U.S. patent number 3,887,803 [Application Number 05/474,094] was granted by the patent office on 1975-06-03 for light emitting diode device.
Invention is credited to John M. Savage, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,887,803 |
Savage, Jr. |
June 3, 1975 |
Light emitting diode device
Abstract
A light emitting diode device which includes an outer housing
having a cylindrically shaped enlarged head and an integrally
formed extended body portion. The head has a socket formed by an
interiorly presented side wall sized and shaped to receive the
skirt section of a lens. A recess is formed on the interiorly
presented side wall of the socket and is sized to accommodate a
projecting locking member on the skirt section of the lens. The
body of the housing includes a chamber which is designed to
accommodate a resistor and which is, in turn, soldered or otherwise
connected to a light emitting diode within the housing in such
manner that the diode and the resistor may be removed from the
housing as a single unit.
Inventors: |
Savage, Jr.; John M. (Los
Angeles, CA) |
Family
ID: |
23882158 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/474,094 |
Filed: |
May 28, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/363;
174/138G; 439/491; 439/571; 340/815.45; 340/815.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21V
5/04 (20130101); F21V 23/02 (20130101); F21W
2111/00 (20130101); F21Y 2115/10 (20160801) |
Current International
Class: |
F21S
8/00 (20060101); F21K 7/00 (20060101); F21V
017/00 (); G09F 009/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;240/151,152,8.16
;340/381 ;174/138G ;339/113R,119L,125L |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Peters, Jr.; Joseph F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Haefliger; William W.
Claims
Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and
secure by letters patent is:
1. A light emitting diode device comprising an outer housing, said
housing having a longitudinally elongated body and an enlarged head
connected to said body, said head having an interiorly presented
wall forming a socket therein, a lens having an outer section and
an annular skirt section projecting from said outer section, said
skirt section removably extending within said socket, recess means
formed in said interiorly presented wall, and somewhat resilient
projecting locking means on said skirt section sized and fitting
within said recess means when said skirt section is introduced into
said socket for removably retaining said lens on said outer
housing, a light emitting diode received within said lens and
extending radially inwardly of said recess means, the diode having
a longitudinally elongated terminal and a relatively short
terminal, both said terminals projecting within a hollow formed by
said housing elongated body, a resistor positioned in said hollow
by said body and in endwise alignment with said diode relatively
short terminal, said resistor having a conductive tab and a
terminal at longitudinally opposite ends thereof, said tab
integrally connected to the diode relatively short terminal whereby
the diode is positioned relative to the housing and lens by the
resistor, there being electrically conductive clips in the housing
removably longitudinally receiving and engaging the diode elongated
terminal and the resistor terminal, whereby the diode and resistor
may be longitudinally removed as a unit from the housing or
returned as a unit into the housing via said socket after prior
removal of the lens therefrom.
2. The light emitting diode device of claim 1 further characterized
in that the resilient projecting locking means on said skirt
section is an annular ring extending around the skirt section.
3. The light emitting diode device of cliam 1 further characterized
in that one of said clips is located sufficiently closer to said
socket than the other clip that the terminal normally received by
said other clip cannot be sufficiently longitudinally received by
said one clip to allow reception of the remaining terminal by said
other clip.
4. The light emitting diode device of claim 1 further characterized
in that said interiorly presented wall is tapered inwardly to
produce a diametrally reduced inner end.
5. The light emitting diode device of claim 1 further characterized
in that said skirt section is provided with at least one slit to
permit diametral contraction and expansion thereof.
6. The light emitting diode device of claim 1 further characterized
in that said skirt section is provided with a plurality of
circumferentially spaced axially extending slits to permit
diametral contraction and expansion of said skirt section.
7. A light emitting diode device as defined in claim 1 wherein said
body has an arcuately shaped annular outer wall and a relatively
flat wall section merging into said arcuately shaped annular
wall.
8. The light emitting diode device of claim 7 further characterized
in that said relatively flat wall section extends axially along the
body for the full axial length of the body.
9. The light emitting diode device of claim 7 further characterized
in that the body has a transversely extending back wall extending
across said body, a first conductive terminal extending from said
back wall, and an arm extending from said arcuately shaped annular
wall.
10. The light emitting diode device of claim 9 further
characterized in that said arm is defined by a clip wrapped about a
portion of said arcuately shaped annular wall.
