Vehicle lamp assembly with heat sink

• US 6,805,474 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2002
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Tuttle, Darin D., Ypma, Kenton J., Miskelley, Steven J., Walser, Jeremy A., Bostwick, Daniel J., Roberts, John K., Steel, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sawhney, Hargobind S.
• Application Number:
  US10/230,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20030043590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 362/494, 362/545, 362/800, 362/240, 362/547, 362/294, 362/373, 348/148, 348/483, 348/549, 348/551
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/258 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/76 for spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps spotlighting on or for specific fittings B60Q3/20; spotlighting in mass transit vehicles B60Q3/44
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/48 with means for conducting heat from the inside to the outside of the lighting devices, e.g. with fins on the outer surface of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/71 using a combination of separate elements interconnected by heat-conducting means, e.g. with heat pipes or thermally conductive bars between separate heat-sink elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/80 with pins or wires
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An apparatus including at least one LED mounted to a printed circuit board, a reflector including at least one heat stake, and a mounting plate comprising at least one aperture for receiving the at least one heat stake. The at least one LED is positioned between the reflector and the mounting plate such that the at least one LED is held in position when the at least one heat stake is received within the at least one aperture.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one LED device mounted to a printed circuit board;

a reflector component comprising at least one integrally molded heat stake; and

a mounting plate comprising at least one aperture for receiving said at least one heat stake, said at least one LED device is position between said reflector component and said mounting plate such that said at least one LED device is held in position when said at least one heat stake is received within said at least one aperture and thermally deformed.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said at least one LED device comprises a heat extraction member.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said heat extraction member is in thermal communication with said mounting plate.

4. An apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said reflector comprises at least one reflective cup aligned with said at least one LED device.

5. An apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said heat extraction member includes an aperture through which one of said heat stakes extends.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a lens attached to said reflector component.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said heat stake is deformed such that said reflector component is secured to said mounting plate free of other fasteners.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said reflector component is metallic.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a housing with a lamp assembly, said lamp assembly comprising at least one LED device mounted to a printed circuit board;

a reflector component comprising at least one integrally molded heat stake; and

a mounting plate comprising at least one aperture for receiving said at least one heat stake, said at least one LED device is positioned between said component and said mounting plate such that said at least one LED device is held in position when said at least one heat stake is received within said at least one aperture.

10. An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said at least one LED device comprises a heat extraction member.

11. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said heat extraction member is in thermal communication with said mounting plate.

12. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said reflector comprises at least one reflective cup aligned with said at least one LED device.

13. An apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said heat extraction member includes an aperture through which one of said heat stakes extends.

14. An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said housing further comprises an aperture positioned such that said reflector of said lamp assembly is aligned with said aperture.

15. An apparatus as in claim 14, further comprising a lens positioned within said aperture of said housing.

16. An apparatus as in claim 9, further comprising a mounting structure connected to said housing.

17. An apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said mounting structure comprises a mounting washer for engagement with said housing.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein said mounting washer comprises a center mounting post.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said mounting structure, said mounting washer and said center mounting post are in thermal communication with said mounting plate.

20. An apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said mounting structure comprises a double ball mount stem.

21. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein said mounting structure further comprises a mounting shoe.

22. An apparatus as in claim 21, wherein said double ball mount stem and said mounting shoe are in thermal communication with said mounting plate.

23. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein said at least one LED device comprises a heat extraction member, said heat extraction member is in thermal communication with said mounting structure.

24. An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said housing is configured as a rearview mirror housing.

25. An apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said housing is configured as a mount housing.

26. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one lamp comprising a light source, at least two electrical leads coupled to said light source, and a heat extraction member said heat extraction member providing a thermal path from said light source that is separate from any thermal path through said leads, said heat extraction member having an aperture;

a mounting plate in contact with said heat extraction member; and

a heat stake extending through said aperture in said heat extraction member to secure the lamp to said mounting plate.

27. An apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said heat extraction member is in thermal communication with said mounting plate.

28. An apparatus as in claim 27, wherein said mounting plate is a heat sink.

29. An apparatus as in claim 26, further comprising a reflector component positioned proximate said at least one lamp.

30. An apparatus as in claim 29, wherein said reflector is secured to said mounting plate and said at least one lamp by said heat stake.

31. An apparatus as in claim 30, wherein said heat stake extends from said reflector component.

32. An apparatus as in claim 29, further comprising a lens connected to said reflector component.

33. An apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said lamp is an LED device.

34. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one lamp comprising a heat extraction member having an aperture;

a mounting plate in contact with said heat extraction member;

a heat stake extending through said aperture in said heat extraction member to secure the lamp to said mounting plate;

a reflector component positioned proximate said at least one lamp;

a lens connected to said component; and

a rearview mirror housing with an aperture, said lens being positioned such that said lens protrudes through said housing.

35. An apparatus as in claim 34, wherein said housing is positioned proximate a front windshield of a vehicle and said lamp emits light rays that are visible from substantially 360°

surrounding said vehicle.

36. An apparatus as in claim 35, wherein said lamp is configured to illuminate when a security system of said vehicle is armed.

37. A process, comprising the activities:

a) providing an LED subassembly, a reflector component comprising at least one integrally molded heat stake, and a mounting plate with at least one aperture;

b) positioning said LED subassembly between said reflector component and said mounting plate; and

c) engaging said reflector component with said mounting plate such that said at least one heat stake is received within said at least one aperture.

38. A process as in claim 37, further comprising the activity:

d) deforming said at least one heat stake such that said reflector component is secured to said mounting plate.

39. A process as in claim 37, further comprising the activity, placing a heat transfer material between said mounting plate and said heat extraction member.

40. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one LED device comprising a heat extraction member, said LED device mounted to a printed circuit board;

a reflector component comprising at least one integrally molded heat stake; and

a mounting plate comprising at least one aperture for receiving said at least one heat stake, said at least one LED device is positioned between said reflector component and said mounting plate such that said at least one LED device is held in position when said at least one heat stake is received within said at least one aperture and said heat extraction member is in contact with said mounting plate.

41. An apparatus as in claim 40, wherein said at least one LED device includes a first type LED device, and wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one second type LED device connected to said printed circuit board.

42. An apparatus as in claim 41, further comprising a lens connected to said reflector component.

43. An apparatus as in claim 42, wherein said reflector component comprises an aperture and said at least one second type LED device is positioned within said aperture.

44. An apparatus as in claim 42, wherein said lens is dome shaped.

45. An apparatus as in claim 44, further comprising a housing comprising an aperture, said dome shaped lens is positioned within said aperture of said housing.

46. An apparatus as in claim 44, wherein said housing is configured to be a rearview mirror housing, said housing is positioned proximate a front windshield of a vehicle and said at least one second type LED device emits light rays that are visible from substantially 360°

surrounding said vehicle.

47. An apparatus as in claim 46, wherein said second type LED device is configured to illuminate when a security system of said vehicle is armed.