Patents Examined by Stephen Husar
  • Patent number: 7252425
    Abstract: A light guide panel usable with a backlight unit is capable of enhancing brightness uniformity and reducing light loss. The light guide panel includes a transparent plate one side of which is a plane of incidence. An interior of the light guide panel is divided by a plurality of planes inclined with respect to the plane of incidence, and each of the respective inclined planes is partial-reflection-coated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joon-chan Park
  • Patent number: 7220046
    Abstract: A replaceable lamp header for positioning a lamp within a reflector assembly includes a base member having first and second lateral portions, at least one first source connection coupled to each of the first and second lateral portions, at least one second source connection coupled to each of the first and second lateral portions, a first interconnect coupling the first source connections and being external to the base member, and a second interconnect coupling the second source connections and being external to the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: John Lee, David Huhn, Andrew Lovvorn, Jimmy Perez, Bob Sattem
  • Patent number: 7217011
    Abstract: An air flow channel is used to direct cooling air towards a lamp reflector. The air flow channel has an outer housing and a guider. The outer housing is positioned at the outlet of blower, which is designed to dissipate heat from the lamp reflector. The guider, which is mounted at the side of the outer housing, has an upper slanted surface, a lower slanted surface and a side slanted surface. The air flow is divided into three individual air flows towards the lamp reflector by means of the three slanted surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
    Inventors: Cheng Wang, Tsung-Ching Lin, Lu-Wen Chien
  • Patent number: 7210834
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp for use in an automobile, comprises: a light source module for generating light; an optical member operable to emit the light produced by the light source module out of the vehicular lamp; and a light source fixing member for fixing the light source module to a reference position a relative position of which with respect to the optical member is predetermined, wherein the light source module includes: a reference member which is fixed to be fitted to the reference position when the light source module is fixed to the optical member, a semiconductor light emitting element for emitting light from a lighting region that is predetermined; and a holding member for fitting a center of the lighting region to a position a relative position of which with respect to the reference member is predetermined, so as to hold the semiconductor-emitting light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Sazuka, Hiroyuki Ishida, Masashi Tatsukawa
  • Patent number: 7201511
    Abstract: The present invention provides a light emitting module, comprising: a plurality of thin plate-shaped conductors (2) spaced apart from each other in a first direction; at least one light source (4) connected between at least one pair of adjoining ones of said conductors; and at least one insulating joint member (4) for mechanically joining said plurality of conductors, wherein said at least one insulating joint member exposes both sides of at least a portion of said conductors where said light source is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Moriyama Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideo Moriyama, Koichi Yanagita, legal representative, Munehiko Yanagita, deceased
  • Patent number: 7195365
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle lamp that is designed to reliably remove snow, etc. adhering to a lens. A carbon-based heating element is mounted within a lamp body so that the heat rays radiated from the heating element irradiate a rear surface of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Suda, Noboru Kanba
  • Patent number: 7188989
    Abstract: The light guide plate 32 has a light receiving portion 36 on one side thereof to receive light emitted by the LED 24 and a flexible light guide body 35 for transforming the light received by the light receiving portion 36 into planar light. The light guide body 35 is arranged along the liquid crystal panel 23 and has a plurality of light scattering portions 30 arranged on an outer surface thereof in a propagation direction of light emitted by the LED 24. Since the light guide plate 32 comprises a flexible member and thus can be arranged in a curved shape conforming to the liquid crystal panel 23 having a curved surface portion, the curved surface portion of the liquid crystal panel 23 can be illuminated uniformly. Further, the provision of the light scattering portions 30 can enhance a light reception efficiency and light emission efficiency even if the light guide plate 32 is thin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinichi Miyashita
  • Patent number: 7175326
    Abstract: A fiber optic panel illuminated mailbox having a solar energy collection system and a control circuit which illuminates a light emitting diode which feeds a fiber optic panel. The fiber optic panel is placed behind cutouts which represent address numbers in order to provide mailbox address location during nighttime hours. The control circuitry turns on the light emitting diode during nighttime hours and charges batteries during daytime hours. The fiber optic panel illuminated mailbox is a self contained illuminated mailbox address number identification system which does not require external wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Inventor: Robert J. Bossomo
  • Patent number: 7172309
    Abstract: A flashlight includes a light emitting diode, power source, momentary contact switch for manually activating the flashlight, and a split-ring clip for attachment to key-rings, baggage, and various articles of clothing. The flashlight body includes an interchangeable bottom wall, suitable for engraving, printing, silk screening, or stamping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Armament Systems and Procedures, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin L. Parsons
  • Patent number: 7172332
    Abstract: A bendable line voltage track lighting system includes a track having a conductor subassembly and first and second bendable sheaths that engage the conductor subassembly. The conductor subassembly includes first and second insulators that receive first and second bus-bars, respectively, and a compression gasket for biasing the two insulators into engagement with guide grooves in the bendable sheaths. Power is fed to the track by power connectors that engage the bus-bars contained within the conductor subassembly. Light fixtures are powered by making electrical contact with the bus-bars of the conductor subassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Tech Lighting L.L.C.
