Solid state lighting assembly

• US 8,235,549 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Gingrich, Charles Raymond III, Mostoller, Matthew Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): PAYNE, SHARON E
• Application Number:
  US12/634,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20110134634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 362/264, 362/545, 362/547, 362/549, 362/548, 439/332, 439/337
• US Class Current: 362/249.02
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/20 Light sources comprising attachment means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/002 with provision for interchangeability, i.e. component parts being especially adapted to be replaced by another part with the same or a different function F21V17/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/004 by deformation of parts or snap action mountings, e.g. using clips
• 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: F21V 23/006 the substrate being distinct from the light source holder
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/773 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/007 Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/00 Planar light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/718 Contact members provided on the PCB without an insulating housing contacts for abutting H01R12/714
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/73 connecting to other rigid printed circuits or like structures

Abstract

A solid state lighting assembly includes a socket having a base wall having a first side and a second side, and a first cavity outward of the first side and a second cavity outward of the second side. Contacts are held by the base wall. The contacts have mating fingers extending into the first and second cavities. A lighting printed circuit board (PCB) is removably positioned within the first cavity with at least one lighting component configured to be powered when electrically connected to corresponding mating fingers of the contacts. The lighting PCB is initially loaded into the first cavity in an unmated position and moved in the first cavity to a mated position. A driver PCB is positioned within the second cavity and is electrically connected to corresponding mating fingers of the contacts. The driver PCB has a power circuit configured to supply power to the lighting PCB when electrically connected to the contacts.

Claims

1. A solid state lighting assembly comprising:

a socket having a base wall with first and second sides, the socket having a first cavity proximate the first side and a second cavity proximate the second side;

contacts held by the base wall, the contacts having mating fingers extending into the first and second cavities;

a lighting printed circuit board (PCB) removably positioned within the first cavity, the lighting PCB having at least one lighting component configured to be powered when electrically connected to corresponding mating fingers of the contacts, the lighting PCB being initially loaded into the first cavity in an unmated position and moved in the first cavity to a mated position; and

a driver PCB positioned within the second cavity and electrically connected to corresponding mating fingers of the contacts, the driver PCB having a power circuit configured to supply power to the lighting PCB when electrically connected to the contacts.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the lighting PCB and driver PCB are mated with the corresponding mating fingers at a separable mating interface such that the lighting PCB and driver PCB are configured to be repeatably removed from the first and second cavities.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second cavities are cylindrical in shape, the lighting and driver PCBs being circular in shape to fit within the first and second cavities, respectively, the lighting and driver PCBs being shifted within the first and second cavities by rotating the lighting and driver PCBs within the first and second cavities.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the lighting PCB is twisted in a mating direction to the mated position and in an unmating direction to the unmated position, and wherein the driver PCB is twisted in a mating direction to a mated position and in an unmating direction to an unmated position.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the lighting PCB includes contact pads on an outer surface thereof and the lighting PCB includes slots therethrough aligned with the contact pads, the lighting PCB being loaded into the first cavity such that the mating fingers are loaded through corresponding slots in alignment with the contact pads, the lighting PCB being shifted within the first cavity until the corresponding mating fingers engage the corresponding contact pads.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the mating fingers extending into the first cavity have hook ends parallel to the first side of the base wall, the lighting PCB being captured between the hook ends and the base wall to hold the lighting PCB against the first side of the base wall.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the socket is manufactured from a thermally conductive polymer to define a heatsink, the socket having an outer wall surrounding the base wall and defining the first and second cavities, the contacts being configured to spread heat from a central portion of the base wall to the outer wall.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the contacts have planar contact bases embedded within the base wall of the socket, the mating fingers extending perpendicular to the contact bases into the first and second cavities.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the driver PCB is removably positioned within the second cavity, the driver PCB being initially loaded into the second cavity in an unmated position and shifted within the cavity to a mated position, the driver PCB and the lighting PCB having contact pads not engaging the corresponding mating fingers when in the unmated positions and the contact pads engaging the corresponding mating fingers when in the mated positions.

