Electrical supply module for flexible coupling

Abstract

An electrical supply module including: a composite board including an anode layer and a cathode layer of electrically conducting material, which anode layer and cathode layer are separated by an insulator of electrically insulating material, the anode layer and the cathode layer each having a trench extending from a connection surface of the composite board; an adapter for mounting in a hole extending entirely through or partly through the composite board, the adapter including a circuit board carrying an electronic component, the circuit board establishing electrical connection from the anode layer to an anode of the electronic component and electrical connection from the cathode layer to a cathode of the electronic component; and a power supply capable of providing a constant voltage or a constant current between the anode layer and the cathode layer. An electrical supply system including the electrical supply module and an extension module.

Claims

1. An electrical supply module comprising: a composite board comprising an anode layer and a cathode layer of electrically conducting material, which anode layer and cathode layer are separated by an insulator of electrically insulating material, the anode layer and the cathode layer each having a trench extending from a connection surface at an end of the composite board, an adapter for mounting in a hole extending entirely through or partly through the composite board, the adapter comprising a circuit board carrying an electronic component, the circuit board establishing electrical connection from the anode layer to an anode of the electronic component and electrical connection from the cathode layer to a cathode of the electronic component, and a power supply capable of providing a constant voltage or a constant current between the anode layer and the cathode layer.

2. The electrical supply module according to claim 1, wherein each trench comprises a connection element for engaging with a complementary connection element of a connector pin.

3. The electrical supply module according to claim 2, wherein the connection element is a hollow metallic cylinder with an outer helical thread.

4. The electrical supply module according to claim 1, wherein each trench comprises a ridge extending along a wall of the trench.

5. The electrical supply module according to claim 4, wherein the trench has at least three ridges extending along the length axis of the trench with the tips of the ridges being placed on the perimeter of a circle defined in a plane normal to the length axis of the trench.

6. The electrical supply module according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conducting material is a metal selected from the list consisting of aluminium, magnesium, copper, titanium, steel, and their alloys.

7. The electrical supply module according to claim 6, wherein the metal has been anodised.

8. The electrical supply module according to claim 6, wherein the anode layer and/or the cathode layer has been extruded from the metal.

9. The electrical supply module according to claim 1, wherein the electrical supply module comprises a plurality of adapters.

10. The electrical supply module according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component is selected from the list consisting of a light emitting diode (LED), a series of LEDs, a resistor, a transistor, a controller, a chip on board (COB), a driver, a microphone, a camera, a sensor, a radio transmitter, a radio receiver, an antenna and an access point for wireless communication.

11. The electrical supply module according to claim 1, wherein the electrical supply module comprises a plurality of adapters each comprising a light emitting diode (LED) or series of LEDs, and the power supply being capable of providing a constant voltage.

12. An electrical supply system comprising: an electrical supply module comprising a composite board comprising an anode layer and a cathode layer of electrically conducting material, which anode layer and cathode layer are separated by an insulator of electrically insulating material, the anode layer and the cathode layer each having a trench extending from a connection surface at an end of the composite board, the trench comprising a connection element for engaging with a complementary connection element of a connector pin, an extension module comprising a composite board comprising an anode layer and a cathode layer of electrically conducting material, which anode layer and cathode layer are separated by an insulator of electrically insulating material, the anode layer and the cathode layer each having a trench extending from a connection surface of the composite board, the trench comprising a connection element for engaging with a complementary connection element of a connector pin, a power supply capable of providing a constant voltage or a constant current between the anode layer and the cathode layer of the electrical supply module, an adapter for mounting in a hole extending entirely through or partly through the composite board of the electrical supply module or the composite board of the extension module, the adapter comprising a circuit board carrying an electronic component, the circuit board establishing electrical connection from the anode layer to an anode of the electronic component and electrical connection from the cathode layer to a cathode of the electronic component, and a connector pin for each trench of the electrical supply module, each connector pin having a first complementary connection element for engaging the connection element of the trench of the composite board of the electrical supply module and a second complementary connection element for engaging the connection element of the trench of the composite board of the extension module.

13. The electrical supply system according to claim 12, wherein the complementary connection element of the connector pin comprises a spring or an elastic section.

