With reference to
As shown in
The leadframes 104 and 106 of the vertical light source package 100 are thin strips of electrically conductive material, such as copper. The leadframes 104 and 106 are formed by trimming a thin sheet of leadframe material. In this embodiment, the leadframes 104 and 106 are configured to be flat so that the entire lengths of the leadframes are parallel to a plane. Thus, the leadframes 104 and 106 have not been bent after the leadframes have been trimmed from a sheet of leadframe material. The leadframe 104 includes a region 210 on which the light emitting device 102 is situated. The leadframe 104 also includes an elongate lead 212 that extends from the region 210 in the X direction. Similarly, the leadframe 106 includes a region 214 to which the bondwire 108 is connected. The leadframe 106 also includes an elongate lead 216 that extends from the region 214 in the same X direction. Thus, the leads 212 and 216 of the leadframes 104 and 106, respectively, are parallel to each other and both of the leads 212 and 216 extend in the same direction. As best shown in
The lengths of the leads 212 and 216 of the leadframes 104 and 106, respectively, are shorter than the leads of conventional VCSEL packages. Consequently, the leadframes 104 and 106 of the vertical light source package 100 can be produced from a smaller area of a sheet of leadframe material than the leadframes of conventional VCSEL packages. Thus, less leadframe material is wasted to produce the leadframes 104 and 106 of the vertical light source package 100 when compared to the conventional leadframes. In addition, more leadframes 104 and 106 can be produced per unit area of leadframe material when compared to the conventional leadframes.
The structural body 107 of the vertical light source package 100 provides the structural support to secure the leadframes 104 and 106 in place. As best shown in
The structural body 107 includes a base portion 224 and a cylindrical portion 226. In this embodiment, the base portion 224 is shaped as a rectangular solid. However, in other embodiments, the base portion 224 can be shaped in other configurations. In this embodiment, the base portion 224 includes an upper surface 228, a lower surface 230 and four side surfaces 232. The upper surface 228 of the base portion 224 faces the cylindrical portion 226 of the structural body 107. The lower surface 230 of the base portion 224, which is on the opposite side of the base portion as the upper surface 228, corresponds to the back end 222 of the structural body 107. The lower surface 230 is a planar surface. As best shown in
The cylindrical portion 226 of the structural body 107 is connected to the base portion 224 such that the axis A of the cylindrical portion is perpendicular to the upper surface 228 of the base portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the cylindrical portion 226 of the structural body 107 is configured as a cylindrical shell. Thus, the cylindrical portion 226 includes a cylindrical hole 234, which extends down to the base portion 224, exposing portions of the leadframes 104 and 106, including the light emitting device 102 mounted on the leadframe 104. The light emitting device 102 is positioned in the structural body 107 such that the light emitting surface of the light emitting device, i.e., the upper surface of the light emitting device, is perpendicular to the axis A of the cylindrical portion 226. Thus, the light emitted from the light emitting device 102 will propagate in a direction along the axis A of the cylindrical portion 226 and will be emitted out of the cylindrical hole 234 of the cylindrical portion 224 at the exposed end of the cylindrical portion, which corresponds to the front end 220 of the vertical light source package 100. Thus, the exposed end of the cylindrical portion 226 is the light output end of the structural body 107. Furthermore, the light emitting device 102 is positioned in the structural body 107 such that the light emitting surface of the light emitting device is substantially parallel to the lower surface 230 of the base portion 224. Thus, the light emitting direction of the light emitting device 102 is substantially perpendicular to the lower surface 230 of the base portion 224. Consequently, the orientation of the lower surface 230 of base portion 224 can be used to align the vertical light source package 100 so that the light from the light emitting device 102 is emitted in a desired direction.
In this embodiment, the structural body 107 is a single integral structure. Thus, the base portion 224 and the cylindrical portion 226 of the structural body 107 are integrated parts of a monolithic element. However, in other embodiments, the base portion 224 and the cylindrical portion 226 of the structural body 107 may be separate structures that are attached together to form the structural body. In the illustrated embodiment, the structural body 107 is made of a plastic material such as polyamide (PA) material. As an example, the structural body 107 may be made of Amodel or Xydar (both registered U.S. trademarks of Solvay Advanced Polymers, LLC). However, in other embodiments, the structural body 107 may be made of a different material. The structural body 107 can be formed using injection molding or any other suitable method for the material used.
As shown in
Turning now to
Similar to the structural body 107 of the vertical light source package 100, the structural body 407 of the vertical light source package 400 includes a rectangular base portion 424 and a cylindrical portion 426, which are connected to each other. However, in this embodiment, the base portion 424 is longer in the X direction so that the base portion 424 can be used as a male connector to be inserted into a female connector 440. The electrical connections between the vertical light source package 400 and the female connector 440 will be described below.
The leadframes 404 and 406 of the vertical light source package 400 are similar to the leadframes 104 and 106 of the vertical light source package 100. The leadframe 404 includes a region 410 on which the light emitting device 102 is mounted. The leadframe 404 further includes a lead 412, which extends from the region 410 in the X direction. Similarly, the leadframe 406 includes a region 414 to which the bondwire 108 is connected. The leadframe 406 further includes a lead 416, which also extends from the region 414 in the X direction. However, in this embodiment, the ends of the leads 412 and 416 of the leadframes 404 and 406, respectively, are exposed on a side surface 432 and an upper surface 428 of the base portion 424 of the structural body 407. In other embodiments, the ends of the leads 412 and 416 of the leadframes 404 and 406, respectively, may be exposed only at the same side surface 432 and/or a lower surface 430. As illustrated in
As shown in
Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.