Patents by Inventor Frank Tsao

Frank Tsao 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).

  • Publication number: 20100254147
    Abstract: A lighting fixture includes a light unit, a supporting frame pivotally coupling with the light unit, and an angle adjustment arrangement including a first gear member provided at the light housing, and a second gear member provided at the supporting arm. The first gear member has a first teething face to match and engage with a second teething face of the gear member. When the first gear member is moved apart from the second gear member, the light housing is adapted to pivotally move with respect to the supporting frame so as to selectively adjust the projecting angle of the light unit. After the projecting angle of the light unit is set, the first gear member is moved back to re-engage with the second gear member to lock up the light unit at the projecting angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Patent number: 7604367
    Abstract: A kind of watertight light fitting with light shade and light frame is provided. The exterior surface of the shade wall is even and smooth and inside the shade is installed an annular waterproof lining. The exterior edge side of the waterproof liner matches well with the interior side of the shade wall. A barrier wall stretches out from around the surface of the waterproof lining toward the light frame. The barrier wall keeps a certain distance to the exterior edge side of the waterproof lining. The barrier wall, together with the upper surface of the waterproof lining and the shade wall, forms a watertight groove. A watertight gasket is fixed inside the groove. The benefit of the waterproof lining with the watertight groove being formed partly by the waterproof lining is that the shade wall is fairly thin without requiring an outstretched step on the exterior surface of the shade wall. This reduces the raw material for producing the light shade as well as the weight of the shade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Patent number: 7360916
    Abstract: An under-cabinet lighting fixture includes at least one bulb of less than about 35 watts contained within a housing that is devoid of any dedicated heat dissipation back vents on the back or top of the lighting unit. The lighting fixture has a reflective coating applied to the interior of the housing unit itself, which acts as a mirrored surface to reflect the bulb's illumination. A glass lens is supported by a metal frame that runs around the periphery of such lens and the lens cover itself is connected to the housing by pivoting hinges and is held in place when closed by one or more securing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: American Lighting, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore R. Sanborn, Frank Tsao
  • Publication number: 20070236942
    Abstract: A kind of watertight light fitting with light shade and light frame is provided. The exterior surface of the shade wall is even and smooth and inside the shade is installed an annular waterproof lining. The exterior edge side of the waterproof liner matches well with the interior side of the shade wall. A barrier wall stretches out from around the surface of the waterproof lining toward the light frame. The barrier wall keeps a certain distance to the exterior edge side of the waterproof lining. The barrier wall, together with the upper surface of the waterproof lining and the shade wall, forms a watertight groove. A watertight gasket is fixed inside the groove. The benefit of the waterproof lining with the watertight groove being formed partly by the waterproof lining is that the shade wall is fairly thin without requiring an outstretched step on the exterior surface of the shade wall. This reduces the raw material for producing the light shade as well as the weight of the shade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Inventor: FRANK TSAO
  • Publication number: 20070189022
    Abstract: A joint structure for supporting a lighting fixture includes a tubular support arm and a tubular angular arm. The tubular supporting arm, which is adapted for supporting the lighting fixture, has a coupling end portion defining at a first free end, wherein the supporting arm includes a sliding guider inwardly protruded along the coupling end portion. The tubular angular arm has a straight engaging end portion defining at a second free end and a guiding groove, sized and shaped corresponding to the sliding guider, indently formed along the engaging end portion, such that when the engaging end portion of the angular arm is inserted into the coupling end portion of the supporting arm, the sliding guider is slidably engaged with the guiding groove to telescopingly connect the supporting arm with the angular arm so as to block an rotational movement of the supporting arm with respect to the angular arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Publication number: 20070121314
    Abstract: An under-cabinet lighting fixture includes at least one bulb of less than about 35 watts contained within a housing that is devoid of any dedicated heat dissipation back vents on the back or top of the lighting unit. The lighting fixture has a reflective coating applied to the interior of the housing unit itself, which acts as a mirrored surface to reflect the bulb's illumination. A glass lens is supported by a metal frame that runs around the periphery of such lens and the lens cover itself is connected to the housing by pivoting hinges and is held in place when closed by one or more securing elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2007
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Applicant: AMERICAN LIGHTING, INC.
