Light-emitting diode arrangement

• US 6,848,819 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Waitl, Guenter, Arndt, KarlHeinz, Bogner, Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAYNE, SHARON E
• Application Number:
  US10/009,656
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 362/545, 362/543, 362/544, 362/547, 362/487, 362/498, 362/373, 362/800, 362/473, 361/707, 361/708, 174/252
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/06 flashing, e.g. with rotating reflector or light source signalling lighting devices mounted on vehicles B60Q1/26
• 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 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/64 Heat extraction or cooling elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0061 onto a metallic substrate, e.g. a heat sink heat sinks for electric apparatus H05K7/20
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An LED array surface-mounted on a circuit board and applied to a cooling member, such that any generated heat is optimally eliminated. The cooling member can be in any desired shape so that motor vehicle lights, such as blinkers, can be adapted to the outside contour of the vehicle. For a rotating light, the circuit board can be applied around a cooling member fashioned as a hollow cylindrical member which is adapted to rotate.

Claims

1. A surface-mounted LED arrangement, comprising:

a printed circuit board having a principal surface and a secondary surface, said printed circuit board comprising a plastic material,

a plurality of LEDs arranged on said principal surface,

a metallic layer provided on said secondary surface that is electrically insulated from said plurality of LEDs,

a cooling member connected to said secondary surface, wherein said printed circuit board is secured to said cooling member with at least one of a thermally conductive paste, a thermally conductive adhesive and a thermally conductive film, and

wherein said secondary surface is applied to a target surface that is at least one of a curved surface, a singly angled surface comprising at least two planes that are not co-planar, and a multiply angled surface of;

a) said cooling member, b) a thermally conductive partial region of a device housing, or c) an automobile chassis, such that said plurality of LEDs are arranged in a spatial form determined by said target surface.

2. The LED arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said metallic layer comprises copper or other metal having good thermal conductivity.

3. The LED arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said printed circuit board comprises a flexible printed circuit board structure.

4. The LED arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said metallic layer comprises a meander-like lateral structure.

5. The LED arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said cooling member comprises a metal.

6. The LED arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a surface of said cooling member remotely positioned from said printed circuit board is blackened, comprises cooling ribs or is provided with a roughened surface.

7. The LED arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of LEDs are provided with lenses.

8. The LED arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said printed circuit board comprises one of an epoxy resin, a polyester or a polyamide.

9. A lighting device comprising the LED arrangement according to claim, 1.

10. The lighting device according to claim 9, wherein said lighting device is an exterior lighting fixture of a motor vehicle, and said cooling member comprises a curvature adapted to one of an outside contour of said motor vehicle or to a partial surface region of an automobile chassis.

11. The lighting device according to claim 10, wherein said LED arrangement is a rotating light, and said cooling member has a cylindrical hollow shape with said printed circuit board applied to an outside wall thereof.

12. The lighting device according to claim 11, said plurality of LEDs that proceed axially are electrically combined into lanes that can be successively circumferentially operated.

13. The lighting device according to claim 11, wherein said lighting device is an exterior lighting fixture of a motor vehicle, and said cooling member comprises a curvature adapted to one of an outside contour of a motor vehicle or to a partial surface region of an automobile chassis.

14. The lighting device according to claim 11, wherein said LED arrangement is a rotating light, and said cooling member has a cylindrical hollow shape with said printed circuit board applied to an outside wall thereof.

15. The lighting device according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of LEDs that proceed axially parallel are electrically combined into lanes that can be successively circumferentially operated.

16. The LED arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is a flex board.

17. The LED arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, and sheet metal.

18. The LED arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said epoxy resin, polyester or polyamide is in the form of a polyester or polyamide film.