Method of producing lighting devices and corresponding lighting device

Abstract

A lighting device may be produced by providing a protected elongate light emitting module, including a substrate with at least one electrically-powered light radiation source, and at least one sealing mass protecting light radiation source(s), and by coupling to said light emitting module a channel-shaped cover member with a body portion including light permeable material and side portions, with the side portions of the cover member embracing and locking therebetween the light emitting module and with light radiation source(s) facing towards body portion of cover member, whereby the light permeable material provides a propagation path for the light radiation from light radiation source(s).

Claims

1. A method of producing a lighting device, the method comprising: providing an elongate light emitting module including a substrate with at least one electrically-powered radiation source and at least one sealing mass protecting said at least one light radiation source, and coupling to said light emitting module a channel-shaped cover member with a body portion including light permeable material and side portions, with said side portions of the cover member locking therebetween said light emitting module and with said at least one light radiation source facing towards said body portion of the cover member, whereby said light permeable material provides a propagation path for light radiation from said at least one light radiation source; and providing in said cover member a light-permeable portion facing towards said light emitting module and a light impermeable portion opposed to said light emitting module, to direct light radiation from said at least one radiation source laterally of said cover member.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said coupling includes laminating said light emitting module onto said cover member.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an interface material between said light emitting module and said cover member.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling said light emitting module with said side portions of the cover member by means of complementary coupling formations.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said complementary coupling formations include: a rib and a groove to receive said rib provided on the one end the other of said side portions of the cover member and said light emitting module, or a distal hook formation of said side portions of the cover member embracing said light emitting module.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said distal hook formation: is provided with sculpturing, engaging the substrate of said light emitting module, and/or has a length no less than twice the thickness of said side portions of the cover member.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing said light emitting module and said cover member as flexible elements.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing said cover member with a lens-like surface opposed said light emitting module.

9. A lighting device, comprising: an elongate light emitting module including a substrate with at least one electrically-powered radiation source and at least one sealing mass protecting said at least one light radiation source, and a channel-shaped cover member with a body portion including light permeable material and side portions, the cover member coupled to said light emitting module with said side portions of the cover member locking therebetween said light emitting module and with said at least one light radiation source facing towards said body portion of the cover member, whereby said light permeable material provides a propagation path for light radiation from said at least one light radiation source, wherein the cover member comprises a light-permeable portion facing towards said light emitting module and a light impermeable portion opposed to said light emitting module configured to direct light radiation from said at least one radiation source laterally of said cover member.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an interface surface between said light-permeable portion and said light-impermeable portion of said cover member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the following description, various embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the following drawings, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1 to 3 show subsequent steps of the production of a component which may be employed in one or more embodiments,

(3) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a component which may be produced with the steps of FIGS. 1 to 3,

(4) FIG. 5 shows another component which may be employed in one or more embodiments,

(5) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a lighting device which may be produced according to one or more embodiments,

(6) FIGS. 7 to 10 show possible different implementations of embodiments, and

(7) FIGS. 11A to 11C show possible different implementations of embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) In the following description, numerous specific details are given in order to provide a thorough understanding of various exemplary embodiments. The embodiments may be practiced without one or several of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring the various aspects of the embodiments.

(9) Reference throughout this specification to one embodiment or an embodiment means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the possible appearances of the phrases in one embodiment or in an embodiment in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring exactly to the same embodiment. Furthermore, particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

(10) The headings provided herein are given for convenience only, and therefore do not interpret the extent of protection or the scope of the embodiments.

(11) The Figures show a lighting device adapted to include, in one or more embodiments:

(12) a basic module (or light engine), denoted as 10, and

(13) a member 110, adapted to be coupled as a cover to basic component 10.

(14) In one or more embodiments, both component 10 and cover member 110 (which in the following will simply be named cover for the sake of brevity) may have an overall elongate, e.g. ribbon-like, shape, with optional flexibility features.

(15) Components 10 and 110 may therefore be considered as being of indefinite length, so that they may be optionally cut to measure to achieve the length suitable to the application needs.

(16) In one or more embodiments, module 10 may be obtained from an elongate, e.g. channel-shaped, support 12, including e.g. at least one material as silicone. In one or more embodiments, support 12 may be produced e.g. by extrusion.

(17) In one or more embodiments, support 10 may contain a light radiation emitting assembly, e.g. of the kind named Flexible Printed Circuit Assembly, i.e. FPCA.

(18) Such an assembly, denoted on the whole as 14 in FIG. 2, may include a laminar substrate 14a substantially comparable to a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), carrying one or more electrically-powered light radiation sources.

