LED light source assembly and side lighting device using same

Abstract

A high-power LED light source assembly disclosed herein comprises: a chip base on which an LED chip is mounted; a hollow sleeve connected to the chip base and forming a cavity surrounding a space in which the LED chip is located; an optical fiber connector which is connected to the hollow sleeve to seal the cavity and to which an optical fiber facing the LED chip is coupled; and a light wave concentrator that is installed in the cavity and concentrates light from the LED chip onto an end part of the optical fiber.

Description

LED light source assembly and side lighting device applying the same

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a high-power LED light source assembly and a side lighting device applying the same, and more particularly, to a light source assembly using an LED as a light source and a side lighting optical fiber lighting device applying the same.

[0002] Optical fibers are optical transmission media used for a variety of purposes, including optical communications, solar power generation, decorative lighting, and artificial lighting for horticulture. These optical fibers comprise a core through which light propagates and a cladding, a coating covering the core. These fibers are available in single strands or bundles, depending on the application.

[0003] Typically, an optical fiber comprises a core through which light propagates and a cladding, a membrane-like structure covering the core. Depending on the application, a single optical fiber may be used, or in plant cultivation systems such as solar power generation or smart farms, optical fibers may be bundled to transmit large amounts of light energy.

[0004] Among the optical fibers used for solar power generation, information display, decorative lighting, or artificial lighting, there are so-called side-emitting optical fibers, or more precisely side-emitting optical fibers, that emit light from the side of the optical fiber.

[0005] This optical fiber has light-passing windows formed in the cladding surrounding the core, through which light traveling through the core exits. These light-passing windows are opening areas through which some of the light traveling through the core of the optical fiber exits. Research is needed on a light-exiting structure that allows light to exit from the core with low loss and high efficiency.

[0006] LEDs can be used as a light source for these optical fibers. However, unlike LDs, which form a directional light beam, LEDs generate diffuse light. Therefore, in order to effectively inject this diffuse light into the optical fiber, a highly efficient optical coupling device is required, and research into this is necessary.

[0007] Meanwhile, the inventors of the present invention have proposed an optical fiber structured with a lens implanted in the optical fiber. However, this optical fiber has a structure in which the lens is attached using an adhesive. The process of attaching the lens to the optical fiber using an adhesive is extremely difficult and requires considerable time. In particular, the adhesive used to attach the lens is located along the light propagation path, making it impossible to avoid light transmission loss due to light blocking, absorption, or scattering.

[0008] The present disclosure presents a high-efficiency LED light source assembly capable of injecting LED light into a fiber-optic fiber.

[0009] The present disclosure proposes a high-efficiency LED light source assembly and a side-emitting lighting device capable of effectively outputting light supplied therefrom.

[0010] LED light source assembly according to the present disclosure:

[0011] An LED chip that irradiates light toward the light incident surface of one end of an optical fiber;

[0012] A chip base on which the above LED chip is mounted;

[0013] A light wave concentrator having a reflective surface that focuses light from the LED chip onto the light incident end face of the optical fiber and is disposed between the chip base and the light incident end face of the optical fiber; and

[0014] A hollow sleeve is provided to form a cavity where the LED chip is positioned and protect the optical path between the facet of the optical fiber and the LED chip.

[0015] According to one or more embodiments, the hollow sleeve may be integrated into the chip base to protect the light path while protecting the LED chip.

[0016] According to one or more embodiments, the interior of the sleeve may have a support surface for supporting the light concentrator.

[0017] According to one or more embodiments, one or more heat dissipating fins or cooling plates for dissipating heat from the chip may be formed on the chip base or sleeve.

[0018] According to one or more embodiments, an optical fiber connector may be provided having an optical fiber coupled to the LED chip, the optical fiber being connected to the sleeve and sealing the cavity.

[0019] According to one or more embodiments, the optical concentrator may have a parabolic reflective surface that focuses the light onto a mirror surface of the optical fiber.

[0020] Side-emitting lighting device according to the present disclosure:

[0021] A light source assembly having an LED chip that irradiates light toward a light incident surface of one end of an optical fiber, a chip base on which the LED chip is mounted, a light wave concentrator having a reflective surface that is disposed between the chip base and the light incident surface of the optical fiber and focuses light from the LED chip onto the light incident end surface of the optical fiber, and a hollow sleeve that forms a cavity in which the LED chip is positioned and protects the light path between the LED chip and the end of the optical fiber; and

[0022] An optical fiber is provided, which is coupled to the above light source assembly and includes a core through which light propagates and a clad covering the core, in which one or more light passage windows are formed through which light exits from the core.

