Fluorescent tube type LED lamp

• US 8,746,907 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakamura, Yasuo, Kobayashi, Norihiko, Daicho, Hisayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): HINES, ANNE M
• Application Number:
  US13/419,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20120236533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 362/223, 362/249.02, 362/217.08, 362/235, 362/294, 362/311.02, 362/84
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/04 intended only for mounting on a ceiling or the like overhead structures F21S8/02 takes precedence; details of ceiling bases F21V21/03
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 2200/00 Use of light guides, e.g. fibre optic devices, in lighting devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/0615 the material diffusing light, e.g. translucent glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• 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 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/504 Elements with two or more wavelength conversion materials

Abstract

A fluorescent tube type LED lamp includes an elongated lamp body that has a largest dimension in a longitudinal direction, a light source substrate mounted on the lamp body, a light transmissive cover attached to the lamp body, and an LED unit mounted on the light source substrate such that the LED unit extends in the longitudinal direction of the lamp body. The LED unit includes a plurality of LED chips mounted on the light source substrate, and a transparent encapsulant encapsulating the LED chips. The encapsulant is molded such that the encapsulant is raised from the light source substrate. The LED unit radiates light from an entire surface of the encapsulant in an angular range including a region lateral to the lamp body.

Claims

1. A fluorescent tube type LED lamp comprising:

an elongated lamp body that has a largest dimension in a longitudinal direction thereof;

a light source substrate mounted on the lamp body;

a light transmissive cover attached to the lamp body; and

an LED unit mounted on the light source substrate such that the LED unit extends in the longitudinal direction of the lamp body,

wherein the LED unit comprises a plurality of LED chips and a transparent encapsulant encapsulating the LED chips,

wherein the LED chips are mounted on the light source substrate, wherein the encapsulant is molded such that the encapsulant is raised from the light source substrate,

wherein the LED unit radiates light from an entire surface of the encapsulant in an angular range including a region lateral to the lamp body,

wherein space is provided between the encapsulant and the light transmissive cover, and

wherein each of the LED chips emits ultraviolet light or near ultraviolet visible light, and the encapsulant contains a plurality of types of phosphors to wavelength-convert the light emitted by each of the LED chips to white visible light.

2. The fluorescent tube type LED lamp according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulant is molded in a band shape such that the encapsulant continuously encapsulates the plurality of LED chips.

3. The fluorescent tube type LED lamp according to claim 1, wherein the lamp body comprises a light guide portion configured to guide a part of the light from the LED unit toward a surface on which the fluorescent tube type LED lamp is mounted.

4. The fluorescent tube type LED lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a light diffusing layer provided on an inner surface of the light transmissive cover.

5. The fluorescent tube type LED lamp according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulant encapsulates the plurality of LED chips such that the encapsulant is in contact with top and side surfaces of each of the plurality of LED chips.

6. The fluorescent tube type LED lamp according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulant is molded from transparent silicone resin.