THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR LIGHT EMITTING DEVICES AND SYSTEMS

• US 20110121703A1
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rambus International Ltd (Rambus Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Luminus Devices Incorporated (Sanan Optoelectronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Panaccione, Paul, Karlicek, Robert F. JR., Chu, Daniel Yen, Pumyea, Warren P., Stoffers, Brian L., Whitney, Joseph D., Joffe, Michael A., Erchak, Alexei A.
• Application Number:
  US12/036,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20110121703A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 313/46
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0085 Means for removing heat created by the light source from the package heat extraction or cooling elements for semiconductor light sources in general H01L33/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133628 with cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/36 Airflow channels, e.g. constructional arrangements facilitating the flow of air
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

One or more embodiments presented herein include a light emitting system and/or device that can include a thermal management system. The thermal management system can provide for transport and/or dissipation of heat generated by a light emitting device.

Claims

1. A light emitting system comprising:

an illumination component;

a solid-state light emitting device configured to emit light into the illumination component; and

a heat spreading component associated with the illumination component, the heat spreading component having a first thermal conductivity in a first direction substantially larger than a second thermal conductivity in a second direction.

2. The light emitting system of claim 1, further comprising one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates disposed under the heat spreading component.

3. The light emitting system of claim 2, wherein the one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates are in thermal communication with the light emitting device.

4. The light emitting system of claim 3, further comprising fins disposed in thermal communication with at least some of the one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates.

5. The light emitting system of claim 1, wherein the heat spreading component comprises a graphite material.

6. The light emitting system of claim 1, wherein the heat spreading component has an in-plane thermal conductivity greater than about 400 W/mK.

7. The light emitting system of claim 1, wherein the heat spreading component has an out-of-plane thermal conductivity less than about 20 W/mK.

8. The light emitting system of claim 1, further comprising one or more out-of-plane thermal conduction channels disposed to penetrate at least a portion of a out-of-plane thickness of the heat spreading component, wherein the out-of-plane conduction channels are configured to have thermal conductivity substantially larger than the out-of-plane thermal conductivity of the heat spreading component.

9. The light emitting system of claim 8, wherein the one or more out-of-plane thermal conduction channels comprise metal.

10. The light emitting system of claim 8, further comprising one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates in thermal communication with the light emitting device, wherein the one or more out-of-plane thermal conduction channels are in thermal communication with at least some of the one or more heat pipes and/or vapor plates.

11. The light emitting system of claim 1, further comprising one or more liquid crystal layers disposed over the illumination component.

12. The light emitting system of claim 1, wherein the first direction is substantially parallel to a majority of the light transmitted through the illumination component.

13. The light emitting system of claim 1, wherein the heat spreading component has an in-plane thermal conductivity and an out-of-plane thermal conductivity, wherein the thermal conductivity in the first direction is the in-plane thermal conductivity and the thermal conductivity in the second direction is the out-of-plane thermal conductivity.

14. The light emitting system of claim 1, wherein the heat spreading component is disposed under the illumination component.

15. The light emitting system of claim 1, wherein the first thermal conductivity is greater than ten times the second thermal conductivity.

16. The light emitting system of claim 1, wherein the first thermal conductivity is greater than twenty times the second thermal conductivity.

17. The light emitting system of claim 1, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

18. The light emitting system of claim 1, wherein the solid-state light emitting device is in thermal communication with the heat spreading component.

19. The light emitting system of claim 18, wherein the solid-state light emitting device is directly on the heat spreading component.

20. A method of forming a light emitting system comprising:

providing an illumination component;

providing a solid-state light emitting device configured to emit light into the illumination component; and

providing a heat spreading component associated with the illumination component, the heat spreading component having a first thermal conductivity in a first direction substantially larger than a second thermal conductivity in a second direction.