Illuminating Device and Manufacturing Method thereof Technical Field

The present invention relates to an illuminating device and a method of manufacturing the illuminating device.

Background Art

Currently, the lens is widely used in illuminating device for realizing various illumination effects and improving illumination efficiency. The lens should be precisely located above a corresponding light source or to cover the light source. In various current illuminating devices, the lens is usually fixed on a circuit board carrying a light source by means of a mechanical fixing element, such as screw or bolt. Espe ^¬ cially when a part having a lens structure is used as a hous ^¬ ing of the illuminating device, in order not to affect the illumination effect, the lens structure is only arranged in center of the housing, and the lens structure is fixed on the circuit board at an edge region of the housing by means of a mechanical element.

Since only a pressure from the mechanical fixing element is received at the edge region, only the edge region of the housing can be assured to be pressed against the circuit board in such a manner, while a central region might be de ^¬ formed or warped with respect to the edge region. Such de ^¬ formed or warped situation is more prominent upon influence of external environment. For instance, an outdoor illuminat ^¬ ing device should be subject to certain temperature differ- ence change, for example, a housing made of plastic and hav- ing a lens structure expands with heat and contracts with cold as temperature changes. When it expands with heat, al ^¬ though only the edge region of the housing is still fixed on the circuit board, the central region thereof deforms and arches upward with respect to the circuit board. This causes change to a corresponding relation between the lens structure and the light source and therefore will seriously affect the illumination effect of the illuminating device.

Summary of the Invention In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a novel illuminating device, especially for outdoor illuminating devices. The illuminating devices not only have high sealability, but also can keep good illu ^¬ mination effect when subject to environment change. The object of the present invention is accomplished via an illuminating device. The illuminating device comprises a lens unit, a housing part and a lighting assembly, wherein the lighting assembly is arranged in a cavity defined by the lens unit and the housing part, characterized in that the lens unit comprises a plurality of micro lens structures, a plu ^¬ rality of locating structures are arranged between the plu ^¬ rality of micro lens structures on one side of the lens unit facing to the lighting assembly, and the locating structures at least partially pass through the lighting assembly to positionally fixed the lighting assembly in relation to the lens unit. Upon change to a joining position between the lens unit and the lighting assembly, an engagement force therebe ^¬ tween can be uniformly distributed between the micro lens structures that might affect the illumination effect, thereby avoiding a positional change of the micro lens structures with respect to the lighting assembly due to an ununiform lo- cal stress.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present inven ^¬ tion, the plurality of locating structures jointly form a stress balanced structure to balance a stress in the lens unit induced by the locating structures. Since the locating structures are formed inside a lens array consisting of the micro lens structures, the engagement force between the lens unit and the lighting assembly also can be distributed, as uniformly as is possible, between the lens array and a corre- sponding region on the lighting assembly, such as a region where light sources are located.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present inven ^¬ tion, the plurality of locating structures are symmetrically with each other. Preferably, the plurality of locating struc- tures are uniformly distributed on the lens unit. The locat ^¬ ing structures can be arranged in pairs at both sides of one or more micro lens structures, and also uniformly distributed surrounding one or more micro lens structures. The more uni ^¬ formly the locating structures are arranged, the more im- provements on anti-warpage performance of the lens unit are made .

According to one preferred embodiment of the present inven ^¬ tion, the locating structures are configured as locating col ^¬ umns . According to one preferred embodiment of the present inven ^¬ tion, a plurality of locating holes assigned to the locating structures are opened in the lighting assembly, and the lo ^¬ cating columns are inserted into the respective locating holes, respectively, for fixed connection with the lighting assembly. Respective locating column and respective locating hole in a position corresponding thereto are plugged to ^¬ gether, thereby assuring that various micro lens structures and the light sources corresponding thereto can be position- ally fixed. According to one preferred embodiment of the present inven ^¬ tion, respective locating hole has a first segment facing to the lens unit and a second segment facing to the housing part and the second segment has a larger diameter than the first segment. Preferably, a free end of respective locating column has a stop portion form-fittedly accommodated in the first segment. As a result, respective locating column can be fixed in respective locating hole anti-loosely with the aid of a hot melting process.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present inven- tion, a plurality of uniformly distributed recesses are formed on one side of the housing part facing to the lighting assembly, and respective stop portion partially extends into respective recess. By means of the locating columns, the lens unit not only can be in fixed connection with the lighting assembly, but also can be further in fixed connection with the housing part to form a "sandwich" structure with the lighting assembly being held between the lens unit and the housing part, moreover, various regions bear substantially a uniform clamping force. According to one preferred embodiment of the present inven ^¬ tion, further comprised is an annular sealing member, and the sealing member surrounding the lighting assembly is provided in a circumferential joining region of the lens unit and the housing part. Accordingly, the sealability of the illuminat- ing device can be improved. According to one preferred embodiment of the present inven ^¬ tion, the lighting assembly comprises LED chips and a circuit board carrying the LED chips, wherein the locating holes are opened on the circuit board. The plurality of locating holes are uniformly opened on the circuit board, thereby it can be assured that various regions of the circuit board can be en ^¬ gaged with the lens unit under a uniform force.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present inven ^¬ tion, the locating structures and the lens unit are made in one piece. As a result, the manufacturing process of the il ^¬ luminating device can be simplified, and the number of parts can be reduced.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present inven ^¬ tion, the locating structures are made from a plastic. The plastic can be deformed with heat, thereby, it can be form- fittedly connected together with the locating holes.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present inven ^¬ tion, the housing part is heat sink.

