Source: https://patents.justia.com/patent/7344296
Timestamp: 2019-06-27 03:58:58
Document Index: 542698787

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 1000', 'arts 1000', 'arts 1000', 'Application No. 2003', 'arts 611', 'arts 611', 'art 611', 'arts 611', 'art 1000', 'arts 620', 'arts 611', 'arts 612', 'arts 612', 'arts 612', 'art 620', 'arts 620', 'art 620', 'arts 620', 'art 620', 'arts 620', 'art 620', 'arts 620', 'art 620', 'arts 612', 'art 620', 'art 620', 'arts 620', 'arts 620', 'arts 620', 'art 620', 'arts 620', 'art 620', 'art 620', 'arts 620', 'arts 620', 'arts 620', 'art 620', 'arts 620', 'art 1000', 'arts 620', 'arts 1000', 'art 734', 'art 730', 'art 734', 'art 730', 'art 734', 'arts 720', 'art 730', 'arts 720', 'arts 720', 'arts 720', 'arts 833', 'art 830', 'arts 833', 'art 830', 'arts 810', 'arts 833', 'arts 833', 'arts 833', 'arts 833', 'arts 833', 'art 830', 'arts 833', 'arts 810', 'arts 833', 'arts 912', 'arts 912', 'arts 912']

US Patent for Socket for led light source and lighting system using the socket Patent (Patent # 7,344,296 issued March 18, 2008) - Justia Patents Search
Justia Patents Push To EngageUS Patent for Socket for led light source and lighting system using the socket Patent (Patent # 7,344,296)
Socket for led light source and lighting system using the socket
Feb 2, 2004 - Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
The socket 2020 has grooves 2021 in which side parts 1000a and 1000b of the LED card 1000 can be engaged. The user mounts the LED card 1000 by inserting the side parts 1000a and 1000b of the LED card 1000 into the grooves 2021 of the socket 2020, and sliding the LED card 1000 from the peripheral part to the central part of the socket 2020. In lighting systems, a light source is usually to be positioned at the center. In the lighting system 2000 with the above-described construction, therefore, the LED card 1000 is to be slid to a predetermined position along the grooves 2021 of the socket 2020, so that the LED card 1000 as its light source is positioned at the center.
To remove the LED card 1000 from the lighting system 2000 for such reasons as its life being expired, the user is required to slide the LED card 1000 along the grooves 2021 from the central part toward the peripheral part of the case 2002. This removing operation can be difficult for the user because the lighting system 2000 is often placed in an area of limited accessibility such as on the ceiling. In particular, if the user tries to remove the LED card 1000 by uncomfortable body positioning such as stretching his or her arms or bending his or her body, the side parts 1000a and 1000b of the LED card 1000 may get stuck in the grooves 2021, thereby increasing the burden on the user involved in the replacement operation. Accordingly, the lighting system 2000 needs to be improved to enable an easy replacement operation of the LED card 1000.
The LED card 1000 includes a metal base substrate 1003 with good heat-releasing properties (for example, with dimensions of 28.5 mm (length)*23.5 mm (width)*1.2 mm (thickness)). The metal base substrate 1003 is formed by laminating a mount layer 1032 and a metal layer 1031. The mount layer 1032 has a light source unit 1002 and LED feeding terminals 1001a to 1001n mounted thereon, and has a thickness of 0.2 mm. The metal layer 1031 is made of aluminum or the like, and has a thickness of 1.0 mm. the metal layer 1031 is provided for the purpose of enhancing the heat-releasing effect.
The following describes a detailed construction of the LED card 1000. As a cross sectional view of the LED card 1000 is shown in FIG. 15B, the light source unit 1002 includes an 8 by 8 matrix of 64 LED elements 1010 and an aluminum reflector plate 1020. Each LED bare chip 1013 is contained in a semi spherical resin lens with a diameter of 2 mm. The lens containing each LED bare chip 1013 is partially embedded in the aluminum reflector plate 1020 in such a manner that a gradient surface is formed to surround the LED element 1010. As shown in FIGS. 15C and 15D, a phosphor and resin 1012 is coated on each LED bare chip 1013, and a silicone resin or an epoxy resin is filled on the phosphor+resin coating to form a resin lens 1011 (a detailed construction of the LED card 1000 is described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2003-124528). It should be noted here that the mount layer 1032 is wider than the light source unit 1002, and that margins are left around the light source unit 1002. The LED elements 1010 are arranged appropriately in such a manner that some are in series and others are in parallel, and are electrically connected to the feeding terminals 1001a to 1001n. The feeding terminals 1001a to 1001n are respectively connected to elastic contact units 162a to 162n of an external terminal 16 of the socket 1.
