Led array with reflector and printed circuit board

• US 5,130,761 A
• Filed: 07/15/1991
• Issued: 07/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): MINTEL, WILLIAM A
• Application Number:
  US07/729,560
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 357/45, 357/17, 357/72, 357/74, 357/76, 357/75, 357/74 A, 357/74 B, 357/74 C, 357/74 R, 357/17 L, 357/19, 357/51, 313/500, 313/512, 362/800, 362/296, 362/301, 362/300, 362/372, 355/67, 355/70
• US Class Current: 257/88
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/237 rod-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/245 emitting light from one or more of its major surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/249 with two or more light sources being coupled into the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• 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 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/02815 Means for illuminating the original, not specific to a particular type of pick-up head
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/02865 using an array of light sources or a combination of such arrays, e.g. an LED bar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 257/926 Elongated lead extending axially through another elongated lead
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

The LED array of this invention is constructed of a printed circuit board, a plurality of LED chips disposed linearly on the printed circuit board, each LED chip being capable of radiating a light beam, and a reflection member for reflecting the light beam from the LED chips and guiding the light beam outward of the LED array in the main illumination direction generally parallel to the surface of the board.

Claims

1. An LED array comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a plurality of LED chips disposed linearly on said printed circuit board, each LED chip being capable of radiating a light beam; and

a reflection member for reflecting each said light beam from said LED chips, guiding each said light beam outward of said LED array in a main illumination direction generally parallel to the surface of said board.

2. An LED array according to claim 1, wherein said reflection member has a reflection surface which reflects said light beam in the main illumination direction, said light beam being radiated from the LED chips in the direction reverse to said main illumination direction.

3. An LED array according to claim 1, wherein said reflection member is formed in an elongated shape and has a lateral cross section generally of an L-character shape.

4. An LED array according to claim 2, wherein said reflection member is formed in an elongated shape and has a lateral cross section generally of an L-character shape.

5. An LED array according to claim 3, wherein one side of said reflection member is fixedly mounted on said board generally perpendicularly, and the other side of said reflection member is positioned above said LED chips.

6. An LED array according to claim 4, wherein one side of said reflection member is fixedly mounted on said board generally perpendicularly, and the other side of said reflection member is positioned above said LED chips.

7. An LED array according to claim 5, wherein an opening is defined between said one side of said reflection member, said other side of said reflection member and said board.

8. An LED array according to claim 7, wherein there is mounted lens means in front of said reflection member, said lens means guiding said light beam from said LED outward of said LED array in said main illumination direction generally parallel to the surface of said board.

9. An LED array according to claim 8, wherein there is mounted lens means in front of said reflection member, said lens means guiding each said light beam from said LED outward of said LED array in said main illumination direction generally parallel to the surface of said board.

10. An LED array according to claim 8, wherein said lens means constitutes a part of a cover covering the whole of said reflection member.

11. An LED array according to claim 10, wherein said lens means constitutes a part of a cover covering the whole of said reflection member.

12. An LED array according to claim 10, wherein current limiting resistors for said LED chips are mounted on said board.

13. An LED array according to claim 11, wherein current limiting resistors for said LED chips are mounted on said board.

14. An LED array according to claim 10, wherein said reflection member is formed with mount guides at opposite longitudinal sides thereof.

15. An LED array according to claim 11, wherein said reflection member is formed with mount guides at opposite longitudinal sides thereof.

16. An LED array according to claim 9, wherein the optical axis of said lens means is set apart from an axis passing through the center of said LED chip in said main illumination direction, relative to the surface of said board.

17. An LED array according to claim 11, wherein the optical axis of said lens means is set apart from an axis passing through the center of said LED chip in said main illumination direction, relative to the surface of said board.

18. An LED array according to claim 13, wherein the optical axis of said lens means is set apart from an axis passing through the center of each said LED chip in said main illumination direction, relative to the surface of said board.

19. An LED array according to claim 15, wherein the optical axis of said lens means is set apart from an axis passing through the center of each said LED chip in said main illumination direction, relative to the surface of said board.