The present invention relates to a light emitting module having an organic electroluminescent (EL) element as a light source and an illuminating instrument using the same.
Using an organic electroluminescent (EL) element, light can be emitted with high luminance at a low voltage, and various light colors can be obtained depending on types of organic compounds contained therein. In addition, a light emitting flat panel can be easily manufactured using the organic EL element. In recent years, the organic EL element has been highlighted as a light source of a light emitting module.
As illustrated in
As the light source unit 20 is pivoted to the socket 30, the light source unit 20 abuts on the engagement claw 50 of the socket 30. As the light source unit 20 is further forced toward the socket 30 from this state, the engagement claw 50 slides toward the outside of the light emitting module 100 resisting to a biasing force of the spring, so that the light source unit 20 is fitted to the hollow 40. Then, the engagement claw 50 is elastically biased again toward the inside of the light emitting module 100 by the spring and is engaged with the holding portion 60 of the light source unit 20. In this way, the light source unit 20 is mounted to the socket 30.
[Patent Literatures]
[Patent Literature 1] JP 2011-243461 A
However, since the socket 30 is larger than the light source unit 20 in the light emitting module 100 described above, a portion of the socket 30 serving as a non-luminescent face disadvantageously increases, and a portion of the luminescent face decreases, for example, when a plurality of light emitting modules 100 are arranged in a matrix shape.
In this regard, in order to increase a portion of the luminescent face, it is conceived that the socket may be formed to be smaller than the light source unit, and the socket may be arranged in a rear side of the light source unit. In this case, since the large light source unit is held by the small socket, it is necessary to allow the socket to elastically bias the engagement claws with a strong pressure in order to prevent dropping of the light source unit. Accordingly, a strong force is necessary when the light source unit is installed to the socket. In particular, when the luminescent face of the light source unit is large, a user may press the luminescent face of the light source unit in some cases. If the luminescent face is externally pressed, the organic EL element may be damaged, and this may degrade light emitting performance.
In view of the aforementioned problems, it is therefore an object of this invention to provide a light emitting module capable of reliably preventing the light source unit from dropping from the socket and installing the light source unit to the socket with a weak force.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light emitting module comprising: a flat light source unit; and a flat socket where the light source unit is detachably mounted, any one of the light source unit and the socket having a holding portion for holding the other one in a center of a mounting surface facing the other one, the other one having an engagement portion for engagement with the holding portion, the engagement portion having a pair of engagement claws biased in parallel to the mounting surface movably oppositely to each other and engaged with the holding portion, and a holding mechanism that holds the pair of engagement claws resisting to a biasing force so as to prevent the pair of engagement claws from being engaged with the holding portion, the light source unit being disposed in a mounting position to the socket so that the pair of engagement claws and the holding portion are engaged with each other when the pair of engagement claws held by the holding mechanism are released.
Preferably, the holding portion has a release portion that releases the pair of engagement claws held by the holding mechanism when the light source unit is disposed in the mounting position to the socket.
Preferably, the release portion releases the pair of engagement claws held by the holding mechanism when the light source unit and the socket approach each other by causing corresponding mounting surfaces to face each other, and the light source unit is disposed in the mounting position to the socket.
Preferably, a plurality of the release portions are erected on the mounting surface, at least one of the release portions releases one of the pair of engagement claws held by the holding mechanism, and the other release portion releases the other engagement claw held by the holding mechanism.
Preferably, each of the pair of engagement claws is movable in an intersecting direction intersecting with a corresponding biasing direction in parallel to the mounting surface, and the holding mechanism holds the pair of engagement claws by moving the pair of engagement claws in the intersecting direction.
Preferably, the holding mechanism has a pair of protrusions extending from the pair of engagement claws, respectively, perpendicularly to the mounting surface, a pair of paralleled trenches provided in parallel to the biasing direction to receive the pair of protrusions when they are inserted, respectively, and a pair of intersecting trenches provided to connect with inward ends of the pair of paralleled trenches, respectively, in the light emitting module and extend along the intersecting direction.
Preferably, the pair of protrusions are arranged in a point symmetrical manner with respect to a center of the light emitting module such that the pair of engagement claws are held by the holding mechanism when the pair of protrusions move oppositely to each other.
