Method and apparatus for cooling a lightbulb

• US 20070285926A1
• Filed: 06/08/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• 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 S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,824,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/001 the elements being electrical wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/51 using condensation or evaporation of a fluid, e.g. heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/773 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A device has a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), heat conducting structure that includes a heat pipe and that carries heat from the region of the LEDs to a further location spaced therefrom, and heat dissipating structure that accepts heat from the heat conducting structure at the further location and that discharges the heat externally of the device. In a different embodiment, a device has a radiation generator, a thermal spreader that receives heat emitted by the radiation generator, heat conducting structure that carries heat from the thermal spreader to a location spaced therefrom, and heat dissipating structure that accepts heat at the location from the heat conducting structure and that discharges the heat externally of the device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a device that includes:

a plurality of light emitting diodes that each, when energized, produce electromagnetic radiation that is emitted from said device;

heat conducting structure for carrying heat emitted by said light emitting diodes from a first location in the region of said light emitting diodes to a second location spaced from said first location, said heat conducting structure including a heat pipe; and

heat dissipating structure for accepting heat from said heat conducting structure at said second location and for discharging heat externally of said device.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic radiation emitted by each of said light emitting diodes includes at least one of visible radiation, infrared radiation and ultraviolet radiation.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heat pipe is configured for orientation-independent operation.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heat pipe has a central portion in the region of one of said first and second locations, and has end portions in the region of the other of said first and second locations.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said central portion extends in a first direction and said end portions each extend in a second direction approximately perpendicular to said first direction.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said end portions of said heat pipe are each thermally coupled to said heat dissipating structure.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heat conducting structure includes a further heat pipe, said heat pipes each having a first end portion in the region of said first location, and having a second end portion that is thermally coupled to said heat dissipating structure in the region of said second location.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first and second end portions of each said heat pipe extend in respective directions that are approximately perpendicular to each other.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, including a circuit board having each of said light emitting diodes supported thereon.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said heat dissipating structure includes a heat sink having a plurality of fins.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said device is a lightbulb.

12. An apparatus comprising a device that includes:

a radiation generator that, when energized, produces electromagnetic radiation that is emitted from said device;

a thermal spreader that is larger than said radiation generator and that is disposed near said radiation generator for receiving heat emitted by said radiation generator;

heat conducting structure for carrying heat from said thermal spreader to a location spaced from said thermal spreader and said radiation generator; and

heat dissipating structure for accepting heat from said heat conducting structure at said location and for discharging heat externally of said device.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said thermal spreader has a platelike shape.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, including a plurality of further radiation generators that each, when energized, produce electromagnetic radiation that is emitted from said device, said further radiation generators each being disposed near said thermal spreader so that said thermal spreader receives heat emitted by each of said further radiation generators.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said radiation generators each include a light emitting diode.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said electromagnetic radiation emitted by each of said radiation generators includes at least one of visible radiation, infrared radiation and ultraviolet radiation.

17. An apparatus according to claim 14, including a circuit board having each of said radiation generators supported thereon.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17,

wherein said thermal spreader is made of an electrically conductive material;

and

including a sheet of electrically insulating and thermally conducting material that is disposed between and engages each of said thermal spreader and said circuit board.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said thermal spreader has a platelike shape.

20. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said heat conducting structure includes a heat pipe.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said heat pipe is configured for orientation-independent operation.

22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said heat pipe has a central portion that is thermally coupled to one of said thermal spreader and said heat dissipating structure, and has end portions that are each thermally coupled to the other of said thermal spreader and said heat dissipating structure.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said central portion extends in a first direction and said end portions each extend in a second direction approximately perpendicular to said first direction.

24. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said heat conducting structure includes a further heat pipe, said heat pipes each having a first end portion that is thermally coupled to said thermal spreader and a second end portion that is thermally coupled to said heat dissipating structure.

25. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said first and second end portions of each said heat pipe extend in respective directions that are approximately perpendicular to each other.

26. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said heat dissipating structure includes a heat sink having a plurality of fins.

27. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said device is a lightbulb.