LED lighting array for a portable task lamp

• US 7,625,099 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayco Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bayco Products Ltd
• Inventors: Bayat, Bijan, Newton, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi; Ali
• Application Number:
  US11/967,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20080144316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249, 362/231, 362/252
• US Class Current: 362/238
• 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: F21L 14/023 having two or more, or different light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/50 on planar substrates or supports, but arranged in different planes or with differing orientation, e.g. on plate-shaped supports with steps on which light-generating elements are mounted
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/148 Arrangements of two or more hingeably connected rigid printed circuit boards, i.e. connected by flexible means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10484 Obliquely mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2027 Guiding means, e.g. for guiding flexible circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/301 by means of a mounting structure H05K3/325 takes precedence

Abstract

An LED lighting array is disclosed wherein a plurality of light emitting devices disposed in at least first and second columns are mounted on a planar mounting surface to form an emission plane. The emission axes of all the LEDs in a first column are parallel with each other and lie in a first plane. The emission axes of the LEDs in an adjacent, second column are also parallel, but a second plane containing the emission axes of the second column is disposed at a predetermined, non-zero angle with respect to the first plane. The non-zero angle is a function of the LED beam width and the distance to a lighting target. This configuration of the LEDs provides an optimum balance at a predetermined target distance between the size of the area illuminated and the brightness of the illumination of the target. In one aspect of the invention the LED lighting array includes at least first, second and third columns of LEDs. In another aspect of the invention an LED task light includes a transparent tube and an LED lighting array disposed within the tube. An electrical drive circuit associated with the mounting substrate within the tube provides pulsed direct current for driving the LED'"'"'s.

Claims

1. An array of LED emitters, comprising:

at least first and second LED emitters having predetermined emission beam widths, disposed on a substrate, and electrically coupled together in a circuit, the LED emitters separated by a first predetermined spacing;

wherein the emission axis of the second LED emitter is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the emission axis of the first LED emitter that is a defined fraction of the predetermined emission beam width of an individual LED emitter.

2. The array of LED emitters of claim 1, wherein the non-zero angle is approximately one-quarter of the emission beam width of the individual LED emitter.

3. The array of LED emitters of claim 1, wherein the emission beam widths of the at least first and second LED emitters are substantially uniform.

4. The array of LED emitters of claim 1, wherein each first and second LED emitter defines a row of LED emitters separated by the first predetermined spacing and the LED emitters of each row are oriented such their respective emission axes are parallel.

5. The array of LED emitters of claim 4, wherein the LED emitters in each row are separated by a second predetermined spacing.

6. An LED task light having a light source comprising:

an array of LED emitters configured according to claim 1.