Patent Application
20070223218
The present invention generally relates to a full-color LED lighting device, and more specifically to a high efficiency and water-proof structure of a full-color LED lighting device.
As the modern demands in living environment, the lighting is playing an even more important role than ever. Nowadays, the lights are no longer for illuminations for people to see in the dark, lights are also used in creating certain atmosphere and are becoming part of an architecture or art design. However, as the energy resource is becoming scarce, the energy consumption also becomes an important concern when using lights. The recent development of LED has brought about the revolutionary changes in the lighting devices. The LED lighting devices can be directly controlled by a computer program for changing the color, the intensity and the ON/OFF interval to display full color ranges. This is more visually appealing than the conventional neon-light devices. An additional benefit of using LED lighting devices is that the energy consumption is lower than the conventional neon-light devices.
As many LED lighting devices are used outdoors, such as sport venues or the outer wall of a building, it is imperative that the device is water-proof.
The present invention has been made to overcome the above-mentioned drawback of conventional LED lighting device. The primary object of the present invention is to provide a water-proof LED lighting device. The main components of the lighting device are all separately enclosed objects so that the components will not interfere with each other when the components expand or shrink due to the temperature changes. Also, the electrical connection between the two components is glued with an enhanced water-proof glue that can stand strong pull. On one hand, the glue is soft as to absorb the deformation due the temperature changes. On the other hand, the glue provides water-proof connection. Therefore, the present invention is still highly water-proof in an environment that encompasses large temperature changes. In addition, the present design simplifies the structure so that the assembly of the components easier. With the multiple water-proof mechanisms, the lighting device of the present invention is highly water-proof.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a high efficiency LED lighting device. A highly-diffuse material, such as special acrylic, is used to enable the lights emitted from different LEDs are uniformly diffused. When observing from the outside, the present invention shows a uniformly mixed single color at a time. With the control of a computer program, the light color of the present invention can display the full range of colors to achieve the same visual effects of a neon-light. In addition, as a resilient element is used to connect the neighboring circuit substrate, the resilient element can absorb the deformation caused by the temperature changes so that the light diffusion remains uniform.
To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a lighting device, including a light tube and a base holder. The light tube and the base holder are each an enclosed structure. The light tube includes a circuit substrate inside the enclosed structure. The circuit substrate includes a plurality of LEDs. The light tube and the base holder each include two holes close to both ends. When the light tube and the base holder are assembled, the holes match so that the wire connecting the circuit substrate can go through the holes to enter the base holder. A water-proof and highly pull-resistant glue is used to fill the overlapping of the holes. When the light tube and the base holder expand or shrink differently due to the temperature changes, the glue will absorb the discrepancy of the deformation to sustain the structure.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood from a careful reading of a detailed description provided herein below with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present invention can be understood in more detail by reading the subsequent detailed description in conjunction with the examples and references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
As shown in
The top of base holder 2 includes receiving trenches 21 corresponding to the outer surface of light tube 3 so that light tube 3 can be engaged to receiving trenches 21. An additional glue can be applied to enhance the engagement. This embodiment uses a lateral engaging rib 211 on both sides of the vertical walls on the top receiving trench 21 of base holder 2. The bottom of light tube 3 includes two extruding ribs 32. Light tube 3 is inserted onto base holder 2 from the lateral direction. Extruding ribs 32 of light tube 3 are against the underneath of engaging ribs 211 of base holder 2 to prevent light tube 3 from moving vertically. This also simplifies the assembly of the present invention.
To achieve good water-proof effect, the present invention provides design between components, described as follows. Light tube 3 is a hollow tube, made of highly diffuse acrylic so that the lights emitted from LEDs can be uniformly diffused to the tube. Although a plurality of LEDs with different colors is included inside the tube, the tube shows only a uniform single color when lit and observed from outside of the tube. This is because the tube is made of highly diffuse material that is able to diffuse the lights. Each end of light tube 3 includes a top side cover 33. Top side cover 33 is made of the same high diffuse acrylic that light tube 3 is made of. An acrylic glue can be applied to melt light tube 3 and top side cover 33 so that the engagement between the two is enhanced and water-proof. Because light tube 3, top side cover 33 and the sealing acrylic glue are made of the same material, they have the same thermal expansion coefficients. In addition, the bottom of light tube 3 includes two holes 34, with each hole 34 close to the end. The wire connecting the circuit substrates enters from hole 34.
Base holder 2 is a hollow, long square tube. Inside base holder 2 is at least a transformer 20. The number of transformer 20 depends on the number of the LEDs and the number of circuit substrates 4. This embodiment uses two transformers. Transformer 20 is for converting AC into DC to drive the LEDs on circuit substrates 4. In this embodiment, base holder 2 is made of aluminum. Each end of base holder 2 includes a bottom side cover 22, also made of aluminum so that the thermal expansion coefficients are the same as base holder 2. Base holder 2 and bottom side cover 22 are engaged by a highly elastic water-proof ring 23. A conic screw 24 with a water-proof ring 241 in tightened in a screw hole 221 of bottom side cover 22 and the screw hole of base holder 2 so that water-proof ring 23 is tightly squeezed to achieve the water-proof object.
The bottom of base holder 2 needs a wire to connect with the power supply or the control computer. This embodiment uses a connecting wire 6 with a water-proof connector 61. Connecting wire 6 enters a hole 25 (see
As shown in the above description, light tube 3 and base holder 2 are each a separate and enclosed structure. The advantage of this design is that no leakage will happen due to the deformation caused by the temperature changes. However, there must exist a path so that the wire connecting the circuit substrate can be electrically connected to transformer 20 inside the base holder. The water-proof mechanism used at the path is shown in
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details described thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
