1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a lamp and a heat sink thereof and, more particularly, to an embedded lamp utilizing a fan to trigger air flow for ventilation, as well as a heat sink thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Taiwan Patent Number M330426 discloses a conventional lamp as shown in
When in use, the lamp head 85 is coupled to a lamp seat; and the vents 851 and the heat-dissipating holes 813 are made in contact with the external air so that air inside the receiving portion 812 is allowed to exchange with the external air. However, the vents 851 where the external air is drawn into the receiving portion 812 are located in a relatively upper portion of the lamp where heat air tends to gather (this is because that in thermal convection theory heat air tends to float around higher areas than cool air). Hence, the exhausted heat air from the heat-dissipating holes 813 tends to gather around the relatively upper portion of the lamp and is therefore re-drawn into the receiving portion 812 via the vents 851, leading to degradation of cooling efficiency. Furthermore, when the lamp is inserted into a “plate-type” ceiling (meaning the ceiling that is assembled from a plurality of square plates) for artistic consideration, the heat-dissipating holes 813 and the vents 851 are settled right above the plate-type ceiling, and only the LED module 83 and its related portions remain beneath the plate-type ceiling for illumination purpose. However, since the area above the plate-type ceiling is an enclosed space with poor air circulation, poor heat dissipation is therefore resulted. As a result, service life of the lamp is shortened.
Taiwan Patent Number M346745 discloses another conventional lamp as shown in
However, the vents 912 are still located in a relatively upper portion of the lamp where the heat air exhausted from the through-holes 921 tends to gather. As a result, the heat air is re-drawn into the lamp via the vents 912, affecting the cooling efficiency of the lamp. Although the through-holes 921 are made in contact with the external air when the conventional lamp is inserted into the plate-type ceiling, the cooling efficiency of the lamp is not improved enough since the vents 912 are still located in the enclosed space right above the plate-type ceiling.
Therefore, it is desired to improve the conventional lamp.
It is therefore the primary objective of this invention to provide a lamp and a heat sink thereof so as to improve cooling efficiency of the lamp.
It is another objective of this invention to provide a lamp and a heat sink thereof so as to prolong service life of the lamp.
It is another objective of this invention to provide a lamp and a heat sink thereof so as to avoid turbulent flow.
The invention discloses a lamp comprising a housing, a heat sink, a fan and a light-emitting element. The housing includes an opening end and a compartment communicating with the opening end. The heat sink is disposed at the opening end and includes a lateral wall, a base, a plurality of first connection members, a plurality of first air channels and at least one second air channel, wherein each of the first connection members extends in a radial direction from the inner circumferential wall of the lateral wall towards a center of the base, and has a first end and a second end in a radial direction, with the first end connecting with the inner circumferential wall of the lateral wall and with the second end extending towards a center of the first face. The base is surrounded by and spaced from the lateral wall. The base is connected to an inner circumferential wall of the lateral wall via the first connection members, wherein each of the first air channels is formed between adjacent two of the first connection members and extended in the radial direction. The at least one second air channel is formed between an outer circumferential wall of the lateral wall and an inner face of the housing. The fan is disposed at one side of the heat sink in the compartment. The light-emitting element is disposed at another side of the heat sink.
Furthermore, the invention discloses a heat sink of a lamp comprising a lateral wall, a plurality of first connection members, a base, a plurality of first air channels and a second connection member. The base is surrounded by and spaced from the lateral wall, and connected to an inner circumferential wall of the lateral wall via the first connection members. Each of the first air channels is formed between adjacent two of the first connection members. The second connection member is connected to an outer circumferential wall of the lateral wall.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinafter and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
In the various figures of the drawings, the same numerals designate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the term “first”, “second”, “third”, “fourth”, “inner”, “outer” “top”, “bottom” and similar terms are used hereinafter, it should be understood that these terms are reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings and are utilized only to facilitate describing the invention.
Referring to
The housing 1 includes an opening end 11 on an end thereof, as well as a compartment 12.
Referring to
The lateral wall 21 may be an annual wall. The base 22 is surrounded by and spaced from the lateral wall 21. The base 22 is connected to an inner circumferential wall of the lateral wall 21 via the first connection members 23. Each first air channel 24 is formed between two adjacent first connection members 23, and includes a first end communicating with the compartment 12 and a second end locating around the opening end 11. The base 22 includes a first face 221 and a second face 222, with the first face 221 facing the compartment 12 and the second face 222 opposite to the first face 221. Each first connection member 23 may be a fin which extends in a radial direction from the inner circumferential wall of the lateral wall 21 towards a center of the lateral wall 21. Each of the first connection members 23 has a first end and a second end in the radial direction, with the first end connecting with the inner circumferential wall of the lateral wall and with the second end stretching into a position axially between the fan 3 and the base 22. Each first connection member 23 is designed to protrude out of the first face 221 to increase the heat exchange area of the first face 221. In addition, the first face 221 includes a protrusion 223 in a center thereof.