Preferably, the release portions abut on ends of the intersecting direction of the pair of engagement claws held by the holding mechanism when the light source unit is disposed in the mounting position to the socket, and surfaces of the release portions abutting on the pair of engagement claws from a basal portion to an apex portion have a tapered shape such that they are inclined from an inward side to an outward side of the light emitting module.
Preferably, each of the pair of engagement claws is movable in parallel to the mounting surface and the corresponding biasing direction, and the holding mechanism holds the pair of engagement claws while the pair of engagement claws are adjacent to each other.
Preferably, the holding mechanism has a pair of protrusions extending from the pair of engagement claws, respectively, perpendicularly to the mounting surface, a pair of paralleled trenches provided in parallel to the biasing direction to receive the pair of protrusions, respectively, when they are inserted, an elastic extension extending from each of the pair of engagement claws in parallel to the pair of paralleled trenches, a hooking claw protruding from the basal portion of the extension toward the mounting surface, and a hooking concave portion engaged with the hooking claw while the pair of engagement claws are adjacent to each other.
Preferably, the release portion presses an end of the extension oppositely to the mounting surface to release engagement between the hooking claw and the hooking concave portion when the light source unit is disposed in the mounting position to the socket while the pair of engagement claws are adjacent to each other using the holding mechanism.
Preferably, the holding mechanism further has a housing concave portion for housing the hooking claw, the housing concave portion being arranged outward more than the hooking concave portion in the light emitting module along the biasing direction, and the housing concave portion houses the hooking claw when engagement between the hooking claw and the hooking concave portion is released.
Preferably, the engagement portion has a mark indicating a holding state of the pair of engagement claws held by the holding mechanism, the mark is exposed to the mounting surface side when the holding mechanism holds the pair of engagement claws, and the mark is concealed by the pair of engagement claws so as not to be exposed to the mounting surface side when the pair of engagement claws held by the holding mechanism is released.
Preferably, the socket has a plurality of socket fixtures where screws for fixing the socket to an application surface are inserted, and one of the plurality of socket fixtures is provided in the center of the mounting surface.
Preferably, each of the pair of engagement claws has convex or concave portions having different numbers or relative positions, and the holding portion has concave or convex portions fitted to the convex or concave portions of the engagement claws.
Preferably, the light source unit has a pair of feeding terminals for feeding the light source unit on the mounting surface, the socket has a pair of terminal receptacles for receiving the pair of feeding terminals, respectively, and the pair of feeding terminals are electrically connected to the pair of terminal receptacles, respectively, when the light source unit is mounted to the socket.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an illuminating instrument comprising the light emitting module described above.
According to the present invention, the engagement claws and the holding portions are engaged with each other by disposing the light source unit in the mounting position to the socket and then releasing the holding mechanism while the engagement claws are not engaged with the holding portion using the holding mechanism. For this reason, it is possible to reliably prevent the light source unit from dropping from the socket and install the light source unit to the socket with a weak force.
A description will now be made for a light emitting module as one of configurations of an illuminating instrument according to a first embodiment of the present invention with reference to
The light source unit 2 has a rectangular flat shape. A surface facing the socket 3 serves as a mounting surface 21 used in engagement with the socket 3, and the other surface serves as a light irradiation surface 22. The light source unit 2 comprises a rectangular light emitting flat panel 23 having an organic EL element as a light source, a transparent front cover 24 that covers the luminescent face of the light emitting panel 23, and a rear cover 25 engaged with the front cover 24 to cover the surface opposite to the luminescent face of the light emitting panel 23.
A pair of holding portions 41 and 42 used in engagement with the socket 3 is provided in the center of the rear cover 25 (mounting surface 21) (refer to
The socket 3 has a disc shape. A surface facing the light source unit 2 serves as a mounting surface 31 where the light source unit 2 is mounted, and the other surface serves as an installation surface 32 installed to an application surface such as a ceiling or a wall. As illustrated in
The engagement portion 5 has a spring 51 arranged in parallel to the mounting surface 31 and a pair of engagement claws 52 and 53 provided in ends of the spring 51 and engaged with the holding claws 43 and 44, respectively, of the light source unit 2. As a result, the engagement claws 52 and 53 are elastically biased so as to move oppositely to each other in parallel to the mounting surface 31. It is noted that an elastically biased direction of the spring 51 will be referred to as a biasing direction D, hereinafter.
