Multi-element LED lamp package

• US 7,829,899 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creeled Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hutchins, Edward Lloyd
• Primary Examiner(s): SEFER, AHMED N
• Application Number:
  US11/416,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20070257272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 257/79, 257/89, 257/94, 257/96, 257/98
• US Class Current: 257/79
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/147 the main emission direction of the LED being angled to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/321 the reflector being a surface of revolution or a planar surface, e.g. truncated
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/337 the reflector having a structured surface, e.g. with facets or corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/60 characterised by a variable light distribution
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/04 Optical design
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8592 Applying permanent coating, e.g. protective coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• 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 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/54 having a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements

Abstract

In one embodiment, a single light emitting diode lamp package includes at least two light emitting devices that can be switched independently of one another and thus may be useful in vehicular lighting applications, for example low and high beam headlights. In another embodiment, a LED device includes a first LED die and at least one additional LED die disposed at different positions within a common reflector cup. Multiple LED sub-assemblies may be mounted to a common lead frame along non-coincident principal axes. Methods for varying intensity or color from multi-LED lamps are further provided.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED) lamp, comprising:

a reflector cup having a vertex, a focal point, a principal axis, an inside surface, and an open face;

a first LED die disposed within the reflector cup at a first position; and

at least one additional LED die disposed within the reflector cup at at least one additional position non-coincident with the first position;

wherein the lamp includes an asymmetric lens disposed over the reflector cup, the lamp outputs a first beam centered in a first direction, and the lamp outputs a second beam centered in a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction.

2. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein the first position is at the focal point of the reflector.

3. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional position is along the principal axis but is non-coincident with the focal point of the reflector.

4. The LED lamp of claim 1, further comprising encapsulant material disposed in the reflector cup.

5. The LED lamp of claim 4, wherein the lens substantially covers the encapsulant material and the reflector cup.

6. The LED lamp of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the lens is faceted, and said faceted lens is adapted to output a first beam centered in a first direction and to output a second beam centered in a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction.

7. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein the reflector cup comprises a geometric shape selected from the group consisting of parabolic, ellipsoid, and compound curves.

8. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein the reflector cup comprises a paraboloid shape.

9. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein the reflector cup is asymmetric.

10. The LED lamp of claim 9, wherein the reflector cup comprises two partial paraboloids, and wherein each partial paraboloid has the same reflector vertex, the same principal axis, and different focal points.

11. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the inside surface of the reflector cup is faceted.

12. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein any of the first LED die and the at least one additional LED die has a spectral output selected from the group consisting of white light, blue light, red light, green light, yellow light, ultraviolet radiation, and combinations thereof.

13. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein each of the first LED die and the at least one additional LED die has a white light spectral output.

14. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein the first LED die has a white light spectral output and the at least one additional LED die has an infrared spectral output.

15. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein the first LED die has a white light spectral output and the at least one additional LED die has a yellow light spectral output.

16. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein the first LED die has a white light spectral output and the at least one additional LED die has a red light spectral output.

17. The LED lamp of claim 1, configured to reflect light originating from the first die against the inside surface of the reflector cup and transmit reflected light parallel to the principal axis of the reflector cup.

18. The LED lamp of claim 1, configured to reflect light originating from the first LED die against the inside surface of the reflector cup and transmit a substantial portion of reflected light at at least one angle relative to the principal axis.

19. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein the lamp is adapted to permit selective operation of the first die and the at least one additional die to permit each of the following operating modes:

(a) light originates from the first die exclusively, (b) light originates from the at least one additional die exclusively, or (c) light originates from the first die and the at least one additional die simultaneously.

20. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein each of the first die and the at least one additional die comprises a surface mount die.

21. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein each of the first die and the at least one additional die comprises a RGB die.

22. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein each of the first die and the at least one additional die is disposed non-coincident with the principal axis.

23. The LED lamp of claim 22, wherein each of the first die and the at least one additional die is symmetrically arranged equidistantly from the principal axis.

24. The LED lamp of claim 22, wherein the reflector cup is asymmetric.

25. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein one of the first die and the at least one additional die is disposed coincident with the principal axis.

26. The LED lamp of claim 25, wherein the reflector cup is asymmetric.

27. A lighting product comprising the LED lamp of claim 1.

28. The product of claim 27, wherein the lighting product is selected from the group consisting of flashlights, lanterns, portable work lights, spotlights, headlights, brake lights, tail lights, turn signal lights, daytime running lights, traffic lights, penlights, recessed lights, dashboard lights, night vision enhancement systems, and combinations thereof.

29. A method of adjusting direction of light originating from a light emitting diode (LED) lamp according to claim 1, the method comprising independently operating the first LED die and the at least one additional LED die.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the independently operating step includes adjusting any of current and voltage to any of the first LED die and the at least one additional LED die.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the lens substantially covers the open face of the reflector cup.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the reflector cup comprises a geometric shape selected from the group consisting of parabolic, ellipsoid, and compound curves.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the reflector cup comprises a paraboloid shape.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein at least a portion of the inside surface of the reflector cup is faceted.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein any of the first LED die and the at least one additional LED has a spectral output selected from the group consisting of white light, blue light, red light, green light, yellow light, ultraviolet radiation, and combinations thereof.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein each of the first LED die and the at least one additional LED die has a white light spectral output.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein the first LED die has a white light spectral output and the at least one additional LED die has an infrared spectral output.

38. The method of claim 29, wherein the first LED die has a white light spectral output and the at least one additional LED die has a yellow light spectral output.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein the first LED die has a white light spectral output and the at least one additional LED die has a red light spectral output.

40. The method of claim 29, wherein the reflector cup is asymmetric.

41. The method of claim 29, wherein the reflector cup includes an encapsulant material disposed therein.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the lens substantially covers the encapsulant material.

43. The method of claim 29, wherein any of the first LED die and the at least one additional LED die comprises an RGB die.

44. A lighting product operatively arranged for adjusting light direction by the method of claim 29.

45. The LED lamp of claim 1, wherein the first die is disposed coincident with the principal axis, and the first LED die and the second LED die are controllable independently of one another.

46. The LED lamp of claim 1, being configured for adjustment of direction of emitted light by independent operation of said first LED die and at said at least one additional LED die without changing position of any portion of said LED lamp.