Lighting unit

• US 7,258,466 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2005
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Hironori, Watanabe, Shigeyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke; Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): DZIERZYNSKI, EVAN P
• Application Number:
  US11/039,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20050180157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 362/294, 362/545, 362/543, 362/373, 362/547
• US Class Current: 362/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/148 the main emission direction of the LED being perpendicular to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• 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 41/192 Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/48 with means for conducting heat from the inside to the outside of the lighting devices, e.g. with fins on the outer surface of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/004 by deformation of parts or snap action mountings, e.g. using clips
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/62 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls

Abstract

A lighting unit for a vehicle includes a light emitting diode unit, a plate-shaped radiating board having an upper surface to which the light emitting diode unit is directly fixed, and a feeding connector connected electrically to the light emitting diode unit at the end of the radiating board and having an input portion for a power to be supplied to the light emitting diode unit below the radiating board. The feeding connector is provided on the end of the radiating board and there may further be provided a wiring extended from the light emitting diode unit toward the end of the radiating board over the upper surface of the radiating board and connected to the feeding connector at the end.

Claims

1. A lighting unit for illumination, comprising:

a semiconductor light emitting unit;

a plate-shaped radiating board having an upper surface to which the semiconductor light emitting unit is directly fixed; and

a feeding connector disposed on an end of the radiating board, the feeding connector comprising an input portion that is disposed below the radiating board,

wherein the input portion is configured to accept input power for the semiconductor light emitting unit;

further comprising a wiring disposed on the upper surface of the radiating board, the wiring extending substantially from a point where the semiconductor light emitting unit is fixed and connecting to the feeding connector at the end of the radiating board.

2. The lighting unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a feeding contact point formed on the upper surface at the end of the radiating board, the feeding contact point configured to accept supply power for the semiconductor light emitting unit,

wherein the feeding connector is configured to hold the feeding contact point portion of the radiating board, thereby making an electrical connection between the input portion and the feeding contact point.

3. The lighting unit according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of semiconductor light emitting units fixed to the upper surface of the radiating board and coupled in series, the feeding connector supplying the power to a first wiring end and a second wiring end of the semiconductor light emitting unit.

4. The lighting unit according to claim 1, wherein said semiconductor light emitting unit is attached to said plate-shaped radiating board via a clip.

5. The lighting unit according to claim 4, wherein said clip includes a plurality of bumps that contact said plate-shaped radiating board at non-conducting areas of the radiating board.

6. The lighting unit of claim 1, wherein said power is input via a feeding cord that is connected to terminals via a clip connector.

7. The lighting unit of claim 1, wherein said feeding connector receives a feeding plug in a location that does not interfere with light emission.

8. The lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the radiating board is thermally conductive and composed of an electrically conductive material with an insulating film disposed on top of the conductive material.

9. The lighting unit of claim 1, wherein the radiating board is thermally conductive and composed of an electrically non-conductive material.

10. A lighting unit for illumination, comprising:

a semiconductor light emitting unit;

a plate-shaped radiating board having an upper surface to which the semiconductor light emitting unit is directly fixed; and

a feeding connector disposed on an end of the radiaing board, the feeding connector comprising an input portion that is disposed below the radiating board,

wherein the input portion is configured to accept input power for the semiconductor light emiting unit, and

wherein the radiating board has, on a side surface, a positioning projection configured to position the semiconductor light emitting unit at a predetermined reference position in the lighting unit.

11. The lighting unit according to claim 10, wherein the reference position is based on a center of a light emitting region of the semiconductor light emitting unit.