Patents by Inventor Motohiro Komatsu

Motohiro Komatsu 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: 20230311744
    Abstract: A vehicle light fixture system includes: a low-beam unit adapted to form a low-beam light distribution pattern having a cutoff line and to independently adjust illuminance in a plurality of subareas in the low-beam light distribution pattern arranged below and along the cutoff line; and a light distribution control device that controls the low-beam unit to form a first reduced illuminance portion in, of the plurality of subareas, the subarea having a position in a vehicle width direction overlapping a position of a vehicle in front in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki YAMAMOTO, Motohiro KOMATSU
  • Patent number: 9862301
    Abstract: A vehicular rear panel with a new configuration is provided. The vehicular rear panel according to an aspect of the present disclosure is made of a resin material and disposed on a rear vehicle body part. The vehicular rear panel includes a light guiding unit configured to guide light from the light source along an extending direction of the vehicular rear panel and a light emitting unit configured to emit light in the light guiding unit to a rear side of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Yamada, Masaaki Nakabayashi, Koji Uchino, Manabu Maeda, Noriaki Ito, Norimasa Yamamoto, Asami Nakada, Yuji Sakurai, Hiroya Koizumi, Tsukasa Tokida, Takao Muramatsu, Tomoaki Otani, Motohiro Komatsu, Akihiro Matsumoto, Takashi Terayama, Hiroki Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 9550448
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light distribution control method and a light distribution control device in which plural illumination regions are arranged in the left-right direction and illuminated by a headlamp in an ADB light distribution pattern, and vehicle positions of a vehicle ahead are detected and selected ones of the plural illumination regions are reduced in light quantity according to the detected vehicle positions. In this method and device, corrected vehicle positions are set that are obtained by adding margins to the detected vehicle positions in the left and right directions, respectively, and compared with the plural illumination regions. Illumination regions where the vehicle ahead exists are reduced in light quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Takeshi Masuda, Motohiro Komatsu, Takao Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 9517717
    Abstract: A light emitting lamp according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a laser light source, a scanning unit, which scans the laser light emitted from the laser light source so as to form a visible light distribution pattern, an obstacle detector, which detects an obstacle, if any, in front of a driver's vehicle, and a control unit, which adjusts the intensity of the laser light irradiated to an obstacle existent region, according to the distance from the driver's vehicle to the obstacle, based on the detection result of the obstacle detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motohiro Komatsu, Naoki Uchida, Takeshi Masuda, Yuji Yasuda, Mitsuyuki Mochizuki, Hidetada Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20160167566
    Abstract: The invention relates to a light distribution control method and a light distribution control device in which plural illumination regions are arranged in the left-right direction and illuminated by a headlamp in an ADB light distribution pattern, and vehicle positions of a vehicle ahead are detected and selected ones of the plural illumination regions are reduced in light quantity according to the detected vehicle positions. In this method and device, corrected vehicle positions are set that are obtained by adding margins to the detected vehicle positions in the left and right directions, respectively, and compared with the plural illumination regions. Illumination regions where the vehicle ahead exists are reduced in light quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada TANAKA, Takeshi MASUDA, Motohiro KOMATSU, Takao MURAMATSU
  • Publication number: 20160069527
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle lamp including a projection lens and a plurality of light emitting devices arrangedtransversely in parallel to each other behind the projection lens. An additional high-beam light distribution pattern is additionally formed with respect to a low-beam light distribution pattern. The additional light distribution pattern is formed by projecting light emitted from each of the light emitting devices forward through the projection lens. At least one of the projection lens and the plurality of light emittingdevices is moved in a horizontal plane such that a formation position of the additional light distribution pattern is movable transversely.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventor: Motohiro Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20150321599
    Abstract: A vehicular rear panel with a new configuration is provided. The vehicular rear panel according to an aspect of the present disclosure is made of a resin material and disposed on a rear vehicle body part. The vehicular rear panel includes a light guiding unit configured to guide light from the light source along an extending direction of the vehicular rear panel and a light emitting unit configured to emit light in the light guiding unit to a rear side of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Kenji YAMADA, Masaaki NAKABAYASHI, Koji UCHINO, Manabu MAEDA, Noriaki ITO, Norimasa YAMAMOTO, Asami NAKADA, Yuji SAKURAI, Hiroya KOIZUMI, Tsukasa TOKIDA, Takao MURAMATSU, Tomoaki OTANI, Motohiro KOMATSU, Akihiro MATSUMOTO, Takashi TERAYAMA, Hiroki ISHIBASHI
