Illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes and method of heat dissipation thereof

• US 7,210,832 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Thermal Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Thermal Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Bin-Juine
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward; John Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAKIYA, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US10/948,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20050092469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 362/294, 362/345, 362/547, 362/373, 362/264, 362/365
• US Class Current: 362/547
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/51 using condensation or evaporation of a fluid, e.g. heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/56 using liquid coolants F21V29/51 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/77 with essentially identical diverging planar fins or blades, e.g. with fan-like or star-like cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/043 forming loops, e.g. capillary pumped loops

Abstract

An illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes and method of heat dissipation thereof are provided. The present illumination apparatus is associated with a loop heat pipe (LHP) device. The LHP device includes a condenser communicating with an evaporator. The illumination apparatus includes a base having a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed thereon and a cover with a light exit enclosing the base. The evaporator is associated with the base and the condenser is associated with the cover. The heat generated from the light emitting diodes is conducted to the cover, and thereby dissipated away.

Claims

1. A method for dissipating heat for an illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes, comprising:

associating a loop heat pipe device with said illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes, said loop heat pipe device having a condenser and a evaporator, wherein said condenser and said evaporator contain volatile liquid therein, said condenser communicates with said evaporator, said illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes has a cover and a base with a plurality of light emitting diodes thereon, said evaporator is associated with said base, and said condenser is flexibly and around associated with said cover to fit the shape of said cover; and

conducting the heat generated from said plurality of light emitting diodes to said cover to dissipate said heat via said loop heat device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said evaporator transfers vapor which is generated due to said heat to said condenser, and then the heat of said vapor is dissipated via said cover, and said vapor is condensed into liquid, and then transmitting said liquid back to said evaporator.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said transmitting said liquid back to said evaporator is accomplished by the capillarity effect of a porous member mounted in said evaporator.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said heat generated from said plurality of light emitting diodes is conducted to said evaporator of said loop heat pipe device via said base.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprises using an electric fan to help to dissipate said heat away.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said condenser and said base are associated with said cover, and said heat is conducted to said cover both through said loop heat pipe device mid said base directly.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprises associating a cooling plate with said condenser;

and conducting said heat both to said cover and said cooling plate.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said base is associated on said cover, and said heat is conducted to said cover through said base directly.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said heat is dissipated away via both said cover and said cooling plate.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein said evaporator transfers vapor which is generated due to said heat to said condenser, and then the heat of said vapor is dissipated via said cooling plate, and said vapor is condensed into liquid, and then transmitting said liquid back to said evaporator.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said heat generated from said plurality of light emitting diodes is conducted to said evaporator of said loop heat pipe device via said base.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inside diameter of said condenser is less than 2 mm, and the total length of said condenser is longer than 600 mm.

13. A illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes, comprising:

an illumination apparatus having a base, a plurality of light emitting diodes, and a cover, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are disposed on said base, said cover has a shell, said shell has a first opening at its one terminal and a second opening at the other terminal opposite to said one terminal used to be a light exit, and said shell encloses said base and said plurality of light emitting diodes, such that light emits from said plurality of light emitting diodes is guided to said light exit; and

a loop heat pipe device having a evaporator, a condenser, a vapor connecting pipe, and a liquid return flow connecting pipe, wherein said evaporator has a vapor outlet, a return flow entrance, and a chamber having volatile liquid therein, said evaporator is associated with said base tightly, said condenser is flexibly coiled around said shell of said cover to fit the shape of said shell, one terminal of said vapor connecting pipe is communicated with said vapor outlet, the other terminal of said vapor connecting pipe is communicated with one entrance of said condenser, one terminal of said liquid return flow connecting pipe is communicated with one exit of said condenser, and the other terminal of said liquid return flow connecting pipe is communicated with said evaporator;

whereby the heat generated from said plurality of light emitting diodes is conducted to said shell of said cover via said base, and said heat is conducted to said cover through said loop heat pipe device.

14. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 13, wherein said base is associated with said cover and said heat is conducted to said cover through said loop heat pipe device and said base directly.

15. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 13, wherein said chamber of said evaporator has a porous member with a hollow space therein to envelop said volatile liquid, and said volatile liquid can permeate through said porous member.

16. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 13, wherein said volatile liquid is selected from the group consisting of water, acetone, ammonia, and refrigerant with a low boiling point.

17. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 13, wherein said base has a containing room used to be wedged with said evaporator therein.

18. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 13, wherein said base is made of metal.

19. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 13, wherein said condenser has a plurality of condensing pipes coiled around and attached to the exterior surface of said shell of said cover.

20. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of condensing pipes are made of capillary pipes.

21. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of condensing pipes are integrated with said cover for forming a unity member.

22. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of condensing pipes are welded on said exterior surface of said cover.

23. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of condensing pipes are stuck on said exterior surface of said cover with a adhesive.

24. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 13, wherein the structure figure of said shell of said cover is selected from the group consisting of paraboloid shape, spherical shape, ellipsoid shape, and conical shape.

25. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 13, further comprises an electric fan to help to dissipate said heat away.

26. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 13, further comprises a cooling plate associated with said condenser, wherein said heat is conducted to both said cover and said cooling plate via said base.

27. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 26, wherein said base and said cooling plate are both associated with said cover.

28. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 26, wherein said condenser has a plurality of condenser pipes coiled around and attached to the exterior surface of said cooling plate.

29. The illumination apparatus of light emitting diodes according to claim 13, wherein the inside diameter of said condenser, said vapor connecting pipe, and said liquid return flow connecting pipe is less than 2 mm, and the total length of said condenser, said vapor connecting pipe, and said liquid return flow connecting pipe is longer than 600 mm.