WO2016059591A1

WO2016059591A1 - Lamp with lighting portion with innovative thermal-dissipation

Info

Publication number: WO2016059591A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/057925
Authority: WO
Inventors: George J. Sowden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-10-17
Filing date: 2015-10-15
Publication date: 2016-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 2017-04-17

Abstract

The lamp (10) comprises: - a fitting portion (12) configured for being connected to an external source of electric power; - a control module (14) mounted on the fitting portion and configured for receiving electric power from said fitting portion (12); and - a lighting bulb (16) mounted on the control module and electrically connected to said control module (14) in such a way as to be able to provide a luminous emission; said lighting bulb (16) comprising a hollow body (22) made of transparent or semi-transparent material. The lighting bulb (16) comprises a ring (24) carried by said hollow body (22) and having a plurality of light sources (26), in particular a plurality of LEDs, transversally directed towards the inside of the lighting bulb (16).

Description

TITLE: "Lamp with lighting portion with innovative thermal-dissipation"

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DESCRIPTION

Technical field

The present invention relates to a lamp.

Background art

Lamps are commonly known in the art which consist of a replaceable device conceived for emitting light starting from electric power.

Lamps typically comprise a fitting portion configured for being connected to an external source of electric power; a control module mounted on the fitting portion and configured for receiving electric power from the latter; and a lighting portion mounted on the control module and electrically connected to the latter in such a way as to be able to provide a luminous emission. The lighting portion comprises a hollow body made of transparent or semi- transparent material.

In particular, in the lighting engineering field lighting bulbs including LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are being increasingly used as replacements for traditional light sources such as incandescent or fluorescent lamps.

However, the lamps known in the art suffer from a few drawbacks .

As far as LED lamps are specifically concerned, they emit concentrated heat that needs to be effectively dissipated in order to prevent potentially harmful overheating. To this end, in this type of lamps a thermal- dissipation structure is typically employed, which increases the dimensions and weight of the lamp itself. Summary of the invention It is one object of the present invention to provide a lamp which can overcome this and other drawbacks of the prior art, while at the same time being simple and economical to manufacture.

According to the present invention, this and other objects are achieved through a lamp having the technical features set out in the appended independent claim.

It is to be understood that the appended claims are an integral part of the technical teachings provided in the following detailed description of the invention. In particular, the appended dependent claims define some preferred embodiments of the present invention which include some optional technical features.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which is supplied by way of non-limiting example with particular reference to the annexed drawings, which will be summarized below.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lamp in accordance with an exemplificative embodiment of the present invention .

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the lamp shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an axial or longitudinal sectional view of the lamp shown in the preceding figures.

Detailed description of the invention

With particular reference to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates as a whole a lamp structured in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention .

With particular reference to Figure 1, lamp 10 comprises a fitting portion 12 configured for being connected to a lamp-holding structure electrically supplied by an external source of electric power, e.g. from the electric mains, typically through an electric outlet. Lamp 10 further comprises a control module 14 mounted on fitting portion 12 and configured for receiving electric power through the latter. Furthermore, the lamp comprises a lighting portion (or bulb) 16 mounted on control module 14 and electrically connected to the latter in such a way as to be able to provide a luminous emission.

In the embodiment shown in more detail in Figure 2, fitting portion 12 has a peripheral screw-type outer thread 13 to be inserted into a corresponding complementary inner thread in the lamp holder in order to establish the electric connection with the external source of electric power. In particular, fitting portion 12 acts as a male connection element adapted to be electrically connected to the lamp holder, which acts as a female connection element.

In the illustrated embodiment, control module 14 comprises a housing 18 that houses a printed circuit board 20.

In particular, housing 18 is mechanically connected to fitting portion 12, thus supporting it and connecting it to lighting portion 16. Printed circuit board 20 is configured for being electrically connected, in a manner per se known to those skilled in the art, to fitting portion 20 so as to be able to receive the electric power supplied by the external source of electric power.

