Patent Application
20090257234
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an LED lamp for a lighting purpose, and more particularly to an improved LED lamp providing a large-scale light. The improved LED lamp can be easily selectively configured as a floor lamp or a suspension lamp.
2. Description of Related Art
An LED lamp is a type of solid-state lighting that utilizes light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a source of illumination. An LED is a device for transferring electricity to light by using a theory that, if a current is made to flow in a forward direction through a junction region comprising two different semiconductors, electrons and holes are coupled at the junction region to generate a light beam. The LED has an advantage that it is resistant to shock, and has an almost eternal lifetime under a specific condition; thus, the LED lamp is intended to be a cost-effective yet high quality replacement for incandescent and fluorescent lamps.
Known implementations of LED modules in an LED lamp make use of a plurality of individual LEDs to generate light that is sufficient and of satisfactory spatial distribution. The large number of LEDs leads to a more expensive module and one with greater power consumption. The greater power usage leads to greater heat output, which, if not adequately addressed at additional expense, impacts the LED lamp reliability.
A conventional LED lamp incorporates a heat dissipating configuration therein, which can dissipate heat generated by the LEDs timely. Thus, the conventional LED lamp can properly perform without overheating. However, to meet a demanding requirement of heat dissipation and provide a satisfactory illumination, this type of LED lamp at least has to consist of a heat sink, a cover and a connecting base, thereby complicating a structure of the LED lamp. As the complicated structure, the LED lamp usually has to be mounted in a predetermined way; for example, the LED lamp can only be held in position by a support of an upper end of a fixing rod whereby the LED lamp is used as a floor lamp. On the other hand, the LED lamp is suspended by a lower end of the fixing rod whereby the LED lamp is used as a pendant lamp. However, the conventional LED lamp can not be easily selectively configured so that it can be switched between a floor lamp and a pendant lamp, whereby the versatility of the conventional LED lamp is limited. Furthermore, in the conventional LED lamp, the LED modules are all mounted on a flat surface of the heat sink, whereby the illumination range of the conventional LED lamp is limited.
What is needed, therefore, is an improved LED lamp assembly which can overcome the above problems. The LED lamp has an enlarged illumination range. Furthermore, the LED lamp can be easily selectively configured to be switched between a floor lamp and a suspension lamp.
An LED lamp includes a first heat sink, a plurality of LED modules, a connecting member, a second heat sink and a cover. The first heat sink has base plate and a plurality of first fins arranged on the base plate. The LED modules are attached to inclined bottom surfaces of mounting portions protruding downwardly from a bottom surface of the base plate, wherein the LED modules are oriented downwardly and outwardly. The mounting base is alternatively fixed to a top the first heat sink or a bottom of the connecting member so that the LED lamp can be used as a floor lamp or a suspension lamp. The connecting member is fixed to the bottom surface of the base plate. The cover is secured to both the connecting member and the first heat sink. The cover forms a V-shaped space receiving the LED modules therein.
Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Referring to
Particularly referring to
The second heat sink 20 which is integrally made of a metal with good heat conductivity such as copper and aluminum, comprises a circular covering plate 22 and a plurality of second fins 24 which are arranged radially on a top surface of the covering plate 22. The covering plate 22 has a size slightly larger than that of the through hole 120 of the first heat sink 10 and is fitly connected to the inner edge of the base plate 12 defining the through hole 120. The covering plate 22 defines a plurality of through orifices 220 adjacent to a circumference thereof. Screws (not shown) are used to extend through the through orifices 220 to threadedly engage in the engaging orifices 1220 to secure the second heat sink 20 on the first heat sink 10. The second heat sink 20 covers a top of the through hole 120.
The LED modules 30 each comprise a rectangular circuit board 32 attached to the bottom surface of the mounting portion 126 of the first heat sink 10 and a plurality of LEDs 34 mounted on the circuit board 32.
