LIGHTING APPARATUS

Abstract

A lighting apparatus includes a light source plate, a driver, an antenna base and an antenna module. The driver includes a wireless circuit. The antenna base unit includes a first plastic unit, a metal contact and a metal path. The antenna base is coupled to the light source plate. The metal contact is electrically coupled to the wireless circuit of the driver. The antenna module includes a metal antenna and a second plastic unit. The second plastic unit and the first plastic unit are two separate components. When the second plastic unit is coupled to the first plastic unit, the metal antenna is electrically coupled to the metal contact of the antenna base for receiving a wireless signal to the wireless circuit of the driver.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus, comprising: a light source plate; a driver, wherein the driver comprises a wireless circuit; an antenna base, wherein the antenna base comprises a first plastic unit, a metal contact and a metal path, wherein the antenna base is coupled to the light source plate, wherein the metal contact is electrically coupled to the wireless circuit of the driver; and an antenna module comprising a metal antenna and a second plastic unit, wherein the second plastic unit and the first plastic unit are two separate components, wherein when the second plastic unit is coupled to the first plastic unit, the metal antenna is electrically coupled to the metal contact of the antenna base for receiving a wireless signal to the wireless circuit of the driver.

2. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first plastic unit has a socket, wherein the second plastic unit has a plug, wherein the plug is inserted into the socket to fix the second plastic unit to the first plastic unit.

3. The lighting apparatus of claim 2, wherein an elastic reverse hook structure is disposed as a connection between the first plastic unit and the second plastic unit after the plug is inserted into the socket to prevent the plug being detached from the socket.

4. The lighting apparatus of claim 2, wherein the socket has multiple slots for selectively inserting multiple metal antennas.

5. The lighting apparatus of claim 4, wherein the multiple slots correspond to different transmission protocols, wherein the metal antenna is designed for one transmission protocol and is plugged to the slot associated to said one transmission protocol.

6. The lighting apparatus of claim 5, wherein the wireless circuit detects which slot has been connected to the metal antenna to switch to the transmission protocol associated with the slot that is plugged with the metal antenna.

7. The lighting apparatus of claim 4, wherein more than one metal antennas of the same transmission protocol are installed to more than one slots of the socket, wherein said more than one metal antennas are headed to different directions.

8. The lighting apparatus of claim 7, wherein the wireless circuit selects one metal antenna with a best signal quality among the multiple metal antennas and disable other metal antennas.

9. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the metal antenna is above the light source plate and a second portion of the metal antenna is below the light source plate.

10. The lighting apparatus of claim 9, wherein the light source plate has a hole for containing the first plastic unit.

11. The lighting apparatus of claim 9, wherein a light source is placed on a front side of the light source plate, wherein the driver comprises a driver plate, wherein the driver plate is disposed on a bottom side of the light source plate.

12. The lighting apparatus of claim 11, wherein the wireless circuit is disposed on the light source plate, instead of being disposed on the driver plate.

13. The lighting apparatus of claim 11, wherein the wireless circuit is disposed in the first plastic unit.

14. The lighting apparatus of claim 11, wherein the wireless circuit is disposed on the second plastic unit.

15. The lighting apparatus of claim 11, wherein the light source comprises multiple LED modules fixed on the front side of the light source plate by wave soldering.

16. The lighting apparatus of claim 15, wherein the metal antenna protrudes above the light source plate perpendicularly.

17. The lighting apparatus of claim 15, wherein a thermal dissipation path is disposed for carrying a portion of heat of the light source to the metal antenna.

18. The lighting apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a main housing, an Edison cap and a light shell, wherein the main housing encloses the driver plate, wherein the light shell covers the light source plate for allowing a light of the light source to pass through.

19. The lighting apparatus of claim 18, wherein the main housing has a rotation structure for a user to rotate the rotation structure to change a direction of the metal antenna without moving the Edison cap with respect to an Edison socket that is coupled to the Edison cap.

20. The lighting apparatus of claim 18, wherein the main housing has a sleeve structure for selectively changing an exposure distance of the metal antenna above the light source plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0061] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an antenna module.

[0062] FIG. 2 illustrates two plastic units to be coupled together.

[0063] FIG. 3 illustrates a light bulb example.

[0064] FIG. 4 shows a lighting apparatus embodiment.

[0065] FIG. 5 shows a reverse hook structure.

[0066] FIG. 6 shows multiple slots for inserting antennas of different transmission protocols.

[0067] FIG. 7 shows two metal antennas of the same transmission protocol are disposed for different directions.

[0068] FIG. 8 shows a component arrangement for an antenna with respect to the light source plate.

[0069] FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B show a rotation structure for changing direction of an antenna.

