Illumination device

• US 5,593,223 A
• Filed: 09/27/1995
• Issued: 01/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Koizumi, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Basichas, Alfred
• Application Number:
  US08/534,613
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 362/255, 362/326, 362/375, 362/800
• US Class Current: 362/255
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/002 the fastening means engaging the encapsulation or the packaging of the semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0025 the fastening means engaging the conductors of the light source, i.e. providing simultaneous fastening of the light sources and their electric connections
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/301 by means of a mounting structure H05K3/325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/303 Surface mounted components, e.g. affixing before soldering, aligning means, spacing means H05K3/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An illumination device consists of a light emitting element, a casing for supporting the light emitting element, and a colored cap which covers the light emitting element. The cap has a flat top surface so that the device can be held by suction stably at the top surface by means of a suction nozzle that is used commonly for other electronic parts and can be carried and mounted on a circuit board by the automatic part mounting equipment. The cap also has the formation of a curving surface section between the flat top surface and cylindrical section so that an increased amount of light is transmitted in the up-oblique direction through the curving surface section, thereby compensating the degraded light distribution caused by the formation of the flat top surface.

Claims

1. An illumination device for mounting on a circuit board, the illumination device comprising:

a light emitting element;

a casing for supporting said light emitting element; and

a cap which is fitted on said light emitting element;

wherein said cap includes an external flat top surface, a cylindrical section which surrounds said light emitting element, and a curving surface section formed between an external surface of the cylindrical section and an edge of said flat top surface;

wherein the flat top surface of the cap has a diameter which is smaller than an outer diameter of the cylindrical section; and

wherein said cap includes a base section located below the cylindrical section which is received in a socket section formed on an external surface of said casing.

2. An illumination device for mounting on a circuit board, the illumination device comprising:

a light emitting element;

a casing for supporting said light emitting element; and

a cap which is fitted on said light emitting element;

wherein said cap includes an external flat top surface and a cylindrical section having an outer diameter larger than a diameter of an edge of the flat top surface and covering said light emitting element, a curving surface section formed between the outer surface of the cylindrical section and the edge of the flat top surface, and a base section located below the cylindrical section which is received in a socket section formed on an external surface of said casing.

3. An illumination device for mounting on a circuit board, the illumination device comprising:

a light emitting element;

a casing for supporting said light emitting element; and

a cap which is fitted on said light emitting element,

wherein said cap has an external flat top surface and a cylindrical section having an outer diameter larger than a diameter of an edge of the flat top surface and covering said light emitting element, and a curving surface section formed between the outer surface of the cylindrical section and the edge of the flat top surface, the curving surface section having inner and outer surfaces formed in arcuate profiles with prescribed radiuses of curvature in a longitudinal cross section including the central axis of the cylindrical section.

4. An illumination device according to claim 3, wherein said cap has at its base section below the cylindrical section the formation of a socket section which is fitted on the external surface of said casing.

5. An illumination device according to claim 3, wherein said casing is made of hard resin, and said light emitting element is inserted and held in a cavity-shaped holding section formed in said casing.

6. An illumination device according to claim 5, wherein said casing has a through-hole formed at the bottom of the holding section and grooves which run across the bottom and side walls of said casing and merge with the through-hole, with lead terminals of said light emitting element being led out through the through-hole and seated by being bent in the grooves.

7. An illumination device according to claim 3, wherein said cap includes a base section located below the cylindrical section which is received in a socket section formed on an external surface of said casing.