Lantern and a lens for the same

• US 5,224,773 A
• Filed: 03/25/1991
• Issued: 07/06/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ZENI Lite Buoy Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ZENI Lite Buoy Company Limited
• Inventors: Arimura, Tadahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cole, Richard R.
• Application Number:
  US07/674,611
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 362/227, 362/240, 362/244, 362/320, 362/332, 362/339, 362/340, 362/337, 362/363, 362/800
• US Class Current: 362/227
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/06 flashing, e.g. with rotating reflector or light source signalling lighting devices mounted on vehicles B60Q1/26
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/046 the lens having a rotationally symmetrical shape about an axis for transmitting light in a direction mainly perpendicular to this axis, e.g. ring or annular lens with light source disposed inside the ring
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A beacon lantern and a lens for the same with improved light transmission factor, which is easy to manufacture and uses LEDs as a light source. A lantern comprising light source of many LEDs radially distributed on a horizontal circumference and a cylindrical fresnel lens converging beams of light in all horizontal directions, in which the lens is made by rolling a sheet-like, fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens into a shape of a cylinder. The lantern maintains a top lid and a lower lantern body with a prescribed distance therebetween by way of a center bolt, between said lid and lower lantern body a transparent cylindrical cover is maintained, on the inner surface thereof is the rolled sheet-like linear fresnel lens joined therewith.

Claims

1. A lantern comprising a light source of many LEDs radially distributed on a horizontal circumference and a cylindrical fresnel lens converging beams of light in all horizontal directions, in which the cylindrical fresnel lens is made by rolling a transparent film with a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof, into a shape of a cylinder.

3. A lantern in accordance with claim 1 or 2 comprising:

transparent cover embedding a solar battery at an upper inner surface thereof;

a flasher unit case, in which an upper edge of the cylindrical fresnel lens is inserted into and fastened at an upper periphery thereof, a flasher unit is housed therein, the light source is supported in a bottom center thereof and mounted on a lower surface of an upper part of the cover; and

a lens support that is inserted into and fastened at a lower inner surface of the cover and supports a lower edge of the cylindrical fresnel lens;

in which the thin cylindrical fresnel lens is supported concentrically with the cover maintaining a small gap between the lens and the inner surface of the cover.

4. A lantern in accordance with claim 1 or 2 in which the lantern is constructed airtight, and a desiccant is provided within the lantern to prevent dew condensation on the fresnel lens.

13. A lantern in accordance with claim 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 in which the lantern is constructed air-tight, and a desiccant is provided within the lantern to prevent dew condensation on the fresnel lens.

17. A lantern in accordance with claim 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 or 16, in which the lantern is constructed air-tight, and a desiccant is provided within the lantern to prevent dew condensation on the fresnel lens.

2. A lantern comprising a light source of many LEDs radially distributed on a horizontal circumference and a cylindrical fresnel lens converging beams of light in all horizontal directions, in which the cylindrical fresnel lens is made by rolling a transparent film with a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof, into a shape of a frustum of a cone.

5. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and a lantern lens is supported by inserting the same to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of the lantern lens;

wherein said lantern lens is made by rolling a thin transparent film with a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a cylinder with vertical side edges of said lens being in contact with each other.

6. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and a lantern lens is supported by inserting the same to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of the lantern lens;

wherein said lantern lens is made by rolling a thin transparent film with a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a frustum of a cone with vertical side edges of said lens being in contact with each other.

7. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and a lantern lens is supported by inserting the same to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of the lantern lens;

wherein said lantern lens is made by rolling a plurality of thin transparent films each having a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and longitudinally arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a cylinder, in which adjoining side edges of said thin transparent films are in contact with each other.

8. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and a lantern lens is supported by inserting the same to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of the lantern lens;

wherein said lantern lens is made by rolling a plurality of thin transparent films each having a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and longitudinally arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a frustum of a cone, in which adjoining side edges of said thin transparent films are in contact with each other.

9. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and several lantern lenses are inserted to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, said lantern lenses are connected by a ring or rings that is or are provided with a cover-gripping slits on a top surface and bottom surface thereof, respectively, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of each lantern lens in multiple levels;

wherein each of said lantern lenses is made by rolling a thin transparent film with a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a cylinder with vertical side edges of said lens being in contact with each other.

10. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and several lantern lenses are inserted to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, said lantern lenses are connected by a ring or rings that is provided with a cover-gripping slits on a top surface and bottom surface thereof, respectively, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of each lantern lens in multiple levels;

wherein each of said lantern lenses is made by rolling a thin transparent film with a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a frustum of a cone with vertical side edges of said lens being in contact with each other.

11. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and several lantern lenses are inserted to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, said lantern lenses are connected by a ring or rings that is or are provided with a cover-gripping slits on a top surface and bottom surface thereof, respectively, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of each lantern lens in multiple levels;

wherein each of said lantern lenses is made by rolling a plurality of thin transparent films each having a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and longitudinally arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a cylinder, in which adjoining side edges of said thin transparent films are in contact with each other.

12. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and several lantern lenses are inserted to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, said lantern lenses are connected by a ring or rings that is or are provided with a cover-gripping slits on a top surface and bottom surface thereof, respectively, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of each lantern lens in multiple levels;

wherein each of said lantern lenses is made by rolling a plurality of thin transparent films each having a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and longitudinally arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a frustum of a cone, in which adjoining side edges of said thin transparent films are in contact with each other.

14. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and several lantern lenses are arranged in parallel in multiple levels so as to contact each other and inserted to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and the top lid, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of each lantern lens in said multiple levels;

wherein each of said lantern lenses is made by rolling a thin transparent film with a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a cylinder with vertical side edges of said lens being in contact with each other.

15. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and a lantern lens is supported by inserting the same to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and the top lid;

wherein said lantern lens is made by rolling a single transparent film having a plurality of fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lenses formed on a surface thereof and arranged in parallel in multiple levels in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a cylinder with vertical side edges of said lantern lens being in contact with each other and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of each said linear fresnel lens in said multiple levels.

16. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and several lantern lenses are arranged in parallel in multiple levels so as to contact each other and inserted to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and the top lid, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of each lantern lens in said multiple levels;

wherein each of said lantern lens is made by rolling a plurality of thin transparent films each having a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lenses formed on a surface thereof and longitudinally arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a cylinder, in which adjoining side edges of said thin transparent films are in contact with each other.

18. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and a lantern lens made by rolling a thin transparent film with a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a cylinder with vertical side edges of said lens being in contact with each other is supported by inserting the same to cover-gripping slips individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle at the lantern lens.

19. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and several lantern lenses made by rolling a thin transparent film with a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a cylinder with vertical side edges of said lens being in contact with each other are inserted to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, said lantern lenses are connected by a ring or rings that is or are provided with a cover-gripping slits on a top surface and bottom surface thereof respectively, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of each lens in multiple levels.

20. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and several lantern lenses made by rolling a plurality of thin transparent films each having a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and longitudinally arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a cylinder wherein adjoining side edges of said thin transparent films are in contact with each other are inserted to cover-gripping slits individually established on a lower lantern body and a top lid, said lantern lenses are connected by a ring or rings that is or are provided with cover gripping slits on a top surface and bottom surface thereof, respectively, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of each lantern lens in multiple levels.

22. A lantern in accordance with claim 20 or 21 in which the lantern is constructed air tight, and a desiccant is provided within the lantern to prevent dew condensation on the fresnel lens.

21. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and several lantern lens made by rolling a thin transparent film with a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a frustum of a cone with vertical side edges of said lens being in contact with each other are inserted to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lantern body and a top lid, said lantern lenses are connected by a ring or rings that is or are provided with cover gripping slits on a top surface and bottom surface thereof, respectively, and many LEDs are radially arrange at a focal circle of said lantern lens in multiple levels.

23. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and a lens made by rolling a thin transparent film with a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and joining the same to an inner surface of a transparent cylindrical cover, in which several linear fresnel lenses are arranged parallel in a longitudinal direction so as to contact each other is inserted to cover-gripping slits individually provided on the lower lantern body and a top lid.

24. A lantern in accordance with claim 23, in which the lantern is constructed air tight, and a desiccant is provided within the lantern to prevent dew condensation on the fresnel lens.

25. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and a lantern lens made by rolling a plurality of thin transparent films each having a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and longitudinally arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a cylinder and wherein adjoining side edges of said thin transparent films are in contact with each other is supported by inserting the same to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of the lantern lens.

26. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and a lantern lens made by rolling a plurality of thin transparent films each having a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and longitudinally arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a frustum of a cone and wherein adjoining side edges of said thin transparent films are in contact with each other is supported by inserting the same to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of the lantern lens.

27. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and a lantern lens made by rolling a thin transparent film with a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and arranged in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a frustum of a cone with vertical side edges of said lens being in contact with each other is supported by inserting the same to cover-gripping slits individually established on the lower lantern body and a top lid, and many LEDs are radially arranged at a focal circle of the lantern lens.

28. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and a lens made by rolling a thin transparent film with several fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lenses formed on a surface thereof and joining the same to an inner surface of a transparent cylindrical cover in which said several linear fresnel lenses are arranged parallel in a longitudinal direction so as to contact each other is inserted to cover-gripping slits individually provided on the lower lantern body and a top lid.

29. A lantern in which a top lid is supported at a prescribed position by a center bolt established at a lower lantern body, and a lens made by rolling a plurality of thin transparent films each having a fine prism-shaped linear fresnel lens formed on a surface thereof and wherein said thin transparent films are arranged longitudinally and transversely in contact with an inner surface of a transparent cover having a shape of a cylinder so that adjoining transverse edges and adjoining side edges of said thin transparent film are in contact with each other, said lens being inserted to cover gripping slits individually provided on the lower lantern body and a top lid.