On the back surface of the socket 1, a feeding terminal unit 15 is provided along one side of the opening unit 110, at such positions corresponding to the feeding terminals 1001a to 1001n of the LED card 1000. The feeding terminal unit 15 has a construction where a terminal holding member 150 (an insulating housing) made of a resin material, such as liquid crystal polymer and a heat resistant and flame retardant material, supports the external terminal 16. The external terminal 16 is made of phosphor bronze having high electric conductivity and high durability against insertion and removal operations. The feeding terminal unit 15 has elastic contact units 162a to 162n projected in the direction where the opening unit 110 is positioned. The elastic contact units 162a to 162n are warped in the thickness direction of the socket 1. Together with the elastic pressing units 14R, 14L, and 14C, the elastic contact units 162a to 162n produce the effect of pressing the LED card 1000 against the heat sink 3000. The elastic contact units 162a to 162n are electrically connected to the external terminal 16 of the LED card 1000. External contact units 161a to 161n of the feeding terminal unit 15 are projected externally from the socket 1, and receive power supply from an external power source. To be more specific, the external contact units 161a to 161n are connected to a well-known LED lighting circuit via a connector (not shown), are supplied with power, and are driven accordingly.
Here, the LED card 1000 comes in contact with the pressing contact units 142R, 143R, 142L, 143L, 142C, and 143C, and the elastic contact units 162a to 162n. Due to the elastic force of the three elastic pressing units 14R, 14L, and 14C and the elastic contact units 162a to 162n of the external terminal 16, the LED card 1000 is securely pressed against the main surface 3001 of the heat sink 3000. Here, the LED card 1000 is fixed, with receiving pressures applied by the three elastic pressing units 14R, 14L, and 14C, and the elastic contact units 162a to 162n in a range of 0.3 to 6.7 kg to the LED card 1000 overall, i.e., in a range of about 0.05 to 1.00 kg/cm2 inclusive. This range of pressures is determined by considering the optimum pressing effect and the mechanical strength of the substrate used for the LED card 1000. Due to this, the back surface of the LED card 1000 where the metal layer 1031 is formed favorably comes into contact with the heat sink 3000.
The lock supporting parts 611 are rectangular parts formed by cutting the corresponding parts of the lower member main unit 610 and bending the cut parts so as to be perpendicular to the main surface of the lower member main unit 610. The two lock supporting parts 611 are positioned symmetric to each other with a certain distance between them. In the two lock supporting part 611 respectively, guide openings 611a and 611b (611b not shown) that extend parallel to the main surface of the lower member main unit 610 are formed. A slide plate 630 is set on the lock supporting parts 611, to form a lock unit 63.
As shown in FIG. 9, the slide plate 630 has such a shape where two shorter sides and one longer side of a rectangular plate are bent in the perpendicular direction. The slide plate 630 has projections 631a and 631b formed respectively in the two shorter sides. The tips of the projections 631a and 631b are placed in the guide openings 611a and 611b. Due to this, the slide plate 630 is supported by the lower member main unit 610 in a freely slidable manner. With the sliding motion of the slide plate 630, the lock unit 63 can partially cover an edge part 1000c of the LED card 1000 set between arm parts 620b of the upper member 62, thereby indirectly locking the upper member 62. Here, the slide plate 630, with its height being appropriately set, can securely hold the LED card 1000 while appropriately pressing the LED card 1000 against the lower member 61.
Like the lock supporting parts 611, the upper member supporting parts 612 are also rectangular parts formed by cutting the corresponding parts of the lower member main unit 610 and bending the cut parts so as to be perpendicular to the main surface of the lower member main unit 610. The two upper member supporting parts 612 are positioned symmetric to each other with a certain distance between them. The upper member supporting parts 612 have a hinge axis 62a placed to extend in the direction of a shorter side of the lower member 61. On the hinge axis 62a, the upper member 62 can freely swing open and close.
