Base, round tube housing and lamp including base and round tube housing

A base configured to carry a light emitting body and to be inserted into a round tube housing, may include: a rectangular portion configured to carry the light emitting body on a first surface of the rectangular portion; and first and second fixing portions configured to extend from first and second long edges of the rectangular portion respectively in a space that a second surface of the rectangular portion faces, such that when the base is inserted into the round tube housing, at least a part of each of the first and second fixing portions presses against the inner wall of the round tube housing, and a first part close to the first long edge and a second part close to the second long edge in the first surface of the rectangular portion press against first and second protrusions on the inner wall of the round tube housing respectively.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a national stage entry according to 35 U.S.C. §371 of PCT application No.: PCT/EP2012/068861 filed on Sep. 25, 2012, which claims priority from Chinese application No.: 201110304989.1 filed on Sep. 27, 2011, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Various embodiments relate to the illumination field, and particularly to a base, round tube housing, and a lamp including the base and round tube.

BACKGROUND

With the development of Light-Emitting Diode (referred to as LED for short) illumination technology, more and more customers want to take advantage of benefits of LEDs, such as controllable color and controllable brightness of the LED. Now, more and more companies are developing LED tubes to replace fluorescent lamps (referred to as FL for short). For the developed LED tube, a plastic tube is widely used. However, the plastic tube has the following disadvantages: the plastic tends to bend, especially for a long tube, in which the bending is considerable; and the LED overheats due to poor thermal conductivity of the plastic tube, which causes the lifetime of the LED tube to shorten.

FIG. 1schematically illustrates a cross section view of a main body of an LED lamp according to related art. As shown inFIG. 1, the main body of the LED lamp includes an upper housing1a, a lower housing1b, a Printed Circuit Board (referred to as PCB for short)3, and an LED2, etc. The plastic upper housing1ahas a right end portion1a-aand a left end portion1a-bhaving wedged sections, and the plastic lower housing1bhas a right end portion1b-aand a left end portion1b-bhaving concave sections. SinceFIG. 1is only a cross section view, in fact, the main body of the LED lamp may extend for a certain length in a direction perpendicular to the paper. The right end portion1a-aof the plastic upper housing1aand the right end portion1b-aof the plastic lower housing1bare joined, and the left end portion1a-bof the plastic upper housing1aand the left end portion1b-bof the plastic lower housing1bare joined. Since the upper housing1aand the lower housing1bare joined by only inserting the wedged right end portion1a-ainto the concave right end portion1b-aand inserting the wedged left end portion1a-binto the concave right end portion1b-a, the joint between the upper housing1aand the lower housing1bis not tight and may loosen easily. In addition, since the main body of the LED lamp may extend for a certain length in a direction perpendicular to the paper and the upper housing1aand the lower housing1bare both made of plastic, the main body of the LED lamp tends to bend. Further, since the upper housing1aand the lower housing1bare both made of plastic, the LED tends to overheat, which may shorten the lifetime of the LED lamp.

Therefore, there is need for a technique capable of solving the above problem.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments provide a base, round tube housing and lamp including the base and the round tube housing.

According to one aspect of the embodiment, a base is provided, configured to carry a light emitting body and to be inserted into a round tube housing, the base including: a rectangular portion configured to carry a light emitting body on a first surface of the rectangular portion; and first and second fixing portions configured to extend from a first and second long edge of the rectangular portion respectively in a space that a second surface of the rectangular portion faces, such that when the base is inserted into the round tube housing, at least a part of each of the first and second fixing portions presses against the inner wall of the round tube housing, and a first part close to the first long edge and a second part close to the second long edge in the first surface of the rectangular portion press against first and second protrusions on the inner wall of the round tube housing respectively.