10. A solid state lighting assembly comprising:

a socket having a base wall having a first side and a second side, the socket having a first cavity outward of the first side and a second cavity outward of the second side;

an anode contact embedded within the base wall, the anode contact having mating fingers positioned within the first and second cavities;

a cathode contact embedded within the base wall, the cathode contact having mating fingers positioned within the first and second cavities;

a lighting printed circuit board (PCB) positioned within the first cavity, the lighting PCB having at least one lighting component configured to be powered when electrically connected to the mating fingers positioned in the first cavity; and

a driver PCB positioned within the second cavity, the driver PCB having a power circuit configured to supply power to the lighting PCB when electrically connected to the mating fingers in the second cavity.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the lighting PCB and driver PCB are mated with the corresponding anode and cathode mating fingers at a separable mating interface such that the lighting PCB and driver PCB are configured to be repeatably removed from the first and second cavities.

12. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the lighting PCB includes contact pads on an outer surface thereof and the lighting PCB includes slots therethrough aligned with the contact pads, the lighting PCB being loaded into the first cavity such that the mating fingers positioned in the first cavity are loaded through corresponding slots in alignment with the contact pads, the lighting PCB being shifted within the first cavity until the mating fingers positioned in the first cavity engage the corresponding contact pads.

13. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the mating fingers positioned in the first cavity have hook ends parallel to the first side of the base wall, the lighting PCB being captured between the hook ends and the base wall to hold the lighting PCB against the first side of the base wall.

14. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the socket includes an outer wall surrounding the base wall, the outer wall having heat dissipating fins, the anode and cathode contacts each having tabs embedded within the outer wall to dissipate heat into the outer wall.

15. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the socket is manufactured from a thermally conductive polymer to define a heatsink, the socket includes an outer wall surrounding the base wall, the anode and cathode contacts being embedded within the base wall to define a heat spreader to spread heat from a central portion of the base wall to the outer wall.

16. A solid state lighting assembly comprising:

a socket having a base wall between a first cavity and a second cavity, the base wall supporting an anode contact and a cathode contact;

a set of lighting printed circuit boards (PCBs) comprising at least two different types of lighting PCBs, a select one of the lighting PCBs being positioned within the first cavity and electrically connected to the anode contact and the cathode contact; and

a set of driver PCBs comprising at least two different types of driver PCBs, a select one of the driver PCBs being positioned within the second cavity and electrically connected to the anode contact and the cathode contact.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the different types of lighting PCBs differ from one another by having light emitting diodes (LEDs) in different positions on a surface of the lighting PCBs and/or by having different colored LEDs on the lighting PCBs.

18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the different types of driver PCBs differ from one another by having different output currents from one another.

19. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising a set of optic modules comprising at least two different types of optic modules, the different types of optic modules differ from one another by having different lighting patterns, a select one of the optic modules being coupled to the socket at the first cavity adjacent to the selected lighting PCB.

20. The assembly of claim 16, further comprising a set of expansion modules comprising at least two different types of expansion modules, the different types of expansion modules differ from one another by having different control circuits, a select one of the expansion modules being coupled to the driver PCB to affect a control protocol of the driver PCB.

21. A solid state lighting assembly comprising:

a socket having a base wall having a first side and a second side, the base wall having an outer perimeter, the socket having a first cavity outward of the first side and a second cavity outward of the second side;

a heat spreader embedded within the base wall, the heat spreader being metallic and having a higher coefficient of thermal transfer than the base wall;

a lighting printed circuit board (PCB) positioned within the first cavity proximate to the base wall, the lighting PCB having at least one lighting component; and

a driver PCB positioned within the second cavity proximate to the base wall, the driver PCB being electrically connected to the lighting PCB through the base wall, the driver PCB having a power circuit configured to supply power to the lighting PCB when electrically connected to the lighting PCB,

wherein the heat spreader dissipates heat from the lighting PCB and the driver PCB to the outer perimeter of the base wall.

22. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the heat spreader is in thermal contact with at least one of the lighting PCB and the driver PCB to create a direct thermal path therebetween.