Light module

Abstract

A light module serves for inserting into a housing of a semiconductor lamp and comprises: a driver (2), a cooling element, a light generator, abutting the cooling element, with at least one semiconductor light source, which is electrically connected with the driver, and an optical refraction element covering the at least one semiconductor light source, wherein the refraction element is fastened on the cooling element and presses the light generator onto the cooling element. A semiconductor lamp comprises a housing open at the front into which the light module is inserted from the front side and on which the light module is fastened. A method serves for producing a semiconductor lamp, wherein at least the driver, the cooling element, the light generator and the refraction element are assembled into an individually manageable light module and the light module is then inserted into a housing. The invention is also applicable to replacement or retrofit lamps, in particular with a pin base, particularly a bipin base, e.g. to retrofit lamps for replacing halogen lamps, for example of the type MR16.

Claims

1. A light module configured for insertion into a housing of a semiconductor lamp, the light module comprising: a driver; a cooling element; a light generator abutting the cooling element, the light generator comprising at least one semiconductor light source populated on a circuit board and electrically connected with the driver; and an optical refraction element covering the at least one semiconductor light source, wherein the optical refraction element includes: a first structure extending through a bottom wall of the cooling element and engaging the cooling element so that the optical refraction element is fastened on the cooling element; and a second structure that presses the light generator onto the cooling element.

2. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the optical refraction element is fastened on the cooling element and is supported on the light generator.

3. The light module according to claim 1, wherein: the first structure comprises at least one lock hook protruding at a rear of the optical refraction element, which is locked with the cooling element; and the second structure comprises at least one foot protruding at the rear of the optical refraction element, which is supported on the light generator.

4. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board of the light generator directly abuts the cooling element.

5. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the driver is connected with the light generator through solder pins.

6. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the driver is pressed into the cooling element and soldered to the light generator.

7. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the cooling element has an inclined sidewall configured to be placed against the housing, a front edge of which is rounded outwards.

8. A semiconductor lamp comprising: the light module according to claim 1; and a housing open at a front side thereof, into which the light module is inserted at the front side and at which the light module is fastened.

9. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the cooling element is cup-shaped, the bottom wall of which is flat, and wherein the light generator abuts the flat bottom wall.

10. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the cooling element and the optical refraction element interface to enclose the light generator in a space defined by such enclosure.

11. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the cooling element is shorter in height than a length of the first structure.

12. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the second structure terminates within an interior space of the cooling element.

13. The light module according to claim 1, wherein in extending through the bottom wall of the cooling element and engaging the cooling element, the first structure passes through a first through-hole defined in the circuit board and a second through-hole defined in the cooling element.

14. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the first structure extends through the circuit board.

15. The light module according to claim 1, wherein: a thermal interface material layer is sandwiched between the circuit board and the cooling element; and the first structure extends through the thermal interface material layer.

16. The light module according to claim 1, wherein the optical refraction element including the first structure and the second structure is formed as a single-piece body.

17. The light module according to claim 3, wherein the at least one lock hook has an inclined contact surface configured to engage with the bottom wall of the cooling element.

18. The semiconductor lamp according to claim 8, wherein the cooling element has an inclined sidewall configured to be placed against the housing, a front edge of which is rounded outwards, wherein the light module is glued to the housing via an adhesive present between the cooling element of the light module and the housing.

19. The semiconductor lamp according claim 8, wherein the semiconductor lamp is a MR16 or PAR16 retrofit lamp.

20. A method for producing a semiconductor lamp, the method comprising: providing a light module configured for insertion into a housing of the semiconductor lamp, the light module comprising: a driver; a cooling element; a light generator, abutting the cooling element, with at least one semiconductor light source electrically connected with the driver; and an optical refraction element covering the at least one semiconductor light source, wherein the optical refraction element is fastened on the cooling element and presses the light generator onto the cooling element; wherein the cooling element has an inclined sidewall configured to be placed against the housing, a front edge of which is rounded outwards; and inserting the light module into a housing of the semiconductor lamp, wherein the housing is open at a front side thereof, into which housing the light module is inserted at the front side and at which the light module is fastened, wherein the light module is glued to the housing via an adhesive present between the cooling element of the light module and the housing, wherein the adhesive is applied to an inner side of the housing and then the light module is inserted into the housing such that the cooling element of the light module with the front edge which is rounded outwards at least partially takes along the adhesive during its movement; wherein at least the driver, the cooling element, the light generator, and the optical refraction element are assembled to provide the light module and then the light module is inserted into the housing.

