INTEGRAL BALLAST LAMP THERMAL MANAGEMENT METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20070285924A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mundra, Kamlesh, Joshi, Ashutosh, Stevanovic, Ljubisa, Sarkozi, Janos, Morris, Garron, Rouaud, Didier
• Granted Patent: US 8,322,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/264
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/15 Thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/51 using condensation or evaporation of a fluid, e.g. heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/67 characterised by the arrangement of fans
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks

Abstract

A lamp having a lighting source, integral electronics, and a thermal distribution mechanism disposed in a housing. The thermal distribution mechanism may include a variety of insulative, radiative, conductive, and convective heat distribution techniques. For example, the lamp may include a thermal shield between the lighting source and the integral electronics. The lamp also may have a forced convection mechanism, such as an air-moving device, disposed adjacent the integral electronics. A heat pipe, a heat sink, or another conductive heat transfer member also may be disposed in thermal communication with one or more of the integral electronics. For example, the integral electronics may be mounted to a thermally conductive board. The housing itself also may be thermally conductive to conductively spread the heat and convect/radiate the heat away from the lamp.

Claims

1. A lamp, comprising:

a housing;

a high-intensity-discharge (HID) light source disposed in a first region of the housing;

integral electronics disposed in a second region of the housing separate from the first region; and

a heat pipe disposed in the second region and configured to provide a desired heat of the integral electronics, wherein the heat pipe has an evaporator and a condenser at opposite ends of the heat pipe.

2. The lamp of claim 1, comprising a housing having a front, a rear, and a longitudinal axis extending between the front and the rear, and a thermal shield disposed in the housing longitudinally between the HID light source and the integral electronics.

3. The lamp of claim 2, comprising an electromechanical mount disposed at the rear of the housing, wherein the electromechanical mount is electrically coupled to the integral electronics, and the electromechanical mount is configured to electrically and mechanically couple with an external light fixture.

4. The lamp of claim 3, wherein the heat pipe extends between the integral electronics and the electromechanical mount.

5. The lamp of claim 2, wherein the integral electronics comprise a thermally conductive circuit board extending crosswise relative to the longitudinal axis toward an inner surface of the housing.

6. The lamp of claim 1, comprising a heat sink coupled to the integral electronics.

7. The lamp of claim 1, comprising a piezoelectric fan in thermal communication with the integral electronics.

8. A lamp, comprising:

a housing;

a high-intensity-discharge (HID) light source disposed in a first region of the housing;

integral electronics disposed in a second region of the housing separate from the first region; and

a piezoelectric fan disposed in the second region and configured to provide a desired heat profile of the integral electronics.

9. A thermally controlled lamp, comprising:

a closed housing;

a light source having a high-intensity-discharge light mechanism and disposed in a first region of the housing;

integral electronics disposed in a second region of the housing separate from the first region; and

a heat sink disposed in the second region adjacent the integral electronics; and

a thermally conductive board supporting the integral electronics and extending to the housing to promote conductive heat transfer from the integral electronics to the housing.

10. The thermally controlled lamp of claim 9, comprising a thermal shield configured to reduce heat transfer from the light source to the integral electronics.

11. The thermally controlled lamp of claim 9, comprising a heat pipe coupled to the heat sink and extending away from the integral electronics.

12. The thermally controlled lamp of claim 9, comprising a piezoelectric fan disposed adjacent the heat sink.

13. A lighting system, comprising:

a closed housing;

a light source comprising an electrode, a luminous gas, and a reflector disposed in the housing;

integral electronics comprising a ballast disposed in the housing;

a non-exhaust fan disposed in the housing and configured to circulate air within the housing; and

a thermally conductive board supporting the integral electronics and extending to a thermally conductive portion of the housing to promote heat transfer from the integral electronics to the housing.

14. The lighting system of claim 13, comprising a thermal shield disposed adjacent the light source and configured to reduce heat transfer from the light source to the integral electronics.

15. The lighting system of claim 13, comprising another non-exhaust fan disposed in the housing and configured to circulate air within the housing.

16. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein the non-exhaust fan comprises one or more piezoelectric fans.

17. The lighting system of claim 13, comprising a conductive member extending from the integral electronics to an electromechanical mount.

18. The lighting system of claim 17, wherein the conductive member comprises a heat pipe, the electromechanical base comprises an Edison base, or a combination thereof.

19. A method of making a lamp, comprising:

providing a light source in a first thermal region of a closed housing and integral electronics in a second thermal region of the closed housing separate from the first thermal region; and

mounting a heat pipe in thermal communication with both the integral electronics and the housing, wherein the heat pipe comprises an evaporator end and a condenser end.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising mounting a thermal shield between the light source and the integral electronics.

21. The method of claim 19, comprising placing a piezoelectric fan adjacent the integral electronics.

22. The method of claim 19, comprising extending a conductive heat transfer member from the integral electronics to the housing.

23. The method of claim 19, comprising mounting the integral electronics to a thermally conductive board extending to a thermally conductive portion of the housing.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein mounting the heat pipe comprises potting the heat pipe to an external connection base of the housing.

25. A method of operating a lamp, comprising:

illuminating a high-intensity-discharge (HID) light source disposed in a closed housing with integral electronics; and

oscillating an air-moving device to force convective heat transfer from the integral electronics to a medium within the housing.

26. The method of claim 25, comprising thermally shielding heat generated by the light source via a thermal shield.

27. The method of claim 25, comprising thermally conducting heat generated by the integral electronics away from the integral electronics toward an electromechanical mounting base.

28. The method of claim 25, comprising transferring heat to an Edison base of the lamp via a heat pipe.