Patents by Inventor Masafumi Ohno

Masafumi Ohno 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: 8529109
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting unit which emits light parallel to an optical axis in a front direction can include a light source which emits light obliquely to an optical axis in the front direction and a light guiding body which guides the light emitted from the light source so as to emit the light. The light guiding body can include an incidence surface disposed to face the light source with a gap in between, the incidence surface through which the light emitted from the light source enters the light guiding body, a front surface having an exit surface and a first reflection surface, and a back surface having a second reflection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masafumi Ohno
  • Patent number: 8469568
    Abstract: A vehicle light having a plurality of optical units utilizing a semiconductor light emitting device as a light source can effectively prevent or suppress illuminance unevenness. One example of such a vehicle light can be a vehicle headlamp that includes four optical units each having a semiconductor light emitting device as a light source. The optical units can be arranged in line in the vehicle width direction so as to prevent the luminance unevenness, which can otherwise be generated due to a gap between optical units disposed in a vertical two-stage arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masafumi Ohno
  • Patent number: 8439536
    Abstract: A vehicle light can include a matrix type semiconductor light source, an imaging lens and a reflector. The light source can project an enlarged matrix light on the reflector via the imaging lens. The reflector can include a matrix reflex surface having horizontal curvatures. Each of the horizontal curvatures of the reflex surfaces arranged in columns can be configured such that the corresponding column light is extended gradually in a wider range as the corresponding column light approaches from a central column light toward both edge column lights. Accordingly, a magnification of light projected from the reflector can become gradually large as approaching from the central column toward both edge columns. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide vehicle headlights that can form favorable light distribution patterns for a low beam and a high beam having a bright central portion in a wide range of a smooth light distribution pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Sato, Masafumi Ohno
  • Patent number: 8388202
    Abstract: A vehicle light can include an optical system for controlling a light distribution pattern, and the optical system is a light guide (being a lens body having an inner reflecting surface). The vehicle light can project illumination light with a low bean light distribution pattern. The vehicle light can include an LED light source and a lens body serving as a light guide. The lens body can include a light incident surface, a reflecting surface, and a light exiting surface. The LED light source can have a rearmost end light emitting point from which light beams are emitted to form a bright-dark boundary line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Ohno, Ryotaro Owada, Norikatsu Myojin, Mitsuo Yamada, Yasushi Kita, Satoshi Sakai
  • Patent number: 8388200
    Abstract: A vehicle light can improve the visibility (noticeability) for pedestrians, roadside obstructs, other vehicles and the like in actual traffic environments. The vehicle light can be configured to project light beams with a predetermined white color, and can include a light source with a color temperature range of 4500 K to 7000 K. The light source emits light beams including four color light beams represented by four coordinate values of predicted colors including red, green, blue and yellow in the a* b* coordinate system corresponding to the CIE 1976 L*a*b* color space. The four coordinate values in the a* b* coordinate system can be encompassed by respective circle areas having a radius of, for example, 5, and each having center coordinate values of (41.7, 20.9) for red, (?39.5, 14.3) for green, (8.8, ?29.9) for blue and (?10.4, 74.2) for yellow, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kojima, Masafumi Ohno, Yasushi Kita, Takako Minoda, Naoko Takenobu, Susumu Nakamura, Norikatsu Myojin, Takashi Sato
  • Publication number: 20120320617
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter includes a projector headlight using a plurality of optical units for a low beam with a high visible/visual quality. Each of the optical units can include a plurality of LED devices and a projector lens. The projector lens can include a light-emitting surface including a reflex function and a reflex surface including a light incoming surface that is located on the opposite side of the light-emitting surface. The LED devices can be located adjacent the light incoming surface, and the optical units can be located so that angles between optical axes of adjacent optical units can be identical. Thus, the projector headlight can form various favorable light distribution patterns by changing curvature factors of the light-emitting surface and the reflex surface of the projector lens in each of the optical units and by changing the angles between the optical axes of the adjacent optical units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: MASAFUMI OHNO, Ryotaro Owada, Norikatsu Myojin
  • Publication number: 20120243249
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting unit can include a solid light guide having a light exiting surface, a reflection surface opposite to the light exiting surface, and a light incident surface through which light enters the light guide so that the light reaches and is internally reflected off the light exiting surface, then is internally reflected off the reflection surface, and exits through the light exiting surface. An LED light source can be disposed to face towards the light incident surface. The reflection surface can include a plurality of divided reflection regions, and the reflection regions can include at least one reflection region disposed at a reference position and at least one reflection region disposed at a position closer to the light exiting surface than the reference position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventor: Masafumi OHNO
  • Patent number: 8256946