The engagement portion 5 has a holding mechanism 8 that holds the engagement claws 52 and 53 adjacently to each other resisting to a biasing force caused by the spring 51 so as not to engage the engagement claws 52 and 53 with the holding claws 43 and 44. The holding mechanism 8 has a pair of protrusions 81 and 82 extending from the engagement claws 52 and 53, respectively, toward the socket body 71 perpendicularly to the mounting surface 31, and a pair of paralleled trenches 83 and 84 provided on the mounting surface 31 in parallel to the biasing direction D to receive the inserted protrusions 81 and 82, respectively. The protrusions 81 and 82 are arranged in a point symmetrical manner to each other with respect to the center of the light emitting module 1 (or the socket 3). In addition, the holding mechanism 8 has a pair of intersecting trenches 85 and 86 arranged to connect with inward ends of the paralleled trenches 83 and 84, respectively, in the light emitting module 1 and extend in a direction intersecting with the biasing direction D (hereinafter, referred to as an intersecting direction E) on the mounting surface 31. In the illustrated example, the intersecting trenches 85 and 86 are provided perpendicularly to the biasing direction D on the mounting surface 31 to extend oppositely to each other. In this configuration, the engagement claws 52 and 53 can move in both the biasing direction D and the intersecting direction E in parallel to the mounting surface 31 within a range of the movement of the protrusions 81 and 82 along both the paralleled trenches 83 and 84 and the intersecting trenches 85 and 86.
The engagement portion 5 has a pair of slots 54 and 55 provided in the socket body 71 adjacently to the ends of the intersecting direction E sides of the intersecting trenches 85 and 86. The release portions 45 and 46 of the holding portions 41 and 42 described above are inserted into the slots 54 and 55, respectively, when the light source unit 2 is disposed in the mounting position to the socket 3. The release portions 45 and 46 inserted to the slots 54 and 55, respectively, abut on the engagement claws 52 and 53, respectively, held by the holding mechanism 8 as described below to release the engagement claws 52 and 53 held by the holding mechanism 8.
The socket body 71 has holes 73 and 74 where the holding portions 41 and 42 of the light source unit 2 are fitted and socket fixtures 75 and 76 where screws (not shown) for fixing the socket 3 to the application surface are inserted. The socket fixture 75 is provided in the center of the mounting surface 31. The socket cover 72 has the socket fixtures 77 and 78 positioned to match the socket fixtures 75 and 76, respectively.
In order to fix the socket 3 to the application surface, first, the screws are inserted into the socket fixtures 75 and 77 to mount the socket 3 to the application surface using screws. In this case, since the socket fixtures 75 and 77 are provided in the center of the mounting surface 31, a relative position of the socket 3 does not change even when the orientation of the socket 3 is adjusted by rotating the socket 3 in this state. It is possible to reliably install the socket 3 in a predetermined place and a predetermined orientation by further fixing the socket 3 on the application surface using screws by interposing the socket fixtures 76 and 78 after changing the orientation of the socket 3.
The socket body 71 has a pair of terminal slots 79 and 80 where the feeding terminals 26 and 27 of the light source unit 2 are inserted. The circuit board 6 has a terminal receptacle 61 for receiving the feeding terminals 26 and 27 inserted into the terminals slots 79 and 80 and a connector 62 connected to an external power supply. The electric power supplied from the external power supply is electrically transmitted to the light source unit 2 via the connector 62, the circuit board 6, the terminal receptacle 61, and the feeding terminals 26 and 27. The feeding terminals 26 and 27 are configured to electrically connect with the terminal receptacle 61 as the light source unit 2 is mounted to the socket 3. In this manner, since both the mounting of the light source unit 2 to the socket 3 and the electrical connection between the feeding terminals 26 and 27 and the terminal receptacle 61 can be performed simultaneously, it is possible to improve operability. It is noted that, although only a single terminal receptacle 61 and only a single connector 62 are illustrated in
The circuit board 6 has a cutaway part 63 in its center, and the engagement portion 5 is housed in the cutaway part 63. In this manner, it is possible to reduce a thickness of the socket 3, compared to a case where the engagement portion 5 is disposed on the circuit board 6 without such a cutaway part.
