JP2007311419A - Light source unit, receptacle and light emitting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flat electric device wherein light emitting state can be easily changed, and can be shared in a plurality of types for different applications. <P>SOLUTION: The light emitting device is comprised of a light source unit 1 and a receptacle 2. The light source unit 1 is provided with a box 11, a light guide plate 12, and a light-source side substrate 13. The box 11 is provided with a partitioning plate 111 that is open to front and rear faces and is placed at the intermediate part in the cross direction. The light guide plate 12 is held on the front face side of the partitioning plate 111, and the light-source side substrate 13 is held while its front face is being in contact with the rear face of the partitioning plate 111. The driving circuit of an LED 4 opposite to the upper end face of the light guide plate 12 is mounted to the light-source side substrate 13, and it holds the connection terminal 5 of the driving circuit. A receptacle 2 is provided with pinching members 21 and 22, a rear-face member 23, and a power-supply side terminal 9. The pinching members 21 and 22 pinch the light source unit 1 inserted from the front-face side in freely attachable and detachable manner. The rear-face member 23 is provided with holes 7 that the connection terminal 5 penetrates. The power-supply side terminal 9 holds the rear face of the rear-face member 23 while facing the holes 7. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a light emitting device used for an electric device such as an indicator lamp, a light source unit constituting the light emitting device, and a socket for connecting the light source unit to a power source.

  An electric device such as an indicator lamp is provided with various light sources depending on applications. For example, in the case of irradiating the entire surface of the display surface with a uniform amount of light, it is necessary to provide a light source in a state where it is difficult to visually recognize an image from the display surface. In this case, in a light source using an incandescent bulb as a light source, the distance in the front-rear direction from the display surface to the light source must be sufficiently long, and it is difficult to reduce the size in the front-rear direction.

  Therefore, as a conventional light source, there is one in which a display surface is configured by a plate-shaped light guide plate, and a plurality of LEDs are arranged to face an end surface of the light guide plate (see, for example, Patent Document 1). After the light from the plurality of LEDs enters the light guide plate from the end face, the light is diffused inside the light guide plate and irradiated from the front surface. In this configuration, since the LEDs are arranged facing the end face of the light guide plate, the length in the front-rear direction is sufficiently shortened, and downsizing is facilitated.

In Patent Document 2, a thin LED module is provided with a resistor for current control, a lead extending backward from the back of the module, and a lead holder for maintaining them.
JP 2001-250410 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-272320

  In recent years, electric devices have become thinner and smaller, and the field of lighting is such that a light bulb is attached to a socket. In addition to attaching various currents to a socket, there is a demand for attaching various thin light source units to a socket. It has been. However, in the technique such as Patent Document 2, even if the LED module is thin, the portion on which the LED module such as the lead and the lead holder is mounted is large, so that the size is increased as a whole and can be mounted on a thin device. There was a problem that it was not easy.

  An object of the present invention is to include a light source unit integrally provided with a light source and a drive circuit in a thin casing, and a socket for connecting the light source unit to a power source. An object of the present invention is to provide a light-emitting device capable of realizing a thin electric device that can share a case with various types.

  The light emitting device of the present invention includes a light source unit and a socket.

  The light source unit includes a housing, a light source, and a light source side substrate. The front and rear surfaces of the housing are open, and a partition plate is provided at an intermediate portion in the front-rear direction. The partition plate has an opening in part. A light source holding member is formed on the front side of the partition plate in the housing, and a substrate holding member is formed on the back side of the partition plate. The light source is held on the front side of the partition plate via the light source holding member. The light source side substrate is held with the front surface in close contact with the back surface of the partition plate via the substrate holding member. The light source side substrate is mounted with a drive circuit for driving the light source via the opening, and holds a connection terminal of the drive circuit on the back surface.

  The socket includes a clamping member, a back member, and a power supply side terminal. The clamping member detachably clamps the light source unit inserted from the front side. The back member includes a hole through which the connection terminal passes. The power supply side terminal is held on the back surface of the back member in a state of facing the hole.