11. The light emitting diode device of claim 1 further
characterized in that said body has a back wall and an arm
extending from said back wall to engage and hold said resistor
against another interior wall of the body.
12. A light emitting diode device as defined in claim 1 including a
back wall on said body, first and second conductive terminals
extending through said back wall, said conductive terminals
respectively connected to said clips, a first embossment on said
back wall in the shape of a conductive terminal designation and
being located in proximity to said first conductive terminal, and a
second embossment on said back wall in the shape of another
conductive terminal designation and being located in proximity to
said second conductive terminal.
13. The light emitting diode device of claim 12 further
characterized in that said first and second embossments are
integrally formed on said back wall.
14. The light emitting diode device of claim 12 further
characterized in that the first embossment has the shape of a "+"
and the second embossment has the shape of a "-" sign, and that
said back wall is provided with a third embossment means in the
form of information bearing indicia and being spaced from said
first and second embossments.
15. A light emitting diode device comprising an outer housing, said
housing having a longitudinally elongated body and an enlarged head
connected to said body, said head having an interiorly presented
wall forming a socket therein, a lens having an outer section and
an annular skirt section projecting from said outer section, said
skirt section removably extending within said socket, recess means
formed in said interiorly presented wall, and somewhat resilient
projecting locking means on said skirt section sized and fitting
within said recess means when said skirt section is introduced into
said socket for removable retaining said lens on said outer
housing, a light emitting diode received within said lens and
extending radially inwardly of said recess means, there being
longitudinally elongated terminals of different lengths connected
with the diode, there also being electrically conductive clips in
the housing removably longitudinally receiving and engaging said
terminals, one of said clips being located sufficiently closer to
said socket than the other clip that the terminal normally received
by said other clip cannot be sufficiently longitudinally received
by said one clip to allow reception of the remaining terminal by
said other clip.
16. The diode device of claim 15 wherein said body includes a back
wall at the end thereof opposite the head and first and second
conductive terminals extending through said back wall and connected
with said clips, there being embossment structure projecting from
the back wall at the outer side thereof and located in proximity to
said terminals.
17. The device of claim 16 wherein the embossment structure
includes first and second embossments respectively having the shape
of + and - signs.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to certain new and useful
improvements in light emitting diode devices, and more
particularly, to unique modular components for constructing light
emitting diode devices.
In recent years, light emitting diodes, or so-called "LED's," have
become quite popular and extensively used in a wide variety of
electronic apparatus and systems. Normally, the light emitting
diode is included with an outer housing of the type which comprises
a body and an integrally formed head. The diode is normally
contained within the head and a lens is removably attached to the
head. When the light emitting diode per-se is included within the
housing and covered by a lens, this combination is usually referred
to as a "light emitting diode device," or a "LED device."
Light emitting diodes per-se represent a significant advance over
the prior art of radiation emitting devices. However, little
attention has been directed to the housings in which these diodes
are used and these housings suffer a number of deficiencies. Many
of the housings or so-called "holders" included an integrally
formed boss or raised area on the back wall so that the back wall
of the housing could be spaced from a circuit board or similar
substrate or mounting member in order to permit flux-washing after
wave soldering operations. However, the very provision of this
extended boss created a difficulty in mounting the housing to a
circuit board or similar substrate. Moreover, those commercially
available light emitting diode devices are not designed so that the
device can be inserted into D type apertures on a circuit board or
similar substrate or other display device.
One of the principal drawbacks of the commercially available light
emitting diode devices is that they are not constructed of modular
components. Consequently, an individual lens must be designed for a
particular individual housing. Moreover, each lens-housing
combination is uniquely designed to accommodate only one type of
light emitting diode. Therefore, it is necessary to produce a large
variety of sizes and shapes of these various light emitting diode
devices. Consequently, each user of light emitting diode devices
must carry a large inventory of such devices including every size
and shape thereof which may be utilized in any particular
system.
The commercially available diode devices also suffer from another
serious disadvantage in that the entire device must be discarded
and replaced by a new device when the diode has burned out, or is
otherwise inefficient for its intended purpose. The present
commercially available diode devices include the diode which is
permanently affixed within the housing and usually include a
resistor which is also permanently affixed within the housing.
