LED lighting apparatus in a plastic housing

• US 7,722,216 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2006
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl Denis Amor, Grant Harold Amor
• Original Assignee: Carl Denis Amor, Grant Harold Amor
• Inventors: Amor, Carl Denis, Amor, Grant Harold
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, ANABEL
• Application Number:
  US11/885,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 362/153, 362/153.1, 362/373, 362/294, 362/376, 362/231, 362/101
• US Class Current: 362/249.01
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 45/02 the devices being intended to illuminate the way ahead or other areas of environments
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/48 Means for searching for underwater objects means for indicating the location of sunken objects B63C7/26; locating by use of the reflection or reradiation of radio or other waves G01S ; mountings of acoustic transducers in underwater equipment G10K11/006
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/02 of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters specially adapted for vehicle exteriors F21S41/00-F21S45/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/767 the planes containing the fins or blades having directions perpendicular to the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/005 Sealing arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2107/20 for water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/023 for pedestrian walkways
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A lighting apparatus (2) includes a housing (4) of plastic material, the housing (4) defining a translucent window (12), and a light emitting diode assembly (3) on a printed circuit board (34). The apparatus (2) may be attached to the hull (14) of a boat by means of a flange (10) and a nut (16). The apparatus (2) may include a heat sink (36) machined from a solid aluminum bar. The housing (4) may be connected to a sealing cap (6). The housing (4) is preferably injection-molded from a thermoplastic material such as polycarbonate. Electrical wires may extend through a central bore (42) of the heat sink (36) and the sealing cap (6).

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus including:

a one-piece integral housing of a thermoplastic material, the housing defining a translucent window integrally formed with a cylindrical barrel extending from the window;

a light emitting diode (LED) assembly located within the housing to emit light through the translucent window, the LED assembly including an elongated heat sink positioned in the barrel, the heat sink thermally coupled to the barrel to facilitate heat dissipation from the heat sink; and

a detachable sealing cap for sealing the LED assembly in the housing, the sealing cap being engageable with the housing in a substantially watertight manner and being configured to facilitate quick engagement and disengagement with the housing, the detachable sealing cap being configured to receive an electrical connector in a substantially watertight manner to provide an electrical power supply to the LED assembly.

2. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is of a polycarbonate material.

3. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat sink defines a plurality of fins that make contact with the inner surface of the barrel.

4. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cylindrical barrel defines an external thread.

5. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the housing defines a flanged head at an end of the barrel.

6. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flanged head defines the translucent window.

7. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further including a mounting nut for engaging with the thread so that a wall can be compressed between the head and the nut to mount the housing on the wall.

8. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is injection molded.

9. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing cap includes a pair of posts which can engage with a pair of slots defined in the housing so as to form a bayonet fitting.

10. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sealing cap is of a polycarbonate material.

11. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sealing cap defines a circumferential, external recess in which an O-ring may be fitted.

12. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sealing cap defines an aperture in which the electrical connector can be mounted.

13. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the LED assembly includes:

at least one LED; and

a printed circuit board (PCB) to which the at least one LED is electrically coupled, the heat sink being located adjacent the PCB to which the at least one LED is thermally coupled.

14. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the LED assembly further includes a guard defining at least one chamber for each receiving a respective LED.

15. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the heat sink is machined from a solid aluminium bar and is anodized.

16. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the heat sink defines a central bore through which electrical wires can extend.

17. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the LED assembly further includes a buck transformer to provide power to the at least one LED.

18. A lighting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the window includes a lens for focusing light from the at least one LED.