  In this configuration, a light source unit including a light source and a drive circuit for the light source is detachably held in the socket. In a state where the light source unit is held between the sockets, the connection terminal of the drive circuit is pressed into contact with the power supply side terminal via the hole, and the drive circuit is connected to the power supply.

  In the light source unit, an opening of the partition plate may be formed between one inner surface of the housing, and a plurality of LEDs may be disposed in the opening so as to face the end surface of the light guide plate. Thereby, the light source unit is configured to be thin.

  The socket further includes a socket-side board, and a power-side terminal is provided on the front side of the socket-side board in a planar shape, and a connector that is electrically connected to the power-side terminal and to which the power-side plug is attached / detached is provided on the back side of the socket-side board. It may be implemented. Accordingly, the power supply side terminal of the socket is easily connected to the power supply by attaching the power supply side plug to the connector.

  According to the light emitting device of the present invention, the light source unit including the light source and the light source drive circuit is detachably held in the socket, and the connection terminal of the drive circuit passes through the hole while the light source unit is held in the socket. By pressing the power supply side terminal and connecting the drive circuit to the power supply, it is possible to easily change the light emission state and realize a thin electric device that can share the housing with multiple types of different uses be able to.

  In addition, the opening of the partition plate in the light source unit is formed between one inner side surface of the housing, and a plurality of LEDs are arranged in the opening to face the end surface of the light guide plate, thereby reducing the thickness of the light source unit. Can be configured.

  Further, the socket further includes a socket side board, and a power supply side terminal is provided in a planar shape on the front side of the socket side board, and a connector that is electrically connected to the power supply side terminal and is attached to the power source side plug is attached to the rear side of the socket side board. As a result, the power supply side terminal of the socket can be easily connected to the power supply by attaching the power supply side plug to the connector.

  FIG. 1 is an assembly view of a light source unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the light source unit. The light source unit 1 includes a housing 11, a light guide plate 12, and a light source side substrate 13.

The casing 11 has a rectangular hollow shape with open front and rear surfaces. Two protrusions 116 are formed on the upper surface of the housing 11. A protrusion 117 is formed on the bottom surface of the housing 11 at least at one central position.

The housing 11 includes a partition plate 111 at an intermediate portion in the front-rear direction. The partition plate 111 has a function for preventing the light source side substrate 13 and the like on the back side from being seen from the front side. Further, the front surface of the partition plate 111 is glossy, and has a function of reflecting light generated by a light source (here, the light guide plate 12 and the LED 4) held on the front side to the front.

  The partition plate 111 includes an opening 111 </ b> A between the upper surface of the housing 11 and the inner surface. On the front side of the partition plate 111 on the left and right inner side surfaces of the housing 11, locking pieces 112 that are light source holding members are formed in two places at the top and bottom. The front side of the partition plate 111 is a light source holding part 113. On the upper side of the rear side of the partition plate 111 on the left and right inner side surfaces of the housing 11, projections 114 that are substrate holding members are formed in two places at the top and bottom. The upper part of the rear side of the partition plate 111 is a substrate holding part 115. The light source holding unit 113 and the substrate holding unit 115 communicate with each other through the opening 111A.

The light guide plate 12 is a light-transmitting plate-like body, and diffuses and reflects light incident from the end face to be emitted from the front surface. The front surface of the light guide plate 12 is irradiated with a uniform amount of light from the whole to constitute a surface light source. On the left and right side surfaces of the light guide plate 12, recesses 121 are formed in two places at the top and bottom. The light guide plate 12 has a shape slightly smaller than the shape of the light source holding part 113. When the light guide plate 12 is inserted into the light source holding part 113 from the front side, the locking piece 112 is elastically engaged with the recess 121. The light guide plate 12 is detachably held in the light source holding unit 113. A filter or a transparent cover is appropriately disposed on the front surface of the light guide plate 12.

