Light bulb utilizing a replaceable LED light source

• US 7,976,211 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Satco Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Densen Cao
• Inventors: Cao, Densen
• Primary Examiner(s): BRUCE, DAVID VERNON
• Application Number:
  US11/938,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20080062703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 362/649, 362/650, 362/651
• US Class Current: 362/650
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/40 on the sides of polyhedrons, e.g. cubes or pyramids
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01004 Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/486 adapted for surface mounting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/62 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls

Abstract

The present invention is a light bulb featuring a removable LED light source. The preferred source being a lighting source with a three dimensional lead frame as disclosed in the parent applications to this application. Control circuitry is included to convert electrical power into power usable by the LEDs.

Claims

1. A light bulb, comprising:

a. a removable LED light source;

b. a removable cover;

c. a socket base capable of receiving the cover;

d. control circuitry within the socket base;

e. an interior mounting structure, having at least one face, for receiving the LED light source, said structure located at least partially within the socket base inside the cover; and

f. operable electrical connections between the socket base and control circuitry and between the control circuitry and the LED light source.

2. The light bulb of claim 1, the removable LED light source and the mounting structure interfacing through an interlock interface.

3. The light bulb of claim 1, the mounting structure being permanently affixed within the socket base.

4. The light bulb of claim 1, the mounting structure being removable from the socket base.

5. The light bulb of claim 1, the mounting structure having a polygonal profile with n faces, n being an integer larger than 2.

6. The light bulb of claim 1, the removable LED light source being at least 1 removable LED.

7. The light bulb of claim 5, the removable LED light source being a plurality of removable LEDS that are mounted upon a plain surface.

8. The light bulb of claim 5, the removable LED light source being a plurality of removable LEDs selectively mounted so that at least one LED light source is mounted upon each face of the mounting structure.

9. The light bulb of claim 1, the cover having a texture selected from the set of textures consisting of clear and frosted.

10. The light bulb of claim 1, the cover having a type of shape selected from the set of shapes consisting of types A, G, D, R, FL, SP, and PAR.

11. The light bulb of claim 1, the socket base being selected from the set of bases consisting of candelabra screw bases, plug in bases, and base types MES, Be, G4, GY 4, and R7s-75.

12. The light bulb of claim 1, the LED light source being capable of emitting light in an arc of between 5°

and 360°

, inclusively, in a horizontal plain and arc between 5° and

360°

, inclusively, in a vertical plain.

13. A light bulb, comprising:

a. a removable LED light source

b. a mounting structure for receiving the removable LED light source;

c. electronic control circuitry to provide the electrical control to drive the removable LED light source;

d. a housing to contain the mounting structure and electronic control circuitry;

e. a standard light bulb base connected to the housing to facilitate the connection of the light bulb to a standard light bulb socket; and

f. operable electrical connections between the light bulb base, electronic control circuitry and mounting structure so as to provide electrical power to the removable LED light source.

14. The light bulb of claim 13, the removable LED light source and the mounting structure interfacing through an interlock interface.

15. The light bulb of claim 13, the mounting structure being permanently affixed within the housing.

16. The light bulb of claim 13, the mounting structure being removable from the housing.

17. The light bulb of claim 13, the mounting structure having a polygonal profile with n faces, n being an integer larger than 2.

18. The light bulb of claim 13, the removable LED light source being a number of removable LEDs equal to n, which is an integer equal or larger than 1.

19. The light bulb of claim 18, wherein the number of removable LEDs are mounted in a plain surface.

20. The light bulb of claim 18, the number of removable LEDs being selectively mounted on up to n faces of the mounting structure.

21. The light bulb of claim 13, the standard light bulb base being selected from the set of bases consisting of candelabra screw bases, plug in bases, and base types MES, BC, G4, GY 4, and R7s-75.

22. The light bulb of claim 13 further comprising a cover, the housing being capable of receiving said cover.

23. The light bulb of claim 22, the cover having a texture selected from the set of textures consisting of clear and frosted.

24. The light bulb of claim 22, the cover having a type of shape selected from the set of shapes consisting of types A, G, D, R, FL, SP, and PAR.