Abstract:
An LED module includes a latching component, a frame holding an LED thereon, a heat spreader located in the latching component and a heat transfer member having a heat-dissipating unit remote from the LED and a heat pipe thermally connecting with the heat spreader, the LED and the heat-dissipating unit. The latching component cooperates with the heat spreader to tightly press the frame being attached on the heat spreader. The heat transfer member thermally connects with the heat spreader and transfers heat from the LED to an ambient environment. The latching component has two spring pieces pushing the frame toward the heat spreader and the heat pipe. The spring pieces electrically engage with the frame to thereby electrically connect with the LED.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a light emitting diode module, more particularly to a light emitting diode module having a latching component for conveniently installing the light emitting diode thereon or unloading the light emitting diode therefrom. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A light emitting diode (LED) is a device for transforming electricity into light. When a current flows through a junction comprising two different semiconductors, electrons and holes combine to generate light. LEDs are small, inexpensive, with low power requirements and an extremely long working lifetime under specific conditions; more and more LED modules with different capabilities are being developed. However, the LEDs are sensitive to temperature and may be permanently damaged by excessive temperatures. High temperature performance of LEDs is an adverse aspect of LED technology that has not been satisfactorily resolved. As the LEDs are used for a long time and more power is added to the LEDs, heat generated by the LEDs must be quickly removed therefrom to prevent them from becoming unstable or being damaged. Accordingly, LED modules with heat dissipation devices are needed. 
     Generally, the LED modules have thermal management components with good heat dissipation qualities. Usually, the LED usually has a smaller volume and it is different to secure the LED to the thermal management component. 
     What is needed, therefore, is an LED module having a latching component for conveniently installing the LED thereto or unloading the LED therefrom. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An LED module includes a latching component, a frame holding an LED thereon, a heat spreader located in the latching component and a heat transfer member having a heat-dissipating unit remote from the LED and a heat pipe thermally connecting the heat spreader, the LED and the heat-dissipating unit together. The latching component cooperates with the heat spreader to tightly press the frame to be attached on the heat spreader. The heat transfer member thermally connects with the heat spreader and transfers heat from the LED to an ambient environment. The latching component has two spring pieces fixed therein. The two spring pieces are electrically connected with a power source. Furthermore, the two spring pieces push the frame toward the heat pipe and the heat spreader and electrically connect with the frame and the LED. 
     Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, schematic view of an LED module in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged rear end view of a latching component of the LED module of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged, partial view of  FIG. 3  with a part thereof being cut away. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , an LED module in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a latching component  10 , a frame  20  mounting an LED  800  thereon and located in the latching component  10 , a heat spreader  30  attached to the frame  20  and a heat-transfer member having a heat pipe  40  and a heat-dissipating unit  50 . The heat pipe  40  thermally connects the frame  20  with the heat-dissipating unit  50 . 
     The latching component  10  is made of elastic plastic and has a cylindrical configuration. The latching component  10  comprises a cylindrical body  110 . The body  110  has a top surface  120  on a front end portion thereof and a rear end portion (not labeled) opposite the front end portion. A round opening  122  is defined in a center of the top surface  120  for offering the LED  800  an exit so that the LED  800  is exposed over the top surface  120  of the body  110 . Three elastic legs  130  are extended from an edge of the rear end portion of the body  110  and are evenly spaced from each other along a circumference of the body  110 . Each leg  130  comprises a position portion  132  extending from an edge of the rear end portion of the body  110  and a hooked portion  134  extending inwardly from the position portion  132  and having an acute angle to the position portion  132 . A pair of spring pieces  140  are formed on an inner surface of the top surface  120  of the body  110 . Each spring piece  140  comprises a strip-shaped body  142  and a pair of fixed claws  144  extending from two opposite end portions of the strip-shaped body  142 . The fixed claws  144  are upwardly and outwardly curved to be parallel to the body  142  and each defines a hole  146  therein. A pair of projections  148  are formed on the inner surface of the top surface  120  of the body  110  and engaged in the holes  146  of the fixed claws  144  of each spring piece  140  to position the spring piece  140  on the inner surface of the body  110  of the latching component  10 . 
     The frame  20  has a round plate  200 , such as a printed circuit board and the LED  800  is electrically connected to the frame  20  to emit light. The frame  20  comprises a top surface on which the LED  800  is mounted and a bottom surface on an opposite side to the top surface. Three pins  210  (only one shown) are formed on the bottom surface of the frame  20 . 
