Light emitting device package, light emitting device using that package, and illumination device using the light emitting devices

Abstract

The light emitting device package of the present invention has a longitudinal direction (as viewed from above) and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and is provided with a first and second lead-frame lined-up in the longitudinal direction and molded resin holds the first and second lead-frames integrally. The package is characterized in that the first lead-frame has a main body and an extension that extends from the main body with a narrowed width towards the second lead-frame. Further, a recess is established in the bottom surface of the first lead-frame, and at least part of the exposed region of the bottom surface of the extension is separated from the exposed region of the bottom surface of the main body by the molded resin that fills the recess.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A light emitting device comprising:
 a light emitting element elements; and 
 a light emitting device package having a longitudinal direction as viewed from above and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the light emitting device package comprising:
 a first and second lead-frame lead-frames lined-up in the longitudinal direction; and 
 molded resin holds the first and second lead-frames integrally, 
 
 wherein the first lead-frame comprises:
 a main body; and 
 an extension from the main body that extends with a narrowed width towards the second lead-frame, 
 
 wherein a recess is established in the bottom surface of the first lead-frame, 
 wherein at least part of the an exposed region of the bottom surface of the extension is separated from the an exposed region of the bottom surface of the main body by the molded resin that fills the recess, and 
 wherein the a light emitting element of the light emitting elements is mounted on each upper surface of the first and second lead-frames. 
 
     
     
       2. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein approximately the entire exposed region of the bottom surface of the extension is separated from the exposed region of the bottom surface of the main body by the molded resin that fills the recess. 
     
     
       3. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the exposed region of the bottom surface of the extension has an approximately rectangular shape. 
     
     
       4. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the extension is positioned approximately in the center of the light emitting device package. 
     
     
       5. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a third lead-frame disposed opposite the extension in the transverse direction,
 wherein at least part of the bottom surface of the third lead-frame is exposed from the molded resin. 
 
     
     
       6. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second lead-frame has a main body and an extension from the main body that extends with a narrowed width towards the first lead-frame, 
 wherein a recess is established in the bottom surface of the second lead-frame, 
 wherein at least part of the exposed region of the bottom surface of the extension of the second lead-frame is separated from the exposed region of the bottom surface of the main body by the molded resin that fills the recess in the second lead-frame, and 
 wherein the extensions of the first and second lead-frames are disposed opposite each other in the transverse direction. 
 
     
     
       7. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the molded resin exposes at least part of the upper surface of the main body of the first lead-frame and at least part of the upper surface of the extension of the first lead-frame that extends towards the second lead-frame at the top of the light emitting device package, and 
 wherein the molded resin comprises partition walls that are established extending in the transverse direction. 
 
     
     
       8. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 7 , wherein partition walls are established on top of the extension of the first lead-frame. 
     
     
       9. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 8 ,
 wherein the second lead-frame has a main body and an extension from the main body that extends with a narrowed width towards the first lead-frame, 
 wherein the extensions of the first and second lead-frames are disposed opposite each other in the transverse direction, 
 wherein the partition walls include a first partition wall and a second partition wall that straddle the tops of the extensions of the first and second lead-frames, and 
 wherein the upper surface of each of the extensions of the first and second lead-frames are partitioned into three regions by the first and second partition walls. 
 
     
     
       10. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 1  provided with a protection device mounted on the upper surface of the extension of the first lead-frame. 
     
     
       11. An illumination device having first and second light emitting devices, which are light emitting devices as recited in  claim 1 , lined-up in the longitudinal direction;
 wherein the first light emitting device has the a first light emitting element of the light emitting elements disposed closest to the second light emitting device, 
 wherein the second light emitting device has the a second light emitting element of the light emitting elements disposed closest to the first light emitting device, 
 wherein the first light emitting device has the a third light emitting element of the light emitting elements disposed adjacent to the first light emitting element, and 
 wherein the distance between the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element is approximately equal to the distance between the first light emitting element and the third light emitting element. 
 
     
     
       12. The illumination device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the distance between light: emitting elements adjacently disposed in the first light emitting device is approximately equal to the distance between light emitting elements adjacently disposed in the second light emitting device. 
     
     
       13. The light emitting device package as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the exposed region of the bottom surface of the extension has an approximately rectangular shape. 
     
     
       14. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the extension is positioned approximately in the center of the light emitting device package. 
     
     
       15. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 14  further comprising a third lead-frame disposed opposite the extension in the transverse direction,
 wherein at least part of the bottom surface of the third lead-frame is exposed from the molded resin. 
 
     
     
       16. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 15 ,
 wherein the second lead-frame has a main body and an extension from the main body that extends with a narrowed width towards the first lead-frame, 
 wherein a recess is established in the bottom surface of the second lead-frame, 
 wherein at least part of the exposed region of the bottom suffice surface of the extension of the second lead-frame is separated from the exposed region of the bottom surface of the main body by the molded resin that fills the recess in the second lead-frame, and 
 wherein the extensions of the first and second lead-frames are disposed opposite each other in the transverse direction. 
 
     
     
       17. The light emitting device as recited in  claim 16  provided with a protection device mounted on the upper surface of the extension of the first lead-frame. 
     
