Lighting apparatus with convex-convex lens assembly

• US 6,183,108 B1
• Filed: 03/25/1999
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Striker International, LLC
• Original Assignee: Michael A. Herold
• Inventors: Herold, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sawhney, Hargobind S.
• Application Number:
  US09/276,288
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 362/277, 362/280, 362/285, 362/328, 362/331, 362/332, 362/335, 362/418, 362/367, 362/521, 362/520, 362/311, 362/244, 359/710, 359/799, 359/800
• US Class Current: 362/244
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0483 mounted on a bracket, e.g. details concerning the mouting of the lamps on the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/16 illuminating the way asymmetrically
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/173 Fluorescent light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/28 Cover glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/15 Strips of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/235 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/04 by movement of reflectors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/675
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape

Abstract

A lighting apparatus includes a lens, such as a circular rod carried by a housing. A lamp or light is positioned adjacent the circular rod which has a convex entry portion and a convex exit portion to distribute a wide and intense beam of light to a desired area. Variations of the apparatus allow for distribution of the light in any desired pattern, either downwardly or outwardly, as desired by the particular end use. The apparatus eliminates the need for reflectors to assist in generating the beam, although mirrors may be employed to generate a triple high-intensity beam from a single light source.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

at least two lens assemblies carried by said housing, each said lens assembly having opposed convex surfaces separated by a radial distance greater than or equal to a radius of said convex surfaces, each said lens having an annular cut at an end thereof, said angular cut ends abutting one another in said housing; and

at least one light source carried by said housing, said light source is positioned no further than said radial distance from one of said convex surfaces and projecting a high-intensity light beam from said other convex surface.

2. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lens assembly is a circular rod.

3. The lighting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said at least one light is positioned no further than a radial dimension of said circular rod.

4. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lens assembly is an oval rod.

5. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a support panel carried in said housing, said at least one light selectively moveable adjacent to said one convex surface to selectively adjust the orientation of said high intensity beam.

6. The lighting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said housing includes a pair of extending flanges, each said flange having a hole for receiving said lens.

7. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lens assembly includes three lenses carried by said housing, said three lenses including:

a center lens having opposed ends; and

two side lenses, each said side lens having a substantially angular cut which is positioned adjacent a corresponding end of said center lens, each said lens having a light associated therewith.

8. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lens assembly includes four circular rod lenses, each said lens having opposed ends with angular cuts that are adjacently positioned one another so as to form an opening for receiving said at least one light.

9. The lighting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said at least one light is selectively movable adjacent to said one convex surface of each said lens.

10. The lighting apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a fixture positioned over said lens assembly; and

a shaft for carrying said at least one light, said shaft adjusting the position of said at least one light in said opening.

11. The lighting apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a second light source placed adjacent said lens assembly, away from said opening and between said fixture and said lens assembly.

12. The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a driving circuit electrically connected to said at least one light source, said driving circuit including a DC power source connected to a DC to AC converter which generates a signal to illuminate said at least one light.

13. A lighting apparatus, comprising:

a housing,

at least one lens assembly carried by said housing, said lens having opposed convex surfaces separated by a radial distance greater than or equal to a radius of said convex surfaces; and

at least one light source carried by said housing, said light source is positioned no further than said radial distance from one of said convex surfaces and projecting, a high-intensity light beam from said other convex surface, wherein said at least one lens assembly is a substantially flat lens with said convex surfaces extending therefrom.

14. The lighting apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said housing includes a lens support bracket having a concave shape that substantially conforms to the shape of one of said convex surfaces of said at least one lens.

15. The lighting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said at least one light is radially positionable with respect to said at least one lens.

16. A lighting apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

at least one lens assembly carried by said housing, said lens having opposed convex surfaces separated by a radial distance greater than or equal to a radius of said convex surfaces;

at least one light source carried by said housing, said light source is positioned no further than said radial distance from one of said convex surfaces and projecting a high-intensity light beam from said other convex surface;

a pair of opposed mounting brackets, wherein said housing includes a holding tube carried at each end by one of said mounting brackets, said holding tube having at least one opening, wherein said lens assembly is a circular rod received in said holding tube; and

wherein a light is positioned adjacent said circular rod directly opposite said opening.

17. A lighting apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

at least two lens assemblies carried by said housing, each said lens assemblies having opposed convex surfaces separated by a radial distance greater than or equal to a radius of said convex surfaces, said at least two lens assemblies spaced apart from one another; and

at least one light source carried by said housing, said light source is positioned no further than said radial distance from one of said convex surfaces and projecting a high-intensity light beam from said other convex surface.

18. The lighting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said second lens assembly is substantially parallel with said one lens assembly with an opening therebetween to receive said at least one light;

and said apparatus further comprising;

a color filter associated with each said lens assembly and carried by said housing.

19. The lighting apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising:

additional light sources placed adjacent each respective lens assembly.

20. The lighting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said second lens assembly is positioned adjacent said at least one light source;

said apparatus further comprising;

a third lens positioned adjacent said at least one light source at a side opposite said second lens assembly; and

a reflection assembly proximally positioned said second and third lenses, wherein said at least one light source generates a second and a third high intensity beam reflected by said reflection assembly in the same general direction as said first high intensity beam.

21. The lighting apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said reflection assembly comprises:

an adjustable mirror associated with said second lens to direct said second high intensity beam; and

another adjustable mirror associated with said third lens to direct said third high intensity beam.

22. The lighting apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

an adjustment assembly coupled between said hinged mirror and said another hinged mirror, said adjustment assembly including an adjustment kob fixed to a bracket at about a mid-point thereof, each end of said bracket connected to a respective hinged mirror by a calibration tube, said adjustment knob selectively held in place by a set pin, wherein rotation of said adjustment knob controls positioning of said mirrors and said second and third high intensity beams.