Consequently, even if the resistor should become faulty, it is
necessary to replace an entire diode device. The removal of the
diode device from a circuit board or other form of apparatus not
only provides economic waste, but is costly in terms of the labor
time required to remove the device and solder a new one in
place.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to
provide light emitting diode devices of the type stated which
permit replacement of a diode or electronic component, such as a
resistor, without removal of the diode housing from its mounted
position on a substrate.
It is the further object of the present invention to provide a
system including modular components capable of being connected in a
variety of combinations to provide a variety of light emitting
diode devices.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide
light emitting diode devices of the type stated which can be
constructed at a relatively low cost and which are highly efficient
in their operation.
With the above the other objects in view, my invention resides in
the novel features of form, construction, arrangement and
combination of parts previously described and pointed out in the
claims.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The present invention can be described in general terms as a light
emitting diode device which comprises an outer housing. This
housing is provided with an elongated body and an enlarged head
connected to the body and preferably is integral with the body.
This head is provided with an interiorly presented wall forming a
socket therein. The socket is adapted to receive a radiation
emitting diode in such manner that at least a portion of the diode
communicates with the socket. A lens is also provided with the
diode device. This lens includes an outer section and an annular
skirt section projecting from the outer section. The skirt section
of the lens is sized to removably extend within the socket.
In one aspect of the present invention, a recess is formed on the
interiorly presented wall of the socket. A somewhat resilient
projecting locking means is provided on the skirt section of the
lens and is sized and located to fit within the recess, when the
skirt is introduced into the socket. In this way, the lens may be
removably retained in the housing.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the resilient
projecting locking means is an annular ring which extends around
the skirt section. In another embodiment of the present invention,
this locking means comprises a plurality of projecting elements
which are circumferentially spaced around the skirt section in
spaced apart relationship. These projecting elements preferably
have obliquely located walls which are designed to extend within
the annular recess on the interiorly presented wall.
In a further modified form of the light emitting diode device of
the present invention, the skirt section is designed to snugly
engage the interiorly presented wall so as to be snuggly, but
nevertheless removably, received within the socket. In this way,
the lens may be pulled from and inserted into the socket in a
somewhat snap-fitting manner.
In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the
interiorly presented wall is tapered inwardly to produce a
diametrally reduced inner end. In still a further embodiment of the
present invention, the skirt section of the lens is provided with
at least one slit to permit diametral contraction and expansion of
the skirt section. Generally, a plurality of circumferentially
spaced axially extending slits are provided in the skirt
section.
The housing of the present invention may be cylindrical in shape
with a substantially flat back wall so that the housing can be
mounted in an upright position. In another embodiment of the
present invention, the body of the housing may be provided with one
flat wall so that the housing can be mounted on a circuit board or
similar structure in a relatively flat position. In addition, this
latter shape enables insertion of the housing into a D-type hole on
a circuit board or other receiving member. This flat wall
preferably extends axially along the body for the full axial length
of the body.
In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the body has a
transversely extending back wall which extends across the body. In
one embodiment, a pair of conductive terminals extend through the
back wall and are provided for connection to a source of power. In
another embodiment of the present invention, the conductive
terminals extend through the back wall and a clip extends around
the arcuately shaped annular side wall of the body of the housing
for mounting the housing to the substrate. In actual practice, this
clip has a portion thereof which is wrapped about a portion of the
arcuately shaped annular wall so that it is retentively held
thereon.
One of the unique features of the present invention is that the
body of the housing is provided with a chamber which communicates
with the socket. A radiation emitting diode is locatable within
this socket and has at least one electrical diode terminal. A
resistor or other form of electronic component is locatable in the
chamber and is capable of being attached to the electrical diode
terminal. Generally, this attachment is formed by means of
soldering. The housing includes a retention means in order to
retentively, but nevertheless removably, hold the resistor within
the chamber. This retention means preferably adopts the form of an
arm which extends from the back wall of the body. In this way, the
resistor and the diode may be removably held within the housing so
they can be removed therefrom as a single unit.
In another salient embodiment of the present invention, the back
wall of the housing is provided with a pair of embossments, and
each of which is located in close proximity to a respective one of
the pair of terminals extending from the back wall. This first
embossment has a shape of a conductive terminal designation, such
as a "+" sign and the second embossment also has the shape of
another conductive terminal designation, such as a "-" sign. In
addition, a third embossment means in the form of information
bearing indicia, as for example, a name or part number may be
provided on the back wall and which is spaced from the first and
second embossments.
