LED Interconnection Integrated Connector Holder Package

• US 20090023323A1
• Filed: 07/17/2007
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varroc Lighting Systems S.R.O. (Varroc Engineering Limited)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Lin, Jeff C., Merchant, Viren B., Glovatsky, Andrew Z., Sayers, Edwin Mitchell
• Granted Patent: US 7,621,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/345
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/192 Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0015 Fastening arrangements intended to retain light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

Disclosed is an LED package holder for retaining and electrically connecting an LED package. The LED package holder includes a housing configured to hold an LED package and has at least one center opening defined therein. A connector shroud is integrally formed with the housing and has a cavity for receiving a connector operable to supply power to the LED package. Two contact features are retained by the housing, and each contact feature has an inner contact and an outer contact. Each inner contact engages an LED electric terminal of the LED package. Each outer contact extends into the connector shroud so as to engage connector terminals when a connector is inserted into the connector shroud.

Claims

1. An LED package holder for holding and electrically connecting an LED package, the holder comprising:

a housing having a center opening defined therein;

a connector shroud, the connector shroud having a cavity for receiving a connector operable to supply power to the LED package;

a plurality of contact features, each contact feature being retained by the housing and having an inner contact and an outer contact, the inner contact being configured to engage and contact LED electric terminals of an LED package received within the center opening, the outer contact extending into the cavity of the connector shroud and being configured to engage connector terminals when a connector is inserted into the connector shroud.

2. The LED package holder of claim 1 wherein the shroud and housing are integrally formed.

3. The LED package holder of claim 1 wherein the shroud and housing are unitarily formed.

4. The LED package holder of claim 1, wherein the inner contacts extend into the center opening of the housing.

5. The LED package holder of claim 1, wherein the connector shroud comprises a latching feature.

6. The LED package holder of claim 5, wherein the latching feature of the connector shroud is configured to releasably retain a connector.

7. The LED package holder of claim 1, wherein the housing includes retainers, the retainers being spaced apart from the inner contacts and defining a space therebetween for receiving and retaining an LED package.

8. The LED package holder of claim 7, wherein the retainers are tabs.

9. An LED lighting package comprising:

at least one LED package having electric terminals;

an LED package holder comprising;

a housing having at least one center opening defined therein, the LED package being disposed in the center opening;

a connector shroud, the connector shroud defining a cavity for receiving a connector operable to supply power to the at least one LED package; and

a plurality of contact features, each contact feature being retained by the housing, each contact feature having an inner contact and an outer contact, the inner contact engaging and contacting an electric terminal of the at least one LED package, the outer contact extending into the cavity of the connector shroud and being configured to contact connector terminals when a connector is inserted into the connector shroud.

10. The light package of claim 9, wherein the inner contacts extend into the center opening of the housing.

11. The lighting package of claim 9, wherein the connector shroud comprises a latching feature, wherein the latching feature is configured to releasably retain a connector.

12. The lighting package of claim 11, wherein the latching feature is an opening in the connector shroud.

13. The lighting package of claim 9, further comprising a retainer to retain the at least one LED package within the housing, the retainer being integrally formed with the housing.

14. The lighting package of claim 9, wherein each contact feature is in electrical communication with at least one LED terminal, the electrical communication being free of solder material.

15. The lighting package of claim 9, further comprising a light projector disposed around the at least one LED package.

16. The lighting package of claim 9, further comprising a heat sink, the at least one LED package being disposed in thermal communication with the heat sink, and the housing being fastened to the heat sink.

17. A method for manufacturing LED package holders, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of contact feature sets from a continuous reel, the contact feature sets being connected to each other and including an inner contact and an outer contact;

injection molding a plurality of housings, each housing being injection molded over at least one contact feature set of the plurality of contact feature sets, each housing being injection molded so as to have a center opening defined therein; and

injection molding a connector shroud having a cavity defined thereby, the outer contacts of at least one contact feature set extending into the cavity.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of contact feature sets is formed by a stamping process.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the steps of injection molding the housing and the connector shroud are done simultaneously.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the steps of injection molding the housing and the connector shroud are done so as to unitarily form the housing with the connector shroud.