Also, a plurality of screw holes 610a are formed in edge parts of the lower member main unit 610, to fix the lower member main unit 610 to the heat sink 2122 shown in FIG. 8 via screws.
The upper member 62 has a rectangular frame shape whose one side is missing, and is made from a member with a rectangular cross section whose one side to be positioned at the inside of the frame opening of the upper member 62 is missing. To be more specific, the upper member 62 includes a base part 620a and a pair of arm parts 620b extending respectively from both ends of the base part 620a in one direction. The upper member 62 has substantially the same size as the lower member 61 overall, and is formed to be in a rectangular shape whose one shorter side is cut off, with two longer sides of the rectangular shape corresponding to the arm parts 620b and the remaining shorter side of the rectangular shape corresponding to the base part 620a. An area surrounded by the two arm parts 620b and the base part 620a corresponds to an opening unit 600. The LED card 1000 is set between the arm parts 620b in a state where the light source unit 1002 is exposed through the opening unit 600.
Both ends of the base part 620a in its longitudinal direction are supported, on the hinge axis 62a, by the upper member supporting parts 612 of the lower member 61. In this way, the upper member 62 and the lower member 61 are combined together via the hinge. Inside the base part 620a, an external terminal unit 622 having the same construction as that described in the first to fifth embodiments is provided. To be more specific, the external terminal unit 622 includes a plurality of rectangular external terminals 622a to 622n and a terminal supporting member 622b. The external terminals 622a to 622n are to be electrically connected to feeding terminals 1001a to 1001n of the LED card 1000. The terminal supporting member 622b is made of insulating resin, and fixes the external terminals 622a to 622n, which are arranged in parallel, to the base part 620a.
As shown in FIG. 9, the arm parts 620b are formed to have a rectangular cross section whose one side is missing, and are placed so as to be symmetric to each other. The arm parts 620b having such cross sections serve as guide grooves for the LED card 1000, and also form a slot area through which the LED card 1000 is inserted. The LED card 1000 is guided through the guide grooves and set between the arm parts 620b. Within each arm part 620b, an elastic contact unit 621 is formed. The elastic contact units 621 are formed integrally as parts of the upper member 62. As shown in FIG. 9, the elastic contact units 621 are formed by cutting the corresponding parts of the plate used for the arm parts 620b into T shapes, and bending the T-shaped parts to form blade springs.
Further, at the tip of each arm part 620b, an elastic contact unit 620c is formed by folding a tip part of the arm part 620b inward. The elastic contact units 620c press edge parts of the LED card 1000 set between the arm parts 620b, to prevent the LED card 1000 from being dropped from the socket 6.
Between the lower member 61 and the upper member 62, springs 62b are placed around the hinge axis 62a. As shown in FIG. 9, both ends of each spring 62b respectively hold both the lower member 61 and the upper member 62. Due to this, pressures are normally (i.e., when the lock unit 63 is at an unlocked position) applied to the upper member 62 toward an open state. As shown in FIG. 9, a coil spring is suitable for use as the spring 62b.
As shown in FIG. 9, for the socket 6 where the upper member 62 is in a normal open state, i.e., where the arm parts 620b of the upper member 62 are lifted up, the user inserts the LED card 1000 between the arm parts 620b until the LED card 1000 reaches the base part 620a. Due to this user operation, the feeding terminals 1001a to 1001n of the LED card 1000 are electrically connected to the external terminals 622a to 622n placed within the upper member 62.
After setting the LED card 1000 in this way, the user then sways down the arm parts 620b of the upper member 62 on the hinge axis 62a, to press the upper member 62 against the lower member 61.
FIG. 10 shows a cross sectional view of the socket 6 in a state where the upper member 62 is pressed against the lower member 61. With the socket 6 being in this state, the user moves the slide plate 630 in the arrow direction as indicated by a broken line in FIG. 10, to lock the edge part 1000c of the LED card 1000. This completes the operation for mounting the LED card 1000.
In this way, the LED card 1000 can be mounted on the socket 6 by simply placing the upper member into an open state and inserting the LED card 1000 between the two arm parts 620b in the sixth embodiment. Accordingly, the mounting and replacing operations of the LED card 1000 can be remarkably simplified and the burden on the user can be drastically alleviated, as compared with conventional cases.