Preferably, housing 18 includes a tubular cup-shaped portion 17, on which fitting portion 12 can be superimposed, and from which a bowl-shaped portion 19 extends . By way of example, housing 18 is made of plastic material, e.g. by injection moulding. Preferably, housing 18 is made of biodegradable plastic, e.g. derived from maize cellulose.

In the illustrated embodiment, printed circuit board 20 can convert (in a manner per se known to those skilled in the art) the electric power received at its input, typically alternating current from the electric mains, in such a way as to output direct-current power. In particular, printed circuit board 20 has a shape which is substantially complementary to the axial or longitudinal section of housing 18.

In the illustrated embodiment, lighting portion 16 comprises a hollow body 22 made of transparent or semi- transparent material (or anyway a material that can be crossed by a luminous emission within the visible light range), secured to fitting portion 12. Preferably, hollow body 22 is removably connected (in particularly, reversibly screwed) to housing 18. In particular, the base (not numbered) of hollow body 22 is reversibly screwed at a perimetric edge (also not numbered) of the mouth of housing 18. As an alternative, it is also conceivable to use different fastening means between hollow body 22 and housing 18, e.g. snap-type coupling means.

In the illustrated embodiment, hollow body 22 is reversibly disassembleable.

In particular, lighting portion 16 further comprises a ring 24 carried by hollow body 22. Ring 24 is fitted with a plurality of light sources 26, which are aimed transversally, in particularly radially, towards the inside of hollow body 22, and which are electrically connected to printed circuit board 20. In the illustrated embodiment, light sources 26 are transversally, in particularly radially, secured to an inner surface of ring 24.

In the illustrated embodiment, light sources 26 are substantially of the punctiform type and are evenly distributed transversally, in particular radially, over the inner annular surface of ring 24. The light beams generated by each light source 26 are directed transversally or radially towards the inside of hollow body 22. In particular, the light beams emitted by the light sources 26 converge radially towards a longitudinal axis of hollow body 22.

Preferably, light sources 26 comprise a plurality of LEDs . In particular, the surface of each LED faces towards the inside of hollow body 22.

For example, the electric connection between light sources 26 and printed circuit board 20 may be established, in a per se known manner, by means of electric cables or electrically conductive tracks (not shown) coming from housing 18 and entering hollow body 22.

In the illustrated embodiment, ring 24 protrudes transversally, in particular radially, out of hollow body 22. In particular, ring 24 is at least partly exposed to the air.

In particular, ring 24 comprises a thermal-dissipation structure 28 arranged on the transversally, in particular radial, external position, and a substrate 30 arranged on the radially internal position , whereon the light sources 26 are secured.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the configuration of thermal-dissipation structure 28 will advantageously be able to dissipate heat regardless of the position and orientation of lamp 10 when mounted to the lamp holder. In particular, whether lighting portion 16 is oriented upwards or downwards, the thermal-dissipation performance will remain substantially unchanged.

In the illustrated embodiment, substrate 30 is, for example, glued (or otherwise secured) to the inside of thermal-dissipation structure 28.

Preferably, thermal-dissipation structure 28 has a substantially annular shape and includes a plurality of fins 32 arranged in a sunburst pattern and protruding transversally, in particular radially, towards the outside of hollow body 22. In particular, fins 32 have a longitudinally or axially arched shape. Thus, the user can comfortably grasp lamp 10, which - thanks to this expedient - will be ergonomical to the touch.

In the illustrated embodiment, thermal-dissipation device 28 is made of a material having high thermal conductivity, e.g. a metal such as aluminium. Alternatively, heat-sinking structure 28 may be made of ceramic or even plastic based on thermo conductive polymers .

In the illustrated embodiment, hollow body 22 comprises a pair of half-shells 34, preferably cup-shaped, to be assembled together with their cavities facing each other. In particular, half-shells 34 may also have shapes other that the cup-like shape proposed in the drawings, forming a hollow body 22 having a geometry and a shape that can virtually be adapted at will.

In particular, between the opposed edges of half- shells 34 ring 24 is interposed, which is preferably connected thereto through mechanical interference. In the illustrated embodiment, at least half-shell 34 located farther away from control module 14 is connected to ring 24 in a removable manner. This will make it easier to disassemble lamp 10, in particular its lighting portion 16, thus facilitating repair, replacement, recycling, and separation of the components contained therein.