The connecting member 40 is configured to couple the mounting base 60 to the bottom of the first heat sink 10. The connecting member 40 has an annular plate 42 with a through hole 420 therein, which is in alignment with the through hole 120 of the first heat sink 10. An annular sidewall 423 extends downwardly from an inner edge of the connecting member 40 defining the through hole 420. A plurality of fixing posts 424 is formed on an inner side of the sidewall 423 and in alignment with the fixing posts 122 of the first heat sink 10. The fixing posts 424 each define an engaging orifice 4240 therein for engagingly receiving screws (not shown) extending through the mounting base 60 to couple the mounting base 60 and the connecting member 40 together. The annular plate 42 has a flat top surface fixed to the bottom surface of the base plate 12 of the first heat sink 10 and an engaging rim 426 protruding downwardly from a fringe portion of a bottom surface thereof. The engaging rim 426 defines a plurality of securing orifices 4260 therein for engagingly receiving screws (not shown) extending through the cover 50 to thereby connect the cover 50 and the connecting member 40 together.
The cover 50 is made of transparent plastic or glass and comprises an outer engaging flange 52, an inner engaging flange 54 and a covering portion 56 interconnecting the outer and inner engaging flanges 52, 54. The outer and inner engaging flanges 52, 54 are annular and concentric with each other. The outer and inner flange 52, 54 defines a plurality of piercing orifices 520, 540. The covering portion 56 is V-shaped in cross section, thereby forming a V-shaped receiving space accommodating the LED modules 30 therein.
The mounting base 60 has a bowl-shaped body 62 and a sleeve 64 extending downwardly from a central portion of a bottom of the bowl-shaped body 62. The bowl-shaped body 62 is provided with four vertical mounting posts 622 evenly located at an inner side of a sidewall thereof. Each of the mounting posts 622 defines a through orifice 6220 therein. A screw (not shown) is used to extend upwardly through the through orifice 6220 and screw into the engaging orifice 4240 of the fixing post 424 of the connecting member 40 to securely couple the mounting base 60 to the connect member 40. The bowl-shaped body 62 in a centre of the bottom thereof defines a piercing hole 624 communicating with the sleeve 64 for extension of lead wires (not shown) therethrough. The sleeve 64 is configured to receive the fixing rod therein and defines a plurality of radial locking holes 640 therethrough. The locking holes 640 are used for allowing a plurality of bolts (not shown) inserted therein to securely lock the mounting base 60 to the fixing rod.
In assembly of the LED lamp, the second heat sink 20 is secured on the top of the first heat sink 10 and covers the through hole 120 of the first heat sink 10 by the screws extending through the through orifices 220 of the second heat sink 20 and engaging into the engaging orifices 1220 of the first heat sink 10. Each of the LED modules 30 is mounted onto one of bottom surfaces of the mounting portions 126 of the first heat sink 10. The connecting member 40 with the through holes 420 and fixing posts 424 respectively connected and in alignment with the through hole 120 and the fixing posts 122, is fixed to a central part the bottom surface of the first heat sink 10 by soldering or adhering. The outer and inner engaging flanges 52, 54 are respectively coupled to a bottom of the protruding rim 124 of the first heat sink 10 and a bottom of the engaging rim 426 of the connecting member 40. The screws extend through the piercing orifices 540 of the inner engaging flange 54 to threadedly engage in the securing orifices 4260 of the engaging rim 426 of the connecting member 40. The screws extend through the piercing orifices 520 of the outer engaging flange 52 to threadedly engage in the fixing orifices 1240 of the protruding rim 124 of the first heat sink 10, whereby the cover 50 is fixed to both the connecting member 40 and the first heat sink 10. A rectifier 100 is provided in the LED lamp and received in the through holes 120, 420 of the first heat sink 10 and the connecting member 40. To prevent creeping of rainwater or dust into the LED lamp, the LED lamp is provided with a waterproof gasket 200 which is sandwiched between the protruding rim 124 of the first heat sink 10 and the outer engaging flange 52 of the cover 50.
As shown in
According to aforementioned descriptions, the mounting base 60 can be alternatively mounted to the top or the bottom of the first heat sink 10 and the LED lamp can be easily selectively configured as a floor lamp or a pendant lamp, whereby the versatility of the LED lamp is enhanced.
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.
