IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,304,312
Granted Patent B2
US 12,304,312 · App. 18/145,074 · Granted May 20, 2025

Lighting device and display panel

Inventors: Yoshinori Masatsugu (Kiyosu, JP); Yusuke Ueshima (Kiyosu, JP)
Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
B60K35/60B60Q3/10B60K35/28B60K2360/162B60K2360/175B60K2360/60B60Q2500/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,304,312
App. No.
18/145,074
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is technology that enables a lighting device to luminously display a clear sign. A display panel 3 of a lighting device 1 has a layered structure including a transparent base layer 30 , a decorative layer 33 having a general decorative portion 33 g and a display decorative portion 33 d , and a blocking layer 35 having a general blocking portion 35 g and a display blocking portion 35 d . A blocking outer-edge portion 35 e which is at least a part of an outer edge of the display blocking portion 35 d is located on a radially outer side relative to a paired decorative outer-edge portion 33 e.

Claims (35)

1. A lighting device comprising:

a plurality of light sources;

a display panel located on a front side of the light sources; and

a light-blocking case portion storing each light source in a state in which a light path of the light source directed toward the front side is opened, wherein

the display panel has a layered structure including a transparent base layer, a decorative layer located on the front side relative to the transparent base layer, and a blocking layer located on a back side relative to the transparent base layer,

the decorative layer has a general decorative portion, and a plurality of display decorative portions each located on the front side of the corresponding light source,

each of the plurality of display decorative portions covers a front side of the transparent base layer and is comprised of material having a higher light transmittance than the general decorative portion,

the blocking layer has a general blocking portion, and a plurality of display blocking portions each opposed to the paired display decorative portion and having a higher light transmittance than the general blocking portion,

in a projection view when projected in a front-back direction, a blocking outer-edge portion which is at least a part of an outer edge of each display blocking portion is located on a radially outer side relative to a decorative outer-edge portion which is an outer edge of the paired display decorative portion, and

a relationship among a thickness t of the transparent base layer, a refractive angle θ2 of the transparent base layer, and a radial-direction distance x between the blocking outer-edge portion and the decorative outer-edge portion, satisfies x=t×tan θ2.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the plurality of display decorative portions is made of a transparent material.

3. A lighting device comprising:

a plurality of light sources;

a display panel located on a front side of the light sources; and

a light-blocking case portion storing each light source in a state in which a light path of the light source directed toward the front side is opened, wherein

the display panel has a layered structure including a transparent base layer, a decorative layer located on the front side relative to the transparent base layer, and a blocking layer located on a back side relative to the transparent base layer,

the decorative layer has a general decorative portion, and a plurality of display decorative portions each located on the front side of the corresponding light source,

each of the plurality of display decorative portions covers a front side of the transparent base layer and is comprised of material having a higher light transmittance than the general decorative portion,

the blocking layer has a general blocking portion, and a plurality of display blocking portions each opposed to the paired display decorative portion and having a higher light transmittance than the general blocking portion,

in a projection view when projected in a front-back direction, a blocking outer-edge portion which is at least a part of an outer edge of each display blocking portion is located on a radially outer side relative to a decorative outer-edge portion which is an outer edge of the paired display decorative portion,

the display panel has a protrusion protruding toward the back side, on the radially outer side relative to the blocking outer-edge portion,

a back-side end of the protrusion is located on the back side relative to a front-side end of the light-blocking case portion, and

a back surface of the protrusion is formed by the general blocking portion of the blocking layer.

4. A display panel located on a front side of a plurality of light sources, the display panel having a layered structure including a transparent base layer, a decorative layer located on the front side relative to the transparent base layer, and a blocking layer located on a back side relative to the transparent base layer, wherein

the decorative layer has a general decorative portion, and a plurality of display decorative portions each located on the front side of the corresponding light source,

each of the plurality of display decorative portions covers a front side of the transparent base layer and is comprised of material having a higher light transmittance than the general decorative portion,

the blocking layer has a general blocking portion, and a plurality of display blocking portions each opposed to the paired display decorative portion and having a higher light transmittance than the general blocking portion,

in a projection view when projected in a front-back direction, a blocking outer-edge portion which is at least a part of an outer edge of each display blocking portion is located on a radially outer side relative to a decorative outer-edge portion which is an outer edge of the paired display decorative portion, and

a relationship among a thickness t of the transparent base layer, a refractive angle θ2 of the transparent base layer, and a radial-direction distance x between the blocking outer-edge portion and the decorative outer-edge portion, satisfies x=t×tan θ2.

5. The display panel according to claim 4 , further comprising

a protrusion protruding toward the back side, on the radially outer side relative to the blocking outer-edge portion, wherein

a back surface of the protrusion is formed by the general blocking portion of the blocking layer.

6. The display panel according to claim 4 , wherein

each of the plurality of display decorative portions is made of a transparent material.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2022
From: MASATSUGU, YOSHINORI; UESHIMA, YUSUKE
To: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062179/0617 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-030472 · Feb 28, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230271502A1 · Aug 31, 2023
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Office Action dated Nov. 26, 2024 issued for the corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-030472 (and English translation). [cited by applicant]
Cited By (1)
US 12,515,584