(19) In one or more embodiments, such sources may be solid-state light radiation sources, e.g. LED sources, 14b, optionally associated with corresponding supply and/or driving electronic circuits.

(20) The structure exemplified in FIG. 2 may be implemented e.g. by laminating the FPCA 14 onto support 12.

(21) Thereafter, a material including e.g. one or more layers of silicone material may be applied (e.g. by potting) onto support 12.

(22) FIG. 3 shows as an example a solution wherein a first layer 18a of an at least partially light-impermeable material (e.g. a translucent material) is deposited within support 12, embedding the LEDs and the respective associated electronic devices (denoted on the whole as 14b), so that such components are masked (and therefore not visible) from the outside, except for the light radiation emitting surfaces of the LEDs.

(23) Over layer 18a, a further layer 18b may be applied of a light-permeable (e.g. transparent) material, adapted to be traversed by the light radiation emitted by the emitting surfaces of sources 14b.

(24) In one or more embodiments, the material of layer 18b may be light-reflective (e.g. including a white material), so as to perform said masking action while simultaneously exerting a reflective action on the light radiation, so as to enhance the light radiation recycling effect and to increase the efficiency of the light radiation emission.

(25) In one or more embodiments, the component which herein is named cover 110 for brevity may have the shape of an elongate profiled body, e.g. with a channel-shaped cross-section profile.

(26) For example, in embodiments as exemplified in FIG. 5 and the subsequent Figures, cover 110 may include a body portion 112 and two side portions 120 adapted to be obtained e.g. in a single (co-extrusion) process, employing one or more flexible materials such as silicone or TPE.

(27) In one or more embodiments, cover 110 may be comprised of one single material, adapted to exhibit features such as a particular colour (including e.g. coloured silicone) and/or diffusivity (including e.g. diffusive silicone filled with aluminaAl.sub.2O.sub.3particles) and/or transparency (including e.g. a transparent silicone), such features being adapted to be optionally combined e.g. in different parts of cover 110.

(28) In one or more embodiments, the features of cover 110 may therefore be chosen at will, as regards e.g. materials, shapes, optical properties, etc., depending on the application needs.

(29) In one or more embodiments, cover 110 may be coupled to module 10 (which, as previously stated, may be implemented as a protected module according to the abovementioned criteria) e.g. by lamination.

(30) In one or more embodiments, between module 10 and cover 110 it is possible to interpose a glue and/or silicone layer acting as an interface (e.g. being adapted to absorb mechanical stresses which may arise between both components 10, 110 if they are bent).

(31) As previously stated, in one or more embodiments, both basic module 10 and cover 110 may therefore be implemented as components exhibiting flexibility, e.g. in the up/down or in the right/left direction from the viewpoint of FIGS. 5 to 10 and 11A to 11C.

(32) In one or more embodiments, the production process may be further simplified by using, as an interface material (not visible in the Figures), a material similar to the sealing mass for layers 18a, 18b, in order to impart the features of a protected module to basic module 10.

(33) FIG. 6 shows possible coupling options between basic module 10 and cover 110.

(34) Said Figure (as well as FIGS. 5, 7 to 10 and 11A to 11C) shows that, in one or more embodiments, the central portion of cover 110 may include a mouth portion 112a, located internally between side portions 120, which protrude from central portion 112. Said mouth portion 112a may therefore have an overall concave shape, the concavity facing outwardly of the channel shape of profiled body 112, 120 of cover 110, so as to receive module 10.

(35) In one or more embodiments, basic module 10 may be coupled to cover 110 with the light radiation source(s) 14b (e.g. carried by FPCA 14) facing towards body portion 112 of cover 110.

(36) In this way, in use, the light radiation emitted by source(s) 14b may be directed towards said central portion 112. If it is made of a light-permeable material (optionally having coloured or diffusive features, depending on the application needs), central portion 112 of cover 110 may allow said light radiation to be emitted from lighting device 10, 110 at the face of cover 110 opposed to mouth portion 12a (i.e. upwards, from the viewpoint of FIGS. 5 to 10 and 11A to 11C).

(37) In one or more embodiments, as exemplified in FIGS. 5 to 10, the profiled body of cover 110 may include (at least) two portions which may be obtained e.g. by extrusion, that is:

(38) a portion 1120 of a material permeable to light radiation (i.e. transparent, and optionally coloured or diffusive on the basis of the application needs), and

(39) a portion 1122 of a material impermeable to light radiation (e.g. opaque, white).

(40) In one or more embodiments, portions 1120 and 1122 may include materials equal or similar to those previously mentioned. These may therefore include polymer materials, such as silicone, the possibility being given of determining and adjusting the light permeability/impermeability value (transparency/opacity) by adjusting the quantity of a filler material, e.g. alumina.

