Led illumination device

• US 20070064450A1
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Chiba, Shingo, Okabe, Toshiaki, Matsushita, Haruyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,458,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/655
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/51 for mounting lighting devices onto vehicle interior, e.g. onto ceiling or floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/78 for generating luminous strips, e.g. for marking trim component edges
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/002 making direct electrical contact, e.g. by piercing F21V21/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 27/00 Cable-stowing arrangements structurally associated with lighting devices, e.g. reels storing lengths of cable in general B65H; the lighting devices being vehicle headlamps F21S41/192; the lighting devices being vehicle lights F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2106/00 Interior vehicle lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An LED illumination device includes LED lamp modules 34 coupled in a vertical direction. Each of said LED lamp modules 34 includes a base 12, a bus bar circuit 35 formed on the base 12, and a cover 25 connected to the base 12 to cover the bus bar circuit 35. A locking frame 14 (coupling portion) to be coupled with the upper LED lamp module 34 is formed on said base 12. A locking arm 32 (mating coupling portion) to be coupled with said locking frame 14 on the base 12 of the lower LED lamp module 34 is formed on said cover 25. Further, a guiding groove 18, into which said locking arm 34 is inserted, is formed on said base 12 near the locking frame 14, and a guiding hole 27, into which said locking frame 14 is inserted, is formed on the cover 25 near the locking arm 32.

Claims

1. An LED illumination device comprising LED lamp modules coupled in a vertical direction, each LED lamp module comprising:

a base;

a conductive circuit formed on the base; and

a cover to be attached to the base to cover the conductive circuit,

whereby a coupling portion is formed on said base to be coupled with the cover of the LED lamp module located at the upper side thereof, and a mating coupling portion is formed on said cover to be coupled with the coupling portion of the base of the LED lamp module located at the lower side thereof.

2. The LED illumination device as recited in claim 1,

wherein said coupling portion is a locking frame projecting upward, and said mating coupling portion is a locking arm having a hook at its distal end and projecting downward to be engaged with said locking frame,

wherein one guide, into which said locking arm is inserted, is formed on said base near the locking frame, and the other guide, into which said locking frame is inserted, is formed on the cover near the locking arm.

3. The LED illumination device as recited in claim 2,

wherein said locking frame is curved inward.

4. The LED illumination device as recited in claim 3,

wherein a guide rib is formed on a ceiling wall of the cover to straighten the curved locking frame when coupling the cover and the base to each other.

5. The LED illumination device as described in recited in claim 1,

wherein a locking part for locking the coupled cover is formed on the base, and a mating locking part is formed on the cover to be engaged with said locking part.

6. An LED lamp module comprising:

an insulating case having a base and a cover;

a conductive circuit provided at said base;

an LED mounted on the base and electrically connected to the conductive circuit;

electric wire joints provided respectively upstream and downstream of the conductive circuit.

7. The LED lamp module as recited in claim 6,

wherein said conductive circuit is a bus bar or a lead terminal.

8. The LED lamp module as recited in claim 6,

wherein said electric wire joint is a pressure contact terminal.

9. A lamp module assembly comprising a plurality of said LED lamp modules as recited in claim 6,

wherein electric wires are directly connected to respective electric wire joints of the LED lamp modules without any branch wires.

10. The lamp module assembly as described recited in claim 9,

wherein said electric wires are wired to a junction box or a junction connector,

wherein an electric component for reducing voltage applied to said LED lamp modules is provided on the junction box or the junction connector.

11. The lamp module assembly as recited in claim 9,

wherein said electric wires are wired to a junction box, a junction connector or other circuits through an electrical connector;

and

an electric component for reducing voltage applied to said LED lamp modules is provided on said electrical connector.

14. The lamp module assembly as recited in claim 11,

wherein said electrical connector includes a base and a cover, said base having a bus bar, and said electric component for reducing applied voltage connected to said bus bar, said bus bar having connector terminals and being connected to electric wires.

15. The lamp module assembly as recited in claim 14,

wherein one positive terminal of said connector terminals of the bus bar is connected to one terminal of said electric component for reducing applied voltage from a voltage source, the other positive terminal of said connector terminals is connected to an anode of a voltage source, and a negative terminal of said connector terminals is connected to a ground of the voltage source.

12. A lamp module assembly comprising:

a plurality of LED lamp modules;

electric wires being connected directly to the LED lamp modules without any branch wires, and wired to a junction box or a junction connector; and

an electric component provided on said junction box or said junction connector for reducing voltage applied to said LED lamp modules.

13. A lamp module assembly comprising:

a plurality of LED lamp modules;

electric wires connected directly to the lamp module assembly without any branch wires;

an electrical connector, through which said electric wires being wired to a junction box, a junction connector, or other circuits; and

an electric component provided on said electrical connector for reducing voltage applied to said LED lamp modules.

16. The lamp module assembly as recited in claim 13,

wherein said electrical connector includes a base and a cover, said base having a bus bar, and said electric component for reducing applied voltage connected to said bus bar, said bus bar having connector terminals and being connected to electric wires.