DIFFUSER FOR LED LIGHT SOURCES

• US 20110042700A1
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Switch Bulb Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Superbulbs, Inc.
• Inventors: Lenk, Carol
• Granted Patent: US 8,415,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/04 the fastening being onto or by the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/06 the fastening being onto or by the lampholder
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/00 Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/00 Refractors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/504
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0242 by means of dispersed particles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 used in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements

Abstract

An LED light source, which includes at least one LED, a panel between the LED and the light emission surface of the light source, and a filler material inside the panel containing a material to diffuse the light from the at least one LED by Mie scattering.

Claims

1. An LED light source comprising:

at least one LED;

a panel between the at least one LED and a light emission surface of the light source; and

a filler material inside the panel containing a material to diffuse the light from the at least one LED by Mie scattering.

2. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the filler material is a fluid.

3. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the filler material is a gel.

4. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the filler material is a plastic.

5. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the filler material diffuses the light by Mie scattering.

6. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the filler material is thermally conductive.

7. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the filler material is uniformly distributed throughout the panel.

8. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the Mie scatterers are uniformly distributed throughout the panel.

9. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the filler material has a non-uniform distribution throughout the panel.

10. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the Mie scatterers have a non-uniform distribution throughout the panel.

11. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one LED is a blue or ultraviolet LED without a phosphor, and the panel contains at least one phosphor.

12. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the panel is sealed.

13. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the panel is molded to form fit the LEDs.

14. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the filler material does not entirely fill the panel.

15. An LED light source as set forth in claim 1, wherein the filler material is a hydrogel.

16. An LED light source comprising:

at least one LED;

a panel between the at least one LED and a light emission surface of the light source; and

a filler material inside the panel to scatter the light from the at least one LED said filler material, and wherein the filler material is a poly(acrylamide) hydrogel.

17. An LED light source as set forth in claim 16, wherein said poly(acrylamide) includes a plurality of particles, which have been lightly coated with inorganic particles.

18. An LED light source as set forth in claim 17, wherein the inorganic particles are calcium carbonate.

19. An LED light source comprising:

at least one LED;

a panel between the at least one LED and a light emission surface of the light source; and

a filler material inside the panel to scatter the light from the at least one LED, said filler material containing small Mie cells plus a second different density component, wherein said filler material is comprised of a hydrocarbon-based oil, with said second different density component being composed of water and a small amount of a surfactant.

20. An LED light source as set forth in claim 19, wherein said filler material is composed of components that are individually each transparent to light.

21. An LED light source comprising:

at least one LED; and

a material to scatter light from the at least one LED, wherein the material is a poly(acrylamide) hydrogel.

22. An LED light source as set forth in claim 21, wherein said poly(acrylamide) includes a plurality of particles, which have been lightly coated with inorganic particles.

23. An LED light source as set forth in claim 22, wherein the inorganic particles are calcium carbonate.

24. An LED light source comprising:

at least one LED; and

a material to scatter the light from the at least one LED, said material containing small Mie cells plus a second different density component.

25. An LED light source as set forth in claim 24, wherein said material is comprised of a hydrocarbon-based oil, with said second different density component being composed of water and a small amount of a surfactant.