INTEGRATED SHIELD-GASKET MEMBER IN LED APPARATUS

• US 20090262532A1
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ruud Lighting Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilcox, Kurt S., Ruud, Alan J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,637,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/248
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/005 Sealing arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/105 of arenas or the like
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/008 Sun shades, shades, hoods or louvres on electronic displays to minimise the effect of direct sun light on the display
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes

Abstract

An LED apparatus for illumination toward a preferential side in a downward and outward direction including a shield-gasket member in the form of a layer positioned over LED packages and secondary lens members. The shield-gasket member has a shield portion and a substantially planar gasket portion thereabout. In preferred embodiments the shield portion extends over a part of the lens portion of the secondary lens member. A cover preferably secures the shield-gasket member with respect to the secondary lens member, the primary lens and the LED package, the shield-gasket member is preferably sandwiched between the cover and the flange of the secondary lens member.

Claims

1. In an LED apparatus for illumination toward a preferential side in a downward and outward direction including (a) a mounting board, (b) an LED package thereon with a primary lens having a central axis, and (c) a secondary lens member over the primary lens and establishing a light path therebetween, the improvement comprising an integrated shield-gasket member in the form of a layer positioned over the mounting board, LED package and secondary lens member, the shield-gasket member having a substantially annular-shaped shield portion with at least one gap thereby to facilitate drainage of water and a substantially planar gasket portion thereabout.

2. The LED apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shield member has a shield-member aperture aligned with the light path and the shield portion borders the shield-member aperture.

5. The LED apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the secondary lens member includes a lens portion and a flange thereabout; and

the shield portion may extend over a pert of the lens portion of the secondary lens member.

6. The LED apparatus of claim 5 wherein the shield member has a shield-member aperture aligned with the light path and the shield portion borders the shield-member aperture.

7. The LED apparatus of claim 1 further including a cover securing the shield-gasket member with respect to the secondary lens member, the primary lens and the LED package.

8. The LED apparatus of claim 7 wherein the cover has an opening aligned with the light path.

9. The LED apparatus of claim 7 wherein the shield-gasket member is sandwiched between the cover and the flange of the secondary lens member.

10. The LED apparatus of claim 9 wherein the flange of the secondary lens member is against the mounting board.

11. The LED apparatus of claim 9 wherein the sandwiching is of the gasket portion of the shield-gasket member and of the flange of the secondary lens member when the cover is secured in place.

12. The LED apparatus of claim 1 comprising:

a plurality of LED packages spaced from one another on the mounting board;

a plurality of the secondary lens members, each secondary lens member positioned over the primary lens of a corresponding LED package, each primary-lens/secondary-lens-member pair establishing a light path and having a central axis;

a plurality of shield portions of the shield-gasket member, each shield portion is of a substantially annular shape and positioned partially over each primary-lens/secondary-lens-member pair thereby to intercept a portion of the light emitted from the corresponding LED package; and

a gasket portion of the shield-gasket member, the gasket portion against the secondary lens member in position other than in the light path, the gasket portion yieldingly constraining the secondary lens member and accommodating secondary lens member movement caused by primary lens thermal expansion during operation.

13. The LED apparatus of claim 12 wherein for each shield portion of the shield-gasket member a shield-member aperture is aligned with the corresponding light path and the shield portion borders the shield-member aperture.

15. The LED apparatus of claim 12 wherein the plurality of substantially annular shield portions include a plurality of gaps oriented in the same direction thereby to facilitate drainage of water.

16. The LED apparatus of claim 12 wherein:

each secondary lens member includes a lens portion and a flange thereabout; and

each shield portion may extend over a part of a corresponding lens portion.

17. The LED apparatus of claim 16 wherein for each shield portion of the shield member a shield-member aperture is aligned with the corresponding light path and the shield portion borders the shield-member aperture.

18. The LED apparatus of claim 12 further including a cover securing the shield-gasket member with respect to the secondary lens members, the primary lenses and the LED packages.

19. The LED apparatus of claim 18 wherein the cover has an opening aligned with the light path.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

20. In an LED apparatus for illumination toward a preferential side in a downward and outward direction including (a) a mounting board, (b) an LED device thereon, and (c) a lens member having a central axis, the improvement comprising a shield-gasket member in the form of a layer positioned over the mounting board, LED device and lens member, the shield-gasket member having a substantially annular-shaped shield portion with at least one gap thereby to facilitate drainage of water and a substantially planar gasket portion thereabout.

21. In an LED apparatus for illumination toward a preferential side in a downward and outward direction including (a) a mounting board, (b) an LED device thereon, and (c) a lens member over the LED device and establishing a light path therebetween, the improvement comprising a shield-gasket member in the form of a layer positioned over the mounting board, LED device and lens member, the shield-gasket member having a substantially annular-shaped shield portion with at least one gap thereby to facilitate drainage of water and a substantially planar gasket portion thereabout.

22. The LED apparatus of claim 21 wherein:

the lens member includes a lens portion and a flange thereabout; and

the shield portion may extend over a part of the lens portion of the lens member.

23. The LED apparatus of claim 21 further including a cover securing the shield member with respect to the lens member and LED device.

24. The LED apparatus of claim 21 comprising:

a plurality of LED devices spaced from one another on the mounting board;

a plurality of the lens members, each lens member positioned over the corresponding LED device, each lens member/LED device pair establishing a light path and having a central axis; and

a plurality of shield portions of the shield-gasket member, each shield portion positioned partially over each lens member/LED device pair thereby to intercept a portion of the light emitted from the corresponding LED device; and

a plurality of gasket portions of the shield-gasket member, each gasket portion in position other than in the light path of the corresponding LED device.