(41) In one or more embodiments, the light-impermeable (opaque) portion 1122 may be used to direct the light radiation of source(s) 14b towards the light-permeable (transparent) portion 1120.

(42) In one or more embodiments, both portions 1120 and 1122 may have an interface surface (exemplified in FIGS. 5 to 10 by line 1124) adapted to extend in a direction which is at least approximately diagonal with reference to the profile of cover 110. Moreover, the interface surface 1124 between both portions 1120 and 1122 may have a (e.g. curved) profile which may be chosen according to the application needs.

(43) As exemplified in FIGS. 5 to 10, in one or more embodiments, light-permeable (e.g. transparent) portion 1120 may include, at least for a substantial part, mouth portion 112a of cover 110, as well as a first side wall 1120a thereof.

(44) On the other hand, portion 1122 may embrace the opposite side wall, denoted as 1122a, as well as the bottom or core wall 1122b of cover 110.

(45) The relative position of both portions 1120, 1122 may anyway be different, e.g. the position shown in FIGS. 5 to 10 may be reversed.

(46) In one or more embodiments, cover 110 may therefore have a side (exemplified herein by mouth portion 112a) which is free and hosts basic module 10, where therefore the light radiation is generated. Moreover, portion 1122 (interface surface 1124), thanks to the at least partially reflective (e.g. white) material thereof, is adapted to cooperate in sending the light radiation generated by source(s) 14b back to side surface 1120a, which acts as light radiation emitting surface.

(47) In one or more embodiments, the fitting and/or the coupling of cover 110 to basic module 10 may be made easier by the side portions 120 of cover 110, which embrace basic module 10 and lock it therebetween, therefore contributing to retain cover 110 on basic module 10. For example, as side portions 120 of cover 110 lock basic module 10 therebetween, the position of the latter may be securely held during the coupling operation (e.g. by lamination), such a retention function being adapted to be performed also in a subsequent step.

(48) In one or more embodiments, as exemplified in FIGS. 7 to 10, the coupling between side portions 120 and basic module 10 (whereof only support 12 is shown in some Figures, in order not to overburden the drawing) may be achieved by various form fitting arrangements.

(49) For example, as exemplified in FIGS. 7 and 8, side portions 120 may have protruding ribs 1200a which engage corresponding grooves 1200b in the side walls of support 12; in one or more embodiments, the arrangement may also be reversed (ribs on support 12 and grooves in side portions 120).

(50) FIG. 8 exemplifies the possibility of shaping ribs 1200a and grooves 1200b (wherever they may be located) with an approximately square cross-section profile, which may enhance the retention force between basic module 10 and cover 110 during (and after) coupling.

(51) In one or more embodiments, as exemplified in FIGS. 9 and 10, side portions 120 may have distal portions 1202, e.g. with an (approximately) triangular cross-section profile, adapted to exert a hook action on basic module 10.

(52) For example, in one or more embodiments said distal hook formations 1202 may have a length (denoted as L in FIG. 9) higher than or equal to twice the corresponding dimension, i.e. the thickness (L in FIG. 9) of side portions 120 of cover 110: in other words, L2L.

(53) In one or more embodiments, as exemplified in FIG. 10, such a design may be further developed if said distal hook formations 1202 have a step-like profile, which may correspond to a related complementary sculpturing in the area of the connection between core wall and side walls of support 12 of basic module 10. Said arrangement has been found to further enhance the retention force established between basic module 10 and cover 110.

(54) As exemplified in the schematic representations of FIGS. 11A to 11C, in one or more embodiments the outer surface 1122b of body 112 of cover 110 may have, instead of the flat shape exemplified in FIG. 11A, a curved tile-like shape (e.g. acting as a lens, as exemplified in FIG. 11B, or a sculpturing of bar-shaped or drop-shaped lens members (as exemplified in FIG. 11C).

(55) Therefore, one or more embodiments lead to the production of a lighting device:

(56) by providing an elongate light emitting module which is in itself protected, i.e. includes a substrate with at least one electrically-powered light radiation source, e.g. a LED source, and at least a sealing mass which protects the light radiation source(s), and

(57) by coupling said light emitting module with a channel-shaped cover member, having a body portion including a light-permeable material and side portions, the side portion of the cover embracing the light radiation module and locking it therebetween, with the light radiation source(s) facing towards the body portion of the cover member, so that the light-permeable material provides a propagation path for the light radiation from the light radiation source(s).

(58) While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The scope of the invention is thus indicated by the appended claims and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced.