Patent Abstract:
An exemplary semiconductor solid-state light-source module includes a printed circuit board, at least one semiconductor solid state light source mounted on the printed circuit board and a light guide plate optically coupled to the semiconductor solid state light source. The printed circuit board includes a protrusion and a recess. The protrusion is configured for engaging with a recess of the printed circuit board of another similar semiconductor solid-state light-source module.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to the following commonly-assigned copending application: Ser. No. 12/100,294, entitled “LIGHT EMITTING DIODE BASED ILLUMINATION DEVICE”. Disclosures of the above-identified application are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention generally relates to semiconductor solid-state light-source modules and semiconductor solid state light source assemblies having the same. 
     2. Discussion of Related Art 
     Nowadays, conventional display modules generally employ cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) as light source. A display module generally includes a lamp case, and at least one CCFL arranged therein. However, the CCFL is bulky and not environmental friendly. 
     Light emitting diode (LED) has been used extensively as light source for display modules due to its pollution free, high luminous efficiency and small size. A conventional display module usually includes a plurality of LEDs arranged on a printed circuit board with high density to form an LED array. According to different requirements, the LED array may have different sizes. If a portion of the LED array malfunctions, then the whole LED arrays must be replaced, this is expensive. 
     Therefore, what is needed is a semiconductor solid-state light-source module that overcomes the above described shortcomings. 
     SUMMARY 
     A semiconductor solid-state light-source module, in accordance with a present embodiment, is provided. The semiconductor solid-state light-source module includes a printed circuit board, at least one semiconductor solid state light source mounted on the printed circuit board and a light guide plate optically coupled to the semiconductor solid state light source. The printed circuit board includes a protrusion and a recess. The protrusion is configured for engaging with a recess of the printed circuit board of another similar semiconductor solid-state light-source module. 
     Detailed features of the present semiconductor solid-state light-source module will become more apparent from the following detailed description and claims, and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present semiconductor solid-state light-source module 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 semiconductor solid-state light-source module. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic isometric view of a semiconductor solid-state light-source module, according to a first exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing a circuit of the semiconductor solid state light sources as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a printed circuit board of the semiconductor solid-state light-source module as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic isometric view of a semiconductor solid-state light-source module, according to a second exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing a circuit of the semiconductor solid state light sources as illustrated in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic isometric view of a semiconductor solid-state light-source module, according to a third exemplary embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing a circuit of the semiconductor solid state light sources as illustrated in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic isometric view of a semiconductor solid-state light-source module, according to a fourth exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view showing a circuit of the semiconductor solid state light sources as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the embodiments of the present semiconductor solid-state light-source module, in detail. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a semiconductor solid-state light-source module  10  according to a first exemplary embodiment is provided. The semiconductor solid-state light-source module  10  includes three semiconductor solid state light source cells  14  with the same configuration. 
     Each semiconductor solid state light source cell  14  includes a printed circuit board  13 , three semiconductor solid state light sources  18  and a light guide plate  16 . Each semiconductor solid state light sources  18  has a light emitting surface. The light emitting surface of each of the semiconductor solid state light sources  18  faces toward the light guide plate  16 . 
     Particularly referring to  FIG. 3 , the printed circuit board  13  includes a power interface  131 , a first protrusion  132 , a second protrusion  133 , a first receptacle  134  opposite to the first protrusion  132 , and a second receptacle  135  opposite to the second protrusion  133 . The power interface  131  is electrically connected to an external power supply (not illustrated). 
     Each semiconductor solid state light source  18  includes a positive electrode  181  and a negative electrode  182  (see  FIG. 2 ). The three semiconductor solid state light sources  18  are electrically connected in series and cooperatively form a light source module. The light source module is electrically connected between an external controlling unit  100  and the power interface  131 . 
     The semiconductor solid state light source cells  14  connect to each other by the engagement of protrusions and receptacles. The semiconductor solid state light source cells  14  can be powered on or powered off by triggers signals sent from the external controlling unit  100  so that the semiconductor solid state light source cell  14  is capable of representing different states according to the trigger signals. 
     Due to engagement of the protrusions  132 ,  133  and the receptacles  134 ,  135 , a plurality of semiconductor solid state light source cells  14  can be detachably connected together and thereby facilitate display function. When an individual semiconductor solid state light source cell  14  fails to work, it can be disassembled and replaced individually. 
     It is to be said that, the number of the semiconductor solid state light source cells  14  of the semiconductor solid-state light-source module  10  can also be one, two, four, five or more, and each of the semiconductor solid state light source cell  14  can also includes two, four, five, or more semiconductor solid state light sources  18  electrically connected in series. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4  or  FIG. 5 , a semiconductor solid-state light-source module  20  according to a second exemplary embodiment is provided. The semiconductor solid-state light-source module  20  has a configuration similar to the semiconductor solid-state light-source module  10 . The semiconductor solid-state light-source module  20  includes three semiconductor solid state light source cells  24  with the same configuration. Each semiconductor solid state light source cell  24  includes a printed circuit board  13  and three semiconductor solid state light sources  18 . 
     The difference is that, each semiconductor solid state light source cell  24  further includes three light guide plates  26 , each of which arranged on a respective light emitting surface of the three semiconductor solid state light sources  18 . The three semiconductor solid state light sources  18  are electrically connected in parallel. Each positive electrode  181  of the semiconductor solid state light sources  18  is connected to the external controlling unit  100  and each negative electrode  182  of the semiconductor solid state light sources  18  is connected to the power interface  131 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , a semiconductor solid-state light-source module  30  according to a third exemplary embodiment is provided. The semiconductor solid-state light-source module  30  has a configuration similar to the semiconductor solid-state light-source module  20 . The semiconductor solid-state light-source module  30  includes three semiconductor solid state light source cells  34  with the same configuration. Each semiconductor solid state light source cell  34  includes a printed circuit board  13 , three semiconductor solid state light sources  18  and three light guide plates  36 . Each of the three light guide plates  36  is arranged on a respective light emitting surface of the semiconductor solid state light sources  18 . 
     The difference is that each of the semiconductor solid state light source cells  34  further includes three controller chips  38 . Each controller chip  38  includes a signal input port  381  and a signal output port  382 . Each of the signal input port  381  is connected to a respective positive electrode  181  of the semiconductor solid state light sources  18 . Each of the signal output port  382  is connected to a respective negative electrode  182  of the semiconductor solid state light sources  18 . The negative electrodes  182  of the semiconductor solid state light sources  18  are connected to the power interface  131 . 
     When the signal input ports  381  receive trigger signals sent by the external controlling unit  100 , the signal output ports  382  each outputs a controlling signal to the corresponding semiconductor solid state light source  18  according to the trigger signals, thereby the semiconductor solid state light sources  18  represents different states. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 , a semiconductor solid-state light-source module  40  according to a fourth exemplary embodiment is provided. The semiconductor solid-state light-source module  40  has a configuration similar to the semiconductor solid-state light-source module  30 . The semiconductor solid-state light-source module  40  includes three semiconductor solid state light source cells  44  with the similar configuration. 
     The difference is that the three semiconductor solid state light source cells  44  include a community controller chip  48  and a community light guide plate  46 . The controller chip  48  is respectively connected to the positive electrodes  181  of the semiconductor solid state light sources  18 . The negative electrodes  182  of the semiconductor solid state light sources  18  are connected to the power interface  131 . The light emitting surface of each of the semiconductor solid state light sources  18  faces towards the light guide plate  46 . 
     Finally, it is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate rather than limit the invention. Variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. The above-described embodiment illustrates the scope of the invention but do not restrict the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5