Modular light emitting diode (LED) lamp

• US 8,419,225 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LEDVANCE LLC (MLS Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Zeng, Yichong, Zhang, Shiyong
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US13/235,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20130070454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 362/294, 362/373, 362/231, 362/249.02
• US Class Current: 362/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• 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 29/773 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An LED lamp (10) includes a heat sink (12), an electrical interconnector (18), an electronics module (16), and a light module (14). The electrical interconnector (18) is disposed in a passageway (32) extending between first and second regions (24, 26) of the heat sink (12) and includes contacts (66) exposed within the first and second regions (24, 26). The electronics module (16) is adapted to be selectively attached within the first region (24) and includes a first electrical connector (64). The light module (14) is adapted to be selectively attached within the second region (26) and includes at least one light emitting diode (LED) (34) and a second electrical connector (38). The first and second electrical connectors (64, 38) are adapted to selectively form an electrical connections to the contacts (66) to provide power from a power source to the LED (34) of the lighting module (14).

Claims

1. An LED lamp (10) comprising:

a) a heat sink (12), said heat sink (12) defining a first region (24) adapted to receive in operative electrical and mechanical association an electronics module (16) and a second region (26) adapted to receive in operative electrical and mechanical association a light module (14), said heat sink (12) further defining a passageway (32) extending between said first region (24) and said second region (26);

b) an electrical interconnector (18) disposed in said passageway (32) and having at least first and second electrical contacts (66) extending between said first region (24) and said second region (26), said first and second contacts (66) being exposed within each of said first and second regions (24, 26) and adapted for making selectively attachable and detachable electrical connection in both said first and second regions (24, 26);

c) an electronics module (16) adapted to be, as a unit, received in and selectively replaceably detached from said first region (24), said electrical module (16) comprising

i) a socket (68) adapted to make electrical connection to an external power source;

ii) control circuitry (62) adapted to receive power from the power source and provide power to light emitting diodes (LEDs) (34);

iii) a coupling structure (70, 72) adapted to selectively attachably and detachably retain said electronics module (16) to said heat sink (12); and

iv) a first electrical connector (64) adapted to selectively attachably and detachably form an electrical connection to portions of said first and second contacts (66) in said first region (24); and

d) a light module (14) adapted to be, as a unit, received in and selectively replaceably detached from said second region (26), said light module (14)comprising;

i) at least one light emitting diode (LED) (34);

(ii) an optical element (36) in register with the LED (34) adapted to shape light emitted therefrom; and

iii) a second electrical connector (38) in operative association with said at least one LED (34) and adapted to selectively attachably and detachably form an electrical connection to portions of said first and second contacts (66) in said second region (26), wherein the electronics module (16) when retained in the first region (24) supplies power to the light module (14) when retained in the second region (26).

2. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, wherein the coupling structure (70, 72) comprises a latch.

3. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, wherein the coupling structure (70, 72) is spaced from the first electrical connector.

4. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, wherein the interconnector (18) comprises a jack.

5. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, wherein a guideway structure (28, 70, 72) is formed on at least one of said electronics module (16) and said light module (14).

6. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, wherein the interconnector (18) is spaced radially from a central longitudinal axis (L) of the heat sink (12) thereby defining a guideway structure assisting alignment of at least one of said electronics module (16) and said light module (14) during attachment to the heat sink (12).

7. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, wherein the coupling structure (70, 72) comprises a snap-fit structure.

8. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, wherein the coupling structure (70, 72) comprises a blind latch.

9. The LED lamp (10) of claim 8, wherein the heat sink (12) further defines a hole (25) adjacent the blind latch in a position wherein the electronics module (16) is coupled to the heat sink (12), said hole (25) permitting access to said blind latch.

10. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, wherein the optical element (36) comprises a lens.

11. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, wherein the light module (14) comprises a housing (40) defining an interior space (51), said at least one LED (34) being disposed on a printed circuit board (46) received in the interior space (51), and the second electrical connector (38) is formed at a peripheral region of the housing (40).

12. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, wherein the light module (14) comprises a plurality of LEDs (34).

13. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, wherein the passageway (32) is formed on an interior of the heat sink (12).

14. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, further comprising a removable locking structure (28, 70, 72) affixing said light module (14) to said heat sink (12).

15. The LED lamp (10) of claim 1, wherein the first and second electrical contacts (66) comprise resilient metallic tabs.