# US 12,007,091 B2 · Road surface drawing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,091 B2 - Document ID: US12007091B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/310,710 - Filed: 2023-05-02 - Published: 2023-08-31 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-16 - Assignees: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Tatsuki Ito - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007091B2 ## CPC - F21S 43/26: {Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255} - F21S 43/14: Light emitting diodes [LED] - F21S 43/2605: {Refractors} - B60Q 1/0017: {Devices integrating an element dedicated to another function} - B60Q 2400/50: Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body - B60Q 2900/40: Several lamps activated in sequence, e.g. sweep effect, progressive activation - F21W 2103/60: Projection of signs from lighting devices, e.g. symbols or information being projected onto the road - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - G03B 21/001: {Slide projectors} - F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) ## Abstract A road surface drawing apparatus includes: a plurality of light sources that is capable of individually emitting a light; a mask having a plurality of light-transmitting windows, each light-transmitting window arranged to receive the light from a corresponding light source of the plurality of light sources; a partition that partitions a space between the plurality of light sources and the mask into a plurality of subspaces, each subspace allocated for each light-transmitting window and the corresponding light source; and a common projection lens arranged to project the light transmitted through each light-transmitting window from the corresponding light source onto a road surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A road surface drawing apparatus comprising: a plurality of light sources for individually emitting a light; a mask comprising a plurality of light-transmitting windows, each light-transmitting window arranged to receive the light from a corresponding light source of the plurality of light sources; a partition that partitions a space between the plurality of light sources and the mask into a plurality of subspaces, each subspace allocated for each light-transmitting window and the corresponding light source; and a common projection lens arranged to project the light transmitted through each light-transmitting window from the corresponding light source onto a road surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The road surface drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-transmitting windows on the mask is arranged on a focal plane of the common projection lens. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The road surface drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-transmitting windows on the mask is arranged on a surface inclined with respect to a principal plane of the common projection lens. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The road surface drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mask is arranged adjacent to the plurality of light sources such that each light-transmitting window is directly illuminated by the corresponding light source. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The road surface drawing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a distance from the corresponding light source to the mask is in a range from 3 mm to 8 mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The road surface drawing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an angle formed by two straight lines connecting the corresponding light source and edges of a subspace for the corresponding light source is in a range from 35° to 65°. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The road surface drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-transmitting windows is arranged to face a central part of an incidence surface of the common projection lens. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The road surface drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least two light sources of the plurality of light sources are configured to operate such that the at least two light sources are linked in timing of lighting and extinguishing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The road surface drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least two light-transmitting windows of the plurality of light-transmitting windows have mutually different shapes and/or colors. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The road surface drawing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light-transmitting windows is arranged to directly face a central part of an incidence surface of the common projection lens. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The road surface drawing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the central part of the incidence surface of the common projection lens is defined as an area centered on an optical axis of the common projection lens with a radius of less than ⅔ of a radius of the common projection lens.