The subject matter described herein relates generally to solid state lighting assemblies.
Solid state lighting assemblies generally include a solid state lighting module having a substrate with a lighting element disposed thereon. For example, the lighting element may be a light emitting diode (LED). The substrate includes contacts pads that are electrically coupled to the lighting element. The contact pads include a positive contact pad and a negative contact pad. The positive contact pad and the negative contact pad are configured to electrically couple to a positive wire and a negative wire, respectively. The positive wire and the negative wire form a circuit through the solid state lighting module to power the lighting element.
However, conventional solid state lighting assemblies are not without their disadvantages. Typically, the wires (positive and negative) are soldered to the contact pads of the substrate. Soldering the wires to the contact pads generally requires special tools, extra materials, and an extra assembly step, which add to the overall cost of assembly. Additionally, soldering, over time and with handling of the components, may subject the assembly to improper electrical connections. Moreover, the soldered wires may be subject to becoming dislodged from the contact pads of the substrate. In particular, forces applied to the wires may disconnect the wires from the contact pad.
A need remains for a solid state lighting assembly that enables quick and tool-less connections between the wires and the contact pads. Another need remains for a solid state lighting assembly that provides strain relief for the wires to prevent the wires from becoming disconnected from the contact pads.
In one embodiment, a solid state lighting assembly is provided. The assembly includes a housing configured to hold a solid state lighting module. The housing has a cavity. A contact is positioned within the cavity. The contact has a wire end and a mating end. The wire end is configured to be coupled to a insertion segment of a wire. The wire extends from the cavity to an exterior of the housing. A strain relief member extends from the exterior of the housing. The strain relief member is configured to engage a portion of the wire upstream from the insertion segment of the wire.
In another embodiment, a solid state lighting assembly is provided. The assembly includes a housing having a cavity. A contact is positioned within the cavity. The contact has a wire end and a mating end. The wire end is configured to be coupled to a insertion segment of a wire. The wire extends from the cavity to an exterior of the housing. The mating end of the contact has a tip and a mating interface remote from the tip. The tip engages the housing. A solid state lighting module is positioned within the housing. The solid state lighting module has a substrate having a contact pad disposed thereon. The mating interface of the contact engages the contact pad. The contact is flexed between the tip and the mating interface to spring bias the contact against the contact pad.
In another embodiment, a solid state lighting assembly is provided. The assembly includes a housing configured to hold a solid state lighting module. The housing has a cavity having a cavity axis. A contact is positioned within the cavity. The contact has a wire end and a mating end. The wire end of the contact is formed as a poke-in wire connection having a barrel extending axially along the cavity axis and a barb extending into the barrel at an oblique angle with respect to the cavity axis. The barb engages a conductor of an insertion segment of a wire inserted into the barrel in a loading direction. The barb retains the insertion segment of the wire in the barrel in response to forces applied to the wire in a direction opposite to the loading direction. The wire extends from the cavity to an exterior of the housing. A strain relief member extends from the exterior of the housing. The strain relief member is configured to engage a portion of the wire upstream from the insertion segment of the wire.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of certain embodiments will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.
Embodiments described herein include a solid state lighting assembly having a tool-less connection between the wires and the contact pads of a solid state lighting module. The embodiments include a poke-in wire connection that receives wires configured to power a lighting element of the solid state lighting assembly. The poke-in wire connection includes a contact having a wire end that receives the wire and mating end that forms a separable, compressible interface with the contact pads of the solid state lighting module. The wire end of the contact includes a barb that engages the wire to oppose forces that may dislodge the wire from the contact. Additionally, the solid state lighting assembly includes a strain relief member configured to engage the wire. The strain relief member further opposes forces that may dislodge the wire from the contact.
The substrate 106 of the solid state lighting module 104 is received in the bottom 112 of the housing 102. The substrate 106 is received in the housing 102 such that the lighting element 108 is positioned within the opening 114 of the housing 102. In one embodiment, the lighting element 108 may extend through the opening 114 of the housing 102. The lighting element 108 emits light from the top 110 of the housing 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 102 includes recesses 116 formed around the opening 114. The recesses 116 may be configured to receive an optic 118, as illustrated in
Cavities 120 are formed in the housing 102. The cavities 120 include an opening 122. The cavities 120 extend from the opening 122 into the housing 102. The cavities 120 extend along a cavity axis 124 from the opening 122 into the housing 102. The openings 122 of the cavities 120 may be formed proximate to an outer perimeter 126 of the housing 102. In alternative embodiments, the openings 122 of the cavities 120 may be formed inward from the perimeter 126 of the housing 102. For example, the openings 122 of the cavities 120 may be formed proximate to the opening 114 of the housing 102. The openings 122 of the cavities 120 face away from the opening 114 of the housing 102. The openings 122 of the cavities 120 may face toward the opening 114 of the housing 102 or at any suitable angle with respect to the opening 114 of the housing in alternative embodiments.
