Patent Publication Number: US-2013242576-A1

Title: Light emitting apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a light emitting apparatus that may be easy to assemble, and more particularly, to a light emitting apparatus that may mutually connect a plurality of units through a single assembly process. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Recent development of semiconductor technology is increasing use and application of a high-performance light emitting diode (LED) in various fields. For example, the LED is applied to a backlight unit of a display device, and lighting systems such as incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lamps, and road lamps. 
     The LED achieves a long lifespan and expends a low amount of power, thereby reducing costs for maintenance and repair. However, since deterioration of the LED may be caused by a thermal stress, the LED is provided with a heat emitting means such as a heat sink. Accordingly, there is a desire for research into improving efficiency in assembly of a plurality of parts including a heat emitting means in a light emitting apparatus employing the LED. 
     SUMMARY 
     Provided is a light emitting apparatus that may improve assembly efficiency of a plurality of units, and may ensure secure safety in use of the light emitting apparatus. 
     An aspect of the present invention provides a light emitting apparatus including a body unit, a control unit configured to control a light emitting diode (LED), a heat emitting unit configured to emit heat of the LED, and an assembly unit configured to mutually connect the control unit and the heat emitting unit to the body unit. 
     The assembly unit may include a plurality of assembly members fixed to the body unit, jointly through the control unit and the heat emitting unit, and one of the plurality of assembly members may be configured to apply an electric current mutually to the control unit and the heat emitting unit. 
     The assembly unit may include at least one first assembly member configured to fix the control unit and the heat emitting unit to the body unit, in a state in which an electric current may be not applied mutually to the control unit and the heat emitting unit, and at least one second assembly member configured to connect the control unit and the heat emitting unit to the body unit, in a state in which an electric current may be applied mutually to the control unit and the heat emitting unit. 
     The assembly unit may include at least one first assembly member connected to the body unit through at least one first assembly hole and at least one second assembly hole which may be formed to each of the control unit and the heat emitting unit to be interconnected with each other, and out of contact with the at least one first assembly hole and the at least one second assembly hole, and at least one second assembly member connected to the body unit through at least one third assembly hole and at least one fourth assembly hole which may be formed to each of the control unit and the heat emitting unit to be interconnected with each other, and in contact with a partial area of the at least one fourth assembly hole to apply an electric current mutually to the control unit and the heat emitting unit. 
     The assembly unit may include at least one first assembly member connected to at least one first assembly recess formed in the body unit, through at least one first assembly hole and at least one second assembly hole which may be formed to each of the control unit and the heat emitting unit to be interconnected with each other, and out of contact with the at least one first assembly hole and the at least one second assembly hole, and at least one second assembly member connected to at least one second assembly recess formed in the body unit, through at least one third assembly hole and at least one fourth assembly hole which may be formed to each of the control unit and the heat emitting unit to be interconnected with each other, and in contact with a partial area of the at least one fourth assembly hole to apply an electric current mutually to the control unit and the heat emitting unit. Here, the at least one fourth assembly hole may include an inclined surface that may be inclined in a direction in which the at least one fourth assembly hole may be in contact with the at least one second assembly member, and a contact surface, extending from the inclined surface, to be in contact with the at least one second assembly member. 
     The assembly unit may include at least one first assembly member connected to the body unit through at least one first assembly hole and at least one second assembly hole which may be formed to each of the control unit and the heat emitting unit to be interconnected with each other, and out of contact with the at least one first assembly hole and the at least one second assembly hole, and at least one second assembly member connected to the body unit through at least one third assembly hole and at least one fourth assembly hole which may be formed to each of the control unit and the heat emitting unit to be interconnected with each other, and in contact with a partial area of the at least one fourth assembly hole to apply an electric current mutually to the control unit and the heat emitting unit. The at least one fourth hole may include a curved surface that may be curved towards the at least one second assembly member or a projection that may protrude towards the at least one second assembly member, to be in contact with the at least one second assembly member 
     Another aspect of the present invention also provides a light emitting apparatus including a body unit, a control unit connected to the body unit to control an LED, a heat emitting unit connected to the body unit to emit heat generated by the LED, and an assembly unit configured to mutually connect the control unit and the heat emitting unit to the body unit, and to ground the control unit. 
     The assembly unit may include a plurality of assembly members fixed to the body unit, jointly through the control unit and the heat emitting unit, and one of the plurality of assembly members may apply an electric current mutually to the control unit and the heat emitting unit. 