In particular, as Figure 3 clearly shows, during assembly the opposed edges of half-shells 34 are transversally superimposed on the outside of ring 24. For example, the opposed edges of half-shells 34 are superimposed on thermal-dissipation structure 28.

Advantageously but not necessarily, in the assembled configuration of lamp 10 said edges axially abut against projecting fins 32 of thermal-dissipation structure 28.

In the illustrated embodiment, the base (not numbered) belonging to half-shell 34 which is closer to control module 14 is removably connected, e.g. reversibly screwed, to housing 18. In particular, the base of said half-shell 34 is reversibly screwed to a perimetric edge (not numbered) of the mouth of housing 18, e.g. at the bowl-like portion (also not numbered) of said housing 18. As aforementioned, it is also conceivable, as an alternative, to use different fastening means between said half-shell 34 and housing 18, e.g. snap-type coupling means.

By way of example, half-shells 34 are made of plastic material, e.g. by injection moulding. Preferably, half- shells 18 are made of biodegradable plastic, e.g. derived from maize cellulose.

Of course, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the forms of embodiment and the implementation details may be extensively varied from those described and illustrated herein by way of non-limiting example, without however departing from the scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims. For example, unlike the illustrated embodiment, the thermal-dissipation structure and the substrate of the ring may be made as one piece, of course by using a material having appropriate thermal conductivity properties, so as to promote the cooling which is due because of the lighting action of the light sources. In particular, the ring may be wholly made of metal, e.g. aluminium.

In particular, according to an implementation variant wherein the ring is made of thermo conductive material, it is possible to solder the LEDs directly to the ring, without needing a printed circuit board or other elements.

In the illustrated embodiment, only one ring is shown in the lighting portion. It will however be apparent to a man skilled in the art that in alternative embodiments the lighting portion may also include a plurality of such rings, respectively spaced apart in the axial direction. In further variant embodiments, it is conceivable to use a plurality of rings axially spaced apart, with the interposition of transparent intermediate annular structures coupled to the adjacent rings as previously described with reference to the half-shells of the hollow body. In other words, it is possible to design a modular lighting portion structure extending in the axial direction with multiple rings and overlapped intermediate annular structures. In the illustrated embodiment, the axis of the ring is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the hollow body. However, in further variant embodiments, the ring may also lie in an oblique plane relative to the longitudinal axis of the hollow body.

Claims

1. Lamp (10) comprising:

- a fitting portion (12) configured for being connected to an external source of electric power;

- a control module (14) mounted on the fitting portion and configured for receiving electric power from said fitting portion (12); and

- a lighting bulb (16) mounted on the control module and electrically connected to said control module (14) in such a way as to be able to provide a luminous emission; said lighting bulb (16) comprising a hollow body (22) made of transparent or semi-transparent material;

said lamp (10) being characterized in that said lighting bulb (16) comprises a ring (24) carried by said hollow body (22) and having a plurality of light sources (26), in particular a plurality of LEDs, transversally directed towards the inside of the lighting bulb (16) .

2. Lamp according to claim 1, wherein said ring (24) has a thermal-dissipation structure (28) located in a transversally external position, and a substrate (30) located in a radially internal position, whereon said light sources (26) are secured.

3. Lamp according to claim 2, wherein said thermal- dissipation structure (28) includes a plurality of fins (32) arranged in a sunburst pattern and protruding transversally towards the outside of the hollow body (22) .

4. Lamp according to claim 3, wherein said fins (32) have an arched shape.

5. Lamp according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said hollow body (22) comprises a pair of half- shells (34), their respective cavities facing each other when assembled; said ring (24) being axially interposed between said half-shells (34) .

6. Lamp according to claim 5, wherein said half-shells (34) are transversally superimposed on the outside of the ring (24).

7. Lamp according to claim 6 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the abutted edges of the half-shells (34) are superimposed on said thermal-dissipation structure (28) .

8. Lamp according to claim 7 when dependent on claim 3, wherein said edges abut axially against said fins (32) .