Lighting fixture

• US 10,274,183 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Randolph, David N., Rowlette, Jr., John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bannan, Julie A
• Application Number:
  US13/649,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20130033872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,392 Days
• Field of Search: 36224902, 362307, 362308, 362327-329
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/02 of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters specially adapted for vehicle exteriors F21S41/00-F21S45/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/002 with provision for interchangeability, i.e. component parts being especially adapted to be replaced by another part with the same or a different function F21V17/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/005 with keying means, i.e. for enabling the assembling of component parts in distinctive positions, e.g. for preventing wrong mounting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0055 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/04 Recessed bases
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/008 the casing being outside the housing of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/507 of means for protecting lighting devices from damage, e.g. housings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/71 using a combination of separate elements interconnected by heat-conducting means, e.g. with heat pipes or thermally conductive bars between separate heat-sink elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/713 in direct thermal and mechanical contact of each other to form a single system
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/773 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/86 Ceramics or glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a lighting fixture that is configured to transfer heat that is generated by a light source and any associated electronics toward the front of the lighting fixture. The lighting fixture includes a heat spreading cup that is formed from a material that efficiently conducts heat and a light source that is coupled inside the heat spreading cup. The heat spreading cup has a bottom panel, a rim, and at least one sidewall extending between the bottom panel and the rim. The light source is coupled inside the heat spreading cup to the bottom panel and configured to emit light in a forward direction through an opening formed by the rim. Heat generated by the light source during operation is transferred radially outward along the bottom panel and in a forward direction along the at least one sidewall toward the rim of the heat spreading cup.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture comprising:

a mounting structure having a rim at an end of at least one sidewall;

a light source coupled inside the mounting structure and configured to emit light in a forward direction through an opening formed by the rim; and

a lens assembly comprising;

a skirt that extends inside the mounting structure;

at least two tabs that extend from a side of the skirt in a rearward direction that is opposite the forward direction and is coupled to the mounting structure, wherein at least one tab of the at least two tabs is coupled to an interior surface of the at least one sidewall of the mounting structure; and

a primary lens portion that is unitary with the skirt such that the at least two tabs extend from the primary lens via the skirt, where the primary lens projects in the forward direction substantially past the rim, and covers the opening provided by the rim.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the primary lens portion is dome shaped.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the primary lens portion comprises a dome portion and a cylindrical portion that extends between the dome portion and the skirt.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the primary lens portion comprises a bulbous portion and a base portion that extends between the bulbous portion and the skirt.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the primary lens portion comprises a conical portion and a cylindrical portion that extends between the conical portion and the skirt.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the primary lens portion comprises a planar lens and a cylindrical portion that extends between the planar lens and the skirt.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the primary lens portion comprises a multi-tubular portion and a cylindrical portion that extends between the multi-tubular portion and the skirt.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the light source is thermally coupled to a bottom panel of the mounting structure such that heat generated by the light source during operation is transferred radially outward along the bottom panel and in the forward direction along the at least one sidewall toward the rim.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the primary lens portion is substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the mounting structure and the tabs are substantially parallel to the central axis.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein the interior surface of the at least one sidewall comprises at least one channel in which the at least one tab is received.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 10 further comprising an attachment implement, and wherein the at least one channel further comprises a first hole that extends through the at least one sidewall and aligns with a second hole in the at least one tab when the lens assembly is in place, the attachment implement extending through the first hole and into the second hole to hold the lens assembly in place.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 11 wherein an exterior surface of the at least one sidewall comprises at least one elongated slot substantially aligned with the at least one channel and the first hole resides in the at least one elongated slot.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 1 further comprising a reflector having a body extending between a smaller opening substantially adjacent and about a light emitting element of the light source and a larger opening biased toward the opening formed by the rim.

14. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode.

15. The lighting fixture of claim 1 further comprising a control module having electronics to control the light source and coupled to an exterior surface of a bottom panel of the mounting structure, wherein heat generated by the electronics during operation is transferred radially outward along the bottom panel and in the forward direction along the at least one sidewall toward the rim.

16. The lighting fixture of claim 15 further comprising a heat sink coupled to the exterior surface of the bottom panel.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 15 wherein the mounting structure is formed from at least one of a metal and a ceramic.

18. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the rim is substantially annular and the at least one sidewall is substantially cylindrical.

19. The lighting fixture of claim 18 wherein the rim is provided by a flange.

20. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the light source is LED-based and the mounting structure is configured to allow the lighting fixture to replace a conventional, non-LED-based lighting fixture.

21. The lighting fixture of claim 1,

wherein the lens assembly is configured such that the light emitted from the light source is only emitted through the primary lens portion.