According to another aspect of the embodiment, a round tube housing is provided, configured to have the base inserted therein and including: first and second protrusions extending toward each other on the inner wall of the round tube housing along an axial surface of the round tube housing or along a plane parallel to the axial surface; and when the base is inserted into the round tube housing, the inner wall of the round tube housing presses against at least a part of each of the first and second fixing portions of the base, and the first and second protrusions press against a first part close to the first long edge and a second part close to the second long edge in the first surface of the rectangular portion of the base, respectively.

According to still another aspect of the embodiment, a lamp is provided, including: the base and the round tube housing, a light emitting body arranged on the first surface of the rectangular portion of the base, a drive part for driving the light emitting body, a first end cap arranged at a first axial end of the round tube housing, and a second end cap arranged at a second axial end of the round tube housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawing that show, by way of illustration, specific details and embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced.

A base5and a round tube housing1′ according to an embodiment of the disclosure are described hereinafter by referring toFIGS. 2 to 4.

FIG. 2illustrates schematically a cross section view of the base5according to the embodiment of the disclosure,FIG. 3illustrates schematically a cross section view of the base5and the round tube housing1′ according to the embodiment of the disclosure before being matched, andFIG. 4illustrates schematically a cross section view of the base5and the round tube housing1′ according to the embodiment of the disclosure after being matched.

As shown inFIGS. 2 to 4, the base5includes a rectangular portion6, a right fixing portion7aand a left fixing portion7b.

SinceFIGS. 2 to 4are cross section views, the rectangular portion6extends for a certain length, i.e., the length of long edges of the rectangular portion, along a direction perpendicular to the paper.

A light emitting body is carried on an upper surface of the base6. For example, in the example shown inFIGS. 2 to 4, the light emitting body consists of a PCB3and a plurality of LEDs2. However, it should be understood that the light emitting body consisting of the PCB3and the plurality of LEDs2is only an example. As desired, the light emitting body may be any other light emitting component.

The right fixing portion7aextends from the right edge of the rectangular portion6, and the left fixing portion7bextends from the left edge of the rectangular portion6. When the base6is inserted into the round tube housing1′, each of the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7bpresses against the inner wall of the round tube housing1′, and a part9aclose to the right edge in the upper surface of the rectangular portion6and a lower surface of a right protrusion8aon the inner wall of the round tube housing1′ press against each other, a part9bclose to the left edge in the upper surface of a rectangular portion6and a lower surface of a left protrusion8bon the inner wall of the round tube housing1′ press against each other, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4.

The right protrusion8aand left protrusion8beach extend towards each other on the inner wall of the round tube housing1′ along the axial surface of the round tube housing1′ or a plane parallel to the axial surface, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4.

In the example shown inFIG. 2, the cross sections of the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7bare of arc shapes having a curvature less than that of the round cross section of the round tube housing1′. For example, the curvature of the arc shape of the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7bmay be slightly less than that of the round cross section of the round tube housing1′, such that the base5can be easily inserted into the round tube housing1′, and the pressing force between each of the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7band the round tube housing1′ is relatively small. Alternatively, the curvature of the arc shape of the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7bmay be much less than that of the round cross section of the round tube housing1′, such that right fixing portion7aand left fixing portion7bof the base5need to be bent more when inserted into the round tube housing1′, and the pressing force between each of the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7band the round tube housing1′ may increase accordingly.

The cross section of the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7bmay not necessarily be of arc shape. For example, in a cross section view, the right fixing portion7aand the rectangular portion6may form a certain angle (for example, 90 degrees), and the cross section of the right fixing portion7amay be of a straight plate shape (not shown), while the cross section of the left fixing portion7bmay be of a circular arc shape (as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3). Alternatively, in a cross section view, the left fixing portion7band the rectangular portion6may form a certain angle (for example, 90 degrees), and the cross section of the left fixing portion7bmay be of a straight plate shape (not shown), while the cross section of the right fixing portion7amay be of a circular arc shape (as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3). Alternatively, the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7beach extend from the respective edge of the rectangular portion6, and the cross sections of the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7bare both of a straight plate shape (not shown). It may be understood that if the cross sections of the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7bare both of a straight plate shape, when the base5is inserted into the round tube housing1′, the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7bmay not contact with the round tube housing1′ sufficiently. In other words, the contact area between the right fixing portion7aand the inner wall of the round tube housing1′ and the contact area between the left fixing portion7band the inner wall of the round tube housing1′ may be of linear shape. The contact areas of linear shape can still fix stably the base5to the round tube housing1′.

