Replacement illumination device for an incandescent lamp

• US 8,033,682 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2010
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LEDVANCE LLC (MLS Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TerraLUX Incorporated
• Inventors: Catalano, Anthony, Harrison, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US12/716,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20100165611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 362/157, 362/184, 362194-208, 362/253, 362/800, 362/294, 362/249.02
• US Class Current: 362/202
• 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: F21K 9/238 Arrangement or mounting of circuit elements integrated in the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/02 characterised by the provision of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/048 the lens being a simple lens adapted to cooperate with a point-like source for emitting mainly in one direction and having an axis coincident with the main light transmission direction, e.g. convergent or divergent lenses, plano-concave or plano-convex lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/06 with parabolic curvature
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/24 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/28 characterised by coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for providing a light emitting diode and driving circuitry integrated into a component module that will retrofit common incandescent lightbulb applications. The disclosed embodiments will perform with high efficiency at a wide operating voltage range with a very small size allowing for the incorporation within the envelope and form of existing lightbulb bases. Therefore, a single universal LED light bulb module can be used to replace the dozens of conventional LED and incandescent lights currently being used. The electronic circuitries used to drive the LEDs are extremely compact and consequently can be incorporated in nearly any standard bulb base.

Claims

1. A component module for use in modifying an incandescent light projecting illumination system for producing light using electrical energy, said illumination system including a standard bulb socket that is arranged to receive a standard incandescent bulb base forming part of a standard incandescent lamp having a standard volume envelope and used to connect the incandescent lamp to electrical energy from a power source for producing light by using the electrical energy from the power source, said component module comprising:

a sub-assembly comprising (i) at least one solid state light emitter that produces light in response to electrical energy of a different form than the electrical energy provided by the power source, (ii) a light module base having a shape substantially the same as a shape of the standard incandescent bulb base, and (iii) a driving circuit in electrical communication with the light module base and the at least one solid state light emitter for converting the electrical energy from the power source to the different form; and

at least partially surrounding the at least one solid state light emitter, a curved reflector for reflecting light from the at least one solid state light emitter and directing the reflected light through an axis of the illumination system, the curved reflector having an opening through which at least a portion of the sub-assembly extends,

wherein the component module is compact enough to fit within the standard volume envelope of the incandescent lamp.

2. A component module as defined in claim 1, further comprising a heat sink device in thermal communication with the at least one solid state light emitter for conducting heat away from the at least one solid state light emitter.

3. A component module as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one solid state light emitter is an LED.

4. A component module as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one solid state light emitter comprises a plurality of LEDs.

5. A component module as defined in claim 1 wherein the sub-assembly comprises a printed circuit board supporting the at least one solid state light emitter.

6. A component module as defined in claim 5 wherein the at least one solid state light emitter comprises at least two solid state light emitters supported on opposite sides of the printed circuit board.

7. A component module as defined in claim 6 wherein the at least two solid state light emitters are mounted substantially perpendicular to the axis of the illumination system through which light is directed.

8. A component module as defined in claim 1 further comprising a rotatable housing in which the reflector and the at least one solid state light emitter are disposed.

9. A component module as defined in claim 8 wherein the curved reflector rotates as the housing is rotated.

10. A component module as defined in claim 1 wherein the driving circuit comprises a high frequency DC-to-DC converter.

11. A component module as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one solid state light emitter is disposed approximately at a focal point of the curved reflector.

12. A component module as defined in claim 1 further comprising, disposed over the at least one solid state light emitter, at least one lens shaped to refract light from the at least one solid state light emitter toward the curved reflector.

13. A component module as defined in claim 1 wherein the curved reflector is a parabolic reflector.

14. A component module as defined in claim 1 wherein the power source is an AC power source.

15. A component module as defined in claim 1 wherein the driving circuit comprises an AC-to-DC converter.