Patent Publication Number: US-2017363256-A1

Title: Light-emitting diode connection module

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Taiwanese Patent Application No. 105119031 filed on Jun. 17, 2016 in the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     FIELD 
     The subject matter herein generally relates to a light-emitting diodes. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are widely used in lighting applications. 
     The connection module for an LED is usually embedded in a container. Currently, a plurality of LED connection units in the LED connection module is irregularly arranged, resulting in low efficiency in the space used. Additionally, the current assembly of a housing and an LED pillar of the LED connection unit is also inconvenient. 
     SUMMARY 
     An LED connection module that can effectively use container space and can be easily assembled is disclosed. 
     The LED connection module comprises a plurality of LED connection units. Each of the LED connection unit comprises an LED pillar and a housing connected to the LED pillar. The LED pillar comprises a plug. The housing comprises an upper surface and at least one lateral surface. The at least one lateral surface is perpendicular to the upper surface. The housing comprises a socket. The upper surface comprises a depression. The housing is substantially hollow. The socket is defined on the upper surface of the housing. The socket extends from the depression of the upper surface to an interior portion of the substantially hollow housing. The plug is matching with the shape of the socket to control a power-on mode and a power-off mode of the LED pillar by way of plugging and unplugging. The housing comprises at least one magnet. The at least one magnet is located inside the housing. The at least one magnet is close to the at least one lateral surface. The housings are attached to each other by interaction forces of the magnets. 
     The LED connection module (1) uses magnets to make a plurality of LED connection units attach to each other, and minimizes the volume and more effectively uses the space of a container; (2) allows the assembly of the LED pillar to the housing of the LED connection unit to be simpler and easier by simply connecting the LED pillar of the LED connection module through the plug and the socket. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an LED connection module according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an LED connection unit of the LED connection module in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view along line of the LED connection unit in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along line IV-IV of the LED connection unit in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the exemplary embodiments described herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the exemplary embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. 
     The term “inside” indicates that at least a portion of a region is partially contained within a boundary formed by an object. The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series, and the like. 
     The LED connection module  100  of the present exemplary embodiment will be further described in combination with  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4  show a first exemplary embodiment of an LED connection module  100 . The LED connection module  100  comprises a plurality of LED connection units  10 . In this exemplary embodiment, the LED connection module  100  comprises 6 LED connection units  10 . The 6 LED connection units  10  are attached to each other. 
     The LED connection unit  10  comprises at least one LED pillar  11 , at least one 
     LED light source  12 , and a housing  13  connected to the LED pillar  11 . In this exemplary embodiment, one LED pillar  11  supports one LED light source  12 . 
     The LED pillar  11  comprises a head  111 , a light-guiding pillar  112 , a reflecting layer  113 , and a plug  114 . The LED pillar  112  comprises a first end  1121  and a second end  1122  opposite to the first end  1121 . The first end  1121  and the second end  1122  are separately located at two ends of the light-guiding pillar  112 . The head  111  is formed at the first end  1121  of the light-guiding pillar  112 ; and the plug  114  is formed at the second end  1122  of the light-guiding pillar  112 . In this exemplary embodiment, the LED light source  12  is arranged inside the housing  13  and faces the plug  114 . The head  111  is made of transparent or translucent material, such as polycarbonate (PC). 
     The LED light-guiding pillar  112  is used to transmit light. The material of light-guiding pillar is one of the following: PC, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), or the like. In this exemplary embodiment, the material of LED light-guiding pillar  112  is PC. 
     The shape of light-guiding pillar  112  can be cylindrical, prismatic, or other shape. 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the light-guiding pillar  112  is cylindrical. 
     The light-reflecting layer  113  is coated around the light-guiding pillar  112  to prevent light leakage. The light-reflecting layer  113  is made of light-reflecting material. 
     The plug  114  is made of light-guiding material, such as PC, PMMA, or the like. The outer surface of the plug  114  is also coated with a light-reflecting layer to prevent light leakage. In this exemplary embodiment, the material of the plug  114  is PC. 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the housing  13  is a cuboid. The housing  13  comprises an upper surface  131  and a lower surface  132  opposite to the upper surface  131 . The housing  13  further comprises a first lateral surface  133 , a second lateral surface  134 , a third lateral surface  135 , and a fourth lateral surface  136 . The first lateral surface  133  perpendicularly intersects the upper surface  131  and the lower surface  132 . The second lateral surface  134  perpendicularly intersects the first lateral surface  133 . The third lateral surface  135  is arranged opposite to the first lateral surface  133  and perpendicularly intersects the second lateral surface  134 . The fourth lateral surface  136  is arranged opposite to the second lateral surface  134  and perpendicularly intersects the third lateral surface  135  and the first lateral surface  133 . 