Description

(1) The above-described characteristics, features and advantages of this invention as well as the way in which these will be achieved become more obvious and clearer in connection with the following schematic description of embodiments which will be explained in more details in connection with the drawings. Same elements or elements with the same effects may be provided with the same reference numbers for the sake of clarity.

(2) FIG. 1 shows the individual components to be assembled into a light module according to a first embodiment, as an exploded side view in cross section;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the light module assembled from the components of FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment in a cross-sectional oblique view from above;

(4) FIG. 3 shows the light module according to the first embodiment in an oblique view from above;

(5) FIG. 4A shows a first section of FIG. 2;

(6) FIG. 4B shows a second section of FIG. 2;

(7) FIG. 5 shows the light module according to the first embodiment with a housing of a semiconductor lamp in a cross-sectional oblique view from above;

(8) FIG. 6 shows an assembled light module according to a second embodiment in a cross-sectional oblique view from above;

(9) FIG. 7 shows the light module according to the second embodiment in an oblique view from above;

(10) FIG. 8 shows a driver and a cooling element of the light module according to the second embodiment in an oblique view from above;

(11) FIG. 9A shows a section of the light module according to the second embodiment which is inserted into a housing of another semiconductor lamp;

(12) FIG. 9B shows a section of FIG. 9A; and

(13) FIG. 10 shows the individual components to be assembled into a light module according to the prior art, as an exploded side view in cross section.

(14) FIG. 1 shows the individual components to be assembled into a light module 1 (see FIG. 2 or FIG. 3) in an exploded side view in cross section. These components comprise a driver 2 with a driver circuit board 3 orientated perpendicular to a longitudinal axis L. Electrical and/or electronic elements 4 are arranged on the driver circuit board, namely in particular on a rear side 5. Electrically conductive contact wires 6 are extending from the rear side 5, namely in direction to and for contacting contact pins 7 (see FIG. 5). A front side 8 of the driver circuit board 3 is equipped with solder pins 9 protruding forward (in longitudinal direction L).

(15) A further component is a cup-like cooling element 10 with a circular disc-shaped flat bottom 11 orientated perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L and a lateral sidewall 12 extending forwards.

(16) A TIM film 14 is arranged at a front side 13 of the bottom 11.

(17) At the front side of the TIM film 14 a light generator 15 is arranged which comprises a circuit board 16 orientated perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L as well as a semiconductor light source in form of a LED 17 arranged on the front side and centrally.

(18) A transparent refraction element in form of a lens 18 is present as the foremost component. The lens 18 has lock hooks at the rear or protruding backwards and at least one (support) foot 20 protruding backwards.

(19) FIG. 2 shows the light module 1 assembled from the components 2, 10, 14, 15 and 18 in a cross-sectional oblique view from above. FIG. 3 shows the assembled light module 1 in an oblique view from above. The assembled light module 1 can be handled independently, e.g. produced and transported separately.

(20) The light module 1 is constructed such that the driver 2 is electrically connected with the circuit board 16 of the light generator 15 by the solder pins 9 and thus also fastened on the light generator 15. The solder pins 9 protrude through corresponding holes in the cooling element 10. With regard to the cooling element 10, the driver 2 is arranged backwards and the light generator 15 is arranged at the front side. With the rear side of its circuit board 16 the light generator 15 lies on the front side 13 of the bottom of the cooling element 10 via the TIM film 14.

(21) The lens 18 covers the LED 17 and is locked with the cooling element 10 by means of the lock hooks 19 engaging with corresponding lock openings 21 located in the bottom 11 (see FIG. 1) of the cooling element 10. The at least one foot 20 lies on the circuit board 16 of the light generator 15 at the front side and presses it towards the cooling element 10. The lens 18 or its foot 20 is thus supported on the light generator 15.

(22) As shown enlarged in FIG. 4A, the lock hook 19 is configured slightly inclined at its contact surface 22 facing the cooling element 10. This facilitates a self-acting adjustment to a desired contact force.

(23) FIG. 4B shows in an enlarged view that the foot 20 lies on the circuit board 16 of the light generator 15 at the front side and presses it towards the cooling element 10. The lens 18 or its foot 20 is thus supported on the light generator 15.