    Abstract: A vehicle light can prevent the generation of glare light due to the reflection of light from a connecting surface surrounding a reflecting surface when a lens body including the reflecting surface and the connecting surface surrounding the reflecting surface is used and light emitted from an LED light source enters the lens body. The vehicle light can include a light source and a lens body. The lens body can include optical surfaces including the reflecting surface configured to form a predetermined light distribution pattern, and connecting surfaces that shape and define a structure of the lens body by connecting the optical surfaces, but that do not engage in the formation of the light distribution pattern. The connecting surface surrounding the reflecting surface can reflect part of incident light from the light source to a direction that is different from the direction by the reflecting surface and is directed to any one of connecting surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Ohno, Ryotaro Owada, Norikatsu Myojin
  • Patent number: 8251560
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter includes a projector headlight using a plurality of optical units for a low beam with a high visible/visual quality. Each of the optical units can include a plurality of LED devices and a projector lens. The projector lens can include a light-emitting surface including a reflex function and a reflex surface including a light incoming surface that is located on the opposite side of the light-emitting surface. The LED devices can be located adjacent the light incoming surface, and the optical units can be located so that angles between optical axes of adjacent optical units can become substantially a same angle. Thus, the projector headlight can form various favorable light distribution patterns by changing curvature factors of the light-emitting surface and the reflex surface of the projector lens in each of the optical units and by changing the angles between the optical axes of the adjacent optical units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Ohno, Ryotaro Owada, Norikatsu Myojin
  • Publication number: 20120176809
    Abstract: A lighting fixture can include a light source, and a lens body including an incident face through which light emitted from the light source enters the lens body, an exit face, and a reflecting face configured to reflect light which has entered the lens body from the incident face such that the reflected light is emitted from the exit face to form a predetermined light distribution pattern having a boundary line between light and dark. The reflecting face can include a first reflecting region configured to reflect light with a reference wavelength which has entered the incident face perpendicularly with respect to the incident face. A second reflecting region can be configured to reflect light with a wavelength longer than the reference wavelength. A third reflecting region can be configured to reflect light with a wavelength shorter than the reference wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventor: Masafumi OHNO
  • Patent number: 8093613
    Abstract: Whereas incandescent light bulbs and other similar light sources known in the related art emit light in all directions, LED lamps can emit light in a single direction, and this is manifested in the problem of being unable to achieve light distribution characteristics satisfied by conventional headlamp designs. In accordance with an embodiment of the presently disclosed subject matter, an LED lamp for a light source of a headlamp can include an LED chip in the vicinity of the focus of a projection means and a shielding member covering a portion of the LED chip in a formation allowing a light distribution characteristic suitable for a vehicle front-illumination light to be obtained when light from the LED chip is magnified and projected in an illumination direction by a projection lens or the like constituting the projection means. Accordingly, accurate light distribution characteristics can be obtained in a simple manner by projecting in the illumination direction using the projection lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Yatsuda, Takashi Ebisutani, Teruo Koike, Takuya Kushimoto, Ryotaro Owada, Masafumi Ohno, Takashi Futami
  • Patent number: 8075166
    Abstract: A light, and particularly a vehicle light, can prevent a reflected image of a resin injection trace (reflected in an adjacent connecting surface surrounding a reflecting surface) from being observed through a projecting surface, thereby preventing deterioration of appearance of the light. The light can include a light source and a lens body having a resin injection trace by injection molding. The lens body can include, as its surface, optical surfaces including an incident surface, a reflecting surface, and a projecting surface that are configured to form a predetermined light distribution pattern. Connecting surfaces that shape and define a structure of the lens body can connect the optical surfaces, and can be configured so as not to engage in the formation of the light distribution pattern. The incident surface can be a lens surface that can receive light from the light source to allow the light to enter the lens body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Ohno, Ryotaro Owada, Norikatsu Myojin
  • Publication number: 20110286229
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting unit which emits light parallel to an optical axis in a front direction can include a light source which emits light obliquely to an optical axis in the front direction and a light guiding body which guides the light emitted from the light source so as to emit the light. The light guiding body can include an incidence surface disposed to face the light source with a gap in between, the incidence surface through which the light emitted from the light source enters the light guiding body, a front surface having an exit surface and a first reflection surface, and a back surface having a second reflection surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventor: Masafumi OHNO
  • Publication number: 20110273897
