Lighting device and method

• US 20030193055A1
• Filed: 04/10/2002
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Heatron, Inc. (NIBE Industrier AB)
• Original Assignee: Heatron, Inc. (NIBE Industrier AB)
• Inventors: Deutschlander, G. James, Giardina, Richard N., Fetscher, Brian S., Martter, Robert H., Sundberg, Craig C.
• Application Number:
  US10/120,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20030193055A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/79
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48472 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area also being a wedge bond, i.e. wedge-to-wedge
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/64 Heat extraction or cooling elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/053 the metal substrate being covered by an inorganic insulating layer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/092 Dispersed materials, e.g. conductive pastes or inks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/167 incorporating printed resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0112 Absorbing light, e.g. dielectric layer with carbon filler for laser processing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2054 Light-reflecting surface, e.g. conductors, substrates, coatings, dielectrics

Abstract

A lighting device having a light emitting diode (LED). The device includes a metal substrate having a surface. A dielectric coating layer is superimposed on the surface of the metal substrate. A light emitting diode (LED) is supported on the dielectric coating layer. The metal substrate serves as a heat sink for the heat emitted by LED during operation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use as a light emitting diode (LED) lighting device, comprising:

a metal substrate having a surface;

a dielectric coating layer superimposed on the surface of the metal substrate;

an electric circuit disposed upon the coating layer; and

a light emitting diode (LED) mounted upon the substrate and electrically connected to the circuit, whereby the metal substrate serves as a heat sink for the LED.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the metal substrate comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of copper, steel, aluminum, and alloys thereof.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the dielectric coating layer comprises an electronic grade inorganic material selected from the group consisting of ceramic materials, porcelain enamel materials, and glass materials.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the LED is a packaged LED.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the LED is a line terminated LED.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said circuit comprises a cermet metal circuit communicating with the LED.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said circuit includes one or more resistors.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the resistors are laser trimmed resistors.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a conductive coating layer superimposed on the dielectric coating layer and an additional dielectric coating layer superimposed on the conductive coating layer, whereby a portion of the conductive layer is sandwiched between the dielectric coating layer and the additional dielectric coating layer.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a reflective coating layer superimposed on the dielectric coating layer.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a white reflective coating layer superimposed on the dielectric coating layer.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a light absorbing black inorganic coating layer superimposed on the dielectric coating layer.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the LED includes an electrical lead and the metal substrate has an aperture, the LED has a portion that extends through the aperture in the metal substrate.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the electrical lead is soldered or bent over, thereby supporting the LED on the metal substrate.

15. A method for making a light emitting diode (LED) light engine, comprising:

coating a metal substrate with a dielectric coating material; and

mounting an LED on the coated metal substrate to thereby form the light emitting diode (LED) light engine, whereby the metal substrate is a heat sink for the LED.

16. The method as defined in claim 15, further comprising adding circuitry to the metal substrate and laser trimming the circuitry.

17. The light emitting diode (LED) light engine made by the method of claim 15.

18. An apparatus for use as a light emitting diode (LED) light engine, comprising:

means for coating a metal substrate with a dielectric coating material; and

means for mounting an LED on the coated metal substrate to thereby form the light emitting diode (LED) light engine, whereby the metal substrate is a heat sink for the LED.