Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7572035 | Illumination obscurement device An illumination obscurement device for controlling the obscurement of illumination from a light source which is optimized for use with a rectangular, arrayed, selective reflection device. In a preferred embodiment, a rotatable shutter with three positions is placed ... | 08/11/2009 |
| 7397984 | Light guide screen louver device In a particular embodiment, the louver device includes a transparent layer of material having a first surface and, parallel thereto, a second surface. A plurality of shaped louver members are disposed within the transparent layer of material. The shaped louver membe... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7394593 | Transmitted-light base for a microscope, and method for regulating the illumination intensity of a transmitted-light base The invention relates to a transmitted-light base (1) for illuminating an object (15) for imaging through a zoom microscope (21), the transmitted-light base (1) comprising an integrated light source (3) having an associated electri... | 07/01/2008 |
| 7325950 | Headlight antiglare device An antiglare device comprises a housing for coupling to a headlight of a vehicle. Surfaces of the housing which face a passenger side of the vehicle are reflective to encourage reflection of light away from oncoming traffic while surfaces of the housing facing towar... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7322719 | Illumination system An illumination system comprises a first light source device, a second light source device and a second reflecting portion. A first reflecting portion of the first light source device covers a part area of an opening of a reflecting shade, and the other area of the ... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7246924 | High performance lighting louvers and luminaires Lighting louvers formed by transverse and longitudinal blades improve the performance of indirect ambient light luminaires by increasing light output, widening the output of the luminaire's maximum intensity light, or both. These lighting louvers include at least on... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7246918 | Large area lighting system A large area lighting system, adapted for high mast highway or stadium lighting, for example, includes one or more elongated frames supporting plural light fixtures and elongated light baffles comprising respective sets of spaced apart slats. The respective sets of ... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7232224 | Simultaneous color illumination According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for color illumination for an image display system includes field sequentially operating an array of emitters to generate a sequence of light beams. Each light beam includes one color. A first light beam... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7201496 | Luminaire and lamellae louver therefor A luminaire has side reflectors having edges defining the width W of a light-emission window, and a plurality of lamellae, which have a concave outer edge in the light-emission window and an inner face remote from that window. In the centers of the lamellae, the lam... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7198388 | Curved flexible light control grids with rigid framework Light control grids in curved ceilings or walls include an assembly of flexible, spaced-apart sets of fabric strips that intersect and interlock, one of the sets of strips being substantially curved along its length and/or of varying length. The grids are supported ... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7168810 | Method and apparatus for arranging light emitting devices in projection systems Embodiments of this invention include a system, method and apparatus for combining the light paths of a plurality of colored light emitting devices into a single light path with two reflecting devices and an optical combiner assembly in a projection system. ... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7128443 | Light-collimating system A light-collimating system for collimating light from a light source has a plurality of elements (2, 2′, . . . ), each element including at least a first wall (3, 3′, . . . ) and at least a second wall (4, 4′, . . . ). The first (3)... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7121690 | Constructive occlusion with a transmissive component Constructive occlusion type lighting systems utilize a reflective mask to cover a portion of an active optical surface, typically a Lambertian surface formed by the aperture of a diffusely reflective cavity, in order to distribute radiant energy with a tailored inte... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7101067 | Dual beam high intensity discharge reflector A headlamp assembly for producing high and low beam patterns includes a housing having a reflector. The reflector includes high and low beam reflector surfaces. A light source is disposed within the housing for producing light rays projecting towards the high and lo... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7083303 | Operating theater lamp having adjustable diaphragm An operating theater lamp has at least one lamp body with a discharge lamp, which illuminates a site of an operation via optical means. The illuminance of the operating theater lamp can be changed in the region of the site of the operation by a mechanically adjustab... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7055966 | Illuminator and projector When a video signal is inputted to a projector (10) through a video input terminal, a luminance peak value of an image of the video signal is detected by an image-analyzing circuit (61) to be outputted to a CPU (71). A gain-adjusting circuit ( | 06/06/2006 |
| 7036232 | Apparatus for monitoring the rails of a railway or tramway line A laser apparatus for monitoring the rails of a railway or tramway line, characterized by comprising at least two measurement units mounted on a railway or tramway carriage and operating at last on the inner part of the two rails, along with said carriage is made to... | 05/02/2006 |
| 6984061 | Covert infrared landing light An infrared landing light is disclosed including a housing adapted for mounting in an aircraft, a lamp positioned within the housing and adapted to produce light having an infrared portion, and a louver positioned within the housing and adapted to receive the light ... | 01/10/2006 |
| 6865023 | System for collecting and displaying images to create a visual effect and methods of use The present invention relates in general to a system (and its methods of use) for collecting and displaying images so as to create a visual effect and, more particularly but not by way of limitation, a three-dimensional visual effect. ... | 03/08/2005 |
