LED light with active cooling

• US 7,543,961 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lumination LLC
• Original Assignee: Lumination LLC
• Inventors: Weaver, Stanton, Petroski, James T., Arik, Mehmet
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Han; Jason Moon
• Application Number:
  US11/682,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20070147046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 362/294, 362/373, 362/555, 362/800, 310/311, 310/322, 310/325, 310/328, 310/343, 310/346, 257/88, 257/706
• US Class Current: 362/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/67 characterised by the arrangement of fans
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/76 with essentially identical parallel planar fins or blades, e.g. with comb-like cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/473 by flowing liquids H01L23/4332, H01L23/4338 take precedence
• 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: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An LED light system that includes an LED and a synthetic jet actuator to cool the LED as disclosed.

Claims

1. A lamp system comprising:

an enclosure;

an LED disposed in the enclosure;

a synthetic jet actuator at least partially disposed in the enclosure for generating a current of fluid to cool the LED; and

power conditioning circuitry in electrical communication with the LED and the synthetic jet actuator, the circuitry being configured to receive source power from a source and to deliver a first power to the synthetic jet actuator and a second power to the LED.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first power includes AC voltage and the second power includes DC voltage.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the circuitry is located on a printed circuit board at least partially disposed in the enclosure.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the circuitry is located outside of the enclosure.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure includes a translucent bulb.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising an Edison base connected to the bulb, the circuitry being in electrical communication with the Edison base.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one opening formed in the bulb.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one opening is covered by a filter.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the synthetic jet actuator includes a first plate, a second plate, a flexible material connecting the first plate to the second plate and at least one opening defined by at least one of the first plate, the second plate and the flexible material.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first plate and the second plate includes a shim and piezoelectric material contacting the shim.

11. A lamp comprising:

an enclosure including a translucent portion;

an electrical connector attached to the enclosure, the connector being configured to electrically connect to an external power source;

an LED disposed in the enclosure and in electrical communication with the electrical connector; and

a synthetic jet actuator in electrical communication with the electrical connector and arranged in the enclosure to generate a fluid current to cool the LED.

12. The lamp of claim 11, wherein the enclosure includes a vent through which fluid is able to flow.

13. The lamp of claim 12, wherein the enclosure includes at least two vents.

14. The lamp of claim 13, wherein at least one of the vents is covered by a filter.

15. The lamp of claim 11, wherein the electrical connector includes a vent through which fluid is able to flow.

16. The lamp of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the enclosure is coated with a phosphor material.

17. The lamp of claim 11, wherein the electrical connector includes at least one of an Edison base and a bi-pin connector.

18. The lamp of claim 11, further comprising power conditioning electronics in electrical communication with the synthetic jet actuator, the LED and the electrical connector, the power conditioning electronics being configured to convert a higher voltage power from the electrical connector into a lower voltage power that is delivered to the LED.

19. The lamp of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the power conditioning electronics reside on a printed circuit board and the LED mounts to the printed circuit board.

20. The lamp of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the power conditioning electronics reside on a first printed circuit board and the LED mounts to a second printed circuit board, the first printed circuit board being in electrical communication with the second printed circuit board.

21. The lamp of claim 20, wherein the synthetic jet includes at least two openings, a first opening being for directing a fluid stream generally towards the first circuit board and a second opening being for directing a fluid stream generally towards the second circuit board.

22. The lamp of claim 11, wherein the enclosure includes a reflector and a translucent cover.

23. The lamp of claim 11, wherein the enclosure includes a translucent bulb.

24. An LED light assembly comprising:

an LED;

a synthetic jet actuator disposed with respect to the LED for creating a fluid current to cool the LED, wherein the synthetic jet actuator includes a first plate, a second plate, a piezoelectric material contacting at least one of the first plate and the second plate and a flexible hinge connecting the first plate and the second plate.

25. The assembly of claim 24, further comprising a housing including a translucent portion, the LED and the synthetic jet actuator being disposed in the housing.

26. The assembly of claim 25, wherein the housing comprises a translucent bulb.

27. The assembly of claim 25, wherein the housing includes a reflector.

28. The assembly of claim 25, wherein the translucent portion is coated with a phosphor material.

29. The assembly of claim 24, further comprising an Edison base in electrical communication with the LED and the synthetic jet actuator.

30. The assembly of claim 29, further comprising circuitry in electrical communication with the Edison base for delivering AC power to the synthetic jet and DC power to the LED.

31. The assembly of claim 30, wherein at least a portion of the circuitry is disposed on a printed circuit board.

32. The assembly of claim 31, wherein the LED mounts to the printed circuit board.

33. The assembly of claim 31, wherein the printed circuit board is a first printed circuit board and the LED mounts to a second printed circuit board that is in electrical communication with the first printed circuit board.

34. The lamp of claim 33, wherein the synthetic jet includes at least two openings, a first opening being for directing a fluid stream generally towards the first circuit board and a second opening being for directing a fluid stream generally towards the second circuit board.