[0023] According to one or more embodiments of the side-emitting lighting device of the present disclosure, a lens may be installed in the light-transmitting window.

[0024] According to one or more embodiments, the lens may be an in-situ formed resin lens that is directly fixed to the light passing window.

[0025] According to one or more embodiments of the side-emitting lighting device of the present disclosure, the hollow sleeve may be integrated into the chip base to protect the light path while protecting the LED chip.

[0026] According to one or more embodiments of the side-emitting lighting device of the present disclosure, the interior of the sleeve may have a support surface that supports the light concentrator.

[0027] According to one or more embodiments of the side-emitting lighting device of the present disclosure, one or more heat dissipating fins or cooling plates for dissipating heat from the chip may be formed on the chip base or sleeve.

[0028] According to one or more embodiments of the side-emitting lighting device of the present disclosure, an optical fiber connection connector may be provided, wherein the optical fiber is coupled to the LED chip and faces the LED chip, such that the optical fiber is connected to the sleeve and seals the cavity.

[0029] According to one or more embodiments of the side-emitting lighting device of the present disclosure, the light concentrator may have a parabolic reflective surface that focuses the light onto the incident surface.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a side-emitting lighting device having a high-power light source assembly according to the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an optical fiber applied to the side-emitting lighting device illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0032] FIG. 3A is a front view of a high-power light source assembly according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 3b is a partial cross-sectional view of the high-power light source assembly illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0034] Figure 4 is a partially exploded view of the light source assembly illustrated in Figure 3.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a three-dimensional, partially exploded perspective view showing an LED chip installed on the inner bottom of the sleeve of the light source assembly illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0036] FIG. 6 is an excerpt illustrating an optical fiber connection connector for connecting an optical fiber to the light source assembly illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0037] FIGS. 7A to 7E show an optical fiber structure and its manufacturing process according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 8 is an enlarged photograph showing a solid lens portion of an optical fiber manufactured according to the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 9 is an enlarged photograph of a solid lens of an optical fiber manufactured according to the present disclosure.

[0040] FIGS. 10 and 11 show the output of light through solid lenses of a plurality of light-passing windows provided on the side surfaces of an optical fiber manufactured according to the present disclosure when light is injected from the mirror surface of the optical fiber.

[0041] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various different forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described below. It is preferable to interpret that the embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to a person having average knowledge in the art. Like reference numerals denote like elements throughout. Furthermore, various elements and areas in the drawings are schematically drawn. Therefore, the present invention is not limited by the relative sizes or intervals drawn in the attached drawings.

[0042] While terms like "first" and "second" may be used to describe various components, these components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another. For example, a first component could be referred to as a "second component," and vice versa, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0043] The terminology used in this application is only used to describe specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the concept of the present invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, it should be understood that the expressions “comprises” or “has” are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0044] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Furthermore, it is to be understood that commonly used terms, such as those defined in dictionaries, should be interpreted to have a meaning consistent with their meaning within the relevant technical context, and should not be interpreted in an overly formal sense unless explicitly defined herein.

[0045] In some embodiments, where the implementation is otherwise feasible, a particular process sequence may be performed in a different order than described. For example, two processes described in succession may be performed substantially simultaneously, or in a reverse order from the described order.

[0046] In the attached drawings, variations in the shapes depicted may be expected, for example, depending on manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the specific shapes of the regions depicted herein, and should include, for example, changes in shapes resulting from the manufacturing process. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes each and every combination of the mentioned components.

[0047] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, an embodiment of a high-power light source assembly according to the present disclosure and a side-emitting lighting device applying the same will be described.

[0048] Figure 1 is a schematic front view of a side-emitting lighting device that applies a high-power light source assembly (10) according to the present disclosure.

[0049] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a side-emitting lighting device (1) having a high-power light source assembly (10) according to the present disclosure.

[0050] Referring to Fig. 1, a plurality of light-emitting lenses (30) are attached to one side of an optical fiber (20) such as an optical fiber, and a light source assembly (10) is connected to the other end thereof.

[0051] The lighting device (1) as described above receives light from a light source assembly (10) on one side (right side in the drawing) and emits light through a plurality of light-emitting lenses (30) provided on the other side (left side in the drawing).