14. The electrical supply system according to claim 12, wherein the connector pin comprises a flexible link between the first complementary connection element and the second complementary connection element.

15. The electrical supply system according to claim 12, wherein the connector pin comprises an electrically conducting material for providing electrical connection between the anode layers of the electrical supply module and the extension module or between the cathode layers of the electrical supply module and the extension module.

16. The electrical supply system according to claim 12, wherein the extension module comprises an adapter for mounting in a hole extending entirely through or partly through the composite board, the adapter comprising a circuit board carrying an electronic component, the circuit board establishing electrical connection from the anode layer to an anode of the electronic component and electrical connection from the cathode layer to a cathode of the electronic component.

17. The electrical supply system according to claim 12, wherein the connection element is a hollow metallic cylinder with an outer helical thread.

18. The electrical supply system according to claim 12, wherein each trench comprises a ridge extending along a wall of the trench.

19. The electrical supply system according to claim 18, wherein the trench has at least three ridges extending along the length axis of the trench with the tips of the ridges being placed on the perimeter of a circle defined in a plane normal to the length axis of the trench.

20. The electrical supply system according to claim 12, wherein the electrically conducting material is a metal selected from the list consisting of aluminium, magnesium, copper, titanium, steel, and their alloys.

21. The electrical supply system according to claim 20, wherein the metal has been anodised.

22. The electrical supply system according to claim 20, wherein the anode layer and/or the cathode layer has been extruded from the metal.

23. A method of producing an electrical supply module, the method comprising providing an electrical supply module comprising: a composite board comprising an anode layer and a cathode layer of electrically conducting material, which anode layer and cathode layer are separated by an insulator of electrically insulating material, the anode layer and the cathode layer each having a trench extending from a connection surface at an end of the composite board, a plurality of adapters for mounting in a hole extending entirely through or partly through the composite board, the adapters comprising a circuit board carrying an electronic component, the circuit board establishing electrical connection from the anode layer to an anode of the electronic component and electrical connection from the cathode layer to a cathode of the electronic component, a power supply capable of providing a constant voltage or a constant current between the anode layer and the cathode layer, and removing a section of the composite board, the section containing one or more of the adapters, which removal leaves the circuit board of at least one adapter in electrical connection with the power supply.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) In the following the invention will be explained in greater detail with the aid of an example and with reference to the schematic drawings, in which

(2) FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an adapter used in an electric supply module of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of an adapter used in an electric supply module the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 shows the bottom view of an embodiment of a lighting fixture of the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the top view of an embodiment of a lighting fixture of the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an electric supply module of the invention;

(7) FIG. 6 shows an end view of an electric supply module of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) The present invention relates to an electrical supply module 1 and electrical supply system 100, and to a lighting fixture, a lighting fixture system, a lighting fixture kit, and methods of producing an electrical supply module or a lighting fixture.

(9) In a specific embodiment the electrical supply module is a lighting fixture, which employs light emitting diodes (LED) and can be used for general illumination. The lighting fixture provides flexibility for fitting into a spatially limited location by adjusting the size of the lighting fixture as desired. In the context of the invention the term LED may refer to a single LED or several, e.g. 2 to 10, serially connected LED's, unless otherwise noted. The LED is an example of an electronic component and the terms may be used interchangeably. However, an electronic component may also be another component than a LED. A LED will have a forward voltage (V.sub.f) required to power the LED and make it light. The LED's are preferably white light LED's providing white light with a colour temperature in the range of 1,500 K to 8,000 K, e.g. in the range of 2,500 K to 3,000 K, or 2,700 K to 3,200 K, or 3,000 K to 3,500 K, or 3,500 K to 4,500 K, or 4,500 K to 6,000 K, or 6,000 K to 8,000 K. LED's are typically supplied with a nominal forward voltage (V.sub.f,) e.g. 3 V, but the actual V.sub.f of a LED may differ from the nominal V.sub.f. For example, for a LED with a nominal V.sub.f of 3 V, the actual V.sub.f may vary with 0.1 V when the LED has a power rating in the range of 1 W to 5 W or more (a high power LED), whereas a LED with a nominal V.sub.f of 3 V may vary with 0.05 V when the LED has a power rating of less than 1 W (a medium power LED), e.g. a power rating in the range of 0.2 W to 0.4 W. It is therefore particularly advantageous that each adapter in the lighting fixture of the invention comprises a series of medium power LED's, e.g. 2 to 6 LED's with a power rating in the range of 0.2 W to 0.4 W, since the lower variation in actual V.sub.f compared to the nominal V.sub.f can reduce the problem of mismatching of actual V.sub.f values when the LED's are in parallel electrical connection.

