The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 14, 2020
Filed:
Dec. 19, 2018
Stanley Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Yasuo Toko, Yokohama, JP;
Yoshifumi Takao, Yokohama, JP;
STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A lighting device includes: a liquid crystal element having electrode pattern including a first portion and a second portion; drive circuit connected to the electrode pattern; polarizer disposed in front of the liquid crystal element and separated from the liquid crystal element in optical axis direction; analyzer disposed at rear of the liquid crystal element, and separated from the liquid crystal element in optical axis direction, wherein the polarizer and the analyzer constitute crossed Nicol polarizers; light source for supplying lights to the liquid crystal element within a predetermined incident angle range; and projection optical system projecting lights transmitted through the liquid crystal element forwardly; wherein the polarizer and the analyzer locally overlap with the liquid crystal element in projection normal to the liquid crystal element, and when the light source is turned on, the drive circuit supplies drive signal to the first portion of the electrode pattern which applies or releases voltages in compliance with circumstances, and supplies drive signal to the second portion of the electrode pattern which continuously applies voltage, lights transmitting through the first portion of the electrode pattern and projecting forward transmit both the polarizer and the analyzer, and lights transmitting through the second portion of the electrode pattern and projecting forward include components which do not transmit at least one of the polarizer and the analyzer.