Display lamp

• US 6,471,371 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2000
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PATLITE Corporation. (Inaba Denkisangyo Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: PATLITE Corporation. (Inaba Denkisangyo Company Limited)
• Inventors: Kawashima, Tokio, Ikeda, Akito
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US09/580,732
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 362/235, 362/237, 362/238, 362/244, 362/245, 362/249, 362/355, 362/800, 362/545
• US Class Current: 362/235
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/00 Lighting devices intended for fixed installation F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/033 the surface being a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/04 intended only for mounting on a ceiling or the like overhead structures F21S8/02 takes precedence; details of ceiling bases F21V21/03
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/02 for roads, paths or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/403 for machines
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A display lamp in which the front face of a non-display portion (2a) is surrounded by a globe (5, 5A) serving as a display portion and in which a light source (4) is disposed inside of the space defined by the globe (5, 5A) and the non-display portion (2a). The light source (4) comprises at least a pair of left and right LEDs (42, 43) disposed at both sides which sandwich the transverse center of the front face of the non-display portion (2a). The LEDs (42, 43) respectively irradiate lights to those zones of the globe (5, 5A) which are located in the opposite sides with respect to the LEDs (42, 43) on the basis of the transverse center of the globe (5, 5A). Preferably, the pair of LEDs (42, 43) comprises a pair of left- and right-side end LEDs (42, 43) disposed at the left- and right-side ends or their vicinities of the front face of the non-display portion (2a).

Claims

1. A display lamp in which the front face of flat a non-display portion (2a) is surrounded by a light transmitting globe (5, 5A) serving as a display portion and in which a light source (4) is disposed inside of the space defined by the globe (5, 5A) and the non-display portion (2a), characterized in that:

said light source (4) comprises at least a pair of left and right LEDs (42, 43) disposed on opposite sides of a transverse center of said front face of said non-display portion (2a),

said pair of left and right LEDs (42, 43) are disposed on said flat non-display portion (2a) and inclined away from said non-display portion (2a) toward said light transmitting globe (5, 5A), and

said LEDs (42, 43) respectively irradiating lights to those zones of said globe (5, 5A) which are located on sides opposite to said LEDs (42, 43) with respect to the transverse center of said globe (5, 5A).

2. A display lamp according to claim 1, wherein said non-display portion (2a) is plane, and said globe (5, 5A) vertically extends and has an arcuate cross section or a polygonal cross section when combined with said non-display portion (2a).

3. A display lamp according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said at least a pair of left and right LEDs (42, 43) comprise a pair of left- and right-side end LEDs (42, 43) disposed at the left and right ends or their vicinities of said front face of said non-display portion (2a).

4. A display lamp according to claim 3, wherein said pair of left- and right-side end LEDs (42, 43) respectively irradiate lights to those parts of said globe (5, 5A) which are respectively opposite to said right- and left-side end LEDs as separated from each other with the largest distance provided therebetween.

5. A display lamp according to any of claim 1 or 2, wherein said light source (4) comprises a center LED (41) which is disposed at the transverse center of said non-display portion (2a) and which irradiates light to the transverse center and its vicinity of said globe (5, 5A).

6. A display lamp according to any of claim 1 or 2, further comprising reflection means (82) for reflecting portions of the lights from said pair of left and right LEDs (42, 43) toward the transverse center and its vicinity of said globe (5, 5A).

7. A display lamp according to any of claim 1 or 2, further comprising reflection means (81) for reflecting portions of the lights from said pair of left and right LEDs (42, 43) toward those zones of said globe (5, 5A) which are located in the same sides with respect to said LEDs (42, 43) in the transverse direction.

8. A display lamp according to claim 7, wherein said reflection means (81, 82) is disposed on said non-display portion (2a).

9. A display lamp according to any of claim 6, wherein said reflection means (81, 82) is formed by the surface of a portion of a case (3) which supports said globe (5, 5A).

10. A display lamp according to claim 9, wherein

said case (3) comprises a pair of end members (32a) which hold the upper and lower ends of said globe (5, 5A), and a post member (32c, 32e) which connects said pair of end members (32a) to each other, and

said reflection means (81, 82) is formed on a surface of said post member (32c, 32e).