(10) Referring now to the figures, an embodiment of an adapter of the electric supply module 1, e.g. a lighting fixture, according to the present invention is depicted in a cross-sectional view in FIG. 1, and an embodiment of an adapter of a lighting fixture according to the present invention is depicted in an exploded view in FIG. 2. The LED may readily be replaced by other electronic components in the adapter.

(11) FIG. 1 shows a part of an electric supply module 1, e.g. a lighting fixture. The composite board in this embodiment comprises an insulator 11 in the form of an electrically insulating layer, e.g. polyethylene, positioned between two electrically conducting layers 12,13. The electrically conducting anode layer 12 is shown as an electrically conducting front layer, and cathode layer 13 is shown as an electrically conducting back layer. It is also possible that the front layer is the cathode layer and that the back layer is the anode layer. The electrically conducting layers 12,13 are made of e.g. aluminium, but may be made electrically conducting by the use of other conducting materials. When aluminium is used it is preferably anodised, e.g. to have an oxide layer of about 20 m thickness. The composite board is provided with a hole 15, in this case a cylindrical hole, through the electrically conducting layer 12 and the insulator 11. The hole 15 comprises a bottom 16 constituted by the electrically conducting back layer 13 and wall(s) constituted by the insulator 11 and the electrically conducting layer 12. The hole 15 may also have perimeters of other shapes, e.g. superficial shapes, such as square, rectangular, triangular perimeters etc. Inside the hole a circuit board 2, e.g. a printed circuit board (PCB), is provided. The circuit board 2 is the same shape and size, or slightly smaller size, than the bottom of the hole 15. It may also be even smaller, larger or a different shape. A LED 3 as a surface mounted device (SMD) is attached to the circuit board 2. Alternatively, another kind of LED can be used. The SMD LED 3 comprises a first and a second electrical terminal (not shown), functioning as the cathode and anode, respectively.

(12) In the embodiment shown, the first electrical terminal is in a first electrical connection with the electrically conducting front layer 12, and the second electrical terminal is in second electrical connection with the electrically conducting back layer 13.

(13) The first electrical connection between the electrically conducting front layer 12 and the first electrical terminal is formed via a conductor, preferably a printed conductor, on the circuit board 2 and further conductors as appropriate. In the embodiment shown, the first electrical terminal is in electrical connection with an electrically conducting element 4, e.g. a resilient electrically conducting element in the form of a wave spring, a washer ring, a spring washer, a disc spring or a coil etc., positioned along the circumference of the hole 15, which is further in electrical connection with an electrically conducting retaining element 5, extending along the circumference of the hole and between the electrically conducting front layer 12 and the electrically conducting element 4. The conducting retaining element 5 is especially appropriate when the hole 15 is made into a preformed composite board, e.g. a dibond plate. When the hole is established in one or both layers, in particular the front layer, of a composite board before assembly of the composite board a conducting retainer element is typically not used. In a specific embodiment the electrically conducting element 41 is a metallic ring with one or more legs, e.g. 4 legs, providing resilience. The electrically conducting retaining element 5 may be a metal ring, e.g. a copper or aluminium ring, at the circumference of the circuit board 2. The electrically conducting element 4 is preferably made of a suitable metal e.g. spring metal, copper, an aluminium alloy etc. The electrically conducting element 4 is in press between the circuit board 2 and an electrically conducting retaining element 5 in the form of an, e.g. metallic, electrically conducting retainer ring, extending along the circumference of the hole and between the electrically conducting front layer 12 and the electrically conducting element 4. The electrically conducting element 4, e.g. in the form of a wave spring, is waved along the edge such that the edge of the wave spring alternately is in contact with the electrically conducting retaining element 5 and the circuit board 2. The electrically conducting retaining element 5 thus establishes an electrical contact to the electrically conducting front layer 12. The electrically conducting element 4 and the electrically conducting retainer ring 5 further keep the circuit board 2 in place. The circuit board 2, the electrically conducting element 4, and the electrically conducting retaining element 5 can be considered to constitute the adapter. In a specific embodiment the circuit board 2, the electrically conducting element 4, and the electrically conducting retaining element 5 are joined together for easy insertion of the adapter in the whole. In another embodiment the circuit board 2, and optionally the electrically conducting element 4, and the electrically conducting retaining element 5 are contained in a holder or the like, which holder can be inserted into the hole.

