Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02674124 2009-06-30
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LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE ILLUMINATING
EQUIPMENT
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the invention
This present invention relates to a light-emitting diode illuminating
equipment,
and more particularly, to a light-emitting diode illuminating equipment with a
secondary optics apparatus capable of generating a specific light pattern.
2. Description of the prior art
A light-emitting diode (LED) has advantages of power saving, vibration
resistance, fast response, production ability, and so on, so the illuminating
equipment
with light sources of LEDs is currently being studied and developed. Please
refer to
FIG. lA and lB. FIG. lA is a front view of an illuminating equipment with a
plurality of LEDs arranged in an array. FIG. 1B is a cross section along the
line X-X
in FIG. lA. As shown in FIG. lA and 1B, the illuminating equipment gains high
brightness by arranging a plurality of LEDs in an array. Further, each of the
LEDs
corresponds to a cup for reflecting and concentrating the light emitted by the
corresponding LED, and then a higher brightness is gained. However, the way
can
concentrate the light isotropically at most and can not generate a specific
light.pattern
for the satisfaction of a specific purpose. The illumination therefore is
limited.
Therefore, there is a need to provide, a new light-emitting diode illuminating
equipment capable of providing a specific light pattern to solve the mentioned
problems.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A scope of the invention is to provide a light-emitting diode illuminating
equipment.
Another scope of the invention is to provide a light-emitting diode
illuminating
equipment with a secondary optics apparatus capable of generating a specific
light
pattern.
According to a preferred embodiment, a light-emitting diode illuminating
equipment of the invention includes a heat-dissipating plate device, N heat-
conducting devices, N diode light-emitting apparatuses, N optical devices, a
hollow
barrel, and a transparent shield, wherein N is a natural number. The heat-
dissipating
plate device has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first
surface. A
plurality of heat-dissipating fins extends from the second surface. Each of
the heat-
conducting devices has a first portion and a second portion extending from the
first
portion and having a flat end. Each of the diode light-emitting apparatuses
corresponds to one of the N heat-conducting devices. Each of the diode light-
emitting apparatuses is disposed on the flat end of the corresponding heat-
conducting
device and converts electric energy into light. Each of the optical devices
corresponds to one of the diode light-emitting apparatuses for modifying the
light
patter of the corresponding diode light-emitting apparatus. The hollow barrel
has a
first circumference and a second circumference. The hollow barrel is engaged
with
the heat-dissipating plate device through the first circumference to expose
the heat-
dissipating fins in air and to form a space for accommodating the heat-
conducting
devices and the diode light-emitting apparatuses. The transparent shield is
engaged
with the second circumference of the hollow barrel.
According to the preferred embodiment, the light-emitting diode illuminating
equipment further includes a partition plate device which is disposed in the
hollow
barrel to divide the space into a first room and a second room. The partition
plate
device thereon has N holes. Each of the diode light-emitting apparatuses
corresponds
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to one of the holes.
Therein, each of the optical devices includes a support and a lens. The
support
is detachable to be engaged with the partition plate device. The support
includes a
first opening and a second opening. The first opening includes a plurality of
hooks
for engaging the support to the partition plate device, and the second opening
accommodates the lens. The lens can be an elliptical lens, a circular lens, a
cat's-eye-
like lens, an irregular lens, a polygonal lens, or other type lens (or
lenses). According
to the preferred embodiment, the lens is a cat's-eye-like lens. The lens has a
surface.
A groove is formed along an ellipse minor axis of the lens on the surface, so
that the
light emitted through the lens forms a light pattern to meet a specific
request.
Therefore, the light emitted by each of the diode light-emitting apparatus is
modified by the corresponding lens to generate the anisotropic light pattern
to meet
the specific request, such as road illumination. In a practical application,
the light-
emitting diode illuminating equipment of the invention generates different
light
patterns by adjusting or designing the lens to meet different requests.
The advantage and spirit of the invention may be understood by the following
recitations together with the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPENDED DRAWINGS
FIG. IA is a front view of an illuminating equipment with a plurality of LEDs
arranged in an array.
