Decorative lighting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9983343-B2
Application number	US-201615217725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2016
Priority date	Jul 23, 2015
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

A decorative lighting apparatus includes: a light source; an elongated outer lens; and a housing, wherein: the outer lens includes: a surface protrusion having a surface that is the light emitting surface and both sides; a back protrusion having a back and both sides; a first connection part, one end thereof in a short-side direction being connected to one side of the protrusions; and a second connection part, one end thereof in a short-side direction being connected to the other side of the protrusion; the housing is fixedly attached to the other end in the short-side direction of each of the first and second connection parts; the light source is arranged to be opposite to one section of the back protrusion; and a width of both sides of the surface protrusion is greater than a width of a surface of the surface protrusion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A decorative lighting apparatus, comprising:
a light source;
an elongated outer lens configured to guide radiation of the light source in an extending direction;
a light guide formed integrally with the outer lens such that the light is guided in the extending direction of the outer lens; and
a housing that is provided to cover a back of a light emitting surface of the outer lens, wherein:
the integrally formed outer lens and light guide includes:
a surface protrusion of a rectangular pillar shape having a surface that is the light emitting surface and both sides that act as a light reflecting surface;
a back protrusion of a rectangular pillar shape having a back and both sides that act as a light reflecting surface;
a first connection part of an elongated angle shape, one end of the first connection part in a short-side direction being connected to one side of the surface and back protrusions; and
a second connection part of an elongated angle shape, one end of the second connection part in a short-side direction being connected to the other side of the surface and back protrusions;

the housing is fixedly attached to the other end in the short-side direction of each of the first and second connection parts to cover in a liquid-tightly state;
the light source is arranged to be opposite to one section of the back protrusion in an extending direction of the back protrusion; and
a width of both sides of the surface protrusion is greater than a width of a surface of the surface protrusion, in a longitudinal section of the outer lens.

2. The decorative lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the width of both sides of the surface protrusion is greater than a width of both sides of the back protrusion, in the longitudinal section of the outer lens.

3. The decorative lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a width of the surface of the surface protrusion is greater than a width of one end of each of the connection parts, in the longitudinal section of the outer lens.

4. The decorative lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the outer lens in the extending direction of the outer lens is curved towards one side in each of the protrusions.

5. The decorative lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a first light blocking part that covers both sides in the vicinity of the back of the back protrusion to block light.

6. The decorative lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a second light blocking part that covers both sides of the other end of each of the connection parts to block light.

7. The decorative lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a decoration member having an installation hole, wherein
the surface of the surface protrusion is exposed from the installation hole.

8. The decorative lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide and the outer lens are not separate structures.

9. The decorative lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the outer lens possesses the function of the light guide by integrally forming the light guide and the outer lens.

10. The decorative lighting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light guided into the outer lens is reflected from the back of the back protrusion by a total reflection due to a difference in refractive index between the outer lens and air in a cavity between the back protrusion and the housing.

Assignees

• Toyoda Gosei Kk

Inventors

• Tanaka Yoshiharu
• Kuramitsu Yuki
• Ogawa Shinichi

Classifications

• B60Q3/78

  for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21S43/195

  Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors · CPC title

• F21S43/249

  with two or more light sources being coupled into the light guide · CPC title

• F21W2104/00

  Exterior vehicle lighting devices for decorative purposes · CPC title