LIGHTING SYSTEMS

• US 20100118511A1
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDD Aerospace Corporation (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: IDD Aerospace Corporation (Safran SA)
• Inventors: WEGAT, JAMES
• Granted Patent: US 8,523,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/223 containing organic substances, e.g. dyes, inks or pigments
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/44 characterised by the coatings, e.g. passivation layer or anti-reflective coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/50 Wavelength conversion elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/56 Materials, e.g. epoxy or silicone resin

Abstract

Assemblies compliant with night vision imaging system (NVIS) standards are described. Versions of the assemblies incorporate filtering material into an encapsulant for a light-emitting diode (LED) die, avoiding any necessity of using external filtering agents. Alternatively or additionally, filtering material may be incorporated into a housing of an encapsulated LED.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising:

a. an emitter of light;

b. an encapsulant configured to encapsulate the emitter; and

c. a housing containing the emitter and the encapsulant; and

in which at least one of the encapsulant or housing incorporates means for filtering light emitted from the emitter.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 in which the emitter is an LED die.

3. An assembly according to claim 2 in which the encapsulant incorporates the filtering means.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 in which the filtering means comprises means for filtering either or both of infrared or near-infrared emissions of the LED die.

5. An assembly according to claim 4 in which the filtering means comprises a dye or pigment.

6. An assembly according to claim 5 in which the LED die is blue, green, or red.

7. An assembly according to claim 6 omitting any light-filtering means external to the housing.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 omitting any second LED die.

9. An assembly according to claim 1 in which light emitted from the emitter is not NVIS compliant but is NVIS compliant after filtering by the filtering means.

10. An assembly according to claim 3 further comprising at least one quantum dot incorporated into the encapsulant.

11. An assembly according to claim 3 further comprising phosphor incorporated into the encapsulant.

12. An assembly according to claim 3 further comprising a printed circuit board to which the housing is directly or indirectly attached.

13. An NVIS-compliant assembly comprising:

a. an LED die configured to emit non-NVIS-compliant light;

b. an encapsulant configured to encapsulate the LED die and comprising material adapted to absorb at least some visible or near-infrared energy emitted by the LED die, thereby making light exiting the encapsulant NVIS-compliant; and

c. a housing containing the LED die and the encapsulant.

14. An NVIS-compliant assembly according to claim 13 omitting any infrared energy absorbing material external to the housing.

15. An NVIS-compliant assembly according to claim 13 in which the LED die is blue, green, or red.

16. An NVIS-compliant assembly consisting essentially of:

a. a single LED die configured to emit non-NVIS-compliant light;

b. an encapsulant configured to encapsulate the LED die and comprising dye adapted to absorb at least some visible or near-infrared energy emitted by the LED die, thereby making light exiting the encapsulant NVIS-compliant; and

c. a housing containing the LED die and the encapsulant.

17. An NVIS-compliant assembly according to claim 16 in which the LED die is blue, green, or red.