    Inventors: Aaron Mobarak, Victor Smith, Christopher Watson, Michael Shulman, Paul Furlow, Gregory Kay, Wallace Hepkema
  • Patent number: 7163302
    Abstract: A lighting effects system comprises an arrangement of lamp elements, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or other light elements, on a panel or frame. The panel or frame may be relatively lightweight, and may include one or more circuit boards for direct mounting of the lamp elements. The panel or frame may have an opening through which a camera can view. A mounting bracket and assembly may be used for attaching the panel or frame to a camera. The lamp elements may be electronically controllable so as to provide differing intensity levels, collectively, individually, or in designated groups, and may be strobed, dimmed or otherwise controlled according to manually selected or programmable patterns. Different color lamp elements may be mounted on the same panel/frame, and, in particular, daylight and tungsten colored lamp elements may be mounted on the same panel/frame and their relative intensities selectively controlled by control circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Litepanels LLC
    Inventors: Rudy G. Pohlert, Pat Grosswendt, Kevin Baxter, Ken S. Fisher
  • Patent number: 7156547
    Abstract: A light diffusive sheet of the present invention comprises a transparent polymer sheet provided with a light diffusion layer 3 on one side and an uneven surface 4a having arithmetical mean deviation of 0.5 ?m or less and mean spacing of 80 ?m or narrower on the opposite side. Such an uneven surface can be made by forming a backcoat layer 4 including a mixture of particles having particular mean diameters in a particular proportion to a binder resin on the transparent polymer sheet. An area light source element 7 of the present invention is produced by laminating a prism sheet 6 on a light guide plate 5 so that the prism surface 61 of the prism sheet 6 is opposed to the light-emitting surface 51 of the light guide plate 5 and laminating the light diffusive sheet on the prism sheet 6 so that the uneven surface (backcoat layer) of the light diffusive sheet is opposed to the surface opposite of the prism surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Kimoto Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasumaro Toshima, Masashi Takai, Hideharu Nagami
  • Patent number: 7150544
    Abstract: A light assembly leveler (10) is disclosed having a threaded central nipple (13) mounted to the ceiling fan switch housing (11), an upper mounting disk (14), a lower mounting disk (15), a bowl-shaped translucent light diffusor (16), a cap (18) and a finial (19). The upper mounting disk (14) has a central passage (23) through which the nipple (13) extends and a concave bottom bearing surface (24). The lower mounting disk has a convex top bearing surface (28) with a central opening (29) therethrough defined. The top bearing surface is configured to mate with or bear against the bottom bearing surface of the upper mounting disk to allow rotary movement of the lower mounting disk relative to the upper mounting disk. The cap has an upper peripheral rim (34) and a centralized concave lower bearing surface (35) with a central opening (36) therethrough. The cap is configured to abut the diffusor. A finial (38) is threaded onto the lower end of the nipple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
    Inventors: Richard A. Pearce, Richard Orion Millaway
  • Patent number: 7147358
    Abstract: An optical product comprised of an optical film and a protective cover has a cover removal tab attached along one edge. The cover removal tab allows the protective cover to be easily and efficiently removed from the optical film. In addition, there is no imprint of the cover removal tab on the optical film when multiple optical products are stacked or rolled up for storage, the protective cover remains the same size as the optical film, adding the cover removal tab to the optical product only requires a one punch-head converting machine, and there is minimal waste of material and time to add the cover removal tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Anthony J. Freking, Ashok Lu, John Fei, Ren Hua Feng
  • Patent number: 7144134
    Abstract: A light projector is provided which includes an elliptical reflector, a first spherical retro-reflector, the first retro-reflector having an first aperture formed therein, the first aperture having a first diameter and a first center-point, a second spherical retro-reflector located between the elliptical reflector and the first retro-reflector, the second retro-reflector having a second aperture formed therein, the second aperture having a second diameter and a second center-point, the second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the first and second center-points lying along a common axis, and a light source, the light source located at a foci of the elliptical reflector, the light source lying along the common axis, the elliptical reflector reflecting light emitted by the light source, the reflected light passing through the first and second apertures, the first and second retro-reflectors being positioned so as to reflect light emitted by the light source back towards the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Morpheus Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Romano, Robert Fry, Wallace Daniels
  • Patent number: 7140754
    Abstract: A transformable flashlight apparatus includes a body member, a head member with a light-emitting device, and a connecting member for connecting the head member to the body member and allowing the re-positioning of the head member with respect to the body member. Attaching structure connects an attachable and moveable object to one or both of the body member and the head member of the flashlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: NTM Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Thuma, Paul Mann
  • Patent number: 7134777
    Abstract: A surface lighting device (1) includes a light guide plate (11), a point light source (14), and a light reflector (13) substantially juxtaposed with the light guide plate. The light guide plate has a light incident surface (111). The point light source is located between one end of the light reflector and the light incident surface. The light reflector comprises a reflecting portion (131) obliquely opposite to the light incident surface. The reflecting portion is adapted to receive light beams emitted from the point light source, and reflect the received light into the light incident surface of the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang-Chieh Sung
  • Patent number: 7131749
    Abstract: A reflector lamp or illumination system comprising a concave reflector having a parabolic or ellipsoidal front section and a spherical rear section with it's focal point just ahead of the focal point of the front section, and a finite light source located at the focal point of the front section. The reflector sections are dimensioned so that light rays from the finite light source which are reflected by the spherical rear section become re-reflected by the front section and distributed more evenly in said projected beam pattern with the energy rays filling back in from the edge to the center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Inventor: Randal Lee Wimberly
  • Patent number: 7118256
    Abstract: A lighting device for a vehicle has at least two light sources, a primary light source for general illuminating or marking purposes and a secondary light source, namely a plasma lamp, for creating exciting and appealing lighting effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Michael Desmond, Richard Plavetich
  • Patent number: RE40342
    Abstract: A portable light includes first and second d.c. lamps. A first housing portion has longitudinal access and encloses the first lamp while projecting a first light beam in a direction of longitudinal access. The first housing portion has a exterior surface contour and includes a compartment containing an electrical device connectable to a d.c. power supply connectable in circuit with the first lamp. A second housing portion is the shape of a hand grip and extends from first side of the first housing portion in a direction transversed to the longitudinal access to the first housing portion. The second housing portion encloses the second lamp which is connectable in circuit with the electrical device for projecting a second light beam in the direction forming at an angle with the longitudinal access of the first housing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Vector Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Krieger