Infrared projector

• US 7,348,584 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Satou, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, JOHNNIE L
• Application Number:
  US10/892,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20050017204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 250/332, 250/493.1, 250/504.R, 362/510
• US Class Current: 250/516.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/14 having dimming means
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/005 for lighting devices, e.g. indicating if lamps are burning or not

Abstract

An infrared projector including: a light source which radiates an infrared ray; and an emitter which emits visible light when exposed to infrared light, wherein the emitter is provided on a position where the infrared ray radiated from the light source reaches.

Claims

1. An infrared projector comprising:

an invisible light source configured to radiate only invisible lights including infrared rays; and

a visual indicator configured to indicate an operation condition of the invisible light source by emitting visible light when the visual indicator is excited by infrared rays from the infrared light source.

2. The infrared projector according to claim 1, further comprising a housing portion configured to house the light source, wherein the emitter, is provided inside of the housing portion.

3. The infrared projector according to claim 2, wherein the housing portion comprises a reflection surface for reflecting infrared rays from the infrared light source, and the emitter is provided on the reflection surface.

4. The infrared projector according to claim 2, wherein the emitter is painted.

5. A vehicular projector comprising the infrared projector according to claim 1.

6. A vehicular monitoring system comprising the vehicular projector according to claim 5.

7. A vehicle provided with the vehicular projector according to claim 5.

8. A method for visually checking that an infrared projector is turned on, the method comprising:

providing an invisible light source configured to radiate only invisible lights including infrared rays and a visual indicator configured to indicate an operation condition of the invisible light source by emitting visible light when the indicator is excited by infrared light from the invisible light source; and

providing the visual indicator on a position where infrared rays radiated from the light source reach.

9. An infrared projector comprising:

an invisible light source for radiating only invisible lights including infrared rays; and

visual indication means for indicating an operation condition of the invisible light source by emitting visible light when the visual indication means is excited by infrared rays from the infrared light source.