Illumination – Light modifier – Refractor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-17
2001-06-26
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Light modifier
Refractor
C362S520000, C362S522000, C362S336000, C362S332000, C362S330000, C362S335000, C362S339000, C362S340000, C359S726000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250777
ABSTRACT:
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Application No.10-265315, filed in Japan on Sep. 18, 1998 and which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lamp lens device. Specifically, the invention relates to a lamp lens device such as a tail lamp, etc. that can transmit a communicative signal to other drivers and/or to other persons. An object of the invention is to improve the external appearance of a vehicular lamp device, both when the lamp device is lit and when the lamp device is not lit.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
FIG. 7
shows an example of the construction of a lens
90
used in a conventional vehicular lamp device. Light from a light source that is a quasi-point light source such as an incandescent light bulb, etc., strikes an inner lens (not shown in the figures) on which Fresnel cuts are formed, so that the light is transformed into parallel light rays. The parallel light rays strike a lens
90
on which lens cuts
91
have been formed to achieve appropriate diffusion and obtain desired light distribution characteristics.
Each individual element of the above-mentioned lens cut
91
is formed with a convex lens shape or concave lens shape, and a plurality of lens cuts
91
which are formed with the same curvature and same shape are formed so that the cuts cover the entire surface on the light sources side of the above-mentioned lens
90
.
In the conventional lens
90
, when the light source is lit, the light is focused at a focal point after passing through the lens
90
where the lens cuts
91
have a convex lens shape. Since the lens cuts
91
have the same curvature and the same shape, the position of this focal point is located on a plane at a predetermined distance in front of the surface of the lens
90
in the illumination direction of vehicle lamp
90
.
When the lens
90
is viewed from outside the front side of the vehicle lamp
90
while the light source is not lit, vision is focused by the respective lens cuts
91
at a focal point located on a plane that is a predetermined distance behind the lens
90
. Accordingly, when the surface of the lens
90
is viewed from the front, regardless of whether the light source is lit or not lit, the lens
90
as a whole appears to be very planar and does not appear to be of quality construction as a result of the above-mentioned planar focal point. Thus, the lens lacks a feeling of depth and appears to be quickly and cheaply constructed with no forethought to the aesthetic design and appearance of the lamp. Furthermore, similar problems occur when the above-mentioned lens cuts
91
have a concave lens shape.
The lack of a feeling of depth in the conventional lens
90
deprives the designer of the lens from constructing a lens that ties artistic lighting qualities with the functional lighting requirements in a vehicle lamp. Accordingly, the conventional vehicular lamp lens
90
does not fully contribute to an improvement in the design of the vehicle body.
Tail lamps and brake lamps, etc., are signal lamps and therefore their functional requirements are most important. However, since such lamps are components that add to the appearance of a vehicle's external body, it is also important that these lamps contribute to the. aesthetic qualities in the design of the vehicle body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above-mentioned and other problems of the related art can be solved by providing a lens including a lens structure formed of a material that is transparent to light, the lens structure having a front and back surface and a plurality of elements formed on the lens structure, each of the plurality of elements including a convex cut formed in one of the front and back surfaces as viewed in a first cross-sectional direction, and a concave cut formed in the one of the front and back surfaces as viewed from a second cross-sectional direction, wherein the first cross-sectional direction and the second cross-sectional direction are approximately perpendicular to each other.
The above-mentioned and other problems of the related art can also be solved by providing a lamp device including a lamp housing with an opening therein, a lens structure located adjacent the opening in the lamp housing, the lens structure formed of a material that is transparent to light and having a front and back surface, a plurality of elements formed on the lens structure, each of the plurality of elements including a convex cut formed in one of the front and back surfaces as viewed in a first cross-sectional direction, and a concave cut formed in the one of the front and back surfaces as viewed from a second cross-sectional direction, wherein the first cross-sectional direction and the second cross-sectional direction are approximately perpendicular to each other.
The above-mentioned and other problems of the related art can also be solved by providing a lamp device including a lamp housing having an opening therein, a lens structure formed of a material that is transparent to light and located adjacent the opening in the lamp housing, the lens structure having a front and back surface and a plurality of elements formed on the lens structure, each of the plurality of elements including means for double-focusing light passing through the lens structure.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4608623 (1986-08-01), Stephano
patent: 4722023 (1988-01-01), Arima et al.
patent: 5582481 (1996-12-01), Natsume
patent: 5603561 (1997-02-01), Ohishi
patent: 5833355 (1998-11-01), You et al.
patent: 5836674 (1998-11-01), Nishitani et al.
patent: 5975723 (1999-11-01), Daumueller et al.
patent: 6097549 (2000-08-01), Jenkins et al.
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
O'Shea Sandra
Stanley Electric Co. Ltd.
Ton Anabel
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