Patents by Inventor Kotoka Inoue
Kotoka Inoue 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).
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Patent number: 9939122Abstract: In vehicle headlamps of the prior art, a low-beam light distribution pattern and a high-beam distribution pattern could not be obtained in a direct illumination lens-type lamp unit. The present invention is provided with a semiconductor light source, a lens, a light control member, and a drive member. The lens is composed of a main lens section and an auxiliary lens section. The drive member positions the light control member in a first position and a second position in a moveable and switchable manner. Consequently, the present invention enables a low-beam light distribution pattern and a high-beam light distribution pattern to be obtained in a direct illumination lens-type lamp unit.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2014Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Yasuhiro Okubo, Toshiya Abe, Kotoka Inoue
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Patent number: 9476559Abstract: A vehicle headlamp is provided with a semiconductor light source and a lens. The light emission center of the semiconductor light source is arranged at a reference focal point of the lens, or in the proximity thereof. The incident surface of the lens is configured such that upper parts and the lower parts above and below the reference focal point form pairs. Light distribution patterns formed by the upper parts are shifted upwards relative to light distribution patterns formed by the lower parts. As a result, the vehicle headlamp is capable of suppressing occurrence of color bands due to lens spectral phenomena.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2013Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Yasuhiro Okubo, Kotoka Inoue
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Publication number: 20160102831Abstract: In vehicle headlamps of the prior art, a low-beam light distribution pattern and a high-beam distribution pattern could not be obtained in a direct illumination lens-type lamp unit. The present invention is provided with a semiconductor light source, a lens, a light control member, and a drive member. The lens is composed of a main lens section and an auxiliary lens section. The drive member positions the light control member in a first position and a second position in a moveable and switchable manner. Consequently, the present invention enables a low-beam light distribution pattern and a high-beam light distribution pattern to be obtained in a direct illumination lens-type lamp unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2014Publication date: April 14, 2016Applicant: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Yasuhiro OKUBO, Toshiya ABE, Kotoka INOUE
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Publication number: 20150316224Abstract: [Problem] It is important to suppress the occurrence of color bands due to lens spectral phenomena. [Solution] This invention is provided with a semiconductor light source (2) and a lens (3). The light emission center (O) of the semiconductor light source (2) is arranged at a reference focal point (F) of the lens (3), or in the proximity thereof. The incident surface (30) of the lens (3) is configured such that upper parts (3A, 3C, 3E) and the lower parts (3B, 3D, 3F) above and below the reference focal point (F) form pairs. Light distribution patterns (SPA, WPC, WPE) formed by the upper parts (3A, 3C, 3E) are shifted upwards relative to light distribution patterns (SPB, WPD, WPF) formed by the lower parts (3B, 3D, 3F). As a result, the present invention is capable of suppressing occurrence of color bands due to lens spectral phenomena.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2013Publication date: November 5, 2015Applicant: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Yasuhiro OKUBO, Kotoka INOUE
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Patent number: 9133999Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor-type light source 2, a reflector 3, and a lens 4. The semiconductor-type light source 2 has a light emission surface 24. The reflector 3 has a first reflection surface 31 and a second reflection surface 32. The lens 4 has a plurality of convex surfaces (emission surfaces 46 and 47), a first lens portion 41, and a second lens portion 42. As a result, according to the present invention, an appropriate light distribution pattern for low beam LP can be obtained in a lamp unit.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Toshiya Abe, Kotoka Inoue, Yasuhiro Okubo
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Patent number: 8618443Abstract: A conventional vehicle lighting device has entailed a problem on swaging and fixing a power-feeding portion and a connector to each other insofar. In the present invention, a connector is made up of: a male terminal set at a power-feeding electrically conductive paste on one face of a power-feeding film of a power-feeding portion; a grommeted terminal board (primary swaging tool) on which the terminal and the power-feeding portion have been swaged; and a resin board (secondary swaging tool) on which the male terminal, the power-feeding portion, and the grommeted terminal board have been swaged. As a result, in the present invention, a swaging fixing strength between the power-feeding portion and the connector can be improved by means of the primary swaging fixing of the grommeted terminal board and the secondary swaging fixing of the resin board.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2009Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Ichikoh Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Kotoka Inoue, Katsuhiro Murahashi, Hiroto Tokunaga