    Inventors: Theodore Sanborn, Frank Tsao
  • Patent number: 7163310
    Abstract: An under-cabinet lighting fixture includes xenon bulbs and/or halogen bulbs of less than about 35 watts contained within a housing that is devoid of any dedicated heat dissipation back vents on the back or top of the lighting unit. A top cover is connected to a wire-containing channel of the unit, with such cover being removable during wiring and mounting operations by removing screws locking the cover into place. The unit is further devoid of any dedicated reflectors and instead relies upon the reflective coating applied to the interior of the housing unit itself, which acts as a mirrored surface to reflect the bulb's illumination. A single glass lens is supported by a metal frame that runs around the periphery of such lens and the lens cover itself is connected to the housing by pivoting hinges and is snap locked into place by flexible metal/plastic elements that are configured to lock into apertures within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: American Lighting, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore R. Sanborn, Frank Tsao
  • Patent number: 7093959
    Abstract: An outdoor lamp with projection range adjustment having a freely adjustable lampshade for restricting light projection range of the lamp, thereby controlling light pollution, comprises a lamp partially covered by a shell body and a lampshade pivotally mounted on the lamp. Two parallel bottom edges of the shell body extend on two corresponding lateral walls of the lamp with a predetermined angle, so that the lampshade can freely rotate about a rear portion of the lamp in a range of the predetermined angle. Further, two lateral surfaces of the lamp are each provided with an arced angle adjustment tooth row, and two lateral inner walls of the lampshade are each provided with a projected dot for engaging a corresponding angle adjustment tooth row, whereby a stepless angle adjustment can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Patent number: 7048411
    Abstract: A lighting fixture includes a light housing having two housing portions transversely extended at an adjacent angle less than 180 degrees to define a front angled opening, and a reflector having two reflecting portions received in the two housing portions of the light housing respectively wherein each of the reflecting portions of the reflector has a reflecting surface formed at an inner wall of the respective housing portion of the light housing. A light source arrangement includes two light sources, which are adapted for electrically connecting to a power source, supported within the two housing portions of the light housing respectively wherein the two light sources are arranged for producing lights to reflect on the two reflecting surfaces of the reflector respectively so as to project to outside through the front angled opening of the light housing with a wide projecting angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Patent number: 7034466
    Abstract: A High-Intensity Discharge lamp which includes a high intensity discharge light disposed within the light cavity and a standby lighting control system including a light sensor for detecting a light intensity within the light cavity and a standby lamp which is supported within the lamp housing and is activated by the light sensor between a standby mode and a backup mode, wherein at the standby mode, when the light intensity of the high intensity discharge light within the light cavity is above a predetermined threshold, the standby lamp is deactivated, and at the backup mode, when the light intensity of the high intensity discharge light within the light cavity is dropped below the threshold, the standby lamp is activated for generating a backup light to compensate a loss of the light intensity of the high intensity discharge light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Publication number: 20060034080
    Abstract: An outdoor lamp with projection range adjustment having a freely adjustable lampshade for restricting light projection range of the lamp, thereby controlling light pollution, comprises a lamp partially covered by a shell body and a lampshade pivotally mounted on the lamp. Two parallel bottom edges of the shell body extend on two corresponding lateral walls of the lamp with a predetermined angle, so that the lampshade can freely rotate about a rear portion of the lamp in a range of the predetermined angle. Further, two lateral surfaces of the lamp are each provided with an arced angle adjustment tooth row, and two lateral inner walls of the lampshade are each provided with a projected dot for engaging a corresponding angle adjustment tooth row, whereby a stepless angle adjustment can be realized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Publication number: 20050212455
    Abstract: A High-Intensity Discharge lamp which includes a high intensity discharge light disposed within the light cavity and a standby lighting control system including a light sensor for detecting a light intensity within the light cavity and a standby lamp which is supported within the lamp housing and is activated by the light sensor between a standby mode and a backup mode, wherein at the standby mode, when the light intensity of the high intensity discharge light within the light cavity is above a predetermined threshold, the standby lamp is deactivated, and at the backup mode, when the light intensity of the high intensity discharge light within the light cavity is dropped below the threshold, the standby lamp is activated for generating a backup light to compensate a loss of the light intensity of the high intensity discharge light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Publication number: 20050190580
