High thermal conductivity packaging for solid state light emitting apparatus and associated assembling methods

• US 8,258,682 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Villard, Russell George
• Primary Examiner(s): Won, Bumsuk
• Application Number:
  US11/673,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20080192493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,031 Days
• Field of Search: 313/46, 362/555, 362/612, 36224901-24904
• US Class Current: 313/46
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/02 with provision for adjustment, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/053 the metal substrate being covered by an inorganic insulating layer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0315 Oxidising metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

One or more solid state light emitting elements are mounted on a hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate. One or more bars also may be provided that slidably contact an edge of the hardcoat anodized aluminum substrate. The substrate and the bar(s) may be mounted in a housing with the bars mounted in apertures in the housing wall. Related assembling methods for solid state light emitting apparatus also are disclosed.

Claims

1. A light emitting apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of solid state light emitting elements mounted on a face of the substrate;

a bar that extends orthogonal to the substrate and is configured to slidably contact an edge of the substrate such that the substrate is slidable along the bar; and

a housing having an inside and an outside, the housing including an elongated aperture in the housing that is configured to hold the bar in the aperture such that the bar extends from the inside of the housing to the outside of the housing.

2. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the bar is a hardcoat anodized aluminum bar.

3. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the substrate includes a tab adjacent the edge thereof that is configured to slidably contact the bar.

4. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising a locking element that is configured to lock the tab in place along the bar.

5. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the locking element comprises a setscrew that extends through the tab.

6. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a second substrate between at least one of the plurality of solid state light emitting elements and the substrate.

7. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the second substrate comprises a metal core printed circuit board.

8. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the housing includes an opening that faces the solid state light emitting elements such that the solid state light emitting elements emit light through the opening when they are energized.

9. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the housing comprises hardcoat anodized aluminum and is configured to hold the substrate therein.

10. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the bar is configured to directly slidably contact the edge of the substrate to dissipate heat from the solid state light emitting elements, through the substrate and through the bar to the outside of the housing.

11. A light emitting apparatus comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of solid state light emitting elements mounted on a face of the substrate;

a bar that extends orthogonal to the substrate and is configured to slidably contact an edge of the substrate such that the substrate is slidable along the bar; and

a housing including an elongated aperture in the housing that is configured to hold the bar in the aperture such that the bar extends along the housing away from the substrate.

12. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the bar is a hardcoat anodized aluminum bar.

13. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the housing includes an opening that faces the solid state light emitting elements such that the solid state light emitting elements emit light through the opening when they are energized.

14. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the substrate includes a tab adjacent the edge thereof that is configured to slidably contact the bar.

15. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 14 further comprising a locking element that is configured to lock the tab in place along the bar.

16. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the locking element comprises a setscrew that extends through the tab.

17. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising a second substrate between at least one of the plurality of solid state light emitting elements and the substrate.

18. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the second substrate comprises a metal core printed circuit board.

19. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the housing comprises hardcoat anodized aluminum and is configured to hold the substrate therein.

20. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the housing has an inside and an outside, and wherein the bar is configured to directly slidably contact the edge of the substrate to dissipate heat from the solid state light emitting elements, through the substrate and through the bar to the outside of the housing.

21. A light emitting apparatus comprising:

a disk-shaped substrate;

a plurality of solid state light emitting elements on a face of the disk-shaped substrate;

a cylindrical housing including a plurality of axially extending elongated apertures therein, the housing having an inside and an outside;

a plurality of heat conducting bars, wherein each heat conducting bar is in an aperture such that each heat conducting bar extends from the inside of the cylindrical housing to the outside of the cylindrical housing;

wherein the disk-shaped substrate is mounted coaxially in the cylindrical housing such that an edge of the disk-shaped substrate is adjacent the plurality of heat conducting bars to dissipate heat from the solid state light emitting elements, through the disk-shaped substrate and through the heat conducting bars to the outside of the housing.

22. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the disk-shaped substrate and the plurality of heat conducting bars comprise hardcoat anodized aluminum.

23. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the disk-shaped substrate and the plurality of heat conducting bars are of higher thermal conductivity than the cylindrical housing.

24. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the disk-shaped substrate includes a plurality of tabs adjacent the edge thereof, a respective tab being configured to slidably contact a respective heat conducting bar.

25. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 24 further comprising a plurality of locking elements, a respective one of which is configured to lock a respective tab in place along a respective heat conducting bar.

26. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the plurality of locking elements comprise a plurality of setscrews, a respective one of which extends through a respective tab.

27. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the plurality of heat conducting bars are configured to directly slidably contact the edge of the disk-shaped substrate to dissipate heat from the solid state light emitting elements, through the disk-shaped substrate and through the heat conducting bars to the outside of the housing.

28. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the solid state light emitting elements face an opening at an end of the cylindrical housing such that the solid state light emitting elements emit light directly towards the opening when they are energized.

29. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising a second substrate between at least one of the plurality of solid state light emitting elements and the disk-shaped substrate.

30. A light emitting apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the second substrate comprises a metal core printed circuit board.

31. A method of assembling a light emitting apparatus comprising:

mounting a disk-shaped substrate having a plurality of solid state light emitting elements on a face thereof coaxially in a cylindrical housing having an inside and an outside that includes a plurality of axially extending elongated apertures in the housing and a plurality of heat conducting bars, wherein each heat conducting bar is in an aperture, such that each heat conducting bar extends from the inside of the housing to the outside of the housing, and an edge of the disk-shaped substrate is adjacent the plurality of heat conducting bars to dissipate heat from the solid state light emitting elements, through the disk-shaped substrate and through the heat conducting bars to the outside of the housing.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein mounting comprises slidably mounting the disk-shaped substrate, wherein the edge of the disk-shaped substrate directly slidably contacts the plurality of heat conducting bars to dissipate heat from the solid state light emitting elements, through the disk-shaped substrate and through the heat conducting bars to the outside of the housing.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein slidably mounting is followed by:

slidably adjusting a position of the disk-shaped substrate in the cylindrical housing to a desired position; and

fixing the position of the disk-shaped substrate in the cylindrical housing at the desired position.