Patents by Inventor Tetsuaki Inaba
Tetsuaki Inaba 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: 9829176Abstract: A lamp includes a projection lens, a light source disposed behind the projection lens, a lens holder that holds the projection lens, and a lamp body that holds the lens holder while accommodating the light source. In particular, a front surface of the projection lens includes a central region configured by a convex curved surface and a peripheral region around the central region which is configured by an annular concave curved surface, the lens holder is formed in a cylindrical shape and an annular flange portion extending towards an inner peripheral side is formed at a front end of the lens holder, an annular step portion is formed at an outer peripheral edge of the peripheral region on the front surface of the projection lens, and the projection lens is fixed to the annular flange portion of the lens holder at a step surface of the annular step portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2013Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tetsuaki Inaba
-
Patent number: 8848300Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a lens formed from a resin material and a lens holding member for holding the lens formed from the resin material. The lens and the lens holding member are adapted to be joined together through laser welding. A joining annular portion is provided on the lens holding member to which an outer circumferential portion of the lens is joined. A plurality of welding portions and a plurality of stopper portions are provided on the joining annular portion. The plurality of welding portions project towards the lens and are positioned apart from each other in a circumferential direction. The plurality of stopper portions project towards the lens, are positioned apart from each other in the circumferential direction, and contact the outer circumferential portion of the lens when the lens is joined to the joining annular portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2008Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chiharu Matsunaga, Hiroyuki Kageyama, Tetsuaki Inaba
-
Publication number: 20140098539Abstract: A lamp includes a projection lens, a light source disposed behind the projection lens, a lens holder that holds the projection lens, and a lamp body that holds the lens holder while accommodating the light source. In particular, a front surface of the projection lens includes a central region configured by a convex curved surface and a peripheral region around the central region which is configured by an annular concave curved surface, the lens holder is formed in a cylindrical shape and an annular flange portion extending towards an inner peripheral side is formed at a front end of the lens holder, an annular step portion is formed at an outer peripheral edge of the peripheral region on the front surface of the projection lens, and the projection lens is fixed to the annular flange portion of the lens holder at a step surface of the annular step portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2013Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Tetsuaki INABA
-
Patent number: 8591081Abstract: A LED is modularized by a light emitting device modularizing member. The light emitting device modularizing member includes heatsink having planar base, a LED mounting plate extending perpendicularly to the base from a portion closer to the end than to the middle portion of the base, and a light emitting device holder provided on each of a first face of the LED mounting plate, which is a face facing the middle portion of the base, and a second face of the LED mounting plate, which is a face opposite to the first face.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2010Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tetsuaki Inaba
-
Publication number: 20130141930Abstract: A vehicular headlamp includes: a lamp body that has a cylindrical portion having a front opening and a rear opening; a translucent cover that covers the front opening; a metallic light source base that has a light source installation portion, which is inserted from the rear opening to the lamp body and disposed therein; an annular elastic body coupling the lamp body to the light source base and closing a clearance between the lamp body and the light source base; and an optical axis adjustment mechanism coupling the lamp body to the light source base, wherein the light source base is supported so as to be turnable with respect to the lamp body by operation of the optical axis adjustment mechanism, and the elastic body is configured to be elastically deformed as the light source base is turned with respect to the lamp body.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2012Publication date: June 6, 2013Inventor: Tetsuaki INABA
-
Patent number: 8287167Abstract: A lamp unit includes a first semiconductor light-emitting element that serves as a light source; a second semiconductor light-emitting element that serves as a light source; a support member that supports the first semiconductor light-emitting element and the second semiconductor light-emitting element; a first reflector provided above the first semiconductor light-emitting element, which reflects light radiated from the first semiconductor light-emitting element forward; a shade that blocks a portion of reflected light from the first reflector; a projection lens provided in front of the first reflector with the shade disposed therebetween, which forms a light distribution pattern with a cut-off line from light reflected by the first reflector; a positioning portion that positions the projection lens; and a second reflector provided below the second semiconductor light-emitting element, which reflects light radiated from the second semiconductor light-emitting element forward.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2010Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tetsuaki Inaba
-
Patent number: 8162507Abstract: A lamp unit includes a first light source; a projection lens that forms a light distribution pattern using light radiated from the first light source; a second light source; and a parabola optical system reflector that reflects light radiated from the second light source. The projection lens has a paraxial outer peripheral portion that is closer to a first optical axis than at least part of another outer peripheral portion as seen in the direction of the first optical axis. The parabola optical system reflector reflects light radiated from the second light source such that the reflected light passes through a space adjacent to the paraxial outer peripheral portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2009Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tetsuaki Inaba
-
Patent number: 7922377Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a light emitting diode (LED) unit supported by a metal-made support member. The LED unit is constituted by an integrally formed aluminum diecast product including an LED support portion for supporting an LED, a reflector including a reflecting face constituted by a face thereof opposed to the LED, a rib projected from a back face of the reflector, and a connecting portion connected to the metal-made support member.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2007Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tatsuhiko Yamamichi, Shigeyuki Watanabe, Tetsuaki Inaba, Takashi Inoue
-
Patent number: 7907261Abstract: An optical axis inspection apparatus is provided with: a camera for capturing a light distribution pattern of a light source device projected on a screen; an image processing device for finding a cutoff line in the light distribution pattern; an acceptance reference cutoff line setting unit; and a shade having an oblong slit and arranged to be opposed to a projection lens of the projection type light source device. Whether or not an optical axis is proper is inspected based oh a shift of the cutoff line with respect to the acceptance reference cutoff line. Only a transmissive light passing through a substantially central portion in a vertical direction of a projection lens including an optical axis of the projection lens is guided onto the screen by the shade.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2008Date of Patent: March 15, 2011Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tetsuaki Inaba
-
Publication number: 20100246204Abstract: A lamp unit includes a first semiconductor light-emitting element that serves as a light source; a second semiconductor light-emitting element that serves as a light source; a support member that supports the first semiconductor light-emitting element and the second semiconductor light-emitting element; a first reflector provided above the first semiconductor light-emitting element, which reflects light radiated from the first semiconductor light-emitting element forward; a shade that blocks a portion of reflected light from the first reflector; a projection lens provided in front of the first reflector with the shade disposed therebetween, which forms a light distribution pattern with a cut-off line from light reflected by the first reflector; a positioning portion that positions the projection lens; and a second reflector provided below the second semiconductor light-emitting element, which reflects light radiated from the second semiconductor light-emitting element forward.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Tetsuaki Inaba
-
Publication number: 20100244649Abstract: A LED is modularized by a light emitting device modularizing member. The light emitting device modularizing member includes heatsink having planar base, a LED mounting plate extending perpendicularly to the base from a portion closer to the end than to the middle portion of the base, and a light emitting device holder provided on each of a first face of the LED mounting plate, which is a face facing the middle portion of the base, and a second face of the LED mounting plate, which is a face opposite to the first face.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Tetsuaki INABA
-
Patent number: 7798690Abstract: A headlamp including a metal bracket and a plurality of light source units 50, each unit having a light source, being mounted on the metal bracket 20, and being disposed within a lamp chamber. Irradiation light patterns of the light source units 50 are combined together to form a predetermined light distribution pattern. Each of the light source units 50 includes a resin shade 58, which is fastened to the bracket 20 by a fastening portion and is disposed forwardly of the light source, and a resin lens 52 connected to the shade 58. Part of the fastening portion is made of metal.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2006Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeyuki Watanabe, Tetsuaki Inaba
-
Publication number: 20090310353Abstract: A lamp unit includes a first light source; a projection lens that forms a light distribution pattern using light radiated from the first light source; a second light source; and a parabola optical system reflector that reflects light radiated from the second light source. The projection lens has a paraxial outer peripheral portion that is closer to a first optical axis than at least part of another outer peripheral portion as seen in the direction of the first optical axis. The parabola optical system reflector reflects light radiated from the second light source such that the reflected light passes through a space adjacent to the paraxial outer peripheral portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2009Publication date: December 17, 2009Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Tetsuaki Inaba
-
Patent number: 7597465Abstract: A projector-type lamp unit including a first reflecting surface for reflecting and condensing light emitted from an LED toward a projection lens disposed in the forward direction than the LED, a second reflecting surface for reflecting a part of the reflected light from the first reflecting surface toward the projection lens, and a design portion disposed between the second reflecting surface and the projection lens and continuing to the second reflecting surface. The first reflecting surface, the second reflecting surface and the design portion form a one-piece reflection mirror unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2006Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tetsuaki Inaba, Shigeyuki Watanabe
-
Patent number: 7568824Abstract: A vehicle lighting device with a lamp compartment having a light source unit disposed therein. The light source unit includes a light emitting device as a light source and a projection lens as a light distribution control member for distributing light. A face bearing portion at a distal end of a lens mounting portion of the light emitting device corresponds to a rear surface of a collar portion disposed along an outer circumference of the projection lens. Complimentary extending projections and stepped portions on the collar portion and lens mounting portion are ultrasonically welded together, and burrs formed during the welding process are prevented from protruding toward the optical axis by an erect wall of the stepped portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2006Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeyuki Watanabe, Tetsuaki Inaba, Tatsuhiko Yamamichi
-
Publication number: 20090073703Abstract: An optical axis inspection apparatus is provided with: a camera for capturing a light distribution pattern of a light source device projected on a screen; an image processing device for finding a cutoff line in the light distribution pattern; an acceptance reference cutoff line setting unit; and a shade having an oblong slit and arranged to be opposed to a projection lens of the projection type light source device. Whether or not an optical axis is proper is inspected based oh a shift of the cutoff line with respect to the acceptance reference cutoff line. Only a transmissive light passing through a substantially central portion in a vertical direction of a projection lens including an optical axis of the projection lens is guided onto the screen by the shade.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2008Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Tetsuaki Inaba
-
Patent number: D685519Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2012Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasuo Teranishi, Tetsuaki Inaba
-
Patent number: D701638Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tetsuaki Inaba
-
Patent number: D713070Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2012Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasuo Teranishi, Tetsuaki Inaba, Kuniaki Matsueda
-
Patent number: D715975Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2012Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasuo Teranishi, Tetsuaki Inaba, Kuniaki Matsueda