    Abstract: An under-cabinet lighting fixture includes xenon bulbs and/or halogen bulbs of less than about 35 watts contained within a housing that is devoid of any dedicated heat dissipation back vents on the back or top of the lighting unit. A top cover is connected to a wire-containing channel of the unit, with such cover being removable during wiring and mounting operations by removing screws locking the cover into place. The unit is further devoid of any dedicated reflectors and instead relies upon the reflective coating applied to the interior of the housing unit itself, which acts as a mirrored surface to reflect the bulb's illumination. A single glass lens is supported by a metal frame that runs around the periphery of such lens and the lens cover itself is connected to the housing by pivoting hinges and is snap locked into place by flexible metal/plastic elements that are configured to lock into apertures within the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Inventors: Theodore Sanborn, Frank Tsao
  • Patent number: 6877881
    Abstract: A worklight includes a worklight housing for receiving a light source therein and a worklight stand including a U-shaped supporting leg having a lower supporting base and two upper hinge ends pivotally connected to the worklight housing, and a U-shaped pivot leg having a lower standing base and two upper pivot ends, wherein the two hinge ends of the supporting leg are pivotally connected with the two pivot ends of the pivot leg respectively. The worklight stand further includes a foldable stand and a supporting frame, which is supported on foldable stand, detachably mounted to the supporting base of the supporting leg and the standing base of the pivot leg in space apart manner such that the worklight housing is substantially supported on the supporting frame and is elevated via the foldable stand in a stable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Publication number: 20040228133
    Abstract: A worklight includes a worklight housing for receiving a light source therein and a worklight stand including a U-shaped supporting leg having a lower supporting base and two upper hinge ends pivotally connected to the worklight housing, and a U-shaped pivot leg having a lower standing base and two upper pivot ends, wherein the two hinge ends of the supporting leg are pivotally connected with the two pivot ends of the pivot leg respectively. The worklight stand further includes a foldable stand and a supporting frame, which is supported on foldable stand, detachably mounted to the supporting base of the supporting leg and the standing base of the pivot leg in space apart manner such that the worklight housing is substantially supported on the supporting frame and is elevated via the foldable stand in a stable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Publication number: 20040212994
    Abstract: A lighting fixture includes a light housing having two housing portions transversely extended at an adjacent angle less than 180 degrees to define a front angled opening, and a reflector having two reflecting portions received in the two housing portions of the light housing respectively wherein each of the reflecting portions of the reflector has a reflecting surface formed at an inner wall of the respective housing portion of the light housing. A light source arrangement includes two light sources, which are adapted for electrically connecting to a power source, supported within the two housing portions of the light housing respectively wherein the two light sources are arranged for producing lights to reflect on the two reflecting surfaces of the reflector respectively so as to project to outside through the front angled opening of the light housing with a wide projecting angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Patent number: 6758576
    Abstract: A portable stack lamp includes a base supported by a supporting device, such as an extensible tripod and a plurality of rolling wheels, two or more lamp units stacked up to form a stack-up lamp body mounted on said base, and a cover which is adapted to cover a top opening of the housing of the lamp unit having a handle affixed thereon. The portable stack lamp is arranged to provide 360 degrees illumination so as to produce luminous beams in all directions while the user is able to selectively increase or decrease its luminous intensity by simply stacking up more or less lamp unit easily anytime. Therefore, the portable stack lamp can illuminate the surrounding that not only minimizes the number of work lamps to be used but also saves both the electrical energy and illumination cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Publication number: 20040085763
    Abstract: A portable stack lamp includes a base supported by a supporting device, such as an extensible tripod and a plurality of rolling wheels, two or more lamp units stacked up to form a stack-up lamp body mounted on said base, and a cover which is adapted to cover a top opening of the housing of the lamp unit having a handle affixed thereon. The portable stack lamp is arranged to provide 360 degrees illumination so as to produce luminous beams in all directions while the user is able to selectively increase or decrease its luminous intensity by simply stacking up more or less lamp unit easily anytime. Therefore, the portable stack lamp can illuminate the surrounding that not only minimizes the number of work lamps to be used but also saves both the electrical energy and illumination cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Patent number: 6595663
    Abstract: A work light cage attachment system which includes a cage that securely attaches over the glass opening on a work light. The cage includes opposite top and bottom frame members and opposite side frame members. Attached to the comers of the top and bottom frame members are rearward extending legs. Each extending leg includes a perpendicularly aligned foot that, during assembly, is placed inside the gap between the edge of the faceplate and the glass and extends outward to prevent disengagement of the cage from the faceplate. Attached to each foot on the top and bottom frame members is a C-shaped clip which engages a raised lip formed on the inside surface of the faceplate. The lips prevent the cage from being removed from the work light without a tool, thus meeting United Laboratories code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Inventor: Frank Tsao
  • Patent number: D490929
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Inventor: Frank Tsao