If the protrusions 81 and 82 abut on outward ends of the paralleled trenches 83 and 84 in the socket 3 as illustrated in
From this state, the protrusions 81 and 82 are locked to the intersecting trenches 85 and 86 by gripping and moving the protrusions 81 and 82 inward in the socket 3 resisting to an elastic force of the spring 51 and then moving the protrusions 81 and 82 along the intersecting direction E oppositely to each other so as to be displaced relatively. As a result, as illustrated in
The slot 54 is provided such that an end 52a of the engagement claw 52 in an extending direction of the intersecting trench 85 is not exposed externally in the locked state as seen from the mounting surface 31 side (refer to
A description will now be made, with reference to
As illustrated in
When the protrusion 81 is locked to the intersecting trench 85, the engagement claw 52 is not engaged with the holding claw 43 in the set state as illustrated in
As described above, in the light emitting module 1 according to this embodiment, while the engagement claws 52 and 53 are not engaged with the holding claws 43 and 44 using the holding mechanism 8, the light source unit 2 is disposed in the mounting position to the socket 3, and the holding mechanism 8 is then released, so that the claws are engaged with each other. For this reason, it is possible to reliably prevent dropping of the light source unit 2 from the socket 3 and install the light source unit 2 to the socket 3 with a weak force. As a result, it is possible to prevent a user from trying to mounting the light source unit 2 to the socket 3 by erroneously pressing the light irradiation surface 22 of the light source unit 2, for example, even when a size of the light source unit 2 is large. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a damage of the light emitting panel 23. It is noted that the light source unit 2 is removed from the socket 3 by pulling and separating the light source unit 2 from the socket 3 and compressing the spring 51 so as to release engagement between the holding claws 43 and 44 and the engagement claws 52 and 53.
Since the release portions 45 and 46 release the engagement claws 52 and 53 held by the holding mechanism 8 just by disposing the light source unit 2 in the mounting position to the socket 3, it is possible to simply mount the light source unit 2 to the socket 3. In this case, since the release portions 45 and 46 release the engagement claws 52 and 53, respectively, it is possible to prevent a deviation of the inclination or the position of the light source unit 2 against the socket 3 by reliably releasing both the engagement claws 52 and 53 using both the release portions 45 and 46.
Next, a description will be made for the light emitting module according to a second embodiment of the present invention with reference to
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The protrusions 81 and 82 are provided to extend from the engagement claws 52 and 53, respectively, toward the mounting surface 21, and the intersecting trenches 85 and 86 are provided to extend in the same direction. In the set state in which the protrusions 81 and 82 are locked to the intersecting trenches 85 and 86, if the light source unit 2 is disposed in the mounting position to the socket 3, the release portion 45 of the socket 3 is inserted into the slot 54 of the light source unit 2. The release portion 45 inserted into the slot 54 abuts on the ends 52a and 53a of the engagement claws 52 and 53 and causes the engagement claws 52 and 53 to slide so as to move the protrusions 81 and 82 from the intersecting trenches 85 and 86 to the paralleled trenches 83 and 84. As the protrusions 81 and 82 arrive at the paralleled trenches 83 and 84, the engagement claws 52 and 53 are elastically biased oppositely to the biasing direction D by virtue of an elastic force of the spring 51 as illustrated in
The light emitting module according to this embodiment also can have the same effects as those of the light emitting module 1 described above.
Next, a description will be made for a light emitting module according to a third embodiment of the present invention with reference to
As illustrated in
In order to mount the light source unit 2 (not shown) to the socket 3 using the holding tool 91, first, the protrusions 81 and 82 arranged in the inward sides of the paralleled trenches 83 and 84 in the socket 3 are interposed and held by a pair of abutments 91a. This state is defined as the set state. Then, in this set state, the light source unit 2 is disposed in the mounting position to the socket 3, and then, the holding tool 91 is pulled outward in the socket 3 by gripping the grip portion 91c as illustrated in
Next, a description will be made for a light emitting module according to a modification of this embodiment with reference to
In order to mount the light source unit 2 (not shown) to the socket 3 using the holding tool 92, first, similar to the case of the holding tool 91, the protrusions 81 and 82 arranged in the inward sides of the paralleled trenches 83 and 84 in the socket 3 are interposed and held by a pair of abutments 92a as illustrated in
As described above, using the light emitting module according to this embodiment and the modification thereof, it is possible to hold and release the engagement claws 52 and 53 even without providing the intersecting trenches 85 and 86, the slots 54 and 55, and the release portions 45 and 46 and obtain the same effects as those of the light emitting module 1 described above.