| 6705747 | Circular lighting louver A curvilinear lighting louver is described in which first and second reflectors are formed in curvilinear configurations with respect to an axis, with parabolic reflector surfaces facing toward and away from the axis. Baffles connect the first and second reflectors ... | 03/16/2004 |
| 6705746 | Controlled-luminance lighting device A controlled-luminance lighting device comprising a fluorescent light source of a linear type (5), which extends longitudinally between a reflector (1) that is formed by an elongated body having a curved surface, and a set of transverse fins (3)... | 03/16/2004 |
| 6561677 | Night light A night light having a base unit with a central cavity designed to house a light sensor, a printed circuit board, a light bulb, and a pair of electrical prongs. Attached to the front surface of the base unit is a fixed half-spherical lens. Disposed over t... | 05/13/2003 |
| 6540380 | Illumination system for projector An illumination system for a projector having a color management system (CMS). The illumination system comprises a light source, a light-converging system for converging light beams coming from the light source, a P-S converter and a gobo. The P-S convert... | 04/01/2003 |
| 6234649 | Electric lamp device and lighting apparatus An electric lamp device which is capable of suppressing obstruction light toward the sky even if being used as a garden light or the like as well as a common lighting electric lamp. In the electric lamp device comprising an envelope and a small-sized ligh... | 05/22/2001 |
| 5975720 | Color changer A color changer for use with a wide angle light source which includes a frame, a plurality of planar dichroic filter strips mounted on the frame and aligned substantially parallel to each other. The filter strips have identical predetermined optical filte... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5733036 | Louvered light control A louvered light control controls the light emitted by a standard drop-in fluorescent light fixture. The fluorescent light fixture is removed and a louver frame containing first and second louver assemblies stacked within the louver frame is inserted in p... | 03/31/1998 |
| 5664878 | Internally illuminated sign An internally illuminated sign in which a luminaire mounted on the border or periphery of the sign uniformly illuminates the face and/or faces of the sign thereby eliminating any necessity for providing human access to the interior of the sign for mainten... | 09/09/1997 |
| 5658071 | Lighting system including adjustable louver A lighting system includes a lighting fixture having a wall having an opening therein, the opening being defined by edges of the wall. The lighting system further includes one or more louvers. Each louver includes a louver body having a first and a second... | 08/19/1997 |
| 5526241 | Interior lamp for motor vehicle An interior or courtesy light for a motor vehicle which provides general diffused light for the passenger compartment and which also provides directed concentrated light in selected areas of the passenger compartment. The lamp includes a fluorescent bulb ... | 06/11/1996 |
| 5335156 | Flexible cantilevered parabolic lighting baffle A flexible cantilevered lighting baffle includes a first flexible member including a top edge from which is removably suspended a second flexible member and light baffle elements mounted thereon. The first member may be attached by conventional fasteners ... | 08/02/1994 |
| 5313380 | Lighting assembly A lighting assembly has a grid (5) arranged to be adjustable at a light outlet of a housing (1). In one embodiment, there is a plurality of grids (4, 5, 6), preferably arranged one behind the other in a direction of light rays, which are movable relative ... | 05/17/1994 |
| 5276601 | Lamp shade having at least two laterally spaced arrays of light deflectors A lamp shade including a plurality of light deflectors. The light deflectors are mounted so as to be independently moveable with respect to the frame and one another. Most preferably the lamp shade is defined by two or more spaced arrays of light deflecto... | 01/04/1994 |
| 5243402 | Optical inspection apparatus The invention relates to an optical inspection apparatus comprising an illuminating means which has a linear light source (11) and a concave cylindrical mirror (10) which forms an image of the light source (11), with the cylindrical axis of the cylindrica... | 09/07/1993 |
| 5077649 | Headlight adjusters/shutters A headlight adjustable shutter for a motor vehicle is provided in which light from the headlight can be reflected downwardly by adjustable louver shutter slats. In a modification each slat will contain an adjustable rear mirror to properly reflect the lig... | 12/31/1991 |
| 4947307 | Adjustable recessed louvers for grade mounted light fixture A light fixture assembly positionable in a recess in the ground, includes a lamp housing, a light-transparent lens, a lamp and a directional louver assembly. The directional louver assembly is mounted within the lamp housing on annular ledge between the l... | 08/07/1990 |
| 4839778 | Louver system A louver system for use with louver supports having inwardly opening perimetral end and side channel defining a rectangular louver space and adapted to receive the end and side edges of the louver. The louvers are provided with integrally molded end and s... | 06/13/1989 |
| 4807100 | Light director A light director has an elongated, hollow, opaque open-ended shield. The shield slips over the glass housing of a light bulb. A pair of small apertures on the side of the shield receive portions of the glass housing in a sliding engagement which provide f... | 02/21/1989 |
| 4800473 | Venitian blind lamp A lamp comprising an open main frame interconnecting a cover and a base, an elongated incandescent light tube frictionally mounted at one end to the cover and at the other end to the base, and a plurality of rectangular louvers mounted at their top and bo... | 01/24/1989 |
| 4794494 | Daytime illumination device for a motor vehicle A daytime headlight illumination device carried by a motor vehicle such as a motorcycle or a car for better visibility thereof to other motor vehicles comprising a motor vehicle headlight assembly including a light source and a headlight lens and a shutte... | 12/27/1988 |
| 4720954 | Screen ceiling assembly A screen ceiling assembly including a plurality of spaced carrier members which are connectable to a supporting structure such as a roof. There is also provided a multiplicity of ceiling panels which are each positioned at an angle to a common frame throu... | 01/26/1988 |