The at least one second air channel 25 is formed between an outer circumferential wall of the lateral wall 21 and an inner face of the housing 1. In the embodiment, the outer circumferential wall of the lateral wall 21 includes a second connection member 26 extending outwards therefrom. The second connection member 26 may be integrally formed with or connected to the lateral wall 21. The second connection member 26 may include a plurality of fins to increase heat exchange area of the outer circumferential wall of the lateral wall 21, and the number of the at least one second air channel 25 is plural, with adjacent two of the fins having one of the second air channels 25 formed therebetween. The at least one second air channel 25 includes a first end communicating with the compartment 12 and a second end located on the opening end 11. In addition, the second connection member 26 may be connected to and surrounded by an outer ring portion 27. The outer ring portion 27 may be an integrally-formed ring (as shown in
The lateral wall 21 includes an upper edge 211 and a lower edge 212 opposite to the upper edge 211. The upper edge 211 and the first face 221 of the base 22 both face the compartment 12. The lower edge 212 preferably protrudes out of the outer ring portion 27 along an axial direction away from the housing 1. The lower edge 212 may also protrude out of the second face 222 of the base 22 along the axial direction away from the housing 1 so as to separate the second ends of the first air channels 24 from the second end of the at least one second air channel 25.
The fan 3 is disposed at one side of the heat sink 2 in the compartment 12 and includes two sides 30a and 30b, with the first ends of the first air channels 24 communicating with the side 30b and the first end of the at least one second air channel 25 communicating with the side 30a. Based on this, the fan 3 may guide airs to flow between the first air channels 24 and the at least one second air channel 25. The fan 3 includes a frame 31 having a plurality of assembly portions 32. The lateral wall 21 may also include a plurality of fixing portions 213 for which the fan 3 is fixed on the heat sink 2 via a plurality of fixing members extending into the assembly portions 32 and the fixing portions 213.
The light-emitting element 4 is disposed at another side of the heat sink 2 and includes a base plate 41 and at least one light-emitting member 42. The at least one light-emitting member 42 may preferably be a LED module disposed on one side of the base plate 41.
Referring to
Referring to
Despite the direction of the air flow, the first air channels 24 and the at least one second air channel 25 are arranged to contact with the external air beneath the plate-type ceiling 5, thus ensuring better ventilation of the lamp. In addition, due to the difference in axial height between the first air channels 24 and the at least one second air channel 25, as well as that the second ends of the first air channels 24 are separated from the second end of the at least one second air channel 25 by the lateral wall 21, the air drawn into the compartment 12 may be separated from the exhausted heat air to avoid turbulent flow. Thus, better ventilation and cooling efficiency are achieved.
Referring to
In comparison with the frame 31 of the first embodiment, the frame 61 further includes a separation portion 63 which is an annual plate extending outwards from an outer circumferential wall of the frame 61. The separation portion 63 includes an outer periphery preferably covering the upper edge 211 of the lateral wall 21.
Based on this, when the fan 6 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, the external air may be drawn into the compartment 12 via the at least one second air channel 25 and then dispelled out of the compartment 12 via the first air channels 24. To the contrary, when the fan 6 rotates in a clockwise direction, the external air may be drawn into the compartment 12 via the first air channels 24 and then dispelled out of the compartment 12 via the at least one second air channel 25.
However, despite the direction of the air flow, the separation portion 63 may guide the airs in the first air channels 24 and the at least one second air channel 25 to pass the fan 6 merely through the sides 60a and 60b, preventing the turbulent flow from occurrence.
Referring to
In comparison with the first and second embodiments, the housing 1′ further includes at least one through-hole 13′. In the embodiment, the housing 1′ includes a plurality of through-holes 13′. Based on this, when the air passes through the at least one second air channel 75, the through-holes 13′ may allow extra air to flow into or out of the at least one second air channel 75, providing better cooling efficiency and reducing the noise generated by turbulent flow. Furthermore, a portion of the lateral wall 71 adjacent to the lower edge 712 is designed to have gradually extended away from a center of the lateral wall 71, increasing the air throughput of the first air channels 74.
Based on the above description, by facilitating the ventilation of the lamp, the heat generated by the light-emitting element 4 may be rapidly dispelled. Thus, service life of the lamp is prolonged.
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to its presently preferable embodiment, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
7458706 | Liu et al. | Dec 2008 | B1 |
7637635 | Xiao et al. | Dec 2009 | B2 |
7648258 | Shuai et al. | Jan 2010 | B2 |
20090109625 | Booth et al. | Apr 2009 | A1 |
20090135613 | Peng | May 2009 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
201209840 | Mar 2009 | CN |
101532648 | Sep 2009 | CN |
M330426 | Apr 2008 | TW |
M346745 | Dec 2008 | TW |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20120008330 A1 | Jan 2012 | US |