HIGH THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY PACKAGING FOR SOLID STATE LIGHT EMITTING APPARATUS AND ASSOCIATED ASSEMBLING METHODS

• US 20080192493A1
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Villard, Russell George
• Granted Patent: US 8,258,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/373
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/02 with provision for adjustment, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/053 the metal substrate being covered by an inorganic insulating layer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0315 Oxidising metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

One or more solid state light emitting elements are mounted on a hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate. One or more bars also may be provided that slidably contact an edge of the hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate. The substrate and the bar(s) may be mounted in a housing with the bars mounted in apertures in the housing wall. Related assembling methods for solid state light emitting apparatus also are disclosed.

Claims

1. A light emitting apparatus comprising:

a hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate; and

a plurality of solid state light emitting elements mounted on the hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate.

2. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate is a planar hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate and wherein the plurality of solid state light emitting elements are mounted on a face of the planar hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate.

3. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising:

a bar that extends orthogonal to the planar hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate and is configured to slidably contact an edge of the planar hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate such that the planar hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate is slidable along the bar.

4. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising:

a housing including an elongated aperture therein that is configured to hold the bar therein such that the bar extends from inside the housing to outside the housing.

5. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the bar is a hardcoat anodized aluminum bar.

6. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising:

a housing including an elongated aperture therein that is configured to hold the bar therein such that the bar extends along the housing away from the hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate.

7. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the bar is a hardcoat anodized aluminum bar.

8. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the substrate includes a tab adjacent the edge thereof that is configured to slidably contact the bar.

9. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a locking element that is configured to lock the tab in place along the bar.

10. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the locking element comprises a setscrew that extends through the tab.

11. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a second substrate between at least one of the plurality of solid state light emitting elements and the hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate.

12. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the second substrate comprises a metal core printed circuit board.

13. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the housing includes an opening that faces the solid state light emitting elements such that the solid state light emitting elements emit light through the opening when they are energized, the apparatus further comprising an optically transparent cover that extends across the opening.

14. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the housing includes an opening that faces the solid state light emitting elements such that the solid state light emitting elements emit light through the opening when they are energized, the apparatus further comprising an optically transparent cover that extends across the opening.

15. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a housing that comprises hardcoat anodized aluminum and that is configured to hold the hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate therein.

16. A light emitting apparatus comprising:

a disk-shaped substrate;

a plurality of solid state light emitting elements on a face of the disk-shaped substrate;

a cylindrical housing including a plurality of axially extending elongated apertures therein;

a plurality of heat conducting bars, a respective one of which is in a respective aperture such that the heat conducting bars extend from inside the cylindrical housing to outside the cylindrical housing;

wherein the disk-shaped substrate is mounted coaxially in the cylindrical housing such that an edge of the disk-shaped substrate is adjacent the plurality of heat conducting bars to dissipate heat from the solid state light emitting elements, through the disk-shaped substrate and through the heat conducting bars to outside the housing.

17. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the disk-shaped substrate and the plurality of heat conducting bars comprise hardcoat anodized aluminum.

18. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the disk-shaped substrate and the plurality of heat conducting bars are of higher thermal conductivity than the cylindrical housing.

19. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the plurality of heat conducting bars are configured to slidably contact the edge of the disk-shaped substrate.

20. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the disk-shaped substrate includes a plurality of tabs adjacent the edge thereof, a respective tab being configured to slidably contact a respective heat conducting bar.

21. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 20 further comprising a plurality of locking elements, a respective one of which is configured to lock a respective tab in place along a respective heat conducting bar.

22. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the plurality of locking elements comprise a plurality of setscrews, a respective one of which extends through a respective tab.

23. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising a second substrate between at least one of the plurality of solid state light emitting elements and the disk-shaped substrate.

24. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the second substrate comprises a metal core printed circuit board.

25. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising an optically transparent cover that extends across an end of the cylindrical housing that is adjacent the solid state light emitting elements.

26. A method of assembling a light emitting apparatus comprising:

mounting a disk-shaped substrate having a plurality of solid state light emitting elements on a face thereof coaxially in a cylindrical housing that includes a plurality of axially extending elongated apertures therein and a plurality of heat conducting bars, a respective one of which is in a respective aperture, such that the heat conducting bars extend from inside the housing to outside the housing, and an edge of the disk-shaped substrate is adjacent the plurality of heat conducting bars to dissipate heat from the solid state light emitting elements, through the disk-shaped substrate and through the heat conducting bars to outside the housing.

27. A method according to claim 26 wherein mounting comprises slidably mounting a disk-shaped substrate having a plurality of solid state light emitting elements on a face thereof coaxially in a cylindrical housing that includes a plurality of axially extending elongated apertures therein and a plurality of heat conducting bars, a respective one of which is in a respective aperture such that the heat conducting bars extend from inside the housing to outside-the housing, and an edge of the disk-shaped substrate slidably contacts the plurality of heat conducting bars to dissipate heat from the solid state light emitting elements, through the disk-shaped substrate and through the heat conducting bars to outside the housing.

28. A method according to claim 27 wherein slidably mounting is followed by:

slidably adjusting a position of the disk-shaped substrate in the cylindrical housing to a desired position; and

fixing the position of the disk-shaped substrate in the cylindrical housing at the desired position.