The openings 122 of the cavities 120 are configured to receive a insertion segment 128 of a wire 130 therein. The insertion segment 128 of the wire 130 may include an exposed conductor 148 that is terminated within the cavity 120. The insertion segment 128 of the wire 130 is inserted into the cavity 120 along the cavity axis 124 in a loading direction 144. The wire 130 extends from the cavity 120 to an exterior 146 of the housing 102. The illustrated embodiment includes a positive cavity 120 and a negative cavity 120. The positive cavity 120 receives a positive wire 130 having a positive polarity. The negative cavity 120 receives a negative wire 130 having negative polarity. In the illustrated embodiment, the opening 122 of the positive cavity 120 faces in a different direction than the opening 122 of the negative cavity 120. For example, the opening 122 of the positive cavity 120 is illustrated facing in an opposite direction from the opening 122 of the negative cavity 120. Optionally, the opening 122 of the positive cavity 120 and the opening 122 of the negative cavity 120 may face in other directions, including in the same direction.
In an exemplary embodiment, the wire 130 includes a downstream end 140 and an upstream end 142. The insertion segment 128 of the wire 130 is positioned at the downstream end 140 of the wire 130. The downstream end 140 of the wire 130 is received in the cavity 120. The upstream end 142 of the wire 130 extends from the housing 102 to another component, such as a driver or a power source (not shown).
A strain relief member 150 extends from the exterior 146 of the housing 102. The strain relief member 150 may be coupled to the housing 102. In other embodiments the strain relief member 150 may be formed integrally with the housing 102. The strain relief member 150 is positioned spaced apart from the cavity 120. For example, the strain relief member 150 and the cavity 120 may be spaced apart a distance D1. In the illustrated embodiment, the strain relief member 150 is positioned proximate to the perimeter 126 of the housing 102. The strain relief member 150 may be positioned inward from the perimeter 126 of the housing 102 in alternative embodiments. For example, the strain relief member 150 may be positioned proximate to the opening 114 of the housing 102.
The strain relief member 150 is configured to engage a portion of the wire 130. The strain relief member 150 engages the wire 130 upstream from the insertion segment 128 of the wire 130. The strain relief member 150 provides resistance to forces applied to the wire 130. For example, the strain relief member 150 provides resistance to forces that may tend to disengage the insertion segment 128 of the wire 130 from the cavity 120. The strain relief member 150 may resist forces on the wire 130 in a direction opposite to the loading direction 144 of the wire 130. In the illustrated embodiment, the strain relief member 150 is a hook 152 (as described in more detail with respect to
In the exemplary embodiment, a plurality of screws 158 extend through the housing 102 to secure the housing 102 to a heat sink (not shown).
The screws 158 extend through the bottom 112 of the housing 102. The screws 158 are configured to couple the housing 102 to the heat sink (not shown), such that the solid state lighting module 104 is secured between the heat sink and the housing 102. The screws 158 extend through mounting locations 166 formed in the substrate 106 such that the screws 158 are not secured to the substrate 106. Alternatively, the screws 158 may be secured to the substrate 106. In other embodiments, the housing 102 may include pins, posts, or the like extending therefrom to secure the housing 102 to the heat sink. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 102 also includes polarization features 169 to provide a keying mechanism for mounting the solid state lighting module 104 within the housing 102. Other polarization features 168 provide an alignment mechanism for mounting the solid state lighting assembly 100 to the heat sink.
Contact pads 172 are provided on the substrate 106. The contact pads 172 are electrically conductive and configured to receive a power signal. In an exemplary embodiment, the contact pads 172 are configured to electrically couple to the conductor 148 of a wire 130 (both shown in
The substrate 106 includes a front 182 and a back 184. A pair of sides 186 extends between the front 182 and the back 184. The mounting locations 166 are formed in the front 182 and the back 184 of the substrate 106. Alternatively, the mounting locations 166 may be formed in the sides 186 of the substrate 106. Each of the front 182 and the back 184 of the substrate 106 includes a pair of mounting locations 166 separated by a distance D2. Each of the pair of mounting locations 166 is positioned a distance D3 from the sides 186 of the substrate 106. In other embodiments, each of the front 182 and the back 184 of the substrate 106 may include any number of mounting locations 166 spaced at any distance D2 from each other or distance D3 from the sides 186 of the substrate 106. The screws 158 (shown in
The sides 186 of the substrate 106 include polarization recesses 188 formed therein. Optionally, polarization recesses 188 may be formed in the front 182 and/or back 184 of the substrate 106. The polarization recesses 188 are configured to receive the polarization features 169 of the housing 102 therethrough.