[0052] The above-mentioned light-emitting lens (30) is fixed to a light-passing window penetrating the clad of the optical fiber (20). Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a cross-section of the optical fiber (20) to which the above-mentioned light-emitting lens (30) is fixed.

[0053] The optical fiber (20) includes a core (20a) and a cladding (20b) covering it. A light-transmitting window (20c) is formed in the cladding (20b), and the surface of the core (20a) is partially exposed at the lower portion of the light-transmitting window (20c). The light-emitting lens (30) is fixed to the light-transmitting window (20c). The light-emitting lens (30) is formed in situ by a liquid resin supplied to the light-transmitting window (20c) and fixed in place. That is, the light-emitting lens (30) is physically very strongly bonded to the light-transmitting window (20c) without relying on an adhesive. This bonding force is generated by molecular interactions, physical forces, chemical forces, etc. between the surface of the optical fiber and the lens surface.

[0054] The above-described light-emitting lens (30) has a dome-shaped head (30a) with a rounded upper surface protruding above the opening plane of the light-passing window (20c) and a short leg-shaped stem (30b) below it. In addition, a skirt (30c) is formed around the lower side of the head (30a). The stem (30b) is a portion that is fixed by contacting the core (20a) of the optical fiber (20) below the opening plane of the light-passing window (20c) and has a shape that matches the inner profile of the cavity above the core (20a) below the light-passing window (20c). This is because the stem (30b) is formed by a liquid resin injected into the cavity below the light-passing window (20c).

[0055] Accordingly, the stem (30b) is fixed to the core (20a) while filling the cavity, and the dome-shaped head (30a) thereon is positioned to protrude above the light-passing window (20c), and the skirt (30c) is overlapped on the clad (20b) at the edge of the light-passing window (20c).

[0056] The above-described light-passing window (20c) can be formed by mechanical processing such as drilling so that the surface of the core (20a) is exposed to the outside at the lower bottom by penetrating the outer skin, i.e., the clad (20b), of the optical fiber (20). According to this mechanical processing, processing is also performed on a part of the surface of the core, and according to this processing, the surface of the core that is cut off due to the limitations of mechanical processing is not as clean as a mirror but is rough. This rough surface to be processed causes light transmission loss by absorbing and scattering the passing light. However, according to the present invention, since the light-emitting lens (30) is formed directly on the surface of the optical fiber by a material such as a liquid resin, the above-described problem is greatly improved.

[0057] FIG. 3a is a schematic front view of the high-power light source assembly (10) according to the present disclosure, and FIG. 3b is a schematic partial cross-sectional view thereof.

[0058] The above light source assembly (10) is a main body in which an LED chip is mounted. It has a chip base (11) with a heat dissipation fin (13) installed on its outer periphery, and an optical fiber connector (17) in which an optical fiber (20) is mounted.

[0059] Between the chip base (11) and the optical fiber connector (17), a hollow sleeve (15) is provided that surrounds a cavity in which an internal LED chip (18) connected to an external power line (12) and a light concentrator (16) are installed. The sleeve (15) may have a support surface (15a) that contacts and supports the light concentrator (16) from the rear.

[0060] Figure 4 is a partially exploded view of the light source assembly (10).

[0061] A heat dissipation fin (13) is installed on the chip base (11) of the light source assembly (10), and a hollow cylindrical sleeve (15) is connected to one side (right side in the drawing) thereof to surround a space where an LED chip (18) is positioned inside. The heat dissipation fin (13) may also be formed on the sleeve (15). A parabolic light concentrator (16) having an opening through which an LED chip (18) is exposed is positioned in the hollow portion inside the sleeve (15), and the light concentrator (16) is fixed by a fixing member (14) such as a cylindrical screw inserted into the inside of the sleeve (15).

[0062] Fig. 5 is a three-dimensional view showing a state in which an LED chip (18) is installed on the inner bottom of the sleeve (15), that is, on one side of the chip base (11). An optical concentrator (16) is inserted into the inner side of the sleeve (15), and the LED chip (18) is exposed through an opening (16a) of the optical concentrator (16). The LED chip (18) may be positioned inside the optical concentrator (16), for example, at or close to the optical focus position of the optical concentrator (16).

[0063] Figure 6 illustrates an optical fiber connector (17) connected to a sleeve (15) by a screw or other connecting structure.