FIG. 1B is a cross section along the line X-X in FIG. IA.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a light-emitting diode illuminating equipment
according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3A is a cross section along the line Y-Y in FIG. 2.
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FIG. 3B is a partial cross section along the line Z-Z in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4A is a front view of the optical device according to the preferred
embodiment.
FIG. 4B is a cross section along the line W-W in FIG. 4A.
FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of the light pattern formed according to the
preferred embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a cross section of a light-emitting diode illuminating equipment
according to an embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a cross section of a light-emitting diode illuminating equipment
according to another embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Please refer to FIG. 2, 3A, and 3B. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a light-
emitting diode illuminating equipment 1 according to a preferred embodiment of
the
invention. FIG. 3A is a cross section along the line Y-Y in FIG. 2. FIG. 3B is
a
partial cross section along the line Z-Z in FIG. 2.
According to the preferred embodiment, the light-emitting diode illuminating
equipment I includes a heat-dissipating plate device 11, six first heat-
conducting
devices 12, six diode light-emitting apparatuses 13, six optical devices 14, a
hollow
barrel 15, and a transparent shield 16. The heat-dissipating plate device 11
has a first
surface 112 and a second surface 114 opposite to the first surface 112. A
plurality of
heat-dissipating fins 17 extends from the second surface 114. Each of the
first heat-
conducting devices 12 has a first portion 122 and a second portion 124
extending
from the first portion 122 and having a flat end (not indicated in the
figures).
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It is noticed that each of the diode light-emitting apparatuses 13 corresponds
to
one of the first heat-conducting devices 12 and each of the diode light-
emitting
apparatuses 13 is flatly mounted on the flat end of the corresponding first
heat-
conducting device 12 and converts electric energy into light. Therefore, the
heat
produced in operation by each of the diode light-emitting apparatuses 13 is
conducted
from the flat end through the second portion 124 and the first portion 122 of
the
corresponding first heat-conducting device 12 to the heat-dissipating plate
device 11
and the heat-dissipating fins 17, and then is dissipated by the heat-
dissipating plate
device 11 and the heat-dissipating fins 17.
The heat-dissipating plate device 11 of the light-emitting diode illuminating
equipment 1 includes six first grooves (not indicated in the figures) formed
on the
first surface 112 of the heat-dissipating plate device 11. Each of the first
grooves
corresponds to one of the first heat-conducting devices 12. The shape of each
of the
first grooves is adapted to the profile of the first portion 122 of the
corresponding
first heat-conducting device 12 to tightly contact so as to enhance the heat-
dissipating
efficiency. Moreover, a heat-conducting material is filled between the first
portion
122 of each of the first heat-conducting devices 12 and the corresponding
first groove
to enhance the heat-dissipating efficiency further.
Furthermore, the light-emitting diode illuminating equipment 1 includes two
second heat-conducting devices 18 mounted tightly on the first surface 112 of
the
heat-dissipating plate device 11 to enhance the heat-dissipating effect of
both the
heat-dissipating plate device 11 and the heat-dissipating fins 17. As shown in
the
preferred embodiment, the second heat-conducting devices 18 and the first heat-
conducting devices 12 are disposed to be interlaced so as to gain a better
heat-
dissipating efficiency. Moreover, the heat-dissipating plate device 11
includes two
second grooves (not indicated in the figures) formed on the first surface 112
of the
heat-dissipating plate device 11. Each of the second grooves corresponds to
one of
the second heat-conducting devices 18. The shape of each of the second grooves
is
adapted to the profile of the corresponding second heat-conducting device 18
to
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tightly contact so as to enhance the heat-dissipating efficiency. A heat-
conducting
material is filled between each of the second heat-conducting devices 18 and
the
corresponding second groove to enhance the heat-dissipating efficiency
further. In
addition, the quantity and the configuration of the second heat-conducting
devices 18
are not limited to the above, but depend on the whole structure and the
operating
environment of product. In principle, the interlacing arrangement mentioned
above
still makes the heat-dissipating plate device 11 gain a good heat-dissipating
efficiency.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the optical
devices 14 corresponds to one of the diode light-emitting apparatuses 13 for
modifying the light pattern of the corresponding diode light-emitting
apparatus 13.