Next, a description will be made for a light emitting module according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention with reference to
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The holding mechanism 8 has hooking claws 88a and 88b protruding from the basal portions of the extensions 87a and 87b toward the mounting surface 31 of the socket 3 (refer to
The slot 54 for receiving the inserted release portion 45 of the light source unit 2 (as described below) includes slots 54a and 54b provided inward more than the hooking concave portions 89a and 89b in the light emitting module along the biasing direction D. The slots 54a and 54b are provided such that ends of the extensions 87a and 87b are arranged directly under the slots 54a and 54b when the engagement claw 52 is positioned in the set state, whereas the ends of the extensions 87a and 87b are arranged outward more than the slots 54a and 54b in the light emitting module when the engagement claw 52 is positioned in the locked state. It is noted that, although the description has been made for the holding mechanism 8 corresponding to the engagement claw 52, the aforementioned configuration can apply similarly to the holding mechanism 8 corresponding to the engagement claw 53.
As illustrated in
A description will now be made, with reference to
Next, a description will be made, with reference to
In this light emitting module, only a force of expanding or contracting the spring 51 along the biasing direction D is exerted to the spring 51 that biases the engagement claws 52 and 53, and no force is exerted in a direction intersecting with the biasing direction D. For this reason, it is possible to prevent torsion of the spring 51, and thus, prevent erroneous operation of the engagement claws 52 and 53 that may occur due to torsion of the spring 51. Therefore, it is possible to improve reliability of the light emitting module. In addition, since the housing concave portions 90a and 90b are provided, a stress is not consistently applied to the hooking claws 88a and 88b in the locked state, so that it is possible to prevent creep deformation of the hooking claws 88a and 88b. Furthermore, holding of the engagement claw 52 is not released if both the extensions 87a and 87b are pressed simultaneously using the release portions 45′ and 45″. For this reason, if the light source unit 2 does not appropriately abut on the mounting surface 31 of the socket 3, the light source unit 2 is not mounted to the socket 3. Therefore, it is possible to prevent erroneous mounting of the light source unit 2.
It is noted that the light emitting module and the illuminating instrument according to the present invention are not limited to the aforementioned embodiments and modifications thereof, and may change in various forms. For example, although each of the engagement claws is biased from the inward side to the outward side in the light emitting module, each of the engagement claws may be biased from the outward side to the inward side in the light emitting module. In addition, the holding mechanism may have other configurations without limiting to the aforementioned one. For example, the engagement claws and the holding portion may be engaged with each other by fixing the adjacent engagement claws with each other using strings and cutting out the strings.
1 light emitting module
2 light source unit
21 mounting surface (of light source unit)
26, 27 feeding terminal
3 socket
31 mounting surface (of socket)
41, 42 holding portion
45, 45′, 45″, 46, 46′, 46″ release portion
45
a surface of release portion facing a pair of engagement claws
45
b basal portion (of surface of release portion facing a pair of engagement claws)
45
c apex portion (of surface of release portion facing a pair of engagement claws)
48 concave portion
5 engagement portion
52, 53 engagement claw
52
a,
53
a ends of engagement claw in intersecting direction
56 mark
57 convex portion
61 terminal receptacle
75, 76, 77, 78 socket fixture
8 holding mechanism
81, 82 protrusion
83, 84 paralleled trench
85, 86 intersecting trench
87, 87a, 87b extension
88
a,
88
b hooking claw
89
a,
89
b hooking concave portion
90
a,
90
b housing concave portion
D biasing direction
E intersecting direction
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2013-025998 | Feb 2013 | JP | national |
2013-149716 | Jul 2013 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/JP2013/006998 | 11/28/2013 | WO | 00 |