[0064] The optical fiber connector (17) has a screw portion (17a) that is coupled to the sleeve (15), and a facet of an optical fiber (20) is positioned at one end of the screw portion (17a), and a color filter (21) may be provided in front of the facet.

[0065] In the LED light source assembly as described above, according to one embodiment, the LED chip may be a white chip, and a color filter of a predetermined color that determines the passing wavelength may be installed between the LED chip and the optical fiber. According to another embodiment, the reflective surface of the light wave concentrator may contain a coloring agent such as a pigment or dye, thereby functioning as a color filter.

[0066] Hereinafter, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a process for manufacturing a fiber-type optical fiber that forms a lens without an adhesive by forming a light-emitting lens (30) in situ in the optical fiber, i.e., the optical fiber (20) itself, and in particular, suppresses light scattering and absorption at the interface will be described.

[0067] As shown in Fig. 7a, an optical fiber (20) having a core (20a) and a clad (20b) covering the core (20a) is prepared.

[0068] As illustrated in Fig. 7b, the clad (20b) is partially machined to form a light-transmitting window (20c) in the clad (20b). A high-speed drilling machine can be used to form the light-transmitting window (20c), and thus a concave machined surface (20a') is generated on the surface of the core (20a) below the light-transmitting window (20c). The depth of this machined surface (20a') can be adjusted according to design conditions, and can be formed to a very shallow depth as illustrated in Fig. 4b, or can be formed close to the center of the core in the shape of a well of a predetermined depth.

[0069] As illustrated in Fig. 7c, a lens-forming resin (31) is supplied in the form of drops to the light-passing window (20c) using a nozzle (22) of a liquid resin supply device. The liquid resin supply device may have a needle-shaped supply nozzle (32) and a resin supply unit that supplies liquid resin to the nozzle.

[0070] The above resin may be a naturally curing crystal resin that is used by mixing the main agent and the hardener, or a UV resin that is cured by ultraviolet rays as a single material.

[0071] The above liquid resin (31) contains a coloring agent of a specific color, so that a colored lens can be implemented using the liquid resin.

[0072] FIG. 7d shows a state in which a liquid lens (30') is formed in a light-transmitting window (20c) by a liquid resin (31). The liquid resin (31) supplied to the light-transmitting window (20c) has a dome-shaped head (30a) with a round upper surface due to surface tension, and the stem (30b) at the bottom thereof is in contact with the light-transmitting window (20c) and the processing surface (20a') of the core at the bottom thereof. In addition, the edge of the head (30a) overlaps the clad (20b) surrounding the light-transmitting window (20c). The liquid resin (31) is supplied from above the light-transmitting window (20c) to fill the cavity at the bottom thereof, thereby completely covering the surface of the core (20a) and the clad (20b) of the light-transmitting window (20c), thereby protecting the exposed portion of the core (20a) and its periphery from the air.

[0073] In this way, the liquid resin (31) supplied in the form of a droplet to the light passage window (20c) is formed into a liquid lens (30') that completely covers the light passage window (20c) and protrudes partially above it, and hardens over time.

[0074] Crystal resin is supplied in the form of droplets containing a hardener (or curing agent) in the base resin, and is then supplied to the light-transmitting window (20c) and gradually and naturally hardens in a lens-shaped state. In the case of UV resin, ultraviolet light is required for curing.

[0075] Figure 7e shows a state in which a solid-state light-emitting lens (30) is formed in situ on an optical fiber (20) after the resin has been cured. The light-emitting lens (30) may be formed of a colorless resin, and a coating film may be formed on its surface. The coating film may be formed not only on the light-emitting lens (30) but also on the entire surface of the optical fiber (20). Such a coating film may be obtained by applying a coating material to the entire optical fiber after lens formation is completed.

[0076] According to one or more embodiments, the coating film may be a protective coating or a color coating film, and further, according to one or more embodiments, the lens may be a color lens containing at least one of a transparent dye, a pigment, and a pigment dispersion.

[0077] According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, by forming a lens in situ using a liquid material on an optical fiber, which is an element of an optical fiber, the light-emitting lens (30) is very strongly fixed to the optical fiber (20) by physical adhesion. This adhesion of the light-emitting lens (30) is generated by molecular interactions, physical forces, chemical forces, etc., between the optical fiber and the surface and the lens surface.