The present invention may also be described as a system of modular
components which are used to construct various forms of light
emitting diode devices. This system comprises a plurality of
housings of the type described. This system also includes the
plurality of radiation emitting diodes of the type described. Some
of these diodes have a size which differ from other of the diodes.
Nevertheless, each of the diodes are sized to be received and
accommodated by the sockets in any of the housings. Moreover, this
system comprises a plurality of lenses and each of these lenses may
adopt any of the forms of construction as previously described.
Some of the lenses have a size and shape which differ from others
of the lenses. Again, the skirt sections of each of these lenses
are sized to snugly, but nevertheless removably, engage the
ineriorly presented wall of the sockets in each of the housings. In
this way, the lenses may be pulled from and inserted into the
socket of any of the housings in somewhat of a snap-fitting
manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference
will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a light emitting diode device
constructed in accordance with and embodying the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a modified form of light
emitting diode device constructed in accordance with and embodying
the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the diode device of FIG. 1
substantially taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the diode device of FIG. 2
substantially taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG.
3;
FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional veiw taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5
and showing one form of locking means for retaining a lens within a
housing forming part of the diode device;
FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional veiw, similar to FIG. 6, and showing
another form of locking means for retaining a lens within a
housing;
FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view, similar to FIG. 7, and showing
a skirt section forming part of the lens;
FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of one form of lens constructed
in accordance with and embodying the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a modified form of lens
constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;
and
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, similar to FIG.
5, and showing a further modified form of locking means for
retaining a lens within a housing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the
drawings which illustrate practical embodiments of the present
invention, A designates a light emitting diode device which is more
fully illustrated in FIg. 1 of the drawings. The light emitting
diode device A generally comprises a body 10 which includes a
cylindrical section 12 having an annular exterior side wall 14
which merges into a relatively flat back wall 16. The cylindrical
section 12 integrally merges into an axially extending serrated
section 18 which includes a plurality of wedge shaped ridges 20.
Moreover, the serrated section 18 merges into a connecting sleeve
22 which in turn integrally merges into an enlarged head 24.
Referring to FIG. 5, it can be observed that the head 24 is
provided with a cylindrically shaped socket 26 formed by an
interiorly presented wall 28. The socket 26 is sized and designed
to acommodate a light emitting diode 29. Moreover, the socket 26 is
designed to accommodate the skirt 30 of a lens or a so-called "lens
cap" 32. The actual details of construction of the means for
retaining the lens 32 within the socket 26 is hereafter described
in more detail.
Extending through the back wall 16 and projecting outwardly
therefrom is a pair of conductive terminals 34 and 36, often
referred to as "pins" or "posts." These pins 34 and 36 are sized to
extend through holes formed in a circuit board or other substrate
(not shown) and thereafter bent and soldered to a conductive strip
or other electrical conductor. In this way, power is delivered to
the light emitting diode for energizing the same. Moreover, it can
be observed that the light emitting diode A may be mounted in the
upright position so that the back wall 16 is disposed in juxtaposed
relationship to the flat surface of the circuit board or similar
substrate.
In many applications, the interior body portion of the diode device
A could be sized to extend through a circular aperture within a
circuit board of similar substrate. In this case, the serrated
section 18 provides somewhat of a snap-type locking arrangement
within the aperture. Moreover, the enlarged head 24 provides a
rearwardly presented shoulder 38 which would be designed to engage
the flat surface of the printed circuit board for mounting. In like
manner the diode devices of the present invention are adapted for
panel mounting in various forms of apparatus.
In the prior art, it was common to provide an embossment on the
back wall 16 to engage the circuit board or other substrate so that
the back wall 16 would remain in spaced apart relationship to the
flat surface of the circuit board. This embossment was generally
provided in order to facilitate flux washing after a wave soldering
operation. Moreover, the prior art provided a printed indicia next
to the terminals 34 and 36 to indicate either a positive or
negative terminal. The present invention obviates the need of an
embossment and further provides indicia in the form of a pair of
embossments 40 and 42, in the manner as illustrated in FIG. 3 of
the drawings. It can be observed that the embossment 40 is located
in close proximity to the terminal 34 and the embossment 42 is
located in close proximity to the terminal 36. In this way, it is
possible to obviate the need of printing the terminal designations
on the back wall 16 and further, the pair of embossments 40 and 42
actually facilitates the mounting of the housing 10 in an upright
position on the circuit board.