[0070] FIG. 10A and FIG. 10 B show a sleeve structure to adjust exposure of an antenna.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] In FIG. 4, a lighting apparatus includes a light source plate 601, a driver 611, an antenna base 603 and an antenna module 605.

[0072] The driver 611 includes a wireless circuit 610.

[0073] The antenna base 603 includes a first plastic unit 606, a metal contact 608 and a metal path 607.

[0074] The antenna base 603 is coupled to the light source plate 601.

[0075] The metal contact 608 is electrically coupled to the wireless circuit 610 of the driver 611.

[0076] The antenna module 605 includes a metal antenna 604 and a second plastic unit 602.

[0077] The second plastic unit 602 and the first plastic unit 606 are two separate components.

[0078] When the second plastic unit 602 is coupled to the first plastic unit 606, the metal antenna 604 is electrically coupled to the metal contact 608 of the antenna base 603 for receiving a wireless signal 614 to the wireless circuit 610 of the driver 611.

[0079] In some embodiments, the first plastic unit has a socket.

[0080] The second plastic unit has a plug.

[0081] FIG. 1 shows such an example, the first plastic unit has a socket 235 corresponding to a plug 236 of the second plastic unit. The socket 235 matches the shape of the plug 236 so that they can be connected together when inserting the plug 236 into the socket 235.

[0082] The plug is inserted into the socket to fix the second plastic unit to the first plastic unit.

[0083] In some embodiments, an elastic reverse hook structure is disposed as a connection between the first plastic unit and the second plastic unit after the plug is inserted into the socket to prevent the plug being detached from the socket.

[0084] FIG. 5 shows a hook structure comprising a first component 624 and a second component 625. The first component has an elastic arrow hook 626 that can be deformed to pass through an entrance in the direction 627 illustrated in FIG. 5 When the elastic arrow hook 626 is located in the desired position, a reverse groove 623 of the second component 625 releases the deformation of the elastic arrow hook 626 and meanwhile lock the elastic arrow hook 626.

[0085] In FIG. 6, the socket 631 has multiple slots 635, 636, 637 for selectively inserting multiple metal antennas 632, 633, 634.

[0086] In some embodiments, the multiple slots correspond to different transmission protocols. For example, the metal antenna 632 corresponds to Wi-Fi, the metal antenna 633 corresponds to Bluetooth, and the metal antenna 634 corresponds to 4G.

[0087] In some embodiments, the second plastic units for different transmission protocols may have different sizes, shapes for preventing mistaken plugging.

[0088] The metal antenna is designed for one transmission protocol and is plugged to the slot associated to said one transmission protocol.

[0089] In some embodiments, the wireless circuit detects which slot has been connected to the metal antenna to switch to the transmission protocol associated with the slot that is plugged with the metal antenna.

[0090] In such design, the wireless circuit supports multiple transmission protocols and it may detect the impedance to detect whether a slot is plugged in a metal antenna to determine which processing logic should be adopted to handle the wireless transmission.

[0091] In some embodiments, more than one metal antennas of the same transmission protocol are installed to more than one slots of the socket.

[0092] This can be used for MIMO for using multiple antennas to perform the communication. MIMO, which stands for Multiple Input Multiple Output, is a technology used in wireless communication to enhance the capacity and reliability of data transmission. By employing multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver ends, MIMO systems can send and receive multiple data streams simultaneously. This parallel data transmission significantly increases the data rate and improves spectral efficiency, allowing for faster and more robust wireless communication. The technology exploits spatial diversity, where the different paths taken by the signals through the environment can be used to improve the quality of the received signal and combat fading and interference.

[0093] In practical applications, MIMO technology is a cornerstone of modern wireless communication standards such as LTE (Long-Term Evolution), Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n and beyond), and 5G. It enables the efficient use of available bandwidth and enhances the user experience by providing higher throughput and more reliable connections. MIMO also supports advanced features like beamforming, where the direction of the signal is dynamically adjusted to improve performance and reduce interference. This makes MIMO an essential technology for meeting the growing demand for high-speed wireless data services and ensuring robust connectivity in densely populated areas.

[0094] Said more than one metal antennas are headed to different directions.

[0095] FIG. 7 shows that two metal antennas 641, 642 of the same transmission protocol are disposed on a socket 643 so that to receive wireless signals at the same time. In some other embodiments, because a lighting apparatus is fixed to a platform, not easy to move, it would be often that one direction is easier to receive wireless signal while the other direction fails to do that successfully. In such case, the wireless circuit may detect which antenna provides better signal quality and uses that antenna as the medium to receive or to transmit wireless signals.