The hollow barrel 15 is engaged through a circumference thereof with the heat-
dissipating plate device 11 to expose the heat-dissipating fins 17 in air and
to form a
space S for accommodating the first heat-conducting devices 12 and the diode
light-
emitting apparatuses 13. The transparent shield 16 is engaged with the hollow
barrel
15 through another circumference thereof to seal the space S, but the seal is
not
necessary for the invention. Furthermore, the hollow barrel 15 is further
engaged
with the heat-dissipating plate device 11 through a heat-insulating ring 19 to
reduce
or insulate the heat conducted from the heat-dissipating plate device 11 and
to form
the situation of the light-emitting diode illuminating equipment 1 with hot
top and
cold bottom, which is more conducive to the heat-dissipating efficiency.
According to the preferred embodiment, the light-emitting diode illuminating
equipment 1 further includes a partition plate device 20 disposed in the
hollow barrel
15 to divide the space S into a first room S 1 and a second room S2. The
partition
plate device 20 thereon has six first holes 202. Each of the diode light-
emitting
apparatuses 13 corresponds to one of the first holes 202. According to the
preferred
embodiment, each of the diode light-emitting apparatuses 13 passes through the
corresponding first hole 202 and is disposed in the second room S2 (or in the
corresponding first hole 202). The partition plate device 20 could mount the
diode
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light-emitting apparatuses 13 or the first heat-conducting devices 12
secondarily.
However, in a practical application, the positions of the diode light-emitting
apparatuses 13 relative to the partition plate device 20 are not limited to
the above
description.
Please also refer to FIG. 4A and 4B. FIG. 4A is a front view of the optical
device 14 according to the preferred embodiment. FIG. 4B is a cross section
along
the line W-W in FIG. 4A. According to the preferred embodiment, each of the
optical devices 14 includes a support 142 and a lens 144. The support 142 is
detachable to be engaged with the corresponding diode light-emitting apparatus
13.
The support 142 includes a first opening 1422 and a second opening 1424. The
first
opening 1422 is engaged with the corresponding diode light-emitting apparatus
13.
The second opening 1424 accommodates the lens 144. Therein, the lens 144 could
be an elliptical lens, a circular lens, a cat's-eye-like lens, an irregular
lens, a polygonal
lens, or other type lens (or lenses). According to the preferred embodiment,
the lens
144 is a cat's-eye-like lens. The lens 144 has a surface 1442 and defines a
direction
D on the surface 1442. A groove 1444 is formed along the direction D on the
surface
1442 of the lens 144, so that the light emitted through the lens 144 forms a
light
pattern to meet a specific request. According to the preferred embodiment, the
direction D is an ellipse minor axis of the lens 144.
Please refer to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of the light pattern
formed
according to the preferred embodiment. The formed light pattern is symmetrical
and
shows that the light-emitting diode illumination equipment 1 can modify the
conventional light pattern into the pattern elongated from side to side, which
is quite
conducive to the application of road illumination. In a practical application,
the
light-emitting diode illuminating equipment 1 of the invention generates light
patterns for different requests by configuring different lenses. In addition,
the
material of the lens is not limited to a single material, and a compound lens
can also
be used in the invention. For example, the refractive index of the center
portion of
the lens is lower than that of the circumference portion of the lens, or the
refractive
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index of the lens varies continuously, so that the brightness within the light
pattern is
uniform. Furthermore, in the field of packaging light-emitting diode, there is
also a
package of packaging a light-emitting diode with a package material into a
protrusion
to form a simple positive lens, or there is also a positive lens covered above
the light-
emitting diode after the packaging, so as to gain a concentration of light.
However,
they can not form a different light pattern by request. By contrast, the light-
emitting
diode illumination equipment of the invention can utilize the light-emitting
diode
made under the two package processes mentioned above to still form the
requested
light pattern efficiently with the optical devices 14.