In addition, the present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing the illuminating device, characterized by: a) providing a lens unit with a plurality of micro lens structures on one side, and providing a plurality of lo ^¬ cating structures between the plurality of micro lens struc ^¬ tures; b) providing a lighting assembly with a plurality of locating holes assigned to the locating structures on the lighting assembly; c) inserting respective locating structure into respective locating hole from one side of the lighting assembly having light sources; d) joining the lens unit and the lighting assembly integrally through a hot melting proc- ess; and e) providing a housing part that mounted with the lens unit from one side of the lighting assembly facing away from the light sources. The locating structures can be de ^¬ formed through the hot melting process, thereby, the locating structures can be partially located in the lighting assembly, and various regions of the lens unit can be in fixed connec ^¬ tion with the lighting assembly to form an entirety.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present inven ^¬ tion, the plurality of locating structures jointly form a stress balanced structure to balance a stress in the lens unit induced by the locating structures. Preferably, the housing part is a heat sink.

It is to be understood that the features of the various exem ^¬ plary embodiments described herein may be combined with each other, unless specifically noted otherwise. Brief Description of the Drawings

The accompanying drawings constitute a part of the present Description and are used to provide further understanding of the present invention. Such accompanying drawings illustrate the embodiments of the present invention and are used to de- scribe the principles of the present invention together with the Description. In the accompanying drawings the same compo ^¬ nents are represented by the same reference numbers. As shown in the drawings :

Fig. 1 is an exploded schematic diagram of an illuminating device 100 according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a local cross section view of a first embodiment of the illuminating device 100 according to the present invention; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged local diagram of a second embodiment of the illuminating device 100 according to the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Embodiments In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In this regard, direc ^¬ tional terminology, such as "top", "bottom", "inner",

"outer", is used in reference to the orientation of the fig ^¬ ures being described. Because components of embodiments of the present invention can be positioned in a number of dif ^¬ ferent orientations, the directional terminology is used for purposes of illustration and is in no way limiting. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

It is to be understood that the features of the various exem ^¬ plary embodiments described herein may be combined with each other, unless specifically noted otherwise.

Fig. 1 is an exploded schematic diagram of an illuminating device 100 according to the present invention. The illuminat ^¬ ing device 100 comprises a lens unit 1, a lighting assembly 3 and a housing part 2 not shown (see Fig. 2) . Fig. 1 shows a positional relation of the illuminating device 100 during as ^¬ sembling in an inverted angle, wherein the housing part 2 not shown is located above the lighting assembly 3 in the figure. ₀

o

The lens unit 1 having a plurality of micro lens structures 11 in a central region herein is used as a first housing of the illuminating device 100, and the housing part 2 not shown and used as a second housing and the lens unit 1 jointly de- fine a cavity R accommodating the lighting assembly 3. The lighting assembly 3 herein comprises a circuit board 33 and a plurality of LED chips 32 used as light sources mounted on one side thereof not shown.

In order to prevent the lens unit 1 from being deformed or warped with respect to the circuit board due to an ununiform local stress during an assembling process, or the lens unit 1 from arching towards or away from the circuit board 33, for instance, when expanding with heat and contracting with cold, a plurality of locating structures are particularly provided between the plurality of micro lens structures 11. A plural ^¬ ity of fixed connecting points can be formed between the plu ^¬ rality of micro lens structures 11 and the LED chips 32 on the circuit board 33 with the aid of the locating structures. Thereby, not only positions of the micro lens structures 11 with respect to the LED chips 32 belonging thereto are as ^¬ sured to be fixed, an engagement force between the lens unit 1 and the circuit board 33 is uniformly distributed between the various micro lens structures 11 and the LED chips 32. That is to say, the plurality of locating structures jointly form a stress balanced structure to balance a stress in the lens unit 1 induced by the locating structures.