     The assembly unit may include at least one first assembly member connected to the body unit, jointly through the control unit and the heat emitting unit, and out of contact with the control unit and the heat emitting unit, and at least one second assembly member connected to the body unit, jointly through the control unit and the heat emitting unit, in a state in which an electric current may be applied mutually to the control unit and the heat emitting unit. 
     The assembly unit may include a first assembly member connected to the body unit through at least one first assembly hole and at least one second assembly hole which may be formed to each of the control unit and the heat emitting unit to be interconnected with each other, and out of contact with the at least one first assembly hole and the at least one second assembly hole, and a second assembly member connected to the body unit through at least one third assembly hole and at least one fourth assembly hole which may be formed to each of the control unit and the heat emitting unit to be interconnected with each other, and in contact with a partial area of the at least one fourth assembly hole to apply an electric current mutually to the control unit and the heat emitting unit. Here, the at least one fourth assembly hole may include at least one of an inclined surface that may be inclined towards the second assembly member, a curved surface that may be curved towards the second assembly member, or a projection that may protrude towards the second assembly member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and/or other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a light emitting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the light emitting apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1  may be assembled; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a variation on a fourth assembly hole illustrated in  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view illustrating another variation on the fourth assembly hole illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. Exemplary embodiments are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures. 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view illustrating a light emitting apparatus  1  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the light emitting apparatus  1  may include a body unit  10 , a control unit  20 , a heat emitting unit  30 , and an assembly unit  40 . 
     Herein, the light emitting apparatus  1  will be explained as a lamp employing a light emitting diode (LED) L, however, it is not limited thereto. 
     The body unit  10  may correspond to a body of the light emitting apparatus  1  that may support predetermined built-in parts. The body unit  10  may be formed of a material such as plastic that is easy to mold and process, however, the material is not limited thereto. 
     The control unit  20  may be connected to the body unit  10  to control the LED L. The control unit  20  may correspond to a metal cored printed circuit board (MCPCB) which may correspond to an insulating substrate and to which the LED L may be mounted. The control unit  20  may be installed at a front side of the body unit  10 , that is, in a direction in which light may be radiated. 
     The heat emitting unit  30  may be connected to the body unit  10  to emit heat generated by the LED L. That is, the heat emitting unit  30  may prevent problems, such as damage and a decrease in safety, due to the body unit  10  being heated by the heat generated by the LED L, and may also prevent other parts supported by the body unit  10  from being interfered with by the heat. 
     Various heat emitting means may be employed for the heat emitting unit  30 , and in the present embodiments, the heat emitting unit  30  may correspond to a heat sink. 
     The assembly unit  40  may mutually connect the control unit  20  and the heat emitting unit  30  to the body unit  10 . In particular, the assembly unit  40  may sequentially connect the heat emitting unit  30  and the control unit  20  in the front side of the body unit  10 . The assembly unit  40  may include a first assembly member  41  and a second assembly member  42 . The first assembly member  41  may be connected to a first assembly recess  11  of the body unit  10  through a first assembly hole  43  and a second assembly hole  44  that may be formed to the control unit  20  and the heat emitting unit  30  to be interconnected with each other, and out of contact with the heat emitting unit  30 , thereby connecting the control unit  20  and the heat emitting unit  30  to the body unit  10 . In this instance, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the first assembly member  41  may be connected to the body unit  10 , in a state of being out of the contact with the first assembly hole  43  and the second assembly hole  44 . Accordingly, the first assembly member  41  may connect the control unit  20  and the heat emitting unit  30 , which may have different material properties with respect to the body unit  10 , to the body unit  10  through a single assembly process. As to the first assembly member  41 , at least one first assembly member  41  may be provided, and in the present embodiments, two first assembly members  41  may be provided as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     One end of the first assembly member  41  may be in contact with the control unit  20  that may be laminated on the uppermost portion, and the other end of the first assembly member  41  may correspond to a screw to be connected to the body unit  10  through the control unit  20  and the heat emitting unit  30 , sequentially. 
     The second assembly member  42  may connect the control unit  20  and the heat emitting unit  30  to the body unit, in a state of being in contact with the heat emitting unit  30 . As to the second assembly member  42 , at least one second assembly member  42  may be provided, and in the present embodiments, a single second assembly member  42  may be provided as shown in  FIG. 1 . Similar to the first assembly member  41 , one end of the second assembly member  42  may be in contact with the control unit  20  that may be laminated on the uppermost portion, and the other end of the second assembly member  42  may correspond to a screw to be connected to the body unit  10  through the control unit  20  and the heat emitting unit  30 , sequentially. 
