The invention relates to an LED connector for connecting to an LED module and a lighting device using the LED connector.
Light Emitting Diode (LED) modules including LED's offer low power consumption and longer life as compared with a conventional incandescent lamp or a conventional fluorescent tube. They are currently used for lighting fixtures and display devices. Japanese Patent Publication JP 2010-287480A discloses an electrical connector for connecting to such an LED module.
That electrical connector includes an insulating housing, a terminal disposed in the housing and a press-fit pin which is received in the housing. Typically, in a lighting device, the two connectors of an LED module are arranged on a heat sink at the corner portions opposite to each other. Each of the electrical connectors is fixed to the heat sink by inserting the press-fit pin orthogonally.
In the lighting device using the electrical connector of Japanese Patent Publication JP 2010-287480A, the area of the housing which is arranged at the corner portions opposite to each other projects on the light emitting side of the LED module. For this reason, when the lighting device is designed to widen an illumination range or angle, a shadow of the housing may appear in the illuminated range. In addition, it is difficult to make the lighting device in a low profile.
The invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides an LED connector and a lighting device having a wide illumination range and a low profile.
A light emitting diode (LED) connector for connecting to a LED module has a connector board, a module contact and an electrical wire connection section. The connector board has an opening exposing a light emitting section of the LED module, and a trace formed on a contact surface thereof facing the LED module. The connector board covers a portion of the LED module. The module contact on the contact surface is electrically connected to the trace and electrically connectable with a contact pad of the LED module. The electrical wire connection section on the contact surface, is electrically connected to the trace and electrically connectable with an electrical wire.
An exemplary embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
An exemplary lighting device 1 illustrated in
As better shown in
The LED module 11 illustrated in
In addition, a pair of contact pads 113 and 114 for supplying electrical power to the light emitting section 112 is provided on the module board 111. The contact pads 113 and 114 of the pair are arranged around the light emitting section 112, in the embodiment shown, at positions symmetrical about the light emitting section 112. More specifically, in the embodiment shown, the contact pads 113 and 114 of the pair are arranged at positions near diagonal corners of the module board 111. One of the pair, the contact pad 113, is eclectically connected to an anode of the LED element, and the other of the pair, the contact pad 114 is eclectically connected to a cathode of the LED element.
The LED connector 12 is electrically connected to the LED module 11 (see
As shown in
The connector board 121 has an outer dimension area that is larger than that of the four LED modules 11 (see
In the connector board 121, four openings 1211 to expose the light emitting sections 112 (see
Returning to
The connector board 121 illustrated in
As shown in
The electrical wire connection section 123 transfers electrical power between an electrical wire C as shown in
The insulating cover 1232 shown in
The electrical wire contact 1231 includes an electrical wire insertion section 1231a and feet 1231b. The electrical wire contact 1231 is formed by stamping and forming a metal plate. Feet 1231b are integrally formed with the electrical wire insertion section 1231a.
As shown in
The electrical wire contact 1231 is poke-in contact. A retaining lance 1231c is provided in the electrical wire insertion section 1231a. The retaining lance 1231c is formed such that it extends in the insertion direction X to a free end. At its free end, a tip is formed in an acute angle.
Turning now to
Receiving recess sections 131 for receiving the LED modules 11 are provided in the heat sink 13. The receiving recess sections 131 are shallow depth recesses having a size suitable with the module boards 111 of the LED module 11. The LED modules are located by being fitted in the receiving recess sections 131. In addition, the heat sink 13 includes connection portion openings 132 which receive the electrical wire connection section 123 to avoid an interference with the electrical wire connection sections 123, and inspection openings 133 for inspecting a contact state with the LED modules 11. In addition, screw attachment sections 134 to which the screws 14 are attached are provided in the heat sink 13.
In assembling the lighting device 1 illustrated in
As illustrated in Part (A) of
In the LED connector 12 according to the embodiment, the module boards 111 of the LED modules 11 are held by the connector board 121. Accordingly, light from the light emitting sections 112 is not blocked by the connector board 121. In addition, the light emitting sections 112 of the LED modules 11 extend from the module board 111 up to a position in which the light emitting sections 112 are approximately flush with the outer surface 121a of the LED connector 12. Accordingly, light from the light emitting sections 112 is radiated in a range.
In addition, both of the module contacts 122 and the electrical wire connection sections 123 of the connector board 121 are arranged on the same contact surface 121b as the module boards 111 of the LED modules 11, and it is therefore possible to make the lighting device 1 including the heat sink 13 low profile while achieving wider illumination range from the light emitting sections 112. In addition, also since the electrical wire connection sections 123 enter into the connection portion openings 132 to avoid a contact with the heat sink 13, it is possible to make the lighting device 1 including the heat sink 13 low profile.
In addition, since the LED connector 12 according to the embodiment may be manufactured by a process similar to that of a printed circuit board, it is easy to manufacture the LED connector 12 as compared with using a resin mold housing. In addition, even if a shape, the number of pieces arranged or an arrangement position of LED module in the lighting device is changed, it may be addressed by changing the traces of the module board and arrangements of the module contacts and the electrical wire connection sections.
Incidentally, in the above-described embodiment, four LED modules 11 are illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and, for example, the number of the LED modules may be two or more other than four, or may be one.
In addition, the connector board according to the above-described embodiment is a connector board formed by forming a metal trace on a board made of glass epoxy or phenolic resin. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The connector board may be, for example, one in which an insulating layer is provided on a surface of a metal plate, and a trace is formed thereon.
In addition, the LED module according to the above-described embodiment includes the light emitting section 112 having a disc shape and the pair of contact pads 113 which are symmetrically arranged around the light emitting section 112. However, the present invention is not limited to this, the shape of the light emitting section may be, for example, a rectangular plate shape or a spherical shape. In addition, the contact pad may be arranged on one side of the light emitting section.
In addition, the light emitting sections 112 of the LED module 11 according to the above-described embodiment extend from the module board 111 up to the position in which the light emitting sections 112 are approximately flush with the outer surface 121a of the LED connector 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The light emitting section may be one which projects from the LED connector, or may be one which is recessed from the surface of the LED connector.
In addition, the heat sink 13 according to above-described embodiment is provided with the connection portion opening 132 which is a through hole to avoid an interference with the electrical wire connection section 123. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The opening to avoid an interference with the electrical wire connection section may be, for example, a groove having a bottom.
Further, the above-described electrical wire connection section 123 includes a poke in type electrical wire contact 1231. However, the electrical wire connection section is not limited to this, and may be any other type of wire-to-board connection, for example, a crimp contact on a side of the electrical wire C which is connected to a receptacle contact on the connector board 121. Or, the electrical wire connection section may be a board-to-board connection, for example, an assembly including a pin provided on the connector board 121, and a receptacle contact mounted on a board such as an FPC of a wire side, into which the pin is inserted.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2011-111502 | May 2011 | JP | national |
This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-111502, filed May 18, 2011.