(14) Alternatively, the electrically conducting element 4 may be dispensed with such that the electrically conducting retaining element 5 is in direct contact with the supply circuit on the circuit board 2. As a further alternative the electrically conducting front layer 12 may extend over the electrically conducting retaining element 5 such that the electrically conducting front layer 12 keeps the electrically conducting retaining element 5 in place, for example when the electrically conducting front layer 12 has been prepared by extrusion for subsequent assembly into the composite board.

(15) The second electrical connection to the electrically conducting rear layer 13 is formed from the second electrical terminal via a, preferably printed, conductor on the circuit board 2 extending to a conductor mounted on, in or through the circuit board 2. In the embodiment shown, the conductor extends through a hole in the circuit board 2 to the electrically conducting rear layer 13. The conductor may take the form of an electrically conducting pipe, a cable or a rod, etc.

(16) The adapter is furthermore provided with a thermal conductor component 6, e.g. of silicon carbide, on which the LED 3 is mounted, further comprising thermal conductors 7, in the form of copper threads, extending between the thermal conductor component 6 and the electrically conducting back layer 13 through the circuit board 2. Other heat conducting materials may be used as well.

(17) Additionally, as all the components/elements in the hole may be flush with the surface of the electrically conducting front layer 12, i.e. there are no protruding parts extending beyond the surface of electrically conducting front layer 12, an additional light processing layer 10 in the form of an acrylic plate or film is provided on top of the electrically conducting front layer 12. The light processing layer 10 may only cover the hole, for example if it is in the form of a recessed lens, or it may also be dispensed with. The light processing layer may be used for protecting the electronic component from water, e.g. together with a seal (not shown), and/or Ultra Violet (UV) light and/or scatter and/or diffuse and/or focus light emitted from the light emitting diode.

(18) Further attachment means may be used to keep the adapter in place, such as an adhesive or paste that may be electrically conducting. Also an optical lens may be attached as the light processing layer 10 or be incorporated therein.

(19) In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the electrically conducting element has a base 41 and is provided with four conducting resilient legs 42 extending between the base 41 and an electrically conducting retaining element 5. Alternatively, the electrically conducting element 41 may be provided with an arbitrary number of legs such as three to six legs. FIG. 2 also shows a printed circuit 21 on the circuit board, e.g. in the form of an aluminium plate with a printed circuit. The aluminium secures a good thermal contact to the LED's thermal conductor component 6. The circuit board 2 is coated on the back side with a thin layer of gold to provide at good thermal and electrical contact to the bottom of the recess in the form of the electrically conducting rear layer 13. The gold coating may be dispensed with. The lighting fixture may also comprise, e.g. between the circuit board 2 and the electrically conducting back layer 13, a thermal paste to provide better thermal contact to thereby leading heat away from the LED and further to prevent corrosion of the electrically conducting back layer 13, e.g. when the electrically conducting back layer 13 is made from aluminium. When the lighting fixture comprises a thermal paste it may also comprise a thin toothed washer between the circuit board 2 and the electrically conducting back layer 13 in order to avoid electrical resistance from the thermal paste.