[0096] In some embodiments, the wireless circuit selects one metal antenna with a best signal quality among the multiple metal antennas and disable other metal antennas.

[0097] In some embodiments, a first portion of the metal antenna is above the light source plate and a second portion of the metal antenna is below the light source plate.

[0098] FIG. 8 shows such an arrangement. In FIG. 8, the metal antenna 671 has a first portion 637 above the light source plate 672 and has a second portion 674 below the light source plate 672. This may reduce the exposed portion of the metal antenna 671 to reduce the shadow it may cause for affecting the overall light pattern.

[0099] In some embodiments, the light source plate 672 has a hole 675 for containing the first plastic unit 676.

[0100] In FIG. 4, a light source 609 is placed on a front side 6011 of the light source plate 601.

[0101] The driver 611 includes a driver plate 613.

[0102] The driver plate 613 is disposed on a bottom side 6012 of the light source plate 601.

[0103] In some embodiments, the wireless circuit is disposed on the light source plate, instead of being disposed on the driver plate.

[0104] In some embodiments, the wireless circuit is disposed in the first plastic unit.

[0105] In some embodiments, the wireless circuit is disposed on the second plastic unit.

[0106] In some embodiments, the light source 609 includes multiple LED modules fixed on the front side of the light source plate by wave soldering.

[0107] In some embodiments, the metal antenna 604 protrudes above the light source plate perpendicularly as illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0108] In some embodiments, a thermal dissipation path 691 is disposed for carrying a portion of heat of the light source 609 to the metal antenna 604.

[0109] In FIG. 3, the lighting apparatus, as a light bulb, may also include a main housing 803, an Edison cap 805 and a light shell 801.

[0110] The main housing 803 encloses the driver plate 804.

[0111] The light shell 802 covers the light source plate 801 for allowing a light of the light source to pass through.

[0112] In some embodiments, the main housing has a rotation structure for a user to rotate the rotation structure to change a direction of the metal antenna without moving the Edison cap with respect to an Edison socket that is coupled to the Edison cap.

[0113] FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B show such an example. In FIG. 9A, the rotation structure 901 on the main housing 901 provides a rotation of the metal antenna 903 with respect to a fixed position when the main housing 902 has been fixed to an Edison socket (not shown here).

[0114] FIG. 9B shows when the metal antenna 903 is rotated to another angle to better receive a wireless signal while not moving the lighting apparatus with respect to the Edison socket. Sometimes, to adjust the Edison socket with respect to the Edison cap may loosen the light bulb from the platform, which may cause problem. This design help solve such problem.

[0115] In some embodiments, the main housing has a sleeve structure for selectively changing an exposure distance of the metal antenna above the light source plate.

[0116] FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B shows such an example, the main housing has a first sleeve housing 906 and a second sleeve housing 907 that may move with respect to each other to change the exposure height of the metal antenna 908.

[0117] Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, which show an embodiment.

[0118] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the antenna terminal structure of a specific embodiment of the present utility model. As shown in FIG. 1, the antenna terminal structure includes an antenna 1, a first terminal 2, and a second terminal 3. A positioning groove, which mates with the second terminal 3, is formed on the first terminal 2. The antenna 1 is threaded through the second terminal 3, and both sides of the second terminal 3 are provided with first buckles 31. The first terminal 2 is provided with first slots 21 that mate with the first buckles 31. The first terminal 2 and the second terminal 3 are connected by the first buckles 31 and the first slots 21. The positioning groove is an open groove formed by the protrusions on both sides of the first slot 21, which can precisely match the overall structure of the second terminal 3. This antenna terminal structure can add a second terminal 3 as a fixing component to the antenna 1, allowing it to be fixed to the corresponding first terminal 2 during installation. The combination of the first terminal 2 and the second terminal 3 thus achieves the effect of fixing the antenna 1, preventing displacement and detachment during the installation process. Additionally, it addresses the issue of antenna 1 shadow caused by its excessive length while saving space, thereby better utilizing the space in the panel frame.

[0119] In specific embodiments, the second terminal 3 is provided with a mounting hole through which the antenna 1 can be fixedly mounted to the second terminal 3.

[0120] It should be noted that in this embodiment, one end of the antenna 1 can be a straight-line structure or a helical structure. In other embodiments, one end of the antenna 1 can be a U-shaped structure, which can also achieve the technical effect of the present utility model.

[0121] Continuing with reference to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 shows an exploded schematic diagram of the first terminal 2 of a specific embodiment of the present utility model. As shown in FIG. 2, the first terminal 2 is provided with a connecting groove 22 that mates with the extended end of the antenna 1. Both sides inside the connecting groove 22 are provided with spring pieces 23, which electrically connect the antenna 1 and the first terminal 2 through the spring pieces 23. The arrangement of the spring pieces 23 inside the connecting groove 22 facilitates the electrical connection between the antenna 1 and the first terminal 2.

