Patents by Inventor Yoshiaki Nakazato

Yoshiaki Nakazato 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: 10465875
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight includes a first light distribution variable lighting unit and a second light distribution variable lighting unit each having a plurality of light emitting devices and a projection lens that projects light emitted from the plurality of light emitting devices and that are configured to variably control a light distribution pattern of light emitted from the projection lens while switching lighting of the plurality of light emitting devices, wherein the first light distribution variable lighting unit radiates light having a first light distribution pattern toward a side in front of the projection lens with respect to a predetermined radiation range, and the second light distribution variable lighting unit radiates light having a second light distribution pattern toward the side in front of the projection lens with respect to at least a vicinity of a reference center of the radiation range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Nakazato
  • Publication number: 20190154225
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight includes a first light distribution variable lighting unit and a second light distribution variable lighting unit each having a plurality of light emitting devices and a projection lens that projects light emitted from the plurality of light emitting devices and that are configured to variably control a light distribution pattern of light emitted from the projection lens while switching lighting of the plurality of light emitting devices, wherein the first light distribution variable lighting unit radiates light having a first light distribution pattern toward a side in front of the projection lens with respect to a predetermined radiation range, and the second light distribution variable lighting unit radiates light having a second light distribution pattern toward the side in front of the projection lens with respect to at least a vicinity of a reference center of the radiation range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventor: Yoshiaki NAKAZATO
  • Patent number: 10180228
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle headlight for forming a high-beam additional light distribution pattern overlaid on a high-beam light distribution pattern. The vehicle headlight is capable of making a driver feel the sense of turning-on of the headlight when the high-beam additional light distribution pattern is additionally formed. The vehicle lighting fixture can be configured to further form a turning-on perceptible light distribution pattern for causing a driver to feel a sense of turning-on together with the high-beam additional light distribution pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakazato, Mitsuhiro Uchida
  • Patent number: 10119674
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting fixture can eliminate the use of a phosphor member that causes the reduced color rendering properties and the occurrence of color separation, specifically, can enhance the color rendering properties and suppress the occurrence of color separation more than a conventional white light source that use a semiconductor light emitting element such as an LD and a phosphor member (wavelength converting member). The vehicle lighting fixture includes: a supercontinuum light source configured to output supercontinuum light containing light in a visible wavelength region, and an optical system configured to control the supercontinuum light output from the supercontinuum light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakazato, Tatsuma Saito, Philip Rackow, Naochika Horio
  • Patent number: 10017103
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting apparatus includes: a light source device that includes a semiconductor laser which emits laser light and a wavelength conversion member which converts the wavelength of at least part of the laser light and that emits, from a light emission part, light from the wavelength conversion member; a reflection member that reflects light emitted from the light emission part of the light source device in a vehicle frontward direction as parallel light; a light shield member that blocks light which is emitted in the vehicle frontward direction from the light emission part and which is not incident on the reflection member; and a light detection part that is arranged at a vehicle rearward positon of the reflection member and detects part of the light emitted from the light emission part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakazato, Takahiko Tokiwa
  • Patent number: 9849827
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight system can include a headlight controller and a lamp unit incorporating a high beam module, which can emit favorable marking lights while the headlight controller associates each of a shading driver and a swivel structure with a shading width setter and a swivel setter, respectively. When a forward vehicle does not exist in a forward direction, the headlight systems can provide favorable light distribution patterns by overlapping the light distribution pattern projected from the high beam module with each of light distribution patterns for a high and low beam. When the forward vehicle exists, the headlight system can prevent the lamp unit from emitting a glare type light to the forward vehicle. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide vehicle headlight systems, which can emit favorable light patterns toward a pedestrian as a marking light, and which can provide favorable light distribution patterns to drive at night.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Uchida, Yoshiaki Nakazato
  • Publication number: 20170292670
    Abstract: A vehicular lighting device from which a fluorescent material is omitted that may cause deterioration of color rendering properties and occurrence of color separation is provided. The vehicular lighting device can have higher in color rendering properties than a conventional white light source obtained by combining a semiconductor light-emitting element such as an LD and the fluorescent material (wavelength converting member) and can suppress occurrence of color separation. A vehicular lighting device of the presently disclosed subject matter includes a supercontinuum light source that outputs supercontinuum light containing a visible wavelength region, and an optical system that controls the supercontinuum light output by the supercontinuum light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Applicant: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Philip RACKOW, Tatsuma SAITO, Yoshiaki NAKAZATO, Naochika HORIO
  • Patent number: 9623792
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight can ensure a driver's visibility even when the headlight projects low-beam, and at the same time, can promote awareness of pedestrians and the like in front of and around the vehicle. A vehicle headlight installed in a vehicle can include a plurality of lamp modules each configured to project light in front of the vehicle, and a control unit configured to control the plurality of lamp modules to be turned on and off so that a lighting pattern constituted by the lamp module or lamp modules being turned on is varied and at least one lamp module out of the plurality of lamp modules is configured to form a predetermined light distribution for ensuring a driver's visibility when being turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Nakazato
  • Publication number: 20170088034
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting apparatus includes: a light source device that includes a semiconductor laser which emits laser light and a wavelength conversion member which converts the wavelength of at least part of the laser light and that emits, from a light emission part, light from the wavelength conversion member; a reflection member that reflects light emitted from the light emission part of the light source device in a vehicle frontward direction as parallel light; a light shield member that blocks light which is emitted in the vehicle frontward direction from the light emission part and which is not incident on the reflection member; and a light detection part that is arranged at a vehicle rearward positon of the reflection member and detects part of the light emitted from the light emission part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakazato, Takahiko Tokiwa
  • Publication number: 20160339833
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight system can include a headlight controller and a lamp unit incorporating a high beam module, which can emit favorable marking lights while the headlight controller associates each of a shading driver and a swivel structure with a shading width setter and a swivel setter, respectively. When a forward vehicle does not exist in a forward direction, the headlight systems can provide favorable light distribution patterns by overlapping the light distribution pattern projected from the high beam module with each of light distribution patterns for a high and low beam. When the forward vehicle exists, the headlight system can prevent the lamp unit from emitting a glare type light to the forward vehicle. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide vehicle headlight systems, which can emit favorable light patterns toward a pedestrian as a marking light, and which can provide favorable light distribution patterns to drive at night.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Uchida, Yoshiaki Nakazato
  • Publication number: 20160281951
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle headlight for forming a high-beam additional light distribution pattern overlaid on a high-beam light distribution pattern. The vehicle headlight is capable of making a driver feel the sense of turning-on of the headlight when the high-beam additional light distribution pattern is additionally formed. The vehicle lighting fixture can be configured to further form a turning-on perceptible light distribution pattern for causing a driver to feel a sense of turning-on together with the high-beam additional light distribution pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakazato, Mitsuhiro Uchida
  • Publication number: 20160245471
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting fixture can eliminate the use of a phosphor member that causes the reduced color rendering properties and the occurrence of color separation, specifically, can enhance the color rendering properties and suppress the occurrence of color separation more than a conventional white light source that use a semiconductor light emitting element such as an LD and a phosphor member (wavelength converting member). The vehicle lighting fixture includes: a supercontinuum light source configured to output supercontinuum light containing light in a visible wavelength region, and an optical system configured to control the supercontinuum light output from the supercontinuum light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakazato, Tatsuma Saito, Philip Rackow, Naochika Horio
  • Publication number: 20160159273
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight can ensure a driver's visibility even when the headlight projects low-beam, and at the same time, can promote awareness of pedestrians and the like in front of and around the vehicle. A vehicle headlight installed in a vehicle can include a plurality of lamp modules each configured to project light in front of the vehicle, and a control unit configured to control the plurality of lamp modules to be turned on and off so that a lighting pattern constituted by the lamp module or lamp modules being turned on is varied and at least one lamp module out of the plurality of lamp modules is configured to form a predetermined light distribution for ensuring a driver's visibility when being turned on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Nakazato