(20) FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show an embodiment of the lighting fixture connected to a supplementary module via a coupling device, a corner bracket 91. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 also show a coupling device in the form of a straight bracket 92 that can couple two sections in a straight line, and further a T-bracket 93 is shown. In an embodiment of the invention the power supply to the lighting fixture is provided via the T-bracket 93, although a corner bracket 91 or a straight bracket 92 may also be used to supply power. The lighting fixture of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 is for mounting under a kitchen cabinet and it has a composite board of 3 mm thickness and a width of 600 mm corresponding to the width of the kitchen cabinet. The length of the lighting fixture and any supplementary module may follow recognised standards. For example, for kitchen cabinets may have a standard width of 600 mm so that the length of the lighting fixture and/or the supplementary module will also be 600 mm. It is also possible for the length to a multiple of the standard value, e.g. 1200 mm or 1800 mm. Each adapter comprises 4 serially connected LEDs with a combined nominal Vf of about 11.6 V. The adapters are positioned at a distance from each other of 200 mm. The lighting fixture has been cut a 45 angle and is connected to a supplementary module that has likewise been cut at a 45 angle so that the connection via the corner bracket 91 provides a 90 angle between the lighting fixture and the supplementary module. The lighting fixture is supplied via a single 12 V constant voltage power supply.

(21) A perspective view of an electric supply module 1 of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 5, and the connection surface of the electric supply module 1 is shown in FIG. 6. The composite board of the electric supply module 1 comprises an anode layer 12 and a cathode layer 13 of anodised aluminium. The electrically conducting layers 12,13 have been prepared by extrusion so that the electrically conducting layers 12,13 each comprise a trench 8 along the longitudinal axes of the electrically conducting layers 12,13 through the length of the respective layers. The electrically conducting layers 12,13 have been assembled with an insulator 11 of polyethylene. The electric supply module 1 shown in FIG. 5 comprises a plurality of adapters 30; in the embodiment of FIG. 5 the adapters comprise LEDs. The adapters are electrically connected in parallel in the electric supply module 1, which is fitted with a power supply 90 providing a constant voltage of 12 V. In another embodiment the constant voltage is 24 V. The electrically conducting layers 12,13 each have a trench 8 with three ridges 81 along the length axis of the trench 8. The trenches in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are open to a surface, e.g. the back surface, of the electrical supply module 1. In FIG. 5 the trenches 8 have a circular cross-section with the ridges 81 defining a circle in the plane of the cross-section. In FIG. 6 the trenches 8 have a rectangular, e.g. square, cross-section with a ridge 81 on each wall, so that the three ridges 81 in this case also define a circle in the plane of the cross-section. The connection surface A is in a plane, which is normal to the longitudinal axis of the electrically conducting layers 12,13, and the angle of the trenches 8 is normal to the same plane. FIG. 6 illustrates the electric supply module 1 seen from the connection surface A; the embodiment and its features depicted in FIG. 6 are not drawn to scale. Each trench 8 has a connection element 811 in the form of a hollow brass cylinder with an external helical thread (not shown). The brass cylinder has a diameter slightly larger than the circle defined by the tips of the three ridges 81 so that the brass cylinder can be screwed into the ridges 81 and penetrate the oxide layer thereby creating electrical connection from the respective electrically conducting layer 12 or 13 to the hollow part of the brass cylinder.

(22) The electric supply module 1 is used with connector 83 having a first and a second complementary connection element allowing the electric supply module 1 to be connected with an extension module 9 of the invention. It is preferred that the electric supply module 1 and the extension module 9 have composite boards with trenches with identical connection elements so that these can be connected with a connector pin 83 e.g. a brass connector pin 83, having two identical complementary connection elements. The complementary connection elements may for example be banana connectors that can be inserted into the hollow part of the brass cylinders. However, in another embodiment the trenches of the electric supply module 1 have different connection elements from the trenches of the composite board of the extension module, and the connector pins 83 have correspondingly different complementary connection elements. In yet a further embodiment the anode layers 12 employ one type of connection elements and complementary connection elements, and the cathode layers 13 employ a different type of connection elements and complementary connection elements. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the anode layers 12 and the cathode layers 13 cannot be connected using the same type of connector pins 83 so that correct connection between the electric supply module 1 and an extension module 9 is ensured.

(23) The connection surface A is depicted at the end of the electric supply module 1. However, the connection surface, or further connection surfaces, may be located along the side of the composite board. In an embodiment, the electrically conducting layers 12,13 are extruded from aluminium to each have a trench along the length of the electrically conducting layers 12,13, and further trenches can be provided at any location in the composite board in order to provide further connection surfaces, e.g. at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the electrically conducting layers 12,13.