  • Patent number: 9080738
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp comprising includes a light-emitting diode that is used as a light source and that emits light; and a light transmitting member that is arranged in a path of the emitted light and through which the light is passed. The light transmitting member shields the light-emitting diode from infrared rays that travel in an opposite direction to a traveling direction of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motohiro Komatsu, Hiroyuki Serizawa, Hiroyuki Ishida, Shigeyuki Watanabe, Kiyoshi Sazuka
  • Publication number: 20150137680
    Abstract: A light emitting lamp according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a laser light source, a scanning unit, which scans the laser light emitted from the laser light source so as to form a visible light distribution pattern, an obstacle detector, which detects an obstacle, if any, in front of a driver's vehicle, and a control unit, which adjusts the intensity of the laser light irradiated to an obstacle existent region, according to the distance from the driver's vehicle to the obstacle, based on the detection result of the obstacle detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motohiro KOMATSU, Naoki Uchida, Takeshi Masuda, Yuji Yasuda, Mitsuyuki Mochizuki, Hidetada Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8662706
    Abstract: A lamp unit includes: a light source array including a plurality of light sources aligned into an array; a mount portion on which the light source array is to be mounted; a first reflecting mirror configured to reflect light from the light sources, wherein the first reflecting mirror is parabolic cylindrical or hyperbolic cylindrical and is provided at least either above and below the light source array; and an optical member configured to project direct light from the light sources and reflected light from the first reflecting mirror to the front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Motohiro Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20140003075
    Abstract: A vehicular rear panel with a new configuration is provided. The vehicular rear panel according to an aspect of the present disclosure is made of a resin material and disposed on a rear vehicle body part. The vehicular rear panel includes a light guiding unit configured to guide light from the light source along an extending direction of the vehicular rear panel and a light emitting unit configured to emit light in the light guiding unit to a rear side of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Kenji YAMADA, Masaaki NAKABAYASHI, Koji UCHINO, Manabu MAEDA, Noriaki ITO, Norimasa YAMAMOTO, Asami NAKADA, Yuji SAKURAI, Hiroya KOIZUMI, Tsukasa TOKIDA, Takao MURAMATSU, Tomoaki OTANI, Motohiro KOMATSU, Akihiro MATSUMOTO, Takashi TERAYAMA, Hiroki ISHIBASHI
  • Publication number: 20130329440
    Abstract: A light-emitting module 50 is provided with a substrate 54, a plurality of semiconductor light-emitting elements 52a through 52d mounted on the substrate 54 and arranged in a matrix, a fluorescent substance layer 58 provided such that the fluorescent substance layer 58 faces respective light-emitting surfaces 56a through 56d of the semiconductor light-emitting elements, and light-shielding portions 60a through 60d provided such that the light-shielding portions surround the perimeter of respective light-emitting surfaces of at least some light-emitting elements among the plurality of semiconductor light-emitting elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuaki TSUTSUMI, Masanobu MIZUNO, Motohiro KOMATSU
  • Patent number: 8596841
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp is provided. The vehicle lamp includes a lens disposed on an optical axis of the vehicle lamp, the optical axis extending in a front-and-rear direction of the vehicle lamp, the lens comprising a first concave lens portion; a plurality of light emitting elements disposed to a rear side of the lens and around the optical axis at regular intervals in a circumferential direction, the plurality of light emitting elements comprising at least one first light emitting element disposed to a rear side of the first concave lens portion; at least one first reflector corresponding to the at least one first light emitting element and disposed between the corresponding first light emitting element and the optical axis, wherein the first reflector comprises a first reflecting surface which reflects light from the corresponding first light emitting element toward the first concave lens portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Yagi, Motohiro Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8487535
    Abstract: An automotive headlamp apparatus comprises: a lamp unit configured to be capable of forming an additional light distribution pattern that includes an upper area above the cut-off line of a light distribution pattern for low beam and that is divided into a plurality of individual patterns; and a controller configured to control formation of each of the individual patterns in accordance with presence of a forward vehicle. The controller reduces the illuminance of an individual pattern overlapping an area where a forward vehicle is present and increases the illuminance of at least one of other individual patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kentaro Tani, Noriko Sato, Motohiro Komatsu, Hidetada Tanaka, Hiroyuki Ishida, Naoki Uchida, Takuya Kotajima