The light source side substrate 13 includes a horizontal member 13A and a vertical member 13B. A plurality of LEDs 4 are mounted downward on the horizontal member 13A. As an example, three electronic components 6A, 6B, and 6C are mounted on the back surface of the vertical member 13B. The electronic components 6A, 6B, and 6C constitute a drive circuit for the LED 4. Further, the connection terminal 5 of the drive circuit is cantilevered on the back surface of the vertical member 13B. The connection terminal 5 is elastically deformable in the front-rear direction. Wiring is printed on the light source side substrate 13 so that an external power source connected to the connection terminal 5 supplies power to the LED 4 via the drive circuit.

The light source side substrate 13 has a shape slightly smaller than the shape of the substrate holding portion 115. When the light source side light source side substrate 13 is inserted into the substrate holding portion 115 from the back side, the horizontal member 13A penetrates the opening 111A, and the projections 114 elastically engage with the left and right side end portions of the vertical member 13B. The light source side substrate 13 is held in the substrate holding unit 115.

When the horizontal member 13A of the light source side substrate 13 held in the substrate holding part 115 passes through the opening 111A, the LED 4 is exposed to the light source holding part 113. The LED 4 faces the upper end surface of the light guide plate 12 held in the light source holding unit 113.

A part of the connection terminal 5 supported on the back surface of the vertical member 13 </ b> B with the light source side substrate 13 held in the substrate holding portion 115 is exposed on the back surface side of the housing 11. By connecting the connection terminal 5 to a power source, the power is supplied to the drive circuit mounted on the light source side substrate 13 and power can be supplied to the LED 4. When the LED 4 is turned on, the light of the LED 4 enters the light guide plate 12 and is emitted from the front surface of the light guide plate 12 with a uniform amount of light.

Since the light source unit 1 can be formed thin in the front-rear direction, the light emitting device including the light source unit 1 can be downsized in the front-rear direction. In particular, since no electronic component is mounted on the front surface of the vertical member 13B of the light source side substrate 13, it can be brought into close contact with the back surface of the partition plate 111, and the light source unit 1 is formed thinner in the front-rear direction. Since the light source unit 1 can irradiate the light of the LED 4 to the outside by connecting the connection terminal 5 to a power source, the light emitting device including the light source unit 1 does not need to include a drive circuit, and the design of the light emitting device is easy. Can be. Further, the light source unit 1 in the light emitting device can be easily replaced.

The light source unit 1 is a surface-emitting light source that emits a uniform amount of light from the entire front surface, but is not limited thereto. For example, the light source units 1A and 1B having single or plural point light sources 41 and 42 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B and the light source unit 1C having a seven-segment light source 43 shown in FIG. It can also be. In this case, an opening is formed in the central portion of the partition plate 111, the light source side substrate 13 is configured by only the vertical member 13B, and the LED 4 is mounted on the surface of the vertical member 13B. By using the casing 11 having the same shape except for the shape of the partition plate 111, the light source unit used in the same light emitting device can be easily changed, and the use of the light emitting device can be easily changed.

FIG. 4 is an external view showing an indicator lamp which is an example of an electric apparatus including the light emitting device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the indicator lamp. The indicator lamp 3 that is an electrical device includes two covers 31 on the left and right. The socket 2 is accommodated in each cover 31. The socket 2 and the light source unit 1 constitute a light emitting device of the present invention. The light source unit 1 covered with the front cover 32 is attached to each socket 2. The light source unit 1 is mounted on the socket 2 by turning it upside down from the state shown in FIGS.

The socket 2 includes clamping members 21 and 22 on upper and lower inner surfaces. The clamping members 21 and 22 elastically engage the protrusions 117 and 116 of the light source unit 1 inserted from the front side, and detachably clamp the light source unit 1. The socket 2 includes a flat plate-like back member 23 in which a hole 7 is formed. The connection terminal 5 of the light source unit 1 inserted from the front side passes through the hole 7. The back member 23 holds the socket side substrate 8 on the back surface. On the front surface of the socket side substrate 8, a planar power supply side terminal 9 facing the hole 7 is formed. A connector 10 is mounted on the back surface of the socket-side substrate 8 so as to be electrically connected to the power-side terminal 9 and to which the power-side plug is attached and detached. Thereby, the socket 2 is formed thin in the front-rear direction.

