Light module with combined heat transferring plate and heat transferring pipes

• US 7,270,446 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lextar Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lighthouse Technologies (Lextar Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Chien-Lung, Huang, Teng-Huei, Chang, Chih-Chin
• Primary Examiner(s): Cariaso; Alan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lovell; Leah S.
• Application Number:
  US10/908,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20060250800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 362/294, 362/373, 362/547
• US Class Current: 362/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/47 Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/51 using condensation or evaporation of a fluid, e.g. heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• 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 29/77 with essentially identical diverging planar fins or blades, e.g. with fan-like or star-like cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/773 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/85 characterised by the material liquid coolants F21V29/56
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/642 characterized by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/648 the elements comprising fluids, e.g. heat-pipes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A light module comprises a light unit, a heat transferring plate or a plurality of heat transferring pipes, and a plurality of heat dissipating fins. The heat transferring plate or heat transferring pipes are positioned on the bottom surface of the light unit to transfer heat generated by the light unit. When the heat transferring plate is used, the heat dissipating fins are arranged under the heat transferring plate and perpendicular to the bottom surface of the heat transferring plate. The heat dissipating fins have a recess for the accommodation of the heat transferring plate and the light unit. When the heat transferring pipes are used, the heat dissipating fins each contact the heat transferring pipes. Uniform heat dissipation is thus attained.

Claims

1. A light module, comprising:

a light unit for providing a light source;

a heat transferring plate positioned on the bottom surface of the light unit to transfer heat generated by the light unit;

a plurality of heat dissipating fins arranged perpendicularly to the bottom surface direction of the light unit and having a recess for the accommodation of the heat transferring plate and the light unit, for dissipating the heat; and

a plurality of heat transferring pipes disposed among the heat dissipating fins under the heat transferring plate, wherein the heat dissipating fins each have an outer surface to contact the outer surface of the heat transferring pipes, and the heat dissipating fins and the heat transferring pipes are not intersected with each other.

2. The light module of claim 1, wherein, the heat dissipating fins intersect to form a plurality of holes having polygonal patterns in plan view among the intersected heat dissipating fins, and the heat transferring pipes are disposed through the holes.

3. The light module of claim 1, wherein an interface between two of the light unit, the heat transferring plate, the heat dissipating fins, and the heat transferring pipes is filled with a heat dissipating paste or gel.

4. The light module of claim 1, wherein the heat transferring plate has a hollow structure comprising:

an outer wall comprising a heat conducting material for transferring heat;

a porous inner wall positioned on the internal surface of the outer wall and comprising a heat conducting material for transferring heat; and

a liquid comprising a heat medium material and adsorbed by the porous inner wall, wherein the liquid absorbs heat from the porous inner wall and evaporates to become a gas diffusing in a space inside the heat transferring plate.

5. The light module of claim 1, wherein the heat transferring pipes have a closed hollow structure comprising:

an outer wall comprising a heat conducting material for transferring heat;

a porous inner wall positioned on the internal surface of the outer wall and comprising a heat conducting material for transferring heat; and

a liquid comprising a heat medium material and adsorbed by the porous inner wall, wherein the liquid absorbs heat from the porous inner wall and evaporates to become a gas diffusing in a space inside the heat transferring pipes.

6. The light module of claim 1, wherein the light unit comprises:

a substrate; and

at least one light-emitting diode encapsulated on the substrate with an encapsulating material.

7. The light module of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a heat conducting material.