Illumination apparatus

• US 7,121,679 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2004
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cat Eye Co Limited (Cat Eye)
• Original Assignee: Cat Eye Co Limited (Cat Eye)
• Inventors: Fujimoto, Takuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Cariaso, Alan
• Application Number:
  US10/910,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20050047123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 362/184, 362186-188, 362/205, 362/555, 362577-579, 362/581
• US Class Current: 362/186
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/029 characterised by the structure, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/03 Supporting means therefor, e.g. mounting brackets
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/02 characterised by the provision of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An illumination apparatus is provided that can achieve light distribution towards the front, and light illumination in a direction other than the front direction, without using a light source other than the light source for frontward illumination. The illumination apparatus includes a light emitting diode located at the front side of the illumination apparatus, corresponding to one end, a side transmission unit having a surface exposed at a gap in the casing, located rearward of the light emitting diode to transmit light from the side, and a light path modification unit, located rearward of the light emitting diode to modify the direction of light output from the light emitting diode towards the side transmission unit.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus attached to a casing, comprising:

a light emitting diode located at a front region of said illumination apparatus, corresponding to one end of said casing,

a side transmission unit having a surface exposed at a gap in said casing, located rearward of said light emitting diode to transmit light from a side portion, and

a light path modification unit located at a rear of said light emitting diode to alter a direction of light emitted from said light emitting diode to output light towards said side transmission unit and

further comprising a reflection mirror of a concave face, including an insertion hole in which said light emitting diode is inserted, surrounding a luminous unit of said light emitting diode from the back side thereof under a state where said light emitting diode is inserted and wiring is established.

2. The illumination apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light path modification unit is a light guide formed of a material having a refractive index higher than the refractive index of air to provide the light output from said light emitting diode into the light guide at an end portion of the light emitting diode side, totally reflecting the light to alter the direction of travel of light, and emitting light from a light guide emission face towards said side transmission unit.

3. An illumination apparatus attached to a casing, comprising:

a light emitting diode located at a front region of said illumination apparatus, corresponding to one end of said casing,

a side transmission unit having a surface exposed at a gap in said casing, located rearward of said light emitting diode to transmit light from a side portion, and

a light path modification unit located at a rear of said light emitting diode to alter a direction of light emitted from said light emitting diode to output light towards said side transmission unit,

wherein said light path modification unit is a light guide formed of a material having a refractive index higher than the refractive index of air to provide the light output from said light emitting diode into the light guide at an end portion of the light emitting diode side, totally reflecting the light to alter the direction of travel of light, and emitting light from a light guide emission face towards said side transmission unit, and

wherein a lead terminal of said light emitting diode is drawn out from the rear of said light emitting diode, and passes through said light guide to be connected to a wiring board located at a rear side of said guide light.

4. An illumination apparatus attached to a casing, comprising:

a light emitting diode located at a front region of said illumination apparatus, corresponding to one end of said casing,

a side transmission unit having a surface exposed at a gap in said casing, located rearward of said light emitting diode to transmit light from a side portion, and

a light path modification unit located at a rear of said light emitting diode to alter a direction of light emitted from said light emitting diode to output light towards said side transmission unit and comprising an insertion shaft protruding from said casing at a side portion of said casing, closer to a central area than said side transmission unit, a rotation engagement member fixed to said insertion shaft, identified as a rotary plate crossing said insertion shaft and having concave and convex grooves at a circumferential edge, and a support member inserted in said insertion shaft, and having concave and convex grooves at an inner circumferential side engaging with the concave and convex grooves at the circumferential edge of said rotary engagement member, rotatable about said rotary engagement member while engaging with the concave and convex grooves of said rotary engagement member.

5. An illumination apparatus attached to a casing, comprising:

a light emitting diode located at a front region of said illumination apparatus, corresponding to one end of said casing,

a side transmission unit having a surface exposed at a gap in said casing, located rearward of said light emitting diode to transmit light from a side portion, and

a light path modification unit located at a rear of said light emitting diode to alter a direction of light emitted from said light emitting diode to output light towards said side transmission unit and comprising a support member supporting said illumination apparatus at a side circumferential portion of said casing, wherein said support member comprises a fixture band member fastening said illumination apparatus to an object of attachment by a band, said fixture band member including a first band engagement portion and a second band engagement portion about which the band to fasten the illumination apparatus to said object of attachment is folded to overlap, a portion of said band between said first and second band engagement portions fasten said illumination apparatus to said object of attachment by wrapping around said object of attachment,

said first band engagement portion provided with a first shaft having a first gap from said casing, and including a wedge stopper provided rotatably about said first shaft to bite into a serration groove provided at one end of the band, said one end of said band arranged so as to pass through said first gap and be folded about said first shaft with said serration groove facing said first shaft,

said second band engagement portion provided with a second shaft having a second gap from said casing, and including a lever stopper provided rotatably about said second shaft, and having a lever portion and a band urge portion, said band urge portion having a circumferential edge portion taking a maximum value of a distance from said second shaft, and the other end of said band inserted into said second gap being sandwiched and fixed between an edge circumferential portion taking the maximum value and said casing by pushing down said lever.

6. An illumination apparatus attached to a casing, comprising:

a light emitting diode located at a front region of said illumination apparatus, corresponding to one end of said casing,

a side transmission unit having a surface exposed at a gap in said casing, located rearward of said light emitting diode to transmit light from a side portion, and

a light path modification unit located at a rear of said light emitting diode to alter a direction of light emitted from said light emitting diode to output light towards said side transmission unit and comprising a switch operation unit located at a side circumferential portion of the casing at an end portion opposite to said front portion, said switch operation unit resting at a state where resilient force is applied in one circumferential direction, wherein when said switch operation unit is slid in a direction opposite to said one circumferential direction against the resilient force, a magnet connected with said switch operation unit moves at a switch portion in said casing, approaches a deformable soft magnetic piece, provided at said switch, makes said deformable soft magnetic piece touch a fixed soft magnetic piece arranged in proximity to said deformable soft magnetic piece such that said deformable soft magnetic peace and said fixed soft magnetic piece form a closed magnetic circuit, and a make-break contact is turned on.