The LED card 1000 mounted in this way has its side parts 1000a and 1000b pressed against the lower member 61 by the elastic contact units 621 and 620c formed as blade springs. Therefore, the back surface of the LED card 1000 is pressed, in direct contact, against the heat-releasing sheet 613 placed on the lower member 61. Due to this, for the socket 6 relating to the sixth embodiment, heat generated in the LED card 1000 can be favorably conducted to the heat sink 2122 placed on the lower member 61 via the heat-releasing sheet 613 and the lower member 61, thereby producing a high heat-releasing effect.
Here, it is preferable to set the pressure applied by the elastic contact units 621, 620c, and the external terminals 622a to 622n to the LED card 1000 in such a range that does not damage the LED card 1000 and allows the LED card 1000 to be mounted and removed favorably by human hands. To be specific, it is preferable to set the pressure in a range of 0.05 to 1.00 kg/cm2 inclusive.
Further, the elastic contact units 621 and 620c are formed integrally as parts of the upper member 62, to reduce the number of components. In this way, another effect of reducing the manufacturing cost can be produced.
The base part 734 is a middle part of the lock main part 730. Both ends 733a and 733b of the base part 734 are supported on the hinge axis 732 in such a manner that the lock unit 73 can swing freely.
The lock projections 731 are formed by bending top parts of the lock main part 730 to extend in L-shapes from both ends of the base part 734 in the direction opposite to the direction where the lock lever 733 extends. The lock projections 731 are formed to be directly engaged in lock catches 723 of the arm parts 720b of the upper member 72 when the socket 7 is in a closed state.
It is preferable to provide the lock main part 730 with spring members equivalent to the springs 72b shown in FIG. 11, so that the lock unit 73 is pressed to sway in the bending direction of the lock protrusions 731. By doing so, the above locking effect can be improved further. On the contrary, the lock unit.73 may be pressed to swing in the direction opposite to the bending direction of the lock projections 731. By doing so, the upper member 72 can be more easily placed in an open state when the lock lever 733 is operated by the user.
The socket 7 having the above-described construction is first fixed to a heat sink (3000 or the like) using screw holes 710a formed in the lower member 71. Here, it is preferable to place a heat-releasing sheet (equivalent to 613) in the surface area of the heat sink that is exposed through the base opening unit 713 of the lower member 71.
To mount the LED card 1000 onto the socket 7, the user inserts the LED card 1000 in the grooves of the arm parts 720b of the upper member 72 and slides the LED card 1000 in the same manner as that described in the sixth embodiment.
As in the sixth embodiment, the elastic contact units 721 of the arm parts 720b press the edge parts of the LED card 1000 in the direction where the lower member 71 is positioned, and also, the LED card 1000 is electrically connected via the external terminals 722a to 722n held by the terminal holding member 722. Further, the light source unit 1002 of the LED card 1000 is exposed through the opening unit 700.
In this state, the user then sways down the upper member 72, and lifts the lock lever 733 of the lock unit 73 toward the upper member 72 while pressing the upper member 72 against the lower member 71. Due to this, the lock unit 73 sways on the hinge axis 732, and the lock projections 731 are directly engaged in the lock catches 723 of the arm parts 720b of the upper member 72.
Unlike in the case of the socket 7, the lower member main unit 810 is not a frame member in which a base opening unit is formed, but is a plate member. Instead, an area (card placement area) 814 in which an LED card is to be set is provided on the main surface of the lower member main unit 810. Also, a plurality of alignment projections 813 are formed on the main surface of the lower member main unit 810. The alignment projections 813 are formed by partially cutting the corresponding parts of the lower member main unit 810 and bending the cut parts so as to be perpendicular to the main surface of the lower member main unit 810. Further, a plurality of screw holes 810a are formed in the lower member main unit 810 to fix the lower member main unit 810 to a heat sink or the like.
The arm parts 833 are formed by cutting parts of the lock unit 83 into thin and long rectangular shapes to extend from both ends of the lock main part 830, and bending the cut parts in the direction where the card placement area 814 is positioned. It is preferable to set an angle at which the arm parts 833 are bent with respect to the lock main part 830 at 90° or larger. Notch parts 810b corresponding to the arm parts 833 are formed in the lower member main unit 810, so that the lock unit 83 can sway freely without its arm parts 833 being blocked by the lower member main unit 810.