Also located on the back wall 16 are a plurality of embossed
letters 43 which are spaced apart from the embossments 40 and 42
and are preferably located along the periphery of the back wall 16.
The letters may adopt the name of the manufacturer or distributor,
etc., of the devices of the present invention. These letters may
also adopt the form of a trademark, or other similar designation.
The embossed letters 43 also cooperate with the embossments 40 and
42 by enabling the housing to be supported in an upright position
for purposes of mounting.
FIG. 2 illustrated a modified form of light emitting diode device B
constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.
The diode device B also includes an outer housing 46 having a body
48 which, in turn, integrally merges into a serrated section 50.
Moreover, the serrated section 50 integrally merges into a
connecting sleeve 52 which, in turn, is integrally formed with an
enlarged head 54. In like manner, it can be observed that the head
54 is designed to accommodate the lens 32, illustrated in FIG. 1,
or otherwise a modified form of lens 56, as illustrated in FIG. 2.
In the case of the housing 10, the body 12 was cylindrical in cross
section as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. However, the body
48 includes an arcuately shaped wall 58 which is cylindrical for
the greater portion of its annular surface and integrally merges
into a flat wall 60, in the manner as illustrated in FIG. 4 of the
drawings. Moreover, by further reference to FIG. 2, it can be
observed that the flat wall 60 extends for the entire length of the
body 48 including the serrated section 50 and the connecting sleeve
52. By means of this construction, the diode device B can be laid
in a flatwise position on the circuit board or other substrate so
that the flat wall 60 engages the upper surface of the circuit
board.
The body 48 is also provided with a relatively flat back wall 62
and projecting through the back wall 62 are a pair of conductive
terminals or pins 63 and 63'. Moreover, the back wall 62 is
provided with a pair of outwardly extending integrally formed
embossments 64 and 64' which both provide terminal indicia for the
two terminals 63 and 63'. Moreover, each one of the embossments 64
and 64' is located in close proximity to respective ones of the
terminals 63 and 63'. In this case, by reference to FIG. 4, it can
be observed that the embossment 64 adopts a form of a "plus" sign
and the embossment 64' adopts the form of a "negative" sign. For
that matter, these embossments 64 and 64' could adopt any other
form of indicia. In addition, the back wall 62 is provided with the
embossed letters 65 representing the name, manufacturer, trademark,
etc. of the party producing the devices of the present
invention.
A clip 66 is wrapped about the serrated section 50 and is
integrally provided with a pair of downwardly extending terminal
arms 68. The arms are also sized to fit within and extend through
properly sized and spaced apertures in a circuit board or similar
substrate. The portions of the arms extending through the circuit
board are then bent at right angles to retentively hold the housing
onto the circuit board.
The light emitting diode device B is designed to be disposed on the
surface of a printed circuit board or other substrate in a flatwise
condition as indicated above. In this case, the two conductive
terminals 63 and 63' would also extend through suitable apertures
formed within the circuit board. Thereafter, these terminals 64 and
68 could be bent to the desired position and soldered or otherwise
connected to other forms of conductors. However, it should be
observed that the pin 63', in place of extending through the rear
wall 62, could be substituted for the clip 66, and wrapped about
the serrated section 50 with one end thereof extending downwardly
beyond the flat wall 60. In this way, the pin 63' could also
function as the retaining clip, thereby eliminating the need for
the retaining clip. The opposite end of the pin 63' would extend
through a suitable aperture (not shown) in the housing for
operative connection to the diode.
The details of construction of the head 24 and the lens 32 are more
fully illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings. The lens 32
includes the skirt 30 which is cylindrical in shape and integrally
merges into a hemispherical end dome 70. The inner end of the skirt
30 which defines the open end of the lens 32 is provided with a
section 74 of reduced thickness. In this way the section 74 is
capable of yielding somewhat upon entry into the socket 26. It can
be observed that the interiorly presented wall 28 is designed so
that the skirt 30 snugly engages the wall 28 upon entry into the
socket 26. Moreover, the wall 28 may be tapered inwardly so that
the outer end thereof is diametrally reduced with respect to the
open end of the head 24. This tapered wall 28, along with the
section 74 of reduced thickness, facilitates entry of and removal
of the skirt 30 into and from the socket 26.
The device A of the present invention also includes a unique
locking means comprised of an annular locking ring 76 projecting
radially outwardly from the sleeve 30. In a preferred form of
construction, this ring 76 is integral with the sleeve 30 and is
preferably located in the section 74 of reduced thickness. The
interiorly presented side wall 28 is provided with an annular
recess 78 which is sized and located to removably accommodate the
annular locking ring 76 on the sleeve 30. Inasmuch as the locking
ring 78 is located in the section 74 of reduced thickness, it can
be conveniently pulled from its locking position in recess 78 by
merely grasping and pulling on the outer end of the lens 32. In
like manner, the ring can be inserted into its locked position, as
illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings, by merely pushing on the end
dome 70 of the lens 32.
By further reference to FIG. 5, it can be observed that the lens 32
may retentively hold the diode 29 in place within the socket 26.
The diode 29 may adopt many forms of construction, depending upon
the particular manufacturer thereof. Nevertheless the devices of
the present invention are capable of accommodating substantially
any type of diode thus made. In this case, the diode 29 includes a
bulb portion 80 having a diametrally enlarged inner end 82. It can
be observed that the enlarged inner end 82 may abut against an
annular shoulder 84 formed within the socket, in the manner as
illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings. However, this abutting
position is not necessary inasmuch as the diode could be
retentively held by means of its terminals in a manner to be
hereinafter described.
FIG. 9 illustrates one form of construction of the lens 32 which
may be provided with a series of axially extending
circumferentially spaced slits 86. In this case, three such slits
are shown as indicated in FIG. 8, although it should be recognized
that any number of slits could be provided around the inner end of
lens 32. In this way, it is possible to eliminate the diametrally
reduced section 74, inasmuch as the slits 86 will permit diametral
contraction and expansion of the inner end of the lens as it is
being inserted into the socket 26. Moreover, it can be observed
that the lens 32 also includes the locking ring 76 as illustrated
in FIG. 9 of the drawings. It should be further observed with
respect to the lens 32 as illustrated in FIG. 9, that the slits 86
terminate prior to the annular locking ring 76.
FIGS. 7, 8 and 10 further illustrate a modified form of locking
mechanism which may be used to secure the lens within the enlarged
head of the housing. In this case, the skirt 30 of the lens 32 is
provided with a plurality of outwardly extending locking lugs 88.
Although, only three such lugs 88 have been illustrated, it should
be understood that any number of lugs could be employed.
Furthermore, these lugs are circumferentially spaced in axial
alignment about the skirt 30. These lugs 88 are preferably provided
with oblique sidewalls 90. FIG. 7 illustrates the employment of the
lugs 88 in connection with the lens 32 having the section 74 of
reduced thickness.
In like manner, the lugs 88 could also be used with that embodiment
of the skirt employing the slits 86 in the manner as illustrated in
FIGS. 8 and 10 of the drawings. In this later embodiment, it can be
observed that the lugs 88 would be located within region of the
slits 86. Thus, the slits would extend into the wall of the skirt
30 at least to the position of the lugs 88. In this respect, it
should also be observed that since the lugs 88 are located toward
the open end of the lens 32, the lens 32 would have the skirt
shorter in axial length than when the annular locking ring 78 is
employed.
FIG. 11 illustrates a further form of locking mechanism which may
be used to secure a lens within the housing of the present
invention. In this case, the housing includes the enlarged head 90
which is provided at its lower end with an annular groove 92. The
groove 92 integrally merges into a back wall 94 formed within the
housing. However, the other end of the groove 92 merges into an
interior socket wall 96 through a tapered surface 98. Preferably
this tapered surface 98 is located at about a 45.degree. angle with
respect to the socket wall 96.
The lens 100 which is used with this locking mechanism is composed
of a dome 102 which integrally merges into an annular skirt 104.
The skirt 104, in turn, merges into a section 106 of reduced
thickness. Moreover, provided on the outer surface of the section
106 of the reduced thickness in close proximity to the inner or
open end of the skirt 104 are a plurality of circumferentially
spaced locking lugs 108, similar to the lugs 88. These lugs 108
also include integrally formed abutment shoulders 110 which engage
the tapered surface 98. However, it should be understood that the
lugs could be replaced by a locking ring. However, in this case,
the locking rings would not be cylindrical in shape, but include an
abutment shoulder which is capable of engaging the tapered surface
98 of the groove 92.
