Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPILCATIONS 
     This Application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No. 097144893, filed on Nov. 20, 2008, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The application relates in general to a light module and in particular to a three-dimensional light module. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a conventional three-dimensional light module primarily includes a plastic base  10  and a plurality of longitudinal flexible printed circuits  20  disposed thereon. Several LEDs L are mounted on each of the flexible printed circuits  20 . During assembly, the flexible printed circuits  20  are adhered to a wavy surface  11  of the base  10 , so as to vary lighting angle of the LEDs L and facilitate a three-dimensional model of the light module. 
     Due to the fact that the light module needs the large plastic base  10  for supporting the flexible printed circuits  20  and LEDs L. Besides, the flexible printed circuits  20  need to fasten on the plastic base  10  individually to complete the assembly process. Therefore, the cost is high and being unfavorable in mass production. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     The present application provides a light module including a main body and at least an LED. The main body comprises an outer surface and at least a bending portion protruding therefrom, wherein the LED is disposed on the bending portion. Specifically, the bending portion and the outer surface form an included angle θ therebetween, wherein 0°&lt;θ&lt;180°. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The application can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram of a conventional light module; 
         FIG. 2  is perspective diagram of a light module according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective diagram of a substrate according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective diagram of a flexible printed circuit according to an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective diagram of the flexible printed circuit of  FIG. 4  adhered to the substrate of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective diagram of a plurality of LEDs respectively disposed on the second bending portions; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective diagram of a light module according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of a three-dimensional light module primarily comprises a main body  100  and a plurality of LEDs L. The main body  100  comprises an outer surface  110  parallel to an XY plane, a plurality of openings  120 ′, and a plurality of bending portion  120  corresponding to the openings  120 ′. The bending portions  120  protrude from the outer surface  110  along a Z direction, and an included angle θ is formed between the bending portions  120  and the outer surface  110 , 0°&lt;θ&lt;180°. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the LEDs L are respectively disposed on the bending portions  120 , so that the included angle θ is formed between the bending portions  120  and the outer surface  110 . Therefore, a three-dimensional light module is constructed to be a light source of a display or an illumination device. In this embodiment, the main body  100  comprises a substrate  30  and a flexible printed circuit  40 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Detailed structure and assembly sequences of the three-dimensional light module are disclosed as follows. 
     The substrate  30  of  FIG. 3  is made of aluminum or other metal material, and it comprises a first surface  31  parallel to an XY plane, a plurality of first bending portions  32 , a first slots  32 ′, and connection portions  33 . The first slots  32 ′ are substantially U-shaped and formed on the first surface  31  by punching, so as to define the first bending portions  32  and the connection portions  33 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the connection portion  33  is formed between opposite sides of the first slot  32 ′ as a bridge connecting the bending portions  32  and the first surface  31 , wherein width of the connection portion  33  along an X axis is smaller than that of the first bending portion  32 . 
     The flexible printed circuit  40  of  FIG. 4  comprises a second surface  41 , a plurality of second bending portions  42  and second slots  42 ′. The second slots  42 ′ are substantially U-shaped and formed on the second surface  41  by punching, so as to define the second bending portions  42  and the connection portions  33 . In this embodiment, the second bending portions  42  has a hole  421  located adjacent to the second surface  41  and above the connection portion  33 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the flexible printed circuit  40  is adhered to the substrate  30 , and the first and second bending portions  32  and  42  overlap. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the connection portion  33  is exposed to the hole  421  and separated from the flexible printed circuit  40 , thus preventing the flexible printed circuit  40  from deform damages caused by bending the connection portion  33 . 
     After fixing the flexible printed circuit  40  to the substrate  30 , the LEDs L are respectively mounted on the second bending portions  42 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Subsequently, the first and second bending portions  32  and  42  are bent toward a Z direction to form the three-dimensional light module of  FIG. 2 . The bending portion  120  in  FIG. 2  is formed by the first and second bending portions  32  and  42 , and the outer surface  110  of the main body  100  in  FIG. 2  denotes the second surface  41  of the flexible printed circuit  40 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , the bending portions  120  of the main body  100  are arranged in a matrix manner. In some embodiments, the bending portions  120  may also be arranged in a staggered manner, as shown in  FIG. 7 , to provide different visual effects. 
     The invention provides a three-dimensional light module comprising a main body forming a plurality of bending portions. Each of the bending portion protrudes from an outer surface of the main body at an included angle θ (0°&lt;θ&lt;180°), so as to vary posture and lighting angle of the LEDs. As the light module does not require a large plastic base, it is suitable for mass production with less production time and costs when compared to conventional light modules. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.

Technology Category: 5