[0122] In specific embodiments, the spring piece 23 is provided with an elastic clamping structure 231 in the middle, with a spacing smaller than the diameter of the antenna 1. The lower part of the spring piece 23 is also provided with a connecting plate 233. The elastic clamping structure 231 helps to position the antenna 1 inside the first terminal 2 and facilitates the electrical connection between the spring piece 23 and the antenna 1.

[0123] In specific embodiments, the upper end of the spring piece 23 is provided with a transverse outer edge 232 that is larger than the connecting groove 22. The transverse outer edge 232 prevents the spring piece 23 from falling out of the first terminal 2.

[0124] In other embodiments, the first terminal 2 can be a female terminal, and the second terminal 3 can be a male terminal. The female terminal has a positioning groove that mates with the male terminal. The antenna 1 is threaded through the male terminal, and both sides of the male terminal are provided with buckles. The female terminal has slots that mate with the buckles, and the female and male terminals are connected through the buckles and slots. The female terminal is provided with a connecting groove 22 that mates with the extended end of the antenna 1. Both sides inside the connecting groove 22 are provided with spring pieces 23, which electrically connect the antenna 1 and the female terminal through the spring pieces 23. Of course, the first terminal 2 can be a male terminal, and the second terminal 3 can be a female terminal, as long as they can be connected by buckles to fix the antenna 1 and ensure it does not move or fall off while maintaining electrical connection with the antenna 1.

[0125] According to the second aspect of the present utility model, a lamp is proposed. FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an antenna terminal structure and a lamp according to a specific embodiment of the present utility model. As shown in FIG. 3, the lamp includes the antenna terminal structure described above, as well as a heat sink 4, a bulb shell 5, and a lamp head assembly 8. The heat sink 4 has openings at both ends, with the bulb shell 5 located at the larger opening of the heat sink 4 and the lamp head assembly 8 located at the smaller opening. A driver board 6 is positioned within the heat sink 4, and a light source board 7 is also positioned within the heat sink 4, covering the end of the heat sink 4 near the bulb shell 5. One end of the light source board 7 is electrically connected to the driver board 6, and the other end of the driver board 6 is electrically connected to the lamp head assembly 8. Both the driver board 6 and the light source board 7 are PCB boards. The overall configuration of this lamp device is compact and simple to assemble. In the above embodiments, the antenna 1 is fixedly connected through the buckle connection of the first terminal 2 and the second terminal 3, thereby avoiding waste of space on the light source board 7.

[0126] Further referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the antenna terminal structure is set on the driver board 6. The first terminal 2 and the driver board 6 are electrically connected through the connecting plate 233, with the antenna terminal structure fixedly mounted on the driver board 6 and electrically connected to it through the connecting plate 233.

[0127] In specific embodiments, a through-hole is provided at the position on the light source board 7 corresponding to the antenna terminal structure. The second terminal 3 passes through the through-hole and is set on the driver board 6. This through-hole prevents the signal emitted by the antenna 1 from being shielded by the light source board 7, thereby ensuring the transmission rate of the antenna 1 signal.

[0128] In specific embodiments, the lamp head assembly 8 includes a pin 82 and a lamp head 81. The lamp head 81 is screwed onto the heat sink 4, and the pin 82 is inserted into the lamp head 81, thereby electrically connecting the pin 82 to an external power source.

[0129] In specific embodiments, a second slot is provided on the heat sink 4, and the driver board 6 has a second buckle that matches the second slot. The heat sink 4 and the driver board 6 are connected through the second buckle and the second slot, thereby fixedly mounting the driver board 6 on the heat sink 4 without the need for additional fixtures, thus saving on process costs.

[0130] The specific assembly process of the antenna terminal structure and the lamp is as follows:

[0131] The first terminal 2 is fixedly mounted on the driver board 6 through reflow soldering. The driver board 6 is then snapped into the corresponding second slot of the heat sink 4. After installing the light source board 7, it is riveted in place. The second terminal 3 with the antenna is then snapped into the first terminal 2 for fixation. Finally, the bulb shell 5 is fixedly connected to the heat sink 4 by applying adhesive. Using a fixture, the lamp head 81 is riveted to the heat sink 4, and then the pin 82 is riveted in place.

[0132] The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.

[0133] The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the techniques and their practical applications. Others skilled in the art are thereby enabled to best utilize the techniques and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

[0134] Although the disclosure and examples have been fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as being included within the scope of the disclosure and examples as defined by the claims.