One of the unique aspects of the present invention resides in the
fact that the resistor which is normally carried by a light
emitting diode device and the diode itself can be removed as a unit
in order to replace either the resistor or the diode. FIG. 5
illustrates the construction which enables this advantage. The body
12 of the housing 10 is provided with an enlarged chamber 112 which
is capable of accommodating a resistor 114. It can be observed that
the housing also includes an arm 116 terminating in a flange 118
which engages the resistor 114 and thereby holds the resistor 114
against interior wall forming the chamber 112. Moreover, the
resistor 114 is provided with a conductive tab 120 which is
engageable with a conductive terminal 122 on the diode 29. In this
way, the resistor 114 can be connected to the diode 29 through the
tab 120 and the terminal 122. This connection between the tab 120
and the terminal 122 is preferably a soldered connection. Thus, the
diode 29 and the resistor 114 can be removed from their position in
the housing 10 by merely removing the lens cap 32 and pulling the
diode 29 and the resistor 114 outwardly through the socket 26.
The conductive terminal 34 extends into the body 12, in the manner
as illustrated in FIG. 5, and is integrally formed with a
connecting clip 124. Although not necessary, the terminal 34 and
the clip 124 may be individual pieces and the terminal 34 may be
soldered to the connecting clip 124 if desired. The opposite end of
the connecting clip 124 receives a diode terminal 126 in somewhat
of a snap-fitting engagement. In this way, the diode can merely be
removed from the housing by pulling on the head of the diode so
that the terminal 126 is merely pulled out of the clip 124. The
conductive terminal 36 is similarly integral with a connecting clip
128. Again, the clip 128 and the terminal 36 may be individual
pieces with the terminal soldered or otherwise secured to the
connecting clip 128. The connecting clip 128 is also capable of
removably receiving a terminal 130 from the resistor 114. In like
manner, the resistor 114 may be pulled outwardly through the socket
26 so that the terminal 130 is easily removed from the clip
128.
The clips 124 and 128 are preferably formed of a relatively thin
metal which may be folded over in a form of a U-shaped clip.
Moreover, due to the thin gauge of the metal, it is somewhat
resilient so as to removably receive the various terminals 126 and
130.
By further reference to FIG. 5 of the drawings, it can be observed
that the position of the clips 124 and 128 are offset from each
other. Thus the clip 124 is located closer to the socket 26 than
the clip 128. In this way it is impossible to reverse the terminals
126 and 130 since if the terminals were reversed they would not
properly extend into the clips 124 and 128. More specifically, one
of the clips is located sufficiently closer to the socket than the
other clip that the terminal normally received by that other clip
cannot be sufficiently longitudinally received by the one clip to
allow reception of the remaining terminal by that other clip.
Each of the components described above are all mocular in their
construction so that they are interchangeable. In this way, it is
possible to generate a variety of diode devices with just a
relatively few number of components. Consequently, the user of the
diode devices achieves a much wider degree of versatility to fill
all of the light emitting diode device needs. In this respect, it
can be observed that any of the lenses 32 or 56 could be utilized
in either of the housing in either of the devices A or B. Moreover,
the lenses may be provided with the section of reduced thickness or
the axially located slits, or any of the locking means described
above.
The housing used in the diode devices may be formed of any of a
number of materials including a wide variety of plastic materials.
However, black nylon has been found to be one of the preferred
materials of construction. In addition, the lenses also may be made
of any of the variety of plastic materials, although cellulose
acetate butyrate has been found to be a preferred material. With
respect to the lens, the lens should be transparent to the
radiation emitted by the diode 29. Various lens shapes and sizes
and colors even moreso add to the versatility of the diode devices.
The various clips 124 and 128 are preferably made of any metals
which are relatively thin and tempered to have a spring type
action. In this respect, phospher bronze has been found to be
highly effective material. In like manner, the terminals or pins
also preferably are constructed of phospher bronze and may be
gold-plated.
Thus there has been illustrated and described various novel light
emitting diode devices and components which can be used in a system
for constructing diode devices and which can all be made at a
relatively low cost and used in a variety of applications.
Consequently, the diode devices and the components thereof fulfill
all of the objects and advantages sought therefor. Many changes,
modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the
diode devices and the components thereof will become apparent to
those skilled in the art after considering this specification on
the accompanying drawings. Therefore, all such changes,
modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do
not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to
be covered by the invention which is limited only by the following
claims.
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