[0078] By forming a light-emitting lens (30) in the optical fiber's light-passing window through the above process, an adhesive that causes optical loss becomes unnecessary. In addition, the machined surface of the core, which has been roughened by mechanical processing, is densely filled with liquid resin, thereby integrating the core and the solid lens, thereby reducing optical loss due to optical scattering and reflection at the interface between the core and the lens.

[0079] FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged photograph of an optical fiber having a solid lens formed in situ on the surface thereof, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, a liquid resin supplied in the form of droplets forms a round solid lens on the surface of the optical fiber.

[0080] Figure 9 is a planar magnified photograph of a solid lens formed in situ in a light-transmitting window. As shown in Figure 7, the contact area with the core of the optical fiber is shown to be very bright, and light scattering in the lens-forming region is greatly reduced, resulting in a very bright donut-shaped bright region in the center.

[0081] Figures 10 and 11 show the output of light through a solid lens of a plurality of light-passing windows provided on the side of the optical fiber when light is injected from one end of the optical fiber.

[0082] As illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, the intensity of light emitted from the side of the optical fiber is very high. This is because the solid lens is completely integrated into the core of the optical fiber, so that the boundary between the core and the lens is completely physically bonded, and thus very high intensity light can escape through the lens.

[0083] If only a light-transmitting window is processed on the side of an optical fiber, the light has limited directivity and angle, and since the unprocessed side does not scatter light, the optical fiber must be processed in three or five or more radial directions as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, this process requires very difficult mass-production processing equipment. However, when a solid lens is formed using resin in only one direction around the optical fiber as in the present invention, light is scattered in all 360 degrees and the intensity of the light also increases significantly.

[0084] While the light source assembly and lighting device using the same according to embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings to aid understanding, these are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An LED chip that irradiates light toward the facet of an optical fiber; A chip base on which the above LED chip is mounted; A light wave concentrator having a reflective surface that focuses light from the LED chip onto the light incident end face of the optical fiber and is positioned between the chip base and the light incident end face of the optical fiber; and A high-power LED light source assembly comprising a hollow sleeve that forms a cavity in which the LED chip is positioned and protects the optical path between the facet of the optical fiber from the LED chip.

2. In paragraph 1, A high-power LED light source assembly wherein the hollow sleeve is integrated into the chip base to protect the LED chip and the light path.

3. In paragraph 1, A high-power LED light source assembly having a support surface supporting the light concentrator inside the above sleeve.

4. In paragraph 1, A high-power LED light source device having one or more heat dissipation fins or cooling plates formed on the chip base or sleeve to dissipate heat from the chip.

5. In paragraph 1, A high-power LED light source assembly comprising an optical fiber connector coupled to the LED chip, the optical fiber being connected to the sleeve and sealing the cavity.

6. In paragraph 1, A high-power LED light source assembly, wherein the optical concentrator has a parabolic reflective surface that focuses the light onto the mirror surface of the optical fiber.

7. A light source assembly having an LED chip that irradiates light toward a mirror surface of an optical fiber, a chip base on which the LED chip is mounted, a light wave concentrator having a reflective surface that is positioned between the chip base and the light incident surface of the optical fiber and focuses light from the LED chip onto the incident end surface of the optical fiber, and a hollow sleeve that forms a cavity in which the LED chip is positioned and protects the light path between the LED chip and the end of the optical fiber; and A side-emitting lighting device comprising: an optical fiber; coupled to the light source assembly; comprising a core through which light propagates; and a clad covering the core, wherein one or more light-transmitting windows are formed through which light from the core escapes.

8. In paragraph 7, A side-emitting lighting device having a lens installed in the above light-passing window.

9. In paragraph 8, A side-emitting illumination device, wherein the above lens is an in-situ formed resin lens directly fixed to the light-passing window.

10. In paragraph 7, A side-emitting lighting device wherein the hollow sleeve is integrated into the chip base to protect the LED chip while protecting the light path.

11. In paragraph 7, A side-emitting lighting device having a support surface formed inside the sleeve to support the light concentrator.

12. In paragraph 7, A side-emitting lighting device having one or more heat dissipating fins or cooling plates formed on the chip base or sleeve to dissipate heat from the chip.

13. In paragraph 7, A side-emitting lighting device having an optical fiber connection connector coupled to the LED chip, the optical fiber being connected to the sleeve and sealing the cavity.

14. In paragraph 7, A side-emitting lighting device, wherein the light concentrator has a parabolic reflective surface that focuses the light onto the incident surface.

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