SOCKET ASSEMBLY WITH A THERMAL MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE

• US 20110136374A1
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: DAILY, CHRISTOPHER GEORGE, MOSTOLLER, MATTHEW EDWARD, WEBER, RONALD MARTIN, GINGRICH, CHARLES RAYMOND III
• Granted Patent: US 8,210,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/487
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/04 with provision for changing light source, e.g. turret auxiliary devices for cleaning, placing, or removing incandescent lamps H01K3/32, fluorescent lamps H01J9/006
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/09 for baseless lamp bulb
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/94 Holders formed as intermediate parts for linking a counter-part to a coupling part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A socket assembly includes a lighting package and a socket housing having a receptacle that removably receives the lighting package. A thermal management structure is coupled to the socket housing and is positioned at the receptacle in thermal engagement with the lighting package. The thermal management structure is configured to engage a heat sink to dissipate heat from the lighting package to the heat sink. Optionally, at least one of the socket housing and the thermal management structure may have mounting features configured to mount the socket assembly to a heat sink, where the lighting package is removable from the receptacle while the socket assembly remains mounted to the heat sink. The thermal management structure may be coupled to the socket housing such that the thermal management structure and the socket housing are coupled to a heat sink as a unit.

Claims

1. A socket assembly comprising:

a lighting package;

a socket housing having a receptacle that removably receives the lighting package; and

a thermal management structure coupled to the socket housing, the thermal management structure being positioned at the receptacle in thermal engagement with the lighting package, the thermal management structure being configured to engage a heat sink to dissipate heat from the lighting package to the heat sink.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the socket housing and the thermal management structure includes mounting features configured to mount the socket assembly to a heat sink, the lighting package being removable from the receptacle while the socket assembly remains mounted to the heat sink.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the thermal management structure is coupled to the socket housing such that the thermal management structure and the socket housing are coupled to a heat sink as a unit.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the thermal management structure includes fingers engaging the lighting package and dissipating heat from the lighting package.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the thermal management structure includes package fingers engaging the lighting package and heat sink fingers being configured to engage a heat sink, the thermal management structure dissipating heat from the lighting package to the heat sink.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the lighting package includes a light emitting diode (LED), the socket housing holding power contacts engaging the LED to power the LED, the thermal management structure includes latches holding the LED within the receptacle, the thermal management structure engaging the LED to dissipate heat from the LED.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the lighting package includes a lighting printed circuit board (PCB) having a power circuit, the socket housing having latches holding the lighting PCB in the receptacle, the thermal management structure engaging the lighting PCB to dissipate heat from the lighting PCB.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the receptacle has an open top and an open bottom, the thermal management structure positioned at the open bottom to engage the lighting package in the receptacle.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the thermal management structure includes a mating interface having a plurality of fingers engaging the lighting package, the thermal management structure having a heat sink opposite the mating interface that is formed integral with the mating interface, the heat sink having fins having a total surface area at least twice a surface area of the mating interface.

10. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a power connector coupled to the socket housing, the power connector having power contacts engaging the lighting package to supply power to the lighting package, the thermal management structure being coupled to the power connector, wherein the thermal management structure is coupled to the socket housing with the power connector.

11. A socket assembly comprising:

a first socket comprising a first socket housing having a first receptacle and a first connector, the first socket comprising a first lighting package removably received in the first receptacle and electrically connected to the first connector, the first socket comprising a first thermal management structure coupled to the first socket housing, the first thermal management structure being positioned at the first receptacle in thermal engagement with the first lighting package; and

a second socket comprising a second socket housing having a second receptacle and a second connector, the second socket comprising a second lighting package removably received in the second receptacle and electrically connected to the second connector, the second socket comprising a second thermal management structure coupled to the second socket housing, the second thermal management structure being positioned at the second receptacle in thermal engagement with the second lighting package;

wherein the first and second sockets are ganged together such that the first and second connectors are electrically connected to one another to transfer power between the first and second sockets.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the first connector includes first mating contacts held by the first socket housing, the first mating contacts being exposed within the receptacle and engaging the first lighting package, and wherein the second connector includes second mating contacts held by the second socket housing, the second mating contacts being exposed within the receptacle and engaging the second lighting package.

13. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the first connector includes first mating contacts held by the first socket housing, the first mating contacts being exposed within the receptacle, the first lighting package having a first printed circuit board (PCB) with first power contacts thereon, the first power contacts engaging the first mating contacts.

14. The assembly of claim 11, further comprising a first power connector mated to the socket connector, the first power connector transferring power to the first lighting package, the power supplied to the first lighting package being transferred to the first connector by the first lighting package, the power supplied to the first connector being transferred to the second connector by the first connector.

15. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the first and second thermal management structures include fingers engaging the first and second lighting packages, respectively, for dissipating heat from the first and second lighting packages.

16. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the first lighting package includes a lighting printed circuit board (PCB) having a light emitting diode (LED) mounted to the lighting PCB, the first socket housing having latches holding the lighting PCB in the first receptacle, the first thermal management structure engaging the lighting PCB to dissipate heat from the lighting PCB.

17. A socket assembly comprising:

a lighting package having a lighting printed circuit board (PCB) with a power circuit having a power contact, the power contact being configured to receive power from a power source to power the power circuit;

a thermal management structure defining a socket housing having a receptacle that removably receives the lighting package, the thermal management structure having a mating interface in thermal engagement with the lighting package.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the thermal management structure includes a base and latches extending upward from the base, the base extending along a bottom of the receptacle and engaging the lighting package to dissipate heat from the lighting package, the latches extending along sides of the receptacle and engaging the lighting package to hold the lighting package in the receptacle.

19. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the thermal management structure includes latches holding the lighting PCB in the receptacle, the thermal management structure engaging a bottom of the lighting PCB to dissipate heat from the lighting PCB.

20. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the mating interface includes a plurality of fingers engaging the lighting package, the thermal management structure having a heat sink opposite the mating interface, the heat sink having fins having a total surface area at least twice a surface area of the mating interface, the heat sink being formed integral with the mating interface.