Patents by Inventor Francois Gratecap

Francois Gratecap has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11028990
    Abstract: A single-piece optical vehicle part comprising: a plurality of entrance dioptric interfaces and/or a plurality of exit dioptric interfaces; at least one junction between two adjacent entrance dioptric interfaces and/or at least one junction between two adjacent exit dioptric interfaces. The junction between two adjacent entrance dioptric interfaces and/or the junction between two adjacent exit dioptric interfaces has a structural modification allowing light to be absorbed and/or scattered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Pierre Renaud, Alexandre Joerg, Francois Gratecap, Yves Gromfeld
  • Patent number: 10808906
    Abstract: A method for obtaining a luminous device the turned-on aspect of which is different from the turned-off aspect, the device including a mask that is able to be partially passed through by light, one or more light sources, and a closing outer lens that is placed downstream of the mask. The one or more light sources and the mask are arranged with respect to one another so that the mask directly or indirectly receives the light rays emitted by the one or more light sources and so that only some of these emitted light rays pass through the mask. The method includes a step of arranging the one or more light sources in the luminous device in number and in power so that the light rays exiting from the luminous device form a signalling light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Colombel, Erwan Faoucher, Francois Gratecap
  • Publication number: 20200080699
    Abstract: A single-piece optical vehicle part comprising: a plurality of entrance dioptric interfaces and/or a plurality of exit dioptric interfaces; at least one junction between two adjacent entrance dioptric interfaces and/or at least one junction between two adjacent exit dioptric interfaces. The junction between two adjacent entrance dioptric interfaces and/or the junction between two adjacent exit dioptric interfaces has a structural modification allowing light to be absorbed and/or scattered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Pierre RENAUD, Alexandre JOERG, Francois GRATECAP, Yves GROMFELD
  • Patent number: 10507757
    Abstract: A luminous motor-vehicle device. The luminous device includes: a segmenting part including a plurality of through-cavities; a plurality of light sources upstream of the segmenting part; a mask that blocks at least one through-cavity of the segmenting part, said mask being able to be partially passed through by light. The luminous device is arranged so that each through-cavity directly or indirectly receives light from at least one separate light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Colombel, Stephane Patrizi, Francois Gratecap
  • Publication number: 20190092215
    Abstract: A luminous motor-vehicle device. The luminous device includes: a segmenting part including a plurality of through-cavities; a plurality of light sources upstream of the segmenting part; a mask that blocks at least one through-cavity of the segmenting part, said mask being able to be partially passed through by light. The luminous device is arranged so that each through-cavity directly or indirectly receives light from at least one separate light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Jean-Marc COLOMBEL, Stephane PATRIZI, Francois GRATECAP
  • Publication number: 20190078751
    Abstract: A method for obtaining a luminous device the turned-on aspect of which is different from the turned-off aspect, the device including a mask that is able to be partially passed through by light, one or more light sources, and a closing outer lens that is placed downstream of the mask. The one or more light sources and the mask are arranged with respect to one another so that the mask directly or indirectly receives the light rays emitted by the one or more light sources and so that only some of these emitted light rays pass through the mask. The method includes a step of arranging the one or more light sources in the luminous device in number and in power so that the light rays exiting from the luminous device form a signalling light beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Colombel, Erwan Faoucher, Francois Gratecap
  • Publication number: 20180294590
    Abstract: A light signalling and/or lighting device including a housing with an opening and an outer lens fixed to the housing so as to close the opening. The device further includes at least one electrically conductive track on an inner face of the outer lens; and an electrical connector fixed to the housing and including at least one elastically mobile electrical contact pressing against the or one of the electrically conductive tracks so as to ensure an electrical contact with the track or tracks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Jean-Marc Colombel, Francois Gratecap
  • Patent number: 9958128
    Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a light assembly which comprises means for emitting and means for focusing one or more light beams for the lighting or the signaling of a vehicle. It also comprises a mask which extends below the focusing means. This mask has at least a first surface that can be seen by any person passing close to the vehicle and at least a second surface opposite the first surface. The mask is made from a dark diffusing material and a reflective material coating is deposited on part of the second surface while leaving a portion of this second surface free of reflective coating. Additional light-emitting means are placed opposite the second surface, such that the light rays emitted by the additional light-emitting means can pass through the mask via the portion free of reflective coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Erwan Faoucher, Francois Gratecap
  • Publication number: 20170313235
    Abstract: The invention relates to an outer lens for a luminous device, in particular for a motor vehicle. The outer lens include a main portion made of transparent plastic, at least two edges for fastening to a housing of the luminous device, an electrically conductive coating forming a defrosting and/or demisting electrical resistor, and at least two electrodes that are electrically connected to the conductive coating. The electrodes are located on the fastening edges and are overmolded by the transparent plastic. The invention also relates to a luminous device including the outer lens in question and a process for producing the outer lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Erwan FAOUCHER, Michel Juton, Francois Gratecap
  • Publication number: 20170241613
    Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a light assembly which comprises means for emitting and means for focusing one or more light beams for the lighting or the signaling of a vehicle. It also comprises a mask which extends below the focusing means. This mask has at least a first surface that can be seen by any person passing close to the vehicle and at least a second surface opposite the first surface. The mask is made from a dark diffusing material and a reflective material coating is deposited on part of the second surface while leaving a portion of this second surface free of reflective coating. Additional light-emitting means are placed opposite the second surface, such that the light rays emitted by the additional light-emitting means can pass through the mask via the portion free of reflective coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Erwan FAOUCHER, Francois Gratecap
  • Publication number: 20160369970
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lighting device, comprising at least one electric element and at least one first wall delimiting an area on which or in which the electric element is retained, this first wall being at least partly covered with an electrically conductive coating forming electromagnetic shielding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Erwan Faoucher, Michel Hermitte, Francois Gratecap, Michel Juton