Light bulb having surfaces for reflecting light produced by electronic light generating sources

• US 20050243552A1
• Filed: 08/09/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lighting Science Group Corporation (Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: Lighting Science Group Corporation (Pegasus Capital Advisors, L.P.)
• Inventors: Maxik, Fredric
• Granted Patent: US 7,367,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/249.10
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/233 specially adapted for generating a spot light distribution, e.g. for substitution of reflector lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/62 using mixing chambers, e.g. housings with reflective walls
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/90 Methods of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/04 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/90 on two opposite sides of supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

The present light bulb uses electronic light generating sources and serves as a replacement for incandescent lamps or other lamps or so-called “light bulbs.” The light bulb is comprised of a plurality of individual light sources, such as light emitting diodes (LED'"'"'s), capable of emitting white light or blue light or light of any other desired color. These light emitting elements are enclosed in an outer bulb housing that may include an optical tuning element and provided with the proper base for connection to a power source, e.g. a socket. The light bulb is characterized by a housing having a round top and a somewhat funnel-shaped side wall connected to the base. The side wall is constructed with the desired angle of taper in order to obtain the desired angle of dispersion of the light. The interior of the tapered portion is provided with a mirrored surface so as to reflect light in the interior of the bulb and thereby obtain a wide angle of dispersion. An inner peripheral row of LED'"'"'s or other light sources is also provided so that additional backlight is reflected back into the interior of the bulb housing, reflect off of the mirrored surface and, thereafter, allowed to escape through the round top with a wide angle of dispersion. In addition, the optical tuning element may include reflective portions, opaque portions, and transparent portions to further provide functionality and means for adjusting the dispersion of the light emitted from the light bulb.

Claims

1. A light bulb, comprising:

a housing having an inside surface, a base, and an optical opening for emitting light from said housing;

a substrate connected to said housing, said substrate having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface of said substrate substantially facing said optical opening of said housing and said second surface of said substrate substantially facing said base;

a plurality of light emitting elements mounted on said first surface of said substrate; and

electrical connectors connecting said base with said light emitting elements.

2. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein said housing further comprises:

an optical tuning element located substantially over said optical opening of said housing.

3. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein said substrate is substantially transparent.

4. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein said inside surface is coated with a reflective material.

5. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein said inside surface is coated with a mirrored material.

6. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein said housing is substantially funnel-shaped.

7. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein said inside surface is shaped to achieve a desired dispersion of light out of said optical opening of said housing.

8. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein said inside surface is an insert connected to said housing.

9. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein the angle between said inside surface and said optical opening is manufactured to achieve a desired dispersion of light emitted out of said optical opening of said housing.

10. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein said electrical connectors further comprises:

a rectifier connected between said light emitting elements and said electrical connectors.

12. The light bulb of claim 2 wherein said optical tuning element is a lens.

13. The light bulb of claim 10 wherein said lens is arcuately shaped.

14. The light bulb of claim 2 wherein said plurality of light emitting elements are lensless light emitting elements.

15. The light bulb of claim 2 wherein said plurality of light emitting elements are a combination of different colored light emitting elements.

16. The light bulb of claim 14 wherein said optical tuning element is adjacent to said lensless light emitting elements.

17. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein said substrate is a printed circuit board.

18. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said first surface of said substrate is covered with a mirrored material.

19. The light bulb of claim 2 wherein said optical tuning element is partially covered with a reflective material to direct light from said plurality of light emitting elements toward said inside surface.

20. The light bulb of claim 2 wherein said optical tuning element is partially covered with an opaque material.

21. The light bulb of claim 2 wherein said optical tuning element is partially covered with a transparent material.

22. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein said light emitting elements are LED'"'"'s.

23. The light bulb of claim 1 wherein said substrate further comprises:

a plurality of light emitting elements connected to said second surface of said substrate.

11. The light bulb of claim 11 wherein said rectifier is a semiconductor rectifier.

24. A lighting device, comprising:

means for housing said lighting device;

means for supporting at least one light emitting element located within said housing means;

means for mounting said at least one light emitting element on said supporting means; and

means for energizing said at least one light emitting element to produce light.

25. The lighting device of claim 24 wherein said housing means further comprises:

means for optically tuning the dispersion of said produced light that is emitted from said at least one lighting element.

26. The lighting device of claim 24 wherein said housing means further comprises:

reflecting means for reflecting said produced light within said housing means out said housing to change the dispersion of said produced light that is emitted from said lighting device prior to exiting said housing means.