(24) FIG. 5 shows the light module 1 with a housing 23 of a semiconductor lamp 24 in a cross-sectional oblique view from above. Here, the semiconductor lamp 24 is a retrofit lamp for replacement of a MR16 halogen lamp with a base 25 of the type GU5.3. For the final production of the semiconductor lamp 24 the light module 1 is inserted into the housing 23 from the front, as indicated by the arrow, and fastened e.g. by gluing. In particular, an adhesive can be located between the cooling element 10 of the light module 1 and the housing 23. In the process, the contact wires 6 are inserted into the contact pins 7 and fastened there e.g. by crimping the contact pins 7, by soldering and/or by welding. For this purpose, the contact pins 7 can internally be hollow.

(25) FIG. 6 shows an assembled light module 26 according to a second embodiment in a cross-sectional oblique view from above. The light module 26 is constructed similar to the light module 1, but comprises a driver 28 vertically to the cooling element 27. More precisely, the related driver circuit board 29 is vertical to the bottom 11 of the cooling element 22 and thus parallel to the longitudinal axis L. FIG. 7 shows the light module 26 in an oblique view from above.

(26) FIG. 8 shows the driver 28 and the cooling element 27 in an oblique view from above. In the bottom 11 of the cooling element 27 two slot-like feedthroughs 30 are present through each of which one contact tab 31 protruding from the driver circuit board 29 at the front side protrudes respectively. Conducting paths 32 spaced from the cooling element 27 are present at each respective contact tab 31. The contact tabs 31 are pressed into the feedthroughs 30 for mechanical fastening, and their conducting paths 32 are soldered to the light generator 15 (not shown) to provide an at least electrical connection to the light generator 15.

(27) FIG. 9A shows a section of the light module 26 inserted into a housing 33 to form another semiconductor lamp 34. FIG. 9B shows an enlarged section of FIG. 9A in the region of a sidewall 12 of the cooling element 27.

(28) The sidewall 12 of the cooling element 27 and also of the cooling element 10 is laterally rounded outwards at its front edge 35 and thus forms an outwardly bent collar. The sidewall 12 has a slightly smaller inclination to the longitudinal axis L at the outside up to the front edge 35 than the opposite internal wall of the housing 33. Therefore, a gap 36 is formed between them.

(29) For producing the semiconductor lamp 33, an adhesive 37 can be applied to the inner side of the housing 33, namely at a front portion which can also be opposite to the sidewall 12. If now the light module 26 or 1 is inserted into the housing 33 or 23, respectively, the front edge 35 can at least partially take along the adhesive 37. Thereby, excessive adhesive 37 is removed which would otherwise remain in front of the sidewall 12 of the cooling element 10. This adhesive 37 can gather in the gap 36 and thereby additionally provide a tolerance compensation.

(30) Although the invention was illustrated and described in detail by the shown embodiments, the invention is not limited thereto, and other variations can be derived from this by those skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention.

(31) For example, the driver circuit board 3 need not be spaced from the cooling element 10 (as e.g. shown in FIG. 2, where the solder pins 9 serve as spacers), but can also two-dimensionally abut the cooling element 10 or lie thereon with its front side.

(32) The light generatorfor example as a variant of the light module 1can also abut the cooling element over a surface at the rear side, e.g. with a front side of the circuit board of the light generator directly or indirectly (e.g. via a thin TIM film) contacting a rear side of the cooling element over a surface. For this purpose, the cooling element can comprise a central recess for the LED. In particular, in this case the lock hooks can engage with the lock openings of the circuit board and thus press the light generator from below or rearward onto the cooling element. The cooling element can comprise respective recesses for passing of the lock hooks. The at least one foot can be supported on an upper side of the cooling element.

(33) Generally, a, an etc. may be understood as singular or plural, in particular in terms of at least one or one or more etc., as long as this is not excluded explicitly, e.g. by the term exactly one etc.

(34) Numerical data may also include the given number exactly as well as a usual tolerance range as long as this is not excluded explicitly.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(35) light module 1 driver 2 driver circuit board 3 element 4 rear side of the driver circuit board 5 contact wire 6 contact pin 7 front side of the driver circuit board 8 solder pin 9 cooling element 10 bottom 11 sidewall 12 front side of the bottom 13 TIM film 14 light generator 15 circuit board of the light generator 16 LED 17 lens 18 lock hook 19 foot 20 lock opening 21 contact surface 22 housing 23 semiconductor lamp 24 base 25 light module 26 cooling element 27 driver 28 driver circuit board 29 feedthrough 30 contact tab 31 conductive path 32 housing 33 semiconductor lamp 34 front edge 35 gap 36 adhesive 37 conventional MR16 retrofit lamp 100 housing 101 driver 102 cooling element 103 TIM film 104 LED module 105 circuit board 106 LED 107 lens 108 lens holder 109 longitudinal axis L