Please refer to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a cross section of a light-emitting diode
illuminating equipment 1' according to an embodiment. Compared with the
preferred
embodiment, the partition plate device 20' of the light-emitting diode
illuminating
equipment 1' thereon forms a plurality of holes 204 near each of the first
holes 202,
and the first opening of the support 142' of each of the optical devices 14'
includes a
plurality of hooks 1426. The hooks 1426 are inserted into the holes 204 so
that the
support 142' is engaged with the partition plate device 20'.
Please refer to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a cross section of a light-emitting diode
illuminating equipment 1" according to another embodiment. Compared with the
preferred embodiment, the first opening of the support 142" of each of the
optical
devices 14" of the light-emitting diode illuminating equipment 1" includes a
plurality
of hooks 1426'. The hooks 1426' are inserted into the corresponding first hole
202' so
that the support 142" is engaged with the partition plate device 20". It is
noticed that
the engagement of the support with the partition plate device of the light-
emitting
diode illuminating equipment of the invention can be designed to make the
hooks
formed on the partition plate device and to make the holes formed on the
support,
which still achieves the purpose of detachable engagement. In addition, the
engagement could also be achieved by screwing with screws.
According to the preferred embodiment, the light-emitting diode illuminating
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equipment I further includes a heat-isolating plate device 21 disposed in the
first
room S 1 to divide the first room S 1 into a third room S 12 and a fourth room
S 14.
The heat-isolating plate device 21 thereon includes six second holes 212. The
second
portion 124 of each of the first heat-conducting devices 12 corresponds to one
of the
second holes 212 and passes through the corresponding second hole 212.
Therefore,
the heat conducted to the heat-dissipating plate device 11 does not radiate or
conduct
back to the fourth room S 14 due to the isolation of the heat-isolating plate
device 21,
which avoids the heat impact of the heat to the diode light-emitting
apparatuses 13.
Furthermore, there is an insulating material is filled in gaps between the
first heat-
conducting devices 12 and the second holes 212, which enhances the heat-
insulating
effect. In addition, the light-emitting diode equipment 1 further includes a
heat-
insulating sleeve 22 disposed to cover the second portion 124 of one of the
first heat-
conducting devices 12, especially the second portion 124 in the fourth room
S14, so
that the heat produced in operation by the corresponding diode light-emitting
apparatus 13 to said first heat-conducting device 12 does not dissipate into
the fourth
room S 14, which further enhances the heat-dissipating efficiency of the heat-
dissipating plate device 11. It is noticed that if the partition plate device
20 has the
capability of heat isolation, the heat-isolating plate device 21 can be
omitted for
design simplification. The above structure is also applied to the embodiments
mentioned above, as shown in FIG. 6 and 7.
It is noticed that the above description is based on using the same kind of
lens;
however, each of the diode light-emitting apparatuses can correspond to
different
lenses respectively to gain various light patterns. In addition, in the above
embodiments, the first heat-conducting devices 12 and the second heat-
conducting
devices 18 can be heat pipes, a heat columns, vapor chambers, or other heat-
conducting devices. The first heat-conducting devices 12 and the second heat-
conducting devices 18 are made of copper, aluminum, or other material with
high
heat-conducting efficiency. One of the diode light-emitting apparatuses 13
includes
at least one light-emitting diode or laser diode and can use light-emitting
diodes with
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different colors.
In summary, a secondary optics design is involved in the light-emitting diode
illuminating equipment of the invention. The light pattern produced by the
diode
light-emitting apparatus is modified by the optical devices to meet different
requests.
Furthermore, the light-emitting diode illuminating equipment can produce
various
light patterns by adjusting and designing the optical devices, so as to meet
more
various requests. It is noticed that the above embodiments are based on the
case of
road lamp, but the invention is not limited to this. The invention is applied
to any
request for illumination, especially a request for a specific light pattern.
With the example and explanations above, the features and spirits of the
invention will be hopefully well described. Those skilled in the art will
readily
observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made
while retaining the teaching of the invention. Accordingly, the above
disclosure
should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended
claims.