     Since the LED  800  inherently has a too small surface available to sufficiently transfer heat therefrom, the heat transfer member is used to transfer the heat to a place where it can be dissipated. The heat pipe  40  and the heat-dissipating unit  50  can satisfy this demand. Firstly, the heat spreader  30  is used to spread the heat from the LED  800 . The heat spreader  30  can be made of aluminum or copper. The heat spreader  30  has a cylindrical body  300  with a hollow cylindrical portion in a center thereof. A circular passage  310  is defined through the center of the heat spreader  30 . Three slots  320  are defined in an outer surface and along an axial direction of the body  300  of the heat spreader  30 , corresponding to the legs  130  of the latching component  10 . The three slots  320  divide the circumference of the body  300  of the heat spreader  30  into three equal parts. Three positioning holes  322  are defined in a front-end portion of the body  300  of the heat spreader  30  and corresponding to the pins  210  of the frame  20 . 
     The heat pipe  40  has an evaporating section  42  engaged in the passage  310  of the heat spreader  30 , and a condensing section  44  perpendicular to the evaporating section  42  and inserted through the heat-dissipating unit  50 . The heat-dissipating unit  50  comprises a plurality of metallic fins  52 . The fins  52  are parallel to and separate from each other. A through hole (not shown) is defined in a center of the heat-dissipating unit  50 , transversely extending though all of the fins  52 . The evaporating section  42  and the condensing section  44  of the heat pipe  40  are fixed in the passage  310  of the heat spreader  30  and the through hole of the heat-dissipating unit  50  respectively by soldering; accordingly, the condensing section  44  of the heat pipe  40  is thermally engaged with the metallic fins  52 , and the evaporating section  42  of the heat pipe  40  is thermally engaged with the heat spreader  30 . The heat pipe  40  is preferably included to quickly transfer the heat from the LED  800  to the heat-dissipating unit  50  which can be arranged at a location remote from the LED  800  and can have a large heat-dissipating surface available to facilitate heat dissipation. 
     In assembly, the evaporating section  42  of the heat pipe  40  extends in the passage  310  of the heat spreader  30  by soldering and a front end of the evaporating section  42  projects out from the passage  310  so as to absorb the heat from the LED  800  quickly. The pins  210  of the frame  20  are inserted and positioned in the positioning holes  322  of the front end portion of the body  300  of the heat spreader  30 . The bottom surface of the frame  20  is attached on the top surface of the evaporating section  42  of the heat pipe  40 . The latching component  10  covers the heat spreader  30  and the legs  130  of the latching component  10  slide along the slots  320  of the heat spreader  30  until the hooked portions  134  of the legs  130  exert spring forces to clasp and engage a rear end portion of the heat spreader  30 . Accordingly, the latching component  10  is secured to the spreader  30  by the hooked portions  134  engaging the rear end portion of the heat spreader  30 . As the legs  130  of the latching component  10  engage the heat spreader  30  to exert the latching forces thereon, the bodies  142  of the spring pieces  140  of the latching component  10  also exert spring forces to press the frame  20  to be tightly attached to the heat spreader  30 , and the frame  20  is thus tightly sandwiched between the latching component  10  and the heat spreader  30 . The bodies  142  resiliently engage with positive and negative electrodes  220  on the round plate  200 , whereby the spring pieces  140  are electrically connected with the round plate  200  and the LED  800 . Wires (not show) which are connected to a power source can be extended through two holes  150  (only one shown) defined in a periphery of the latching component  10  to electrically connect with the spring pieces  140 . Thus, the round plate  200  and the LED  800  are electrically connected with the power source via the spring pieces  140 . 
     In operation, the evaporating section  42  of the heat pipe  40  absorbs the heat from the LED  800 . A minor part of the heat is conducted to the heat spreader  30  by the evaporating section  42  of the heat pipe  40  and a major part of the heat is directly transferred to the fins  52  of the heat-dissipating unit  50 ; the heat from the LED  800  is thus quickly removed to avoid a high temperature performance of the LED  800  and ensure that the LED  800  operates at a normal working temperature. Furthermore, the heat pipe  40  transfers the heat generated by the LED  800  to the heat-dissipating unit  50  which is located at a location remote from the LED  800  and thus has a large heat-dissipating surface available to facilitate heat dissipation. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the frame  20  is sandwiched between the latching component  10  and the heat spreader  30 . The frame  20  is secured on the heat spreader  30  by the legs  130  of the latching component  10  clasping on the heat spreader  30  and it is convenient for installing/unloading the LED  800  to/from the heat spreader  30 . Moreover, the heat spreader  30  is located in the latching component  10  to be coupled as a unit, which is very advantageous in view of the compact size and portable requirement of heat dissipation devices with the LEDs. 
     It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples here described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.