     
       18. An illumination device having first and second light emitting devices, which are light emitting devices as recited in  claim 16 , lined-up in the longitudinal direction;
 wherein the first light emitting device has the a first light emitting element of the light emitting elements disposed closest to the second light emitting device, 
 wherein the second light emitting device has the a second light emitting element of the light emitting elements disposed closest to the first light emitting device, 
 wherein the first light emitting device has the a third light emitting element of the light emitting elements disposed adjacent to the first light emitting element, and 
 wherein the distance between the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element is approximately equal to the distance between the first light emitting element and the third light emitting element. 
 
     
     
       19. A light emitting device package having a longitudinal direction as viewed from above and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction comprising:
 a first and second lead-frame lead-frames lined-up in the longitudinal direction; and 
 molded resin holds the first and second lead-frames integrally, 
 wherein the first lead-frame comprises:
 a main body; and 
 an extension from the main body that extends with a narrowed width towards the second lead-frame, 
 
 wherein a recess is established in the bottom surface of the first lead-frame, 
 wherein at least part of the an exposed region of the bottom surface of the extension is separated from the an exposed region of the bottom surface of the main body by the molded resin that fills the recess, 
 wherein the molded resin exposes at least part of the upper surface of the main body of the first lead-frame and at least part of the upper surface of the extension of the first lead-frame that extends towards the second lead-frame at the top of the light emitting device package, 
 wherein the molded resin comprises partition walls that are established extending in the transverse direction, 
 wherein partition walls are established on top of the extension of the first lead-frame, 
 wherein the second lead-frame has a main body and an extension from the main body that extends with a narrowed width towards the first lead-frame, 
 wherein the extensions of the first and second lead-frames are disposed opposite each other in the transverse direction, 
 wherein the partition walls include a first partition wall and a second partition wall that straddle the tops of the extensions of the first and second lead-frames, and 
 wherein the upper surface of each of the extensions of the first and second lead-frames are partitioned into three regions by the first and second partition walls. 
 
     
     
       20. A light emitting device comprising:
 a light emitting device package as recited in  claim 19 ; 
 a light emitting element mounted on each upper surface of the first and second lead-frames; and 
 a protection device mounted on the upper surface of the extension of the first lead-frame. 
 
     
     
       21. An illumination device comprising:
 first and second light emitting devices, which are lined-up in a longitudinal direction,   wherein the first and second light emitting devices comprise:
 light emitting elements including first, second and third light emitting elements, 
   wherein each of the first and second light emitting devices comprises:
 first and second lead-frames lined-up in the longitudinal direction; and 
 molded resin holding the first and second lead-frames integrally, 
   wherein the first light emitting device comprises:
 the first light emitting element mounted on an upper surface of the first lead-frame; and 
 the third light emitting element mounted on an upper surface of the second lead-frame, 
   wherein the second light emitting device comprises:
 the second light emitting element mounted on an upper surface of the first or second lead-frame, 
   wherein the first and second lead-frames have a gap region that separates the first and second lead-frames, the gap region being filled with the molded resin,   wherein the first light emitting element is disposed closest to the second light emitting device,   wherein the second light emitting element is disposed closest to the first light emitting device,   wherein the third light emitting element is disposed adjacent to the first light emitting element, and   wherein a distance between the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element is equal to a distance between the first light emitting element and the third light emitting element.   
     
     
       22. The illumination device as recited in claim 21, wherein the molded resin is a thermosetting resin member surrounding the first light emitting element in a plan view. 
     
     
       23. The illumination device as recited in claim 21,
 wherein the distance between the first light emitting element and second light emitting element is longer than total of:
 a distance between the first light emitting element and a first side surface of the first light emitting device, the first side surface being adjacent to the second light emitting device; and 
 a distance between the second light emitting element and a second side surface of the second light emitting device, the second side surface being adjacent to the first light emitting device. 
   
     
     
       24. The illumination device as recited in claim 21, further comprising a substrate material on which the first light emitting device and second light emitting device are mounted thereon. 
     
     
       25. The illumination device as recited in claim 21, wherein the number of light emitting devices is more than three. 
     
     
       26. The illumination device as recited in claim 21, wherein each light emitting device comprises fluorescent material. 
     
     
       27. The illumination device as recited in claim 26, wherein the fluorescent material is positioned on or above one of the light emitting elements of one of the light emitting devices, and a concentration of the fluorescent material around a top area of the one of the light emitting devices is lighter than that of the fluorescent material around a top area of the one of the light emitting elements. 
     
     
       28. The illumination device as recited in claim 21, wherein the plurality of the light emitting devices is arranged in a two-dimensional array. 
     
     
       29. The illumination device as recited in claim 22, wherein the molded resin surrounds the first light emitting element and a member holding fluorescent material. 
     
     
       30. The illumination device as recited in claim 21, wherein the illumination device is for liquid crystal display backlighting. 
     
     
       31. The illumination device as recited in claim 22, wherein the illumination device is for liquid crystal display backlighting. 
     
     
       32. The illumination device as recited in claim 31, wherein each light emitting device comprises fluorescent material. 
     
     
       33. The illumination device as recited in claim 32, wherein the molded resin surrounds the first light emitting element and a member holding the fluorescent material. 
     
     
       34. The illumination device as recited in claim 33, wherein the fluorescent material is positioned on or above one of the light emitting elements of one of the light emitting devices, and a concentration of the fluorescent material around a top area of the one of the light emitting devices is lighter than that of the fluorescent material around a top area of the one of the light emitting elements.