  • Patent number: 9335016
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight can be configured such that the size of the vehicle headlight which includes a semiconductor laser element employed as a light source is reduced. The vehicle headlight can includes: a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in a front-to-rear direction of a vehicle body; a light-emitting device including a semiconductor laser element configured to emit a laser beam and a light-transmitting member configured to absorb and convert the wavelength of at least part of the laser beam from the semiconductor laser element; and a first reflection surface configured to reflect the light from the light-emitting device so as to transmit and project forward the resulting light through the projection lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Nakazato
  • Patent number: 9175824
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle headlamp that can be miniaturized and that can form a synthetic light distribution pattern (for example, a low-beam light distribution pattern) in which a hot zone is brighter. The vehicle headlamp that forms the synthetic light distribution pattern including the hot zone and a diffusion region diffused from the hot zone, includes at least one first lighting fixture unit including a laser light source and a first optical system that forms a first light distribution pattern to irradiate light forward from the laser light source and irradiate the hot zone, and at least one second lighting fixture unit including an LED light source and a second optical system that forms a second light distribution pattern to irradiate light forward from the LED light source and irradiate the diffusion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakazato, Yoshiaki Nakaya
  • Patent number: 9103517
    Abstract: A vehicle light can prevent color variations of the projected image. The vehicle light can include a laser diode, a wavelength conversion member including a phosphor configured to receive blue light emitted from the laser diode and then emitting white light, a projection lens configured to project the white light emitted from the wavelength conversion member to provide forward illumination for a vehicle, and a diffusing portion provided to the projection lens, configured to diffuse the excitation light which is incident on the projection lens from the wavelength conversion member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakazato, Yoshiaki Nakaya
  • Patent number: 9057512
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting unit can form a structure or mechanism for positioning and installing a light emitting device in a vehicle lighting unit main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chiho En, Toshimichi Anzai, Yoshiaki Nakazato
  • Patent number: 8858048
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting unit that utilizes a semiconductor laser light source can suppress color unevenness of a light distribution pattern while ensuring the usefulness of the semiconductor laser light source. The vehicle lighting unit can include a semiconductor laser light source, a phosphor configured to receive blue light emitted from the semiconductor laser light source and emit white light by excitation, and a reflector configured to reflect the light emitted from the phosphor so that the light can be diffused wider in a right-to-left direction than in a vertical direction on the basis of a posture when the lighting unit is mounted on a vehicle body. Part of the blue light that is emitted from the semiconductor laser light source and reflected off a surface of the phosphor can be incident on the reflector with an elongated area in the right-to-left direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Nakazato
  • Publication number: 20140268846
    Abstract: A vehicle headlight can be configured such that the size of the vehicle headlight which includes a semiconductor laser element employed as a light source is reduced. The vehicle headlight can includes: a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in a front-to-rear direction of a vehicle body; a light-emitting device including a semiconductor laser element configured to emit a laser beam and a light-transmitting member configured to absorb and convert the wavelength of at least part of the laser beam from the semiconductor laser element; and a first reflection surface configured to reflect the light from the light-emitting device so as to transmit and project forward the resulting light through the projection lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Nakazato
  • Publication number: 20140112012
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle headlamp that can be miniaturized and that can form a synthetic light distribution pattern (for example, a low-beam light distribution pattern) in which a hot zone is brighter. The vehicle headlamp that forms the synthetic light distribution pattern including the hot zone and a diffusion region diffused from the hot zone, includes at least one first lighting fixture unit including a laser light source and a first optical system that forms a first light distribution pattern to irradiate light forward from the laser light source and irradiate the hot zone, and at least one second lighting fixture unit including an LED light source and a second optical system that forms a second light distribution pattern to irradiate light forward from the LED light source and irradiate the diffusion region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakazato, Yoshiaki Nakaya