     The second assembly member  42  may be connected to a second assembly recess  12  formed to the body unit  10 , through at least one third assembly hole  45  and at least one fourth assembly hole  46  that may be formed on each of the control unit  20  and the heat emitting unit  30 . In this instance, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the second assembly member  42  may be connected to the body unit  10  in a state of being in contact with the fourth assembly hole  46  formed on the heat emitting unit  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the fourth assembly hole  46  may include an inclined surface  47  formed on an entry side of the fourth assembly hole  46 , towards the second assembly member  42 , based on an assembly direction of the second assembly member  42  entering the fourth assembly hole  46  after penetrating through the third assembly hole  45 . Also, the fourth assembly hole  46  may include a contact surface  48 , extending from the inclined surface  47 , to be in contact with the second assembly member  42 . When the second assembly member  42  is connected to the second assembly recess  12  in a state of being in contact with at least a partial area of the fourth assemble hole  46 , by the inclined surface  47  of the fourth assembly hole  46 , friction occurring when the second assembly member  42  is in contact with the heat emitting unit  30  may be reduced. Here, an angle of inclination of the inclined surface  47  of the fourth assembly hole  46  and a surface area of the contact surface  48  are not limited to examples illustrated in the foregoing. 
     As aforementioned, when the second assembly member  42  is in contact with the heat emitting unit  30  through the fourth assembly hole  46 , an electric current may be applied mutually to the control unit  20  and the heat emitting unit, in so doing the control unit  20  may be grounded. 
     A shape of the fourth assembly hole  46 , through which the second assembly member  42  may penetrate in a state of being in contact with the fourth assembly hole  46 , is not limited to the shape including the inclined surface  47  and the contact surface  48 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the fourth assembly hole  46  may have a shape including a curved surface  47 ′ towards the second assembly member  42 . Accordingly, a variation in which the second assembly member  42  may be in contact with the fourth assembly hole  46  while occurring low friction may be possible. 
     Also, as shown in  FIG. 4 , another variation in which the fourth assembly hole  46  may include a projection  48 ′ protruding towards the second assembly member  42 , instead of the inclined surface  47 , may be possible. In this instance, the protruding projection  48 ′ may be formed to protrude at an exit side of the fourth assembly hole  46 , based on an assembly direction of the second assembly member  42 . Here, a cross section of the protruding projection  48 ′ may be “L”-shaped. In this instance, the projection  48 ′ of the fourth assembly hole  46  may be in contact with the second assembly member  42 , in so doing an electric current may be applied mutually. 
     Although not shown in detail, the fourth assembly hole  46  may be formed in various other shapes so that friction occurring between the fourth assembly hole  46  and the second assembly member  42  may be reduced, and an electric current may be applied mutually to the control unit  20  and the heat emitting unit  30 , as well. The various other shapes may include, for example, a convex shape, and a peak shape. That is, a diversity of variations in which only a partial area of an inner surface of the fourth assembly hole  46  may be in contact with the second assembly member  42  may be possible. 
     An assembly operation of the light emitting apparatus  1  structured as described in the foregoing will be described with reference to  FIG. 1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the heat emitting unit  30  and the control unit  20  may be positioned to be laminated sequentially on an upper portion of the body unit  10 , and the first assembly member  41  may be connected to the first assembly recess  11  through the first assembly hole  43  and the second assembly hole  44 . In addition, the second assembly member  42  may be connected to the second assembly recess  12  through the third assembly hole  45  and the fourth assembly hole  46 , in so doing the heat emitting unit  30  and the control unit  20  may be connected and fixed to the body unit  10 . 
     In this instance, the second assembly member  42  may be connected to the body unit  10  in a state of being in contact with the contact surface  48  of the fourth assembly hole  46 . Accordingly, an electric current may be applied mutually to the control unit  20  and the heat emitting unit  30 , in so doing the control unit  20  may be grounded. 
     According to the foregoing structure, the body unit, the control unit, and the heat emitting unit may be connected through a single assembly process, thereby improving assembly efficiency. 
     Also, improvement of assembly efficiency may lead to improvement of economical efficiency, as well as maintenance and repair. 
     Also, at least one of the plurality of assembly members may be in contact with the heat emitting unit to apply an electric current mutually to the control unit and the heat emitting unit, and the control unit may be grounded, thereby improving safety. 
     Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, the present invention is not limited to the described exemplary embodiments. Instead, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made to these exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.