Plural Separate Sections With Complex Surfaces Patents (Class 362/522)
  • Patent number: 6129447
    Abstract: An automobile lamp comprising a light source, a shade covering the light source, a reflector having an aperture, an outer lens covering the aperture, and an inner lens arranged vertically between the shade and the outer lens, wherein the reflector has a central reflecting surface, which directs light emitted from the light source to the inner lens, a left reflecting surface, a right reflecting surface, and at least one non-reflecting surface which is at least one step between the central reflecting surface and the left or right reflecting surface, and the inner lens covers the central reflecting surface of the reflector. Light distribution patterns are formed by the inner lens, the left reflecting surface, and the right reflecting surface. Light distribution patterns of the automobile lamps are horizontally wide and have high uniformity of luminous flux density distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Futami
  • Patent number: 6123440
    Abstract: A lighting device (100) for an automobile has a light source (101), a reflector (102), and a convergent lens (103) positioned in front of the reflector in order to form an illuminating light beam. The reflector is of the hyperbolic type with an internal focus (F.sub.1), and an external focus (F.sub.2) positioned behind said reflector in a region of the focus of said convergent lens, the light source being placed in a region of the internal focus of said reflector so that the latter forms a virtual light source in the region of the focus of said convergent lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Pierre Albou
  • Patent number: 6113254
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp including a lamp body having a front opening and an armoring lens attached to the front opening of the lamp body, the armoring lens including at least a first lens and a second lens each having different colors. The first lens has a front surface, a side surface, a seal leg portion configured for attachment to the lamp body and an extended portion formed on an outer surface of the seal leg portion. The second lens wraps around the first lens to contact the front surface and the side surface of the first lens and has an outer end surface that abuts the extended portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Susumu Kaneko
  • Patent number: 6102558
    Abstract: A motor vehicle headlight comprising a light source, a reflector and a cover lens. The reflector generates a pre-formed light beam such that its modification by any optical elements on the cover lens is unnecessary. The cover lens receives, from at least a substantial part of the reflector, radiation having a mean angle of incidence in a horizontal plane which varies progressively with horizontal displacement over the cover lens. The cover lens includes a set of striations for lateral deflection of the light, with each striation having an individual angular distribution law which is determined by the orientation of the light from the reflector and by the lateral spreading characteristic of the striation. The spreading characteristics of the striations are determined in such a way that the aggregate angular distribution law of the different striations has a curve which is essentially flat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Thierry Farnoux
  • Patent number: 6070993
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp comprises: a lamp body; and a lens disposed in front of the lamp body, forming a lamp chamber with the lamp body, wherein at least an area forming part of the inner surface of the lamp body or the lens is divided into a plurality of elements, and the cross sectional configuration of each element in two directions meeting at right angles comprises a concave curve in one direction and a convex curve in the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazunori Natsume
  • Patent number: 6050706
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes an amber light bulb covered with a cup-shaped colorless transparent cap, thus emitting an amber light beam. A colorless, transparent, plain lens is employed. Furthermore, the inner surface of the cylindrical portion of the transparent cap is formed into a plurality of side steps, and the inner surface of the front end portion of the transparent cap is shaped into a Fresnel lens, and the outer surface of the front end portion is shaped into a plurality of fisheye lenses, which makes it more difficult to see the amber light bulb. Therefore, the vehicle lamp appears deep and glittering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Ohtuka, Masataka Chouji, Naoki Kakiuchi
  • Patent number: 6038387
    Abstract: A method for precise design of light distribution for lighting equipment that use light-emitting devices, and for subsequently producing such equipment. By modeling the internal structure of an LED device with respect to the geometry and characteristics of a chip portion, chip reflector and lens portion, illuminating light from an LED device is classified into direct light from the chip portion and the reflected light from the chip reflector. The unknown values necessary for the modeling are specified preliminarily by actual measurements. Subsequently, the original geometry of the lens step is determined roughly based on the target direction and the diffusion angle of the light transmitted through the step. The manner in which the direct light from the chip portion and the reflected light from the chip reflector are transmitted through the lens portion and the lens step is simulated by ray tracing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Machida
  • Patent number: 5964525
    Abstract: An indicating light or side lamp display for a motor vehicle comprises a substantially point light source, a flux recuperator such as a mirror, for reflecting the light from the source towards the outside in the form of an essentially parallel beam, and, interposed in the path of the beam, an intermediate screen and a cover lens. The intermediate screen has a set of optical cells, each of which includes on an internal face a substantially spherical surface for spreading the light, and, on an outer face of the screen, a set of at least two flat facets which are oblique with respect to the plane of the intermediate screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Pierre Albou
  • Patent number: 5863116
    Abstract: An exterior vehicle mirror system having a reflective element and a housing for the reflective element includes a turn signal having a lens incorporated in the housing. A portion of the lens faces rearward of the vehicle and the lens further wraps around the outward side of the housing and functions as a side marker for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Todd W. Pastrick, Linda K. Molenkamp, Roger L. Koops