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Publication number: 20130242589Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor-type light source 2, a reflector 3, and a lens 4. The semiconductor-type light source 2 has a light emission surface 24. The reflector 3 has a first reflection surface 31 and a second reflection surface 32. The lens 4 has a plurality of convex surfaces (emission surfaces 46 and 47), a first lens portion 41, and a second lens portion 42. As a result, according to the present invention, an appropriate light distribution pattern for low beam LP can be obtained in a lamp unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: September 19, 2013Applicant: ICHIKOH INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Toshiya ABE, Kotoka Inoue, Yasuhiro Okubo
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Patent number: 8217306Abstract: A conventional vehicle lighting device entails a problem on appearance. A vehicle lighting device of the present invention is provided with a wire heater, an extension portion, and a power-feeding portion. An adhesive part is provided at a part of one face of an extension film of the extension portion. Of such one face of the extension film of the extension portion, a letterpress printed-film pattern of a rough portion is provided in a range excluding the adhesive part. As a result, the vehicle lighting device of the present invention provides an ability to reliably prevent an extension film of the extension portion from sticking to a lamp lens by means of the letterpress printed-film pattern of the rough portion; prevent an appearance failure or abnormality exerted by the sticking of the extension film of the extension portion to the lamp lens; and improve its appearance.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2009Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: Ichikoh Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Kotoka Inoue, Katsuhiro Murahashi, Hiroto Tokunaga
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Publication number: 20100008099Abstract: A conventional vehicle lighting device entails a problem on appearance. A vehicle lighting device of the present invention is provided with a wire heater, an extension portion, and a power-feeding portion. An adhesive part is provided at a part of one face of an extension film of the extension portion. Of such one face of the extension film of the extension portion, a letterpress printed-film pattern of a rough portion is provided in a range excluding the adhesive part. As a result, the vehicle lighting device of the present invention provides an ability to reliably prevent an extension film of the extension portion from sticking to a lamp lens by means of the letterpress printed-film pattern of the rough portion; prevent an appearance failure or abnormality exerted by the sticking of the extension film of the extension portion to the lamp lens; and improve its appearance.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2009Publication date: January 14, 2010Inventors: Kotoka INOUE, Katsuhiro MURAHASHI, Hiroto TOKUNAGA
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Publication number: 20100006554Abstract: A conventional vehicle lighting device has entailed a problem on swaging and fixing a power-feeding portion and a connector to each other insofar. In the present invention, a connector is made up of: a male terminal set at a power-feeding electrically conductive paste on one face of a power-feeding film of a power-feeding portion; a grommeted terminal board (primary swaging tool) on which the terminal and the power-feeding portion have been swaged; and a resin board (secondary swaging tool) on which the male terminal, the power-feeding portion, and the grommeted terminal board have been swaged. As a result, in the present invention, a swaging fixing strength between the power-feeding portion and the connector can be improved by means of the primary swaging fixing of the grommeted terminal board and the secondary swaging fixing of the resin board.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2009Publication date: January 14, 2010Inventors: Kotoka Inoue, Katsuhiro Murahashi, Hiroto Tokunaga
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Publication number: 20070181565Abstract: An arrangement for a vehicle, such as the head lamp, includes a part that needs a snow-melting structure, a line heater that is transferred to and mounted on the part, and a power-supplying unit that supplies electric current to the line heater. The line heater includes a base film, an adhesive layer, a line-patterned conductive member, and a resist layer. The adhesive layer is adhered to the part and thereby the line-patterned conductive member is transferred to the part.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2007Publication date: August 9, 2007Inventors: Katsuhiro Murahashi, Kotoka Inoue, Hiroto Tokunaga, Noriyuki Mukai