    Abstract: A vehicle light can improve the visibility (noticeability) for pedestrians, roadside obstructs, other vehicles and the like in actual traffic environments. The vehicle light can be configured to project light beams with a predetermined white color, and can include a light source with a color temperature range of 4500 K to 7000 K. The light source emits light beams including four color light beams represented by four coordinate values of predicted colors including red, green, blue and yellow in the a* b* coordinate system corresponding to the CIE 1976 L*a*b* color space. The four coordinate values in the a* b* coordinate system can be encompassed by respective circle areas having a radius of, for example, 5, and each having center coordinate values of (41.7, 20.9) for red, (?39.5, 14.3) for green, (8.8, ?29.9) for blue and (?10.4, 74.2) for yellow, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Shinichi Kojima, Masafumi Ohno, Yasushi Kita, Takako Minoda, Naoko Takenobu, Susumu Nakamura, Norikatsu Myojin, Takashi Sato
  • Publication number: 20110235356
    Abstract: A vehicle light can include a matrix type semiconductor light source, an imaging lens and a reflector. The light source can project an enlarged matrix light on the reflector via the imaging lens. The reflector can include a matrix reflex surface having horizontal curvatures. Each of the horizontal curvatures of the reflex surfaces arranged in columns can be configured such that the corresponding column light is extended gradually in a wider range as the corresponding column light approaches from a central column light toward both edge column lights. Accordingly, a magnification of light projected from the reflector can become gradually large as approaching from the central column toward both edge columns. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide vehicle headlights that can form favorable light distribution patterns for a low beam and a high beam having a bright central portion in a wide range of a smooth light distribution pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Takashi SATO, Masafumi OHNO
  • Publication number: 20110235357
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight can include a semiconductor light source and a heat sink to radiate heat developed from the light source. The headlight can include a mounting base board mounting the light source and attached on a radiating base plate of the heat sink. At least one of a bottom surface of the mounting base board and the radiating base plate can include a concave portion in which a depth thereof is deeper than a maximum particle size of an inclusion of a thermal conductive viscous material that spreads in the concave portion. The light source can be located at a prescribed position in an accurate fashion without a positional misalignment while the heat developed from the light source can efficiently radiate via the heat sink. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide headlights including a radiation structure having a high radiating performance and positional accuracy for the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Inventors: Norikatsu MYOJIN, Masafumi Ohno
  • Publication number: 20110085333
    Abstract: A vehicle light can include an optical system for controlling a light distribution pattern, and the optical system is a light guide (being a lens body having an inner reflecting surface). The vehicle light can project illumination light with a low bean light distribution pattern. The vehicle light can include an LED light source and a lens body serving as a light guide. The lens body can include a light incident surface, a reflecting surface, and a light exiting surface. The LED light source can have a rearmost end light emitting point from which light beams are emitted to form a bright-dark boundary line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Inventors: Masafumi OHNO, Ryotaro Owada, Norikatsu Myojin, Mitsuo Yamada, Yasushi Kita, Satoshi Sakai
  • Publication number: 20110085343
    Abstract: A vehicle light can include a light emitting diode (LED) serving as a light source and an optical system for controlling a light distribution pattern of the light beams from the LED light source utilizing a light guide (such as a lens body having an inner reflecting surface). The vehicle light can project illumination light with a low beam light distribution pattern. The vehicle light can include an LED light source and a lens body serving as a light guide. The lens body can include a light incident surface, a reflecting surface, and a light exiting surface. The LED light source can have a rearmost end light emitting point from which light beams are emitted to form a bright-dark boundary line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Inventors: Masafumi OHNO, Ryotaro Owada, Norikatsu Myojin, Mitsuo Yamada, Yasushi Kita, Satoshi Sakai
  • Publication number: 20100321948
    Abstract: A vehicle light can prevent the generation of glare light due to the reflection of light from a connecting surface surrounding a reflecting surface when a lens body including the reflecting surface and the connecting surface surrounding the reflecting surface is used and light emitted from an LED light source enters the lens body. The vehicle light can include a light source and a lens body. The lens body can include optical surfaces including the reflecting surface configured to form a predetermined light distribution pattern, and connecting surfaces that shape and define a structure of the lens body by connecting the optical surfaces, but that do not engage in the formation of the light distribution pattern. The connecting surface surrounding the reflecting surface can reflect part of incident light from the light source to a direction that is different from the direction by the reflecting surface and is directed to any one of connecting surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: Masafumi OHNO, Ryotaro Owada, Norikatsu Myojin
  • Publication number: 20100321949
    Abstract: A light, and particularly a vehicle light, can prevent a reflected image of a resin injection trace (reflected in an adjacent connecting surface surrounding a reflecting surface) from being observed through a projecting surface, thereby preventing deterioration of appearance of the light. The light can include a light source and a lens body having a resin injection trace by injection molding. The lens body can include, as its surface, optical surfaces including an incident surface, a reflecting surface, and a projecting surface that are configured to form a predetermined light distribution pattern. Connecting surfaces that shape and define a structure of the lens body can connect the optical surfaces, and can be configured so as not to engage in the formation of the light distribution pattern. The incident surface can be a lens surface that can receive light from the light source to allow the light to enter the lens body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: Masafumi Ohno, Ryotaro Owada, Norikatsu Myojin