  • Patent number: 8297814
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp includes a first light source configured to emit first light that is projected to form a first irradiation region, a second light source configured to emit second light that is projected to form a second irradiation region joined to the first irradiation region to extend in a transverse direction with respect to an optical axis, a movable shade configured to move between a position at which light irradiation to a joined region of the first irradiation region and the second irradiation region is shielded, and a position at which the light irradiation to the joined region is permitted, and a controller configured to select one of light distribution patterns that are determined by combinations of turning on and off of the first light source, turning on and off of the second light source, and the positions of the movable shade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Satoshi Yamamura, Motohiro Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20120127712
    Abstract: A lamp unit includes: a light source array including a plurality of light sources aligned into an array; a mount portion on which the light source array is to be mounted; a first reflecting mirror configured to reflect light from the light sources, wherein the first reflecting mirror is parabolic cylindrical or hyperbolic cylindrical and is provided at least either above and below the light source array; and an optical member configured to project direct light from the light sources and reflected light from the first reflecting mirror to the front.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Motohiro KOMATSU
  • Publication number: 20110141753
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp includes a first light source configured to emit first light that is projected to form a first irradiation region, a second light source configured to emit second light that is projected to form a second irradiation region joined to the first irradiation region to extend in a transverse direction with respect to an optical axis, a movable shade configured to move between a position at which light irradiation to a joined region of the first irradiation region and the second irradiation region is shielded, and a position at which the light irradiation to the joined region is permitted, and a controller configured to select one of light distribution patterns that are determined by combinations of turning on and off of the first light source, turning on and off of the second light source, and the positions of the movable shade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada TANAKA, Satoshi YAMAMURA, Motohiro KOMATSU
  • Publication number: 20110063865
    Abstract: A light emitting module includes: a circuit board having a shape in which an outer peripheral edge of the circuit board corresponds to an outer peripheral edge of the circuit board before rotating the circuit board about a center point by an angle of 90 degrees in a direction orthogonal to a thickness direction of the circuit board; a semiconductor light emitting element; and a first and second electrodes that are formed on the circuit board at positions symmetrical to each other with respect to the center point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motohiro KOMATSU, Hidetada TANAKA, Takayuki YAGI
  • Patent number: 7901122
    Abstract: A lamp unit used in a vehicular lamp includes a reflector provided with a parabolic cylindrical reflective surface with a focal line in the horizontal direction; a planar light source having a light-emitting surface with a generally oblong shaped region; and a drive portion that rotatably supports the semiconductor light-emitting element portion. The generally oblong shaped region of the planar light source includes a long side in a direction parallel to the focal line and a short side of a predetermined width. The planar light source is disposed such that the light-emitting surface faces the parabolic cylindrical reflective surface of the reflector and such that a long side, on a lamp front side, generally coincides with the focal line and acts as a rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Motohiro Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20110012510
    Abstract: An automotive headlamp apparatus comprises: a lamp unit configured to be capable of forming an additional light distribution pattern that includes an upper area above the cut-off line of a light distribution pattern for low beam and that is divided into a plurality of individual patterns; and a controller configured to control formation of each of the individual patterns in accordance with presence of a forward vehicle. The controller reduces the illuminance of an individual pattern overlapping an area where a forward vehicle is present and increases the illuminance of at least one of other individual patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kentaro TANI, Noriko SATO, Motohiro KOMATSU, Hidetada TANAKA, Hiroyuki ISHIDA, Naoki UCHIDA, Takuya KOTAJIMA