     The housing  13  comprises a socket  137 , and the housing  13  is substantially hollow. The socket  137  is defined on the upper surface  131 . The upper surface  131  comprises a depression. The socket  137  extends from the depression of the upper surface  131  to an interior portion of the housing  13 . The socket  137  extends downward from the upper surface  131  to the lower surface  132 . The socket  137  matches the shape of the plug  114  to control a power-on mode and a power-off mode of the LED pillar  11  by way of plugging and unplugging. The plug  114  is connected to the socket  137  by a simple audio-type connection, and the plug  114  can be plugged and unplugged freely for plug-and-play. The plug  114  has a diameter of about 2.5 mm to about 3.5 mm. 
     Additionally, the length of the LED pillar  11  can be changed according to the actual needs of users. 
     The housing  13  comprises at least one magnets. The at least one magnet is located inside the housing  13 . The at least one magnet is close to the lateral surface of the housing  13 . 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the housing  13  comprises four magnets. The four magnets includes a first magnet  14 , a second magnet  15 , a third magnet  16 , and a fourth magnet  17 . All of the first magnet  14 , the second magnet  15 , the third magnet  16 , and the fourth magnet  17  are respectively positioned on the first lateral surface  133 , the second lateral surface  134 , the third lateral surface  135 , and the fourth lateral surface  136 . The first magnet  14  is positioned on the first lateral surface  133 . The second magnet  15  is positioned on the second lateral surface  134 . The third magnet  16  is positioned on the third lateral surface  135 . The fourth magnet  17  is positioned on the fourth lateral surface  136 . 
     The housings  13  of the plurality of the LED connection units  10  are attached to each other both laterally and longitudinally by the interaction forces of magnets between the lateral surfaces. Together, the plurality of the LED connection units  10  forms the LED connection module  100 . Specifically, the first lateral surface  133  or the third lateral surface  135  of one housing  13  is attached to the first lateral surface  133  or the third lateral surface  135  of another housing  13  by the first magnet  14  or the third magnet  16 . The second lateral surface  134  or the fourth lateral surface  136  of one housing  13  is attached to the second lateral surface  134  or the fourth lateral surface  136  of another housing  13  by the second magnet  15  or the fourth magnet  17 . 
     The housing  13  further includes at least one battery module  18 . In this exemplary embodiment, the battery module  18  comprises two 1.5V batteries that function as the electric power source of the whole LED connection unit  10 . The housing  13  includes other electric components, such as circuit board (not shown in the figures). 
     In this exemplary embodiment, the LED light source  12  is constantly emitting light when the plug  114  is plugged into the socket  137 . When there is a need to light up the head  111 , the plug  114  of the LED pillar  11  is plugged into the socket  137  of the housing  13 , and the head  111  of the LED pillar  11  is illuminated. When there is no need for light, the plug  114  of the LED pillar  11  is unplugged from the socket  137  of the housing  13 , and the head  111  of the LED pillar  11  is not illuminated. 
     In other exemplary embodiment, an on/off switch is included to control the LED light source  12 . The on/off switch is located on the housing  13  to control the power-on mode and the power-off mode of the LED light source  12 . Specifically, when there is a need to light up the head  111 , the switch is turned on. When there is no need to light up the head  111 , the switch is turned off. For portability and convenience, the LED pillar  11  can still be unplugged from the socket  137  and plugged again when necessary. 
     A second exemplary embodiment provides an LED connection module. The LED connection module of the second exemplary embodiment is substantially similar to the LED connection module  100  of the first exemplary embodiment. The difference is that the LED light source of the LED connection module of the second exemplary embodiment is located at the head of the LED connection module. In the second exemplary embodiment, the LED light source is electrically connected to the plug of the LED connection unit through a conducting wire. When the plug is plugged into the socket of the LED connection unit, the LED light source is then electrically connected to the circuit board in the housing. 
     The LED connection module of this disclosure (1) uses magnets to make a plurality of LED connection units attach to each other, and more effectively uses container space; and (2) allows the LED pillar to be freely plugged into and unplugged from the socket for plug-and-play by the connection of the plug and the socket. Further, (3) the length of the LED pillar can be changed according to the actual needs of users without changing the structure of the plug of the LED pillar, hence reducing the manufacture cost of the LED connection unit. 
     The exemplary embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Many details are often found in the art such as the other features of an LED connection module. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the exemplary embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims.