Method and apparatus for using light emitting diodes

• US 7,989,839 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2010
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Dahm, Jonathan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Tan N
• Application Number:
  US12/715,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20100219736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 257/99, 257/276, 257/625, 257/675, 257/706, 257/717, 257/720, 257/796, 257/E23.101
• US Class Current: 257/99
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/003 Apparatus for curing resins by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/004 Hand-held apparatus, e.g. guns
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/066 Bleaching devices; Whitening agent applicators for teeth, e.g. trays or strips
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/51 using condensation or evaporation of a fluid, e.g. heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/02 in which the medium condenses and evaporates, e.g. heat pipes heat pipes used in solar heat collectors F24S10/95; in radiators F28D1/0226; in nuclear reactors G21C15/257
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• 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 2924/12044 OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1461 MEMS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/00 Semiconductor devices having potential barriers specially adapted for light emission; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof H10K50/00 takes precedence; devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor components formed in or on a common substrate and including semiconductor components having potential barriers, specially adapted for light emission H01L27/15; semiconductor lasers H01S5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/648 the elements comprising fluids, e.g. heat-pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0209 External configuration of printed circuit board adapted for heat dissipation, e.g. lay-out of conductors, coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for using light emitting diodes for curing and various solid state lighting applications. The method includes a novel method for cooling the light emitting diodes and mounting the same on heat pipe in a manner which delivers ultra high power in UV, visible and IR regions. Furthermore, the unique LED packaging technology of the present invention utilizes heat pipes that perform very efficiently in very compact space. Much more closely spaced LEDs operating at higher power levels and brightness are possible because the thermal energy is transported in an axial direction down the heat pipe and away from the light-emitting direction rather than a radial direction in nearly the same plane as the “p-n” junction.

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising:

a conductive patterned circuit material layer that defines a first opening;

a first heat sink;

a light emitting device mounted to the first heat sink, the light emitting device configured to be located within the first opening when mounted to the first heat sink and to be electrically connected to the conductive patterned circuit material layer; and

a second heat sink that directly contacts the conductive patterned circuit material layer, the second heat sink defining a second opening configured to receive the first heat sink,

wherein at least one of the first heat sink and the second heat sink is mounted to a heat pipe wherein the heat pipe includes an evaporating end and a condensing end,

wherein the light emitting device is configured to emit a cone of light having a cone axis,

wherein the at least one of the first heat sink and the second heat sink is mounted to the evaporating end,

wherein the heat pipe is configured such that the fluid in the evaporating end vaporizes and flows to the condensing end when the evaporating end is exposed to heat produced by the light emitting device,

wherein the heat pipe is configured such that the vaporized fluid condenses when it reaches the condensing end and returns to the evaporating end, and

wherein the light ray along the cone axis moves in a substantially parallel and opposite direction to the thermal energy moving along the at least a portion of the vapor cavity axis.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the second heat sink includes a conductive patterned heat spreader layer.

3. The lighting device of claim 2, wherein the conductive patterned heat spreader layer is mounted to the heat pipe.

4. The lighting device of claim 2, wherein the surface area of the conductive patterned circuit material layer is greater than the surface area of the conductive patterned heat spreader layer.

5. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein an area between the light emitting device and the first heat sink is free from a thermally resistive polymeric layer.

6. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising an electrical connector coupled to the second heat sink and configured to provide an electrical connection to the conductive patterned circuit material layer.

7. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein each of the first heat sink and the second heat sink is mounted to a heat pipe.