When the power supply side plug is attached to the connector 10, the power supply side terminal 9 is connected to the power supply. The power supply side terminal 9 is formed in a planar shape on the front surface of the socket side substrate 8 held on the back surface of the back member 23, and is exposed to the front surface side of the socket 2 through the hole 7. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the light source unit 1 is mounted in the socket 2, the connection terminal 5 of the light source unit 1 penetrates the hole 7 and comes into pressure contact with the power supply side terminal 9, thereby driving the light source unit 1. Power is supplied to the circuit. Supply of power to the drive circuit of the light source unit 1 is easily performed by mounting a plug on the power source side to the connector 10.

The hole 7 has a shape that satisfies IEC standard IP20 for finger protection. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5B, even when the light source unit 1 is removed, the operator's fingers do not contact the power supply side terminal 9 via the hole 7. The operator's safety during the attaching / detaching operation of the light source unit 1 is ensured.

By providing the light emitting device including the light source unit 1 and the socket 2 in the indicator lamp 3, any one of a plurality of types of light source units having the same shape and different light source states can be arbitrarily selected and arranged on the indicator lamp 3. The irradiation state of the light from the indicator lamp 3 can be easily changed according to the use state. As a result, it is possible to realize a thin electric device that can easily change the light emission state and can be shared by a plurality of types having different uses.

Circuits for power supply and drive control to the light source are housed in the light source unit 1 and the socket 2, and therefore do not need to be provided in the main body of the indicator lamp 3. The design of the indicator lamp 3 can be facilitated.

The light emitting device of the present invention is not limited to the indicator lamp 3. The present invention can be similarly applied to a light emitting device other than the indicator lamp on condition that the socket 2 can be accommodated.

It is an assembly drawing of the light source unit which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the light source unit. It is an external view of the light source unit which concerns on another embodiment of this invention. It is an external view which shows the indicator lamp which is an example of the electric equipment provided with the light-emitting device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is side surface sectional drawing of the indicator lamp.

Explanation of symbols

1 Light source unit 2 Socket 3 Indicator light 4 LED
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 Connection terminal 6A-6C Electronic component 7 Hole part 8 Socket side board | substrate 9 Power supply side terminal 10 Connector 11 Case 12 Light guide plate 13 Light source side board | substrate 111 Partition plate 111A Opening part

Claims (5)

The front and rear surfaces of the housing are provided with a partition plate having an opening in a middle portion in the front-rear direction, a light source holding member is formed on the front side of the partition plate, and the rear side of the partition plate A housing in which a substrate holding member is formed;
A light source held on the front side of the partition plate via the light source holding member;
A light source side substrate mounted with a driving circuit for driving the light source via the opening and holding a connection terminal of the driving circuit on the back surface, and is mounted on the back surface of the partition plate via the substrate holding member. And a light source side substrate that is held in close contact with each other. The opening is formed between one inner surface of the housing,
The light source unit according to claim 1, wherein the light source includes a plurality of LEDs disposed in the opening, and a light guide plate in which the plurality of LEDs are opposed to an end surface.   The holding member for detachably holding the light source unit according to claim 1 or 2 inserted from the front side, a back member having a hole through which the connection terminal passes, and the hole on the back of the back member And a power supply side terminal held opposite to the socket.   The power supply side terminal is provided in a planar shape on the front side, and further includes a socket side substrate on which a connector that is electrically connected to the power supply side terminal and to which the power supply side plug is attached and detached is mounted on the back side. 3. The socket according to 3.   A light-emitting device comprising: the light source unit according to claim 1 or 2; and the socket according to claim 3 or 4.

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