Patent Application
20180038557
The present invention relates to a lighting device, in particular a retrofit lighting device with a housing and a lens through which the light generated by a light module inside the housing can leave the lighting device. The invention relates in particular to the mechanical connection between light module, lens and housing. The invention is applicable in particular to LED retrofit lamps for replacing halogen reflector lamps, in particular MR16 and PAR16 lamps.
An LED reflector lamp has previously been laboriously assembled from a plurality of components in a plurality of work steps on a production line or manually. In this process, an electronic driver is first inserted into a housing comprising the reflector. Then an LED unit, if necessary with a heat sink, is inserted and connected to the driver. Subsequently, a lens is inserted and fixed with a lens holder.
Fastening of the individual components can be carried out using adhesive, screws, latches, etc. Corresponding fastening surfaces, undercuts or similar must be provided in the housing for this purpose. Usually, a specific machine is present for each fastening step in an automated line. Especially in case of adhering or bonding, an appropriate waiting time must always be provided for curing of the adhesive. This reduces the throughput rate of a production line.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved way of fastening the components of a lighting device.
This object is achieved by a lighting device and a method for producing a lighting device according to the independent claims. Preferred embodiments can be derived in particular from the dependent claims.
A lighting device according to the present invention comprises a housing inside which a light module is arranged. The light generated by the light module can leave the housing through a light exit opening. The light exit opening is at least partially covered by a lens which, in addition to protecting the components arranged inside the lighting device, is used in particular for shaping the emerging light profile. The lens can be completely transparent in design but it can also have sections that are only partially transparent or even opaque. Such sections can serve, for example, as decorative elements. In one embodiment, the edge of the lens in particular is opaque.
In contrast to the prior art, in which the electronic components, i.e. the light module in particular, are fastened in the house first, the housing subsequently being sealed with the lens, in the lighting device according to the invention the light module is connected to the lens, for example by means of a snap-on connection, by bonding, screwing, laser welding, heat staking or by means of other known fastening processes. The lens, in turn, is connected to the housing as described below.
This enables the light module to be easily mounted on the lens. The unit comprising light module and lens can then simply be inserted in the housing and the lens can be simply connected to the housing.
Due to the fact that the individual components of the lighting device no longer each have to be installed individually in the housing, the effort for assembling the lighting device according to the invention is reduced. Production of the individual components is also simplified since tolerances can be rougher and there is no need to provide undercuts, locating surfaces, etc. inside the housing for fastening individual components.
The connection between lens and housing can be made according to the invention by means of a snap-on connection or by forming at least one section of the lens.
The present invention thus makes it possible to dispense with bonding the lens to the housing. As a result, the production time for a lighting device decreases since there is no need to wait for any adhesive used to cure.
If the lens is connected to the housing by way of a snap-on connection, both the lens and the housing can have corresponding snap-fit elements (for example, snap tabs, undercuts, etc.). When the lens and housing are assembled, they snap into each other and thus ensure the lens is fastened to the housing.
If the connection is created by way of a formed lens section, at least one edge section of the lens is preferably formed in such a way that it engages with corresponding sections of the housing and the lens and thereby connects said lens to said housing.
Forming of the lens section is preferably effected by means of a thermal process, i.e. the lens section is heated to a temperature at which the material of the lens section becomes plastically deformable. Subsequently, the lens section is formed in such a way that it establishes the connection to the housing.
In a preferred embodiment, the lighting device comprises an anti-rotation means which prevents the lens from rotating relative to the housing. The anti-rotation means can be formed on the housing independently of the fastening of the lens. For example, it can be implemented by corresponding structures on lens and housing. However, the anti-rotation means can also be integrated into the fastening of the lens to the housing.
For example, in the case of a snap-on connection, the interaction between one or a plurality of snap tabs on the lens and the corresponding snap-fit elements on the housing can prevent the lens from rotating relative to the lens. In the case of connecting by forming the lens edge, an anti-rotation means can be implemented in that the housing wall has, for example, protrusions which engage in the formed lens edge and thus prevent the lens from rotating relative to the housing.
In a preferred embodiment, the light source of the lighting device according to the invention is a semiconductor light source, for example one or a plurality of LEDs. The lighting device according to the invention can thus be used as a so-called retrofit lamp.
In a further preferred embodiment, the light module comprises an electronic driver for the semiconductor light source. This driver can then be introduced into the housing together with the light source during assembly of the light module attached to the lens and can be connected to said light module. The electrical connections of the driver can protrude out of the housing through openings at the end of the housing opposing the light exit opening and can be connected there, for example, to corresponding contact pins (e.g. by crimping). This is shown, for example, in the German patent application DE 10 2016 203 405 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
In a further preferred embodiment, the lighting device is an MR16 or a PAR 16 lamp, in particular an MR16 or a PAR16 retrofit lamp.
The present invention further relates to a method for producing a lighting device, as described above. According to the invention, the light module is connected to the lens (for example, by means of a snap-on connection) in a first step and is then connected to the housing in a second step.
Connecting of the lens to the housing can be effected by engaging one or a plurality of snap-fit elements of the lens with one or a plurality of corresponding snap-fit elements of the housing. Snap tabs and corresponding undercuts can be used, for example, as snap-fit elements.
Connecting of the lens to the housing can also be effected by forming at least one lens section. In particular, the lens section can be formed thermally. By forming the lens section (preferably an edge section of the lens), the lens section is connected to a corresponding housing section in a positive locking manner.
The properties, features and advantages of this invention described above and the way in which they are achieved, will be more clearly and distinctly understood in conjunction with the following schematic description of embodiments which will be explained in greater detail in connection with the drawings. For the sake of clarity, identical or equivalent elements can be provided with the same reference numbers.
The protrusion 6 can be provided around the entire edge of the housing 2 which surrounds the light exit opening.
Accordingly, when fitting the lens 3 to the housing 2, there is no need to maintain any particular alignment between these two elements. However, the protrusion can also be provided only at the points corresponding to the snap-fit elements 5.
The lens 3 illustrated in
It can be seen in the diagram shown in
The edge of the housing 2 is provided with a circumferential protrusion 6 in the form of a flange. As illustrated in
The forming of the edge occurs by heating the collar 10 by means of a former 11 (made of metal, for example). By heating up, the material of the collar 10 is brought to a temperature which allows the collar 10 to be plastically deformed. Deformation of the collar 10 can essentially take place at the same time as the heating by the former 11, which has an inner profile 13 that corresponds to the shape of the formed edge. When the heated former 11 is pressed against the edge of the lens 3, the material of the lens 3 in the contact area is first heated and brought into the desired shape with continued pressure.
After the forming is complete, the former 11 is removed again from the edge of the lens 3. The heated lens material can cool down and the lens edge solidifies in the formed configuration in which the edge, i.e. the formed collar 10, encloses the protrusion 6 on the housing 2.
As can be seen from
Although the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail using the embodiments shown, the invention is not limited thereto and a person skilled in the art may derive other variations therefrom without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.
Generally, “one” may be understood to mean a single figure or a plurality, particularly in the sense of “at least one” or “one or more”, etc., as long as this is not explicitly excluded, e.g. by the expression “exactly one”.
A specified figure may also include exactly the number and also a customary tolerance range, as long as this is not explicitly excluded.
Features of different embodiments can be combined with one another to the extent that this is technically feasible.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2016 114 643.9 | Aug 2016 | DE | national |
