Conventional light emitting diode (LED) boards are attached and retained to substrates, such as heat sinks or housings, using mechanical fasteners or features inherent to the substrate. For example, screws or metallic clips are often used that catch an edge or corner of the LED board to hold it in place on an underlying substrate. However, the fastener heads and metallic clips oftentimes extend above the LEDs so as to block light and/or create shadows.
The terms “invention,” “the invention,” “this invention” and “the present invention” used in this patent are intended to refer broadly to all of the subject matter of this patent and the patent claims below. Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit the subject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of the patent claims below. Embodiments of the invention covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings and each claim.
Embodiments of the present invention provide retention members for securing LED boards to substrates while permitting light from the LEDs to be emitted unobstructed. The present retention members may be in the form of clips that are designed to span an LED board and attach to a substrate so as to trap the LED board between a retention member and the substrate. The retention members described herein may include one or more retention features that may interface with a corresponding mounting feature formed on the substrate to secure the retention member and thus an LED board to the substrate.
A further understanding of the nature and advantages of various embodiments may be realized by reference to the following figures. In the appended figures, similar components or features may have the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label.
The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described.
Embodiments of the present invention provide retention members having low profiles. These retention members help secure LED boards to substrates while permitting light from the LEDs to be emitted unobstructed. The design of the retention members may be based on the needs of a particular application. For example, the retention member may be designed based on the layout of LEDs on an LED board. As just one example, if an LED board includes LEDs arranged in a single row or in symmetrical, parallel rows, a generally rectangular retention member may be inserted between adjacent LEDs. As another example, if an LED board includes LEDs arranged in staggered rows such that each LED in one row is aligned with a blank space formed between adjacent LEDs in a second row, a different retention member may be used. In some embodiments, LED boards with LEDs arranged in staggered rows may have the LEDs offset from one another, in a non-orderly arrangement and/or other arrangement.
The retention members described herein may include one or more retention features that may each interface with a corresponding mounting feature formed on a substrate to secure the retention member and an LED board to the substrate. For example, the retention features of the retention member may include a protrusion designed to be inserted and held within an aperture formed within the substrate. In some embodiments, the retention members described herein may be formed of electrically non-conductive materials, such as plastics, rubbers, composite materials, and/or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the retention members, when installed, are no thicker than a height of the LEDs. This ensures that the retention members do not extend beyond the LEDs and obstruct the light emitted from the LED board.
Turning to
In some embodiments, the first retention wing 104 and the second retention wing 106 may extend from the retention member body 102 in a plane offset from the plane of the retention member body 102, such as in a stepped fashion as shown in
Each of the first retention wing 104 and the second retention wing 106 may include one or more retention features for engaging the substrate on which the LED board is to be secured. For example, the first retention wing 104 and the second retention wing 106 may include a retention feature in the form of a protrusion 108 extending from each wing 104, 106. As one example, protrusion 108 may extend from a bottom surface of the first retention wing 104 and the second retention wing 106 (see
Protrusions 108 may include a flange 110 that helps facilitate installation of the retention member 100 as well as prevent inadvertent back-out. In some embodiments, the flange 110 includes a tapered surface 116 to facilitate insertion of the protrusion 108 within an aperture of the substrate. A top surface 118 of the flange 110 may be flat or substantially flat so as to prevent the protrusion 108 from backing out of the aperture. In other embodiments, a protrusion may extend from a distal edge 120 of the first retention wing 104 and/or the second retention wing 106 and be configured to slide into a slit formed in the substrate to secure the retention member 100.
In some embodiments, the retention member 100 may be formed from materials that render the retention member 100 or portions thereof flexible and/or able to elastically deform. By way of example, the retention member body 102 may be flexible such that a protrusion on first end of the retention member 100 can to be inserted within a slit in the substrate and the retention member body 102 may be flexed so as to permit a protrusion on the second end to be inserted within a second slit in the substrate. The retention member may then be allowed to straighten, thereby securing the retention member to the substrate. Similarly, the protrusion 108 may also be able to flex and elastically deform so as to permit insertion within, but to resist removal from, mounting features on the substrate.
It will be appreciated that other retention features may be included on the first retention wing 104 and/or the second retention wing 106 of retention member 100. For example, other retention features that may be interfaced with a mounting feature of a substrate include snap joints that include a protruding part of one component, such as a hook, stud, or bead, which may be deflected when inserted into an opening. The deflected component may then be caught within a depression in the retention component, such as an underside of a substrate defining an aperture. Such snap joints may include cantilever snap joints, u-shaped snap joints, torsion snap joints, annular snap joints, and the like. For example, each of the plurality of mounting features of the substrate may include a receptacle defined by the substrate. Each receptacle may define an opening. The flange 110 and/or protrusion 108 of the first retention wing 104 may be insertable within the opening of the receptacle such that the flange 110 extends beyond an outer periphery of the opening and is prevented from being removed by an underside of the substrate. Although described here with the first retention wing 104 and the second retention wing 106 including male retention features that are insertable within female mounting features of a substrate, it will be appreciated that each of the first retention wing 104 and second retention wing 106 may define female retention features that are configured to receive male mounting features of a substrate. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments the first retention wing 104 and second retention wing 106 may define receptacles that are configured to engage with protrusions or other mounting features of the substrate. Additionally, it will be appreciated that the first retention wing 104 and second retention wing 106 may include one or more retention features, and at least some of the retention features on each end may be the same or different from one another.
In some embodiments, retention member body 102 may be formed to have a thickness that is no greater than the height of the LEDs on an LED board. This ensures that, when the retention member 100 is used to secure the LED board to a substrate, that the retention member body 102 does not extend above the LEDs so as to obstruct the light emitted from the LEDs. This allows a maximum amount of usable light to be emitted from an LED board and prevents any shadows to be produced that may diminish the aesthetics of a lighting fixture. Additionally, the retention member 100 may be formed from an electrically non-conductive material, such as plastics, rubbers, polymers, and/or combinations thereof. The retention members 100 described herein may be molded, 3D printed, machined, and/or otherwise formed.
As shown in
As seen in
In some embodiments, retention members may be additionally secured using a fastener, such as a screw. For example, in
Both the first and second retention wings 404, 406 may include one or more retention features, similar to those described above in relation to retention member 100. For example, the first and second retention wings 404, 406 may include a retention feature in the form of a protrusion 408. Protrusion 408 may extend away from a surface of the first and second retention wings 404, 406. As one example, a protrusion 408 may extend from a bottom surface of the first and second retention wings 404, 406. In some embodiments, protrusion 408 may include a flange 410 or other feature that may be inserted within an aperture or other mounting feature defined in a substrate. It will be appreciated that other retention features may be included on the first retention wing 404 and/or the second retention wing 406 of retention member 400.
It will be appreciated that other designs of retention members may be contemplated based on the design of an LED board to be retained. For example, as shown in
In embodiments where LEDs on the LED board are arranged in symmetric rows, a retention member such as retention member 100 may be used. With retention member 100, the retention member body 102 extends adjacent LEDs within a single row and/or multiple, aligned rows of the LED board.
In embodiments where LEDs on the LED board are arranged in staggered and/or offset rows, a retention member such as retention member 400 may be used. With retention member 400, the first portion 416 of the retention member body 402 having aperture 412 may be positioned around one or more LEDs within a first row of the LED board, while the second portion 418 of the retention member body 402 may be positioned within a blank space between adjacent LEDs of a second row of the LED board staggered relative to the first row.
Retention members 600 and 700 may be used on LED boards where some of the LEDs are arranged in rows that are aligned or symmetrical while other of the LEDs are arranged in rows that are staggered relative to other of the rows. With retention member 600, the retention member body 604 near the first and second retention wings 606 and 608 may be positioned within blank spaces formed between adjacent LEDs of the two outer rows of the LED board which are symmetric relative to each other. The aperture 602 may be positioned around one or more LEDs in a center row of the LED board, which is staggered relative to the outer rows. With retention member 700, each aperture 704 may be positioned around one or more LEDs within the outer rows of LEDs of the LED board which are symmetric relative to each other. The medial portion 710 may extend across the LED board between the blank space formed between adjacent LEDs in the central row, which is staggered relative to the outer rows.
Process 800 may also include securing the first retention feature with one of the plurality of mounting features of the substrate at block 806. This may include inserting a protrusion and/or flange on the first retention wing into an aperture or slit defined by the substrate. In other embodiments, the securing may involve inserting a flange and/or protrusion of the substrate into an aperture or slit defined by the first retention wing. It will be appreciated that other fastening mechanisms may be contemplated in accordance with the invention. At block 808, the second retention feature may be secured with another one of the plurality of mounting features of the substrate. In some embodiments, this may involve a similar coupling as between the first retention feature and the substrate mounting feature; however, in other embodiments the retention features of the first and second retention wings may be distinct from one another. Oftentimes, the retention features will be the same to aide in the ease of manufacture of both the retention members and substrates.
It should be noted that the systems and devices discussed above are intended merely to be examples. It must be stressed that various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. Also, features described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of the embodiments may be combined in a similar manner. Also, it should be emphasized that technology evolves and, thus, many of the elements are examples and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention.
Specific details are given in the description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, well-known structures and techniques have been shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments. This description provides example embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention. Rather, the preceding description of the embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing embodiments of the invention. Various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Having described several embodiments, it will be recognized by those of skill in the art that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the above elements may merely be a component of a larger system, wherein other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of the invention. Also, a number of steps may be undertaken before, during, or after the above elements are considered. Accordingly, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20180135838 A1 | May 2018 | US |