27. The lighting device of claim 26 wherein said mounting means includes mounting an at least one light emitting element to emit light towards said reflecting means.

28. The lighting device of claim 24 wherein said supporting means is translucent.

29. The lighting device of claim 24 wherein said housing means is shaped to change the dispersion of said produced light that is emitted from said lighting device.

30. The lighting device of claim 24 wherein said supporting means further comprises:

means for adjusting the distance from said at least one light emitting element to said tuning means.

31. The lighting device of claim 24 wherein said mounting means is adjustable to change the dispersion of said produced light that is emitted from said lighting device.

32. The lighting device of claim 24 wherein said mounting means is a printed circuit board.

33. The lighting device of claim 24 wherein said light emitting element is a LED.

34. The lighting device of claim 25 wherein said optically tuning means further comprises:

means for reflecting said light emitted by said at least one light emitting element back towards said substrate.

35. The lighting device of claim 25 wherein said optically tuning means further comprises:

means for dispersing said light emitted by said at least one light emitting element through said optically tuning means.

36. A method for producing dispersed light from a lighting device, comprising:

providing a housing including an optical opening and a base;

supporting at least one light emitting element located within said housing; and

energizing said at least one light emitting element.

37. The method for producing dispersed light from a lighting device of claim 36 further comprising:

tuning said produced light to increase the dispersion of said produced light that is emitted from said lighting device.

38. The method for producing dispersed light from a lighting device of claim 36 further comprising:

reflecting said produced light entering said housing out said optical opening.

39. The method for producing dispersed light from a lighting device of claim 36 wherein said mounting includes mounting at least one light emitting element to emit light inward towards said housing.

40. The method for producing dispersed light from a lighting device of claim 36 further comprising:

shaping said housing to change the dispersion of said produced light that is emitted from said lighting device.

41. The method for producing dispersed light from a lighting device of claim 36 further comprising:

adjusting the length of said housing to change the dispersion of said produced light that is emitted from said lighting device.

42. The method for producing dispersed light from a lighting device of claim 37 wherein said tuning further comprises:

spacing said at least one light emitting element to change the dispersion of said produced light that is emitted from said lighting device.

43. The method for producing dispersed light from a lighting device of claim 36 further comprising:

adjusting said mounting to change the dispersion of said produced light that is emitted from said lighting device.

44. The method for producing dispersed light from a lighting device of claim 36 wherein said support is a printed circuit board.

45. The method for producing dispersed light from a lighting device of claim 36 wherein said light emitting element is a LED.

46. A method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources, comprising:

forming a housing from a moldable material having an inside wall and an optical opening for emitting light;

forming a substrate having a first surface and a second surface capable of fitting within said housing and for receiving at least one light emitting element;

incorporating electrical connectors into said substrate for accepting and energizing said at least one light emitting element;

inserting said at least one light emitting element into said first surface of said support plate in connection with said electrical connectors;

mounting said substrate into said housing; and

connecting said electrical connectors to a base attached to said housing.

47. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 46 further comprising:

encapsulating said optical opening with an optical tuning element.

48. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 46 wherein said inserting said at least one light emitting element further comprises:

inserting at least one light emitting element into said second surface of said support plate in connection with said electrical connectors.

49. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 46 wherein said forming said housing further comprises:

coating said inside wall of said housing with a reflective material.

50. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 46 wherein said forming said substrate further comprises:

coating said first surface with a reflective material.

51. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 46 wherein said forming said substrate further comprises:

coating said second surface with reflective material.

52. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 46 wherein said forming said housing produces a substantially conically-shaped housing.

53. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 47 wherein said encapsulating said optical opening with said optical tuning element further comprises:

coating a portion of said optical tuning element with a reflective material to reflect light back toward said substrate.

54. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 47 wherein said encapsulating said opening with said optical tuning element further comprises:

coating a portion of said optical tuning element with an opaque material to disperse light leaving said optical opening.

55. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 46 wherein said forming said housing further comprises:

shaping said housing to produce a desired dispersion of light that is emitted from said light generating source.

56. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 46 wherein said forming a support plate further comprises:

changing the shape of the substrate to produce a desired dispersion of light that is emitted from said light generating source.

57. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 46 wherein said inserting further comprises:

removing the individual lenses of said at least one light emitting element to provide lensless light emitting elements.

58. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 46 wherein said substrate is a printed circuit board.

59. The method for manufacturing a light bulb having light generating sources of claim 46 wherein said light emitting element is a LED.