Illumination Unit for Vehicle Headlights, and Vehicle Headlight

• US 20100067248A1
• Filed: 11/21/2007
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Osram Beteiligungsverwaltung GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: OSRAM GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Frey, Peter, Vollmer, Ralf
• Granted Patent: US 8,303,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/538
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/19 Attachment of light sources or lamp holders achieving variable light distribution by movable light sources F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/47 Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0035 the fastening means being capable of simultaneously attaching of an other part, e.g. a housing portion or an optical component
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An illumination unit having at least one light emitting diode chip and a housing (100) that at least partially surrounds the at least one light emitting diode chip (3), the housing (100) having fastening means for mounting the illumination unit in a luminaire, wherein the fastening means comprise at least one projection or one depression (122; 102) that is arranged on the housing (100) and, in order to mount the illumination unit in the luminaire, cooperates with a counterpart (210; 203′), coordinated in an accurately fitting fashion therewith, on a luminaire part (200; 200′, 200″) of the luminaire in such a way that the at least one projection or the at least one depression (122; 102) and the counterpart (210; 203′) interlock in an accurately fitting fashion.

Claims

1. An illumination unit having at least one light emitting diode chip and a housing that at least partially surrounds the at least one light emitting diode chip, the housing having fastening means for mounting the illumination unit in a luminaire, wherein the fastening means comprise at least one projection or one depression that is arranged on the housing and, in order to mount the illumination unit in the luminaire, cooperates with a counterpart, coordinated in an accurately fitting fashion therewith, on a luminaire part of the luminaire in such a way that the at least one projection or the at least one depression and the counterpart interlock in an accurately fitting fashion.

2. The illumination unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one projection or the at least one depression has a bore for producing a connection between the illumination unit and the luminaire.

3. The illumination unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bore is constricted in a stepped fashion.

4. The illumination unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening means comprise at least two projections or depressions that are arranged on the housing and, in order to mount the illumination unit in the luminaire, cooperate with counterparts, coordinated in accurately fitting fashion therewith, on a luminaire part of the luminaire in such a way that the projections or the depressions and the counterparts interlock in an accurately fitting fashion.

5. The illumination unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one projection or the at least one depression is formed by a wall of the housing whose wall surface can be brought into contact with guiding elements of the luminaire in order to mount the illumination unit in the luminaire.

12. The luminaire as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one projection or the at least one depression is formed by a wall of the housing, and the accurately fitting counterpart is formed by guide elements, arranged on the luminaire part, that are in contact with the wall.

14. The luminaire as claimed in claim 1 formed as a vehicle headlight.

6. A luminaire having an illumination unit, the illumination unit comprising at least one light emitting diode chip and a housing that at least partially surrounds the at least one light emitting diode chip and is provided with fastening means for mounting the illumination unit on a luminaire part, wherein the fastening means comprise at least one projection or one depression that is arranged on the housing and cooperates with a counterpart, coordinated in an accurately fitting fashion therewith, on the luminaire part of the luminaire in such a way that the at least one projection or the at least one depression and the counterpart interlock in an accurately fitting fashion.

7. The luminaire as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one projection or the at least one depression have a first bore, and the accurately fitting counterpart has a second bore that are coaxially aligned for mounting the illumination unit on the luminaire part.

8. The luminaire as claimed in claim 7, wherein the portion, forming the edge of the first bore, of the housing and the portion, forming the edge of the second bore, of the luminaire part interlock in an accurately fitting fashion.

9. The luminaire as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first bore or/and the second bore is/are constricted in a stepped fashion.

10. The luminaire as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second bore is arranged on the rear side averted from the light exit opening, of the luminaire part.

11. The luminaire as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first and second bore are formed as a component of a screw connection between the illumination unit and the luminaire part.

13. The luminaire as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fastening means comprise two projections or depressions that are arranged on the housing and cooperate with counterparts, coordinated in an accurately fitting fashion therewith, on the luminaire part of the luminaire in such a way that the projections or depressions and the counterparts interlock in an accurately fitting fashion.