes is arranged most adjacent to the top surface of the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Bum Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 7344283
    Abstract: Disclosed is a light reflector formed of a white polyolefin film which contains a polyolefin resin and a filler and is oriented at least monoaxially to have an areal draw ratio of from 1.3 to 80 times, which has a whole ray reflectance of at least 95% and undergoes a dimensional change of at most 1.5% when left at 70° C. for 300 hours, and which has a melting-starting temperature of 70° C. or higher. The light reflector hardly causes brightness unevenness of the planar light source when it is built in a planar light source device and used for a long period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Yupo Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiko Ueda, Hiroshi Koyama, Tomotsugu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7341370
    Abstract: In a backlight assembly capable of improving display quality and an LCD apparatus having the backlight assembly, the backlight assembly includes a lamp and an insulating member. The lamp includes a lamp tube and an electrode disposed on an end portion of the lamp tube. The insulating member is combined with the end portion of the lamp so as to surround the electrode and to prevent a heat generated from the electrode from being conducted toward the lamp tube. Therefore, a display quality of the LCD apparatus is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyoung-Joo Kim, Dong-Hoon Kim, Jong-Dae Park, Jeong-Hwan Lee, Jae-Ho Jung, Sang-Hyuck Yoon
  • Patent number: 7341358
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus is disclosed in the invention. The illumination apparatus includes a cavity with a diffusion surface, a light source, a light-spreading device, and at least one optically-conditioning surface with a wavelike array formed thereon. The light-spreading device and the optically-conditioning surface spread the light generated by the light source. The light-spreading device includes a wing-shaped protrusion part, a light incident surface, a recess located away from the light incident surface, and an optically-conditioning surface including a wavelike array, wherein the wavelike array has a wavefront direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Epistar Corporation
    Inventors: Min-Hsun Hsieh, Chou-Chih Yin, Chun-Chang Chen, Jen-Shui Wang, Chia-Fen Tsai, Yi-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 7338190
    Abstract: A vehicle rearview mirror system includes a rearview mirror assembly comprising an electro-optic reflective element and, preferably, at least a first and a second photo-sensor, both facing generally in a common direction. A light piping element pipes light to the first photo-sensor from a light environment different from the light environment to which the second photo-sensor is exposed. The first photo-sensor may comprise a semiconductor photo-sensor sensitive both to visible light and to infrared radiation. A spectral filter may be disposed in front of the first photo-sensor to reduce the amount of infrared radiation incident thereat. One of the first and second photo-sensors may have a rearward field of view relative to the forward direction of travel of the vehicle, and the other of the first and second photo-sensors may have a forward field of view relative to the forward direction of the travel of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventor: Rodney K. Blank
  • Patent number: 7338189
    Abstract: An LED utility light includes a hollow housing having a wider upper light portion connected to a narrower lower handle portion. The light portion has a lens opening covered by a lens permitting light generated from an array of LEDs to exit the housing. A magnet mounted on the housing releasably retains the utility light on a support surface. The magnet is releasably attached to the housing and can be rotated about an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Alert Safety Lite Products Co., Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Kovacik, Paul S. Blanch, Joseph J. Smith
  • Patent number: 7336339
    Abstract: A LED display apparatus is disclosed, in which a LED array (7) arranged according to the shape of patterns or characters to be displayed is fixed on a PCB (3), the LED array is connected to a LED driving controller (6), optical conductive ink (5) is distributed around the LEDs on the PCB (3), above the LEDs and the optical conductive ink (5) is disposed an optical conductive bracket (2) having a cross section corresponding to the shape of the patterns or characters to be displayed, and a diffuser (1) is placed on the top of the optical conductive bracket (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Inventor: Wai Ho