The main unit 820 is formed by processing a plate member with high strength such as a stainless steel plate. The main unit 820 is a frame member in which a rectangular opening unit 82c is formed. Through the opening unit 82c, the light source unit 1002 of the LED card 1000 is exposed. The external terminal unit 822 having substantially the same construction as the external terminal units 622 and 722 is placed in the vicinity of one side of the rectangular opening unit 82c. On this side of the main unit 820, a hinge axis 82a is positioned. On the remaining three sides of the opening unit 82c, elastic contact units 821 having substantially the same construction as the elastic contact units 621 and 721 are formed by cutting the corresponding parts of the main unit 820 into T-shapes and bending the cut T-shaped parts inward.
The socket 8 having the above-described construction is fixed to the surface of the heat sink (3000 or the like) using a plurality of screw holes 810a.
Then, the user inserts the LED card 1000 into the socket in such a manner that the LED card 1000 is surrounded by the alignment projections 813. As shown in FIG. 13B, the base surface of the LED card 1000 comes in contact with the arm parts 833, pressing down the arm parts 833. Along with this motion of the arm parts 833, the lock main part 830 is pressed up, and the lock catch 823 is moved to cover the upper member 82. The arm parts 833 are finally fit in the notch parts 810b formed in the lower member main unit 810, so that the arm parts 833 are parallel to the flat surface of the lower member main unit 810.
To be more specific, the lower member 91 includes a lower member main unit 910 formed by processing a metal plate into a rectangular frame shape. The lower member main unit 910 has, in the vicinity of the rectangular base opening unit 914 formed therein, a pair of upper member supporting parts 912, a plurality of alignment projections 913, and a plurality of lock catches 931, which are formed by cutting and bending the corresponding parts of the lower member main unit 910. Reference numeral 92a in FIG. 14 represents a hinge axis, which is the same as the hinge axis described in the above embodiments, provided in each of the upper member supporting parts 912. In the lock catches 931, rectangular holes in which lock projections can be fit are formed.
The upper member 92 has a rectangular opening unit 92c through which the light source unit 1002 of the LED card 1000 is exposed, an external terminal unit 922, and the lock unit 93. At the upper member supporting parts 912, the upper member 92 and the lower member 91 are combined together on the hinge axis 92a.
The lock unit 93 includes a lock lever 930, the lock projections 923, and a hinge axis 933. The lock unit 93 is positioned to face the external terminal unit 922 placed in the vicinity of the rectangular opening unit 92c formed in the upper member main unit 920.
The lock lever 930 with the lock projections 923 is supported on the hinge axis 933 provided at inner both ends of the opening unit 92c of the upper member 92 in such a manner that the lock lever 930 can freely sway. Here, the lock lever 930 is positioned to externally extend from the upper member main unit 922. The lock projections 923 are positioned at the inner side of the upper member main unit 922. It should be noted here that the hinge axis 933 has a coil spring (not shown) that normally applies pressures in such a direction that causes the lock lever 930 to be lifted up.
The socket 9 having the above-described construction is fixed to the heat sink using screw holes 910a.
Alternatively, recessions may be formed in parts of the LED card 1000 other than the parts corresponding to the light source unit 1002 and the feeding terminals 1001a to 1001n. By doing so, the setting of the LED card 1000 can be detected by the tactile feedback sensed when the elastic pressing members of the socket are fit into the recessions.
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Patent number: 7344296
Patent Publication Number: 20060141851
Inventors: Nobuyuki Matsui (Takatsuki), Masanori Shimizu (Kyotanabe), Kazuhisa Matsuo (Machida), Eiji Kawabe (Machida)
Assistant Examiner: David Crowe
Application Number: 10/543,635
Current U.S. Class: Push To Engage (362/652); Light Emitting Diode (362/800); Circuit Board (362/646); 362/249; Adjustable Movement Between Arm And Housing (362/371); With Cooling Means (362/373)
International Classification: H01R 33/00 (20060101); F21V 21/00 (20060101); F21V 29/00 (20060101);