It may be understood that the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7bmay be of other shapes, even of irregular shapes, as long as at least a part of each of the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7bpresses against the inner wall of the round tube housing1′, and a part9aclose to the right long edge and a part9bclose to the left long edge in the upper surface of the rectangular portion6press against a right protrusion8aand a left protrusion8bon the inner wall of the round tube housing1′, respectively.

Preferably, the rectangular portion6, right fixing portion7aand left fixing portion7bmay be formed integrally. Optionally, the rectangular portion6, right fixing portion7aand left fixing portion7bmay be formed separately, then be joined, bonded or welded together.

In addition, the round tube housing1′ may be manufactured by an extrusion process. The round tube housing1′ may be made of appropriate material, for example, plastic (such as polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, etc.).

Preferably, the rectangular portion6, right fixing portion7aand left fixing portion7bmay be formed of metal such as copper, iron etc. For example, a metal sheet may be bent into the shape of the base5by a bending process.

Of course, the rectangular portion6, right fixing portion7aand left fixing portion7bmay be formed of other appropriate materials, for example, plastic (such as polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate etc.). For example, the plastic may be manufactured into the shape of the base5by an extrusion process.

A lamp L including a base5and a round tube housing1′ according to the embodiment of the disclosure will be described hereinafter by referring toFIG. 5.

FIG. 5is an exploded view illustrating schematically the lamp L including the base5and the round tube housing1′ according to the embodiment of the disclosure. As shown inFIG. 5, the lamp L may include the round tube housing1′, the base5, a light emitting body (for example, PCB3on which a plurality of LEDs2are mounted) arranged on the rectangular portion of the base5, a drive11for driving the light emitting body, and two end caps10. In the mounted lamp L, each of the two end caps10is arranged at a respective axial end of the round tube housing1′.

Optionally, the lamp L as shown inFIG. 5may further include two rings12which may cover the internal structure of the end caps10and make the lamp L look better.

Although the light emitting body in lamp L shown inFIG. 5is the PCB3on which the plurality of LEDs2are mounted, as desired, the light emitting body may be any other appropriate light emitting component.

Although the base5may have longer size, since the base5has one rectangular portion6and the two fixing portions (that is, the right fixing portion7aand left fixing portion7b), the base portion5will not tend to bend either before or after the base portion5is inserted into the round tube housing1′.

In addition, in the case where the base5is made of metal, since the thermal conductivity of metal is high, metal may conduct heat from the light emitting body (for example the light emitting body including the LEDs2and PCB3) to the round tube housing1′ such that the heat will not gather in the vicinity of the light emitting body. By way of such a design, the lifetime of the light emitting body will be prolonged.

In the case where the cross sections of the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7bare both of arc shape, since the contact surface areas between each of the right fixing portion7aand the left fixing portion7band the round tube housing1′ are relatively big, the base5may be fixed to the round tube housing1′ better, and more heat from the light emitting body may be conducted to the round tube housing1′. By way of such a design, the lifetime of the light emitting body will be further prolonged.

In the Description, expressions such as “first”, “second”, “Nth” etc. are intended to distinguish the described features literally to describe the disclosure clearly. Therefore, they should not be regarded as having any restrictive meaning.

Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments of the process, device, means, methods and steps described in the Description. As one of ordinarily skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure contained in the disclosure, processes, devices, means, methods or steps currently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein, may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, devices, means, methods, or steps.