The locating structures configured as locating columns 4 are distributed between the plurality of micro lens structures 11 symmetrically, especially uniformly, and protrude from one side of the lens unit 1 facing to the circuit board 33. A plurality of locating holes 31 assigned to the locating col ^¬ umns 4 are provided on the circuit board 33. As shown by ar- rows in the figure, the locating columns 4 are inserted into the locating holes 31 belonging thereto, respectively, so as to fixedly connect the lens unit 1 and the circuit board 33.

Fig. 2 is a local cross section view of a first embodiment of the illuminating device 100 according to the present invention. Free ends of two locating columns 4 with an interval of two micro lens structures 11 therebetween extend into the lo ^¬ cating holes 31 opened on the circuit board 33, and are even with one side of the circuit board 33 facing away from the LED chips 32.

In order to prevent respective locating column 4 from escaping from respective locating hole 31, respective locating hole 31 is particularly configured into a step shape and has a first segment A facing to the lens unit 1 and a second seg- ment B facing to the housing part 2 and the second segment A has a larger diameter than the first segment B. Correspond ^¬ ingly, a free end of respective locating column 4 is also configured as a stop portion 41 in a step shape and having a diameter increased with respect to a body of the locating column 4. For example, with the aid of a hot melting process, a preform of locating column originally having a columnar profile can be pressed into respective locating hole 31, thereby the stop portion 41 accommodated in the first segment A of the locating hole 31 is formed. In this situation, the plurality of locating holes 31 and the plurality of locating columns 4 form-fitted thereto are fixed together correspond ^¬ ingly one by one to constitute the plurality of stress bal ^¬ anced structures between the lens unit 1 and the lighting as ^¬ sembly 3. Besides, in order to guarantee good sealability of the illu ^¬ minating device 100, an annular sealing member 6 is further particularly provided. The sealing member 6 is provided in a circumferential joining region of the lens unit 1 and the housing part 2, and surrounds the lighting assembly 3

therein. Thereby, external pollutants can be prevented from entering the cavity R laterally from the illuminating device 100.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged local diagram of a second embodiment of the illuminating device 100 according to the present invention. A plurality of uniformly distributed recesses 21 are formed on one side of the housing part 2 facing to the cir ^¬ cuit board 33, and respective stop portion 41 partially ex ^¬ tends into respective recess 21. The housing part 2, the lo ^¬ cating columns 4 and the lens unit 1 can be made from the same material, therefore, during a hot melting treatment, the locating columns 4 extending to pass through the locating holes 31 can form a one-piece part with the housing part 2 and the lens unit 1, with the locating columns 4 held

therein. This not only assures the circuit board 33 to be un ^¬ der a clamping force at both sides, and but also uniformly transfer the clamping force to various regions of the circuit board 33 with the aid of the locating columns 4, thereby avoiding a positional change of the micro lens structures 11 with respect to the LED light sources 32 due to an ununiform local stress. The illuminating device 100 also can keep good illumination effect when subject to environment change.

The housing part referred to above embodiments might be a heat sink.

In the present invention, the circuit board, for instance, can be various circuit boards, such as MCPCB. In addition, fixing elements can be additionally provided at the edge re ^¬ gion of the illuminating device for further fixing the lens unit and the lighting assembly.

In addition, while a particular feature or aspect of an embodiment of the invention may have been disclosed with re ^¬ spect to only one of several implementations, such feature or aspect may be combined with one or more other features or as ^¬ pects of the other implementations as may be desired and ad ^¬ vantageous for any given or particular application.

The above is merely preferred embodiments of the present in ^¬ vention but not to limit the present invention. For the per- son skilled in the art, the present invention may have vari ^¬ ous alterations and changes. Any alterations, equivalent sub ^¬ stitutions, improvements, within the spirit and principle of the present invention, should be covered in the protection scope of the present invention.

List of reference signs

1 lens unit

11 micro lens structure

2 housing part

21 recess

3 lighting assembly

31 locating hole

32 LED chip

33 circuit board

4 locating column 41 stop portion

6 sealing member

100 illuminating device

A first segment

B second segment

R cavity