INCORPORATING REFLECTIVE LAYERS INTO LED SYSTEMS AND/OR COMPONENTS

• US 20090166653A1
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: Lumination LLC
• Inventors: Reginelli, James, Weaver, Stanton E. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 7,717,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/64 using wavelength conversion means distinct or spaced from the light-generating element, e.g. a remote phosphor layer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/015 Fluoropolymer, e.g. polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/28 Applying non-metallic protective coatings H05K3/0091 takes precedence; methods for intermediate insulating layers for build-up multilayer circuits H05K3/4673
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/285 Permanent coating compositions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

A light emitting apparatus includes a support having circuitry disposed thereon, at least one light emitting diode (LED) chip mounted on the support and in electrical communication with the circuitry and a reflective layer on the support adjacent the at least one chip.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus comprising:

a support having circuitry disposed thereon;

at least one light emitting diode (LED) chip mounted to the support and in electrical communication with the circuitry; and

a reflective layer including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and having a reflectance level of at least about 92% for near ultraviolet light on the support adjacent the at least one chip.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support comprises at least a portion of a printed circuit board.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a solder mask layer overlaying the circuitry and disposed beneath the reflective layer.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the reflective film adheres to the solder mask layer and is of a generally uniform thickness.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the reflective layer generally follows the contour of the solder mask layer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the solder mask layer has a reflective level less than about 80% for visible light.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflective layer includes granular PTFE.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflective layer is a PTFE film having openings that each receive a respective chip.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an optical component disposed in relation to the support and the chip such that when the at least one chip is energized and emits light, light reflects from the optical component back towards the reflective layer on the support.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the optical component includes a reflective surface and a light transmissive surface, wherein the optical component is configured to diffuse light that passes through the light transmissive surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the reflective surface is at least partially covered by the reflective layer.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the optical component includes a phosphor arranged to be irradiated by the at least one chip to emit light in a wavelength range predominantly above 470 nanometers responsive to the irradiating.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the phosphor and the at least one chip being relatively arranged such that at least some of the light emitted by the at least one chip predominantly in the wavelength range between about 400 nanometers and about 470 nanometers reflects from the phosphor onto the reflective film of the printed circuit board.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one chip includes a first chip that emits light of a first color and a second chip that emits light of a second color.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflective film includes polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

15. A light emitting apparatus comprising:

one or more light emitting chips;

a printed circuit board on which the one or more light emitting chips are disposed, the printed circuit board including an electrically insulating board, electrically conductive printed circuitry, and an electrically insulating solder mask having vias through which the one or more light emitting chips electrically contact the printed circuitry, wherein the solder mask has a reflectance level less than about 80% for visible light; and

a reflective film on the solder mask having openings that align with respective vias in the solder mask through which the one or more light emitting chips electrically contact the printed circuitry, the reflective film having a reflectance of greater than about 90% at least between about 400 nanometers to about 750 nanometers.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a housing inside of which the one or more light emitting chips and the printed circuit board are disposed, the housing including a phosphor arranged to be irradiated by the one or more light emitting chips and emitting light in a wavelength range predominantly above 470 nanometers responsive to the irradiating, the phosphor and the printed circuit board being relatively arranged such that at least some of the light emitted by the one or more light emitting chips predominantly in the wavelength range between about 400 nanometers and about 470 nanometers reflects from the phosphor onto reflective film on the printed circuit board.

18. A method for fabricating a light emitting apparatus, the method comprising:

providing an electrically insulating board with electrically conductive printed circuitry disposed thereon;

disposing an electrically insulating solder mask on the electrically insulating board leaving exposed at least a portion of the printed circuitry;

disposing one or more light emitting chips on the insulating solder mask, the one or more light emitting chips electrically contacting the exposed printed circuitry; and

disposing a reflective layer on the insulating solder mask around the one or more light emitting chips, the reflective layer having a reflectance of greater than about 90% at least between about 400 nanometers and about 470 nanometers.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing an optical component disposed in relation to the board and the one or more chips such that when the one or more chips is/are energized to emit light, light is reflected by the optical component back towards the reflective layer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the reflective layer comprises PTFE and the solder mask has a reflectance below 60% for wavelengths less than about 410 nanometers.