The wire end 192 of the contact 190 includes a barrel 196 that receives the conductor 148 of the wire 130. The barrel 196 extends through the cavity 120 along the cavity axis 124. The conductor 148 of the wire 130 is inserted into the barrel 196 in the loading direction 144.
The conductor 148 of the wire 130 engages the wire end 192 of the contact 190. The mating end 194 of the contact 190 extends from the wire end 192 of the contact 190 such that power signals from the wire 130 are directed to the mating end 194 of the contact 190. In the illustrated embodiment, the mating end 194 of the contact 190 extends from the barrel 196. The mating end 194 of the contact 190 is configured as a simply supported beam. The mating end 194 of the contact 190 includes a transition member 206 that is joined to the wire end 192 of the contact 190. A tip 208 of the mating end 194 of the contact 190 abuts the housing 102. A mating interface 210 of the mating end 194 of the contact 190 extends between the tip 208 and the transition member 206.
The mating interface 210 is configured to engage the contact pad 172 of the substrate 106. The mating interface 210 forms separable, compressible interface with the contact pad 172 of the substrate 106. The contact 190 is flexed between the tip 208 of the mating end 194 and the mating interface 210 to spring bias the contact 190 against the contact pad 172.
In the illustrated embodiment, the thermal interface 170 is provided on the substrate 106. The thermal interface 170 may be any suitable thermal interface, for example conductive grease, for mounting the substrate 106 to a heat sink (not shown).
The wire 130 includes the insertion segment 128 extending from the cavity 120 to the exterior 146 of the housing 102. The insertion segment 128 generally extends along the cavity axis 124 of the cavity 120. A main segment 216 of the wire extends from the hook 152 to a power source (not shown). An intermediate segment 218 of the wire 130 extends between the main segment 216 of the wire 130 and the insertion segment 128 of the wire 130. The hook 152 engages the wire 130 such that the intermediate segment 218 of the wire 130 extends at an oblique angle with respect to the cavity axis 124. The hook 152 engages the wire 130 such that the main segment 216 of the wire 130 extends at an oblique angle with respect to the intermediate segment 218 of the wire 130. The main segment 216 of the wire 130 may extend from the hook 152 parallel to the cavity axis 124. Optionally, the main segment 216 of the wire 130 may extend from the hook 152 at an oblique angle with respect to the cavity axis 124.
In one embodiment, the posts 154 may include a flange (not shown) extending from the top thereof. The intermediate segment 218 of the wire 130 may be held between the housing 102 and the flange. The flange may form an interference fit with the wire 130. In another embodiment, the posts 154 may include grooves extending therearound to receive and position the intermediate segment 218 of the wire 130 with respect to the post 154.
The posts 154 engage the wire 130 such that the intermediate segment 218 of the wire 130 extends at an oblique angle with respect to the cavity axis 124. The posts 154 engage the wire 130 such that the main segment 216 of the wire 130 extends at an oblique angle with respect to the intermediate segment 218 of the wire 130. The main segment 216 of the wire 130 may extend from the last post 154 parallel to the cavity axis 124. Optionally, the main segment 216 of the wire 130 may extend from the last post 154 at an oblique angle with respect to the cavity axis 124.
In the illustrated embodiment, the post 156 includes a flange 226 extending from the top thereof. The intermediate segment 218 of the wire 130 may be held between the housing 102 and the flange 226. The flange 226 may form an interference fit with the wire 130. In another embodiment, the post 156 may include grooves extending therearound to receive and position the intermediate segment 218 of the wire 130 with respect to the post 156.
The post 156 engages the wire 130 such that the intermediate segment 218 of the wire 130 extends at an oblique angle with respect to the cavity axis 124. The post 156 engages the wire 130 such that the main segment 216 of the wire 130 extends at an oblique angle with respect to the intermediate segment 218 of the wire 130. The main segment 216 of the wire 130 may extend from the post 156 parallel to the cavity axis 124. Optionally, the main segment 216 of the wire 130 may extend from the post 156 at an oblique angle with respect to the cavity axis 124.
The optic 118 has a conical shape and extends outward from the bottom 230 of the optic 118 to the top 228 of the optic 118. The optic 118 is configured to direct and/or focus light emitted from the solid state lighting assembly 100.
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the various embodiments of the invention without departing from their scope. While the dimensions and types of materials described herein are intended to define the parameters of the various embodiments of the invention, the embodiments are by no means limiting and are exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the various embodiments of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.
This written description uses examples to disclose the various embodiments of the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various embodiments of the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the various embodiments of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if the examples have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if the examples include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.