Method and apparatus for providing an omni-directional lamp having a light emitting diode light engine

• US 8,317,358 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enertron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Enertron, Inc.
• Inventors: Chou, Der Jeou
• Primary Examiner(s): CARTER, WILLIAM JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US12/236,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20090080187A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 362/218, 362/194, 362/345, 362/373, 362/249.01, 362/249.02, 362/249.05, 362/249.06
• US Class Current: 362/218
• 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 29/51 using condensation or evaporation of a fluid, e.g. heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/767 the planes containing the fins or blades having directions perpendicular to the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/773 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/777 the planes containing the fins or blades having directions perpendicular to the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/80 with pins or wires
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/00 Light sources with three-dimensionally disposed light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An LED lamp includes a light engine. The light engine includes a substrate including a transparent or translucent thermally conductive material, a plurality of LED semiconductor devices mounted to the substrate, a plurality of conductive traces formed over the substrate to electrically interconnect each of the plurality of LED semiconductor devices, and conductive leads connected to the substrate for supplying electrical energy to the plurality of LED semiconductor devices. The substrate of the light engine may include an aluminum nitride (AlN), or diamond film material. A thermally conductive rod is connected to the light engine. A heatsink is formed by an extrusion or die casting process. The heatsink includes a fin structure for dissipating heat energy into the environment. The thermally conductive rod and the heatsink are thermally connected. An optional optical envelope is mounted to the heatsink. The optional optical envelope is disposed over the light engine.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a light emitting diode (LED) lamp, comprising:

providing first and second light engines each including;

a substrate comprising a transparent or translucent thermally conductive material,

a plurality of LED semiconductor devices mounted to the substrate,

a plurality of conductive traces formed over the substrate to electrically interconnect each of the plurality of LED semiconductor devices, and

conductive leads connected to the substrate for supplying electrical energy to the plurality of LED semiconductor devices;

providing a thermally conductive rod including a circular first end and a flattened second end with a distance between opposing parallel sides of the flattened second end less than a diameter of the circular first end and a face of the flattened second end perpendicular to a length of the thermally conductive rod;

mounting the first and second light engines respectively over the opposing parallel sides of the flattened second end of the thermally conductive rod;

forming a heatsink by an extrusion, molding, stamping, or die casting process to provide a fin structure for dissipating heat energy;

inserting the diameter of the circular first end of the thermally conductive rod into an opening in the heatsink; and

mounting an optical housing to the heatsink and disposed over the face of the flattened second end such that the first and second light engines are suspended within the optical housing.

2. The method of claim 1, further including forming a reflector ring over an interior portion of the optical housing, the reflector ring being disposed around the plurality of LED semiconductor devices of the first and second light engines.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate of the first and second light engines includes an aluminum nitride (AlN), aluminum oxide (Al203), fiber glass board, metal-clad dielectric board, or diamond film material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fin structure of the heatsink includes flat leaf fins, wave lead fins, pin fins, flat disc fins, or wave disc fins.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of LED semiconductor devices is selected in accordance with a white light emitting method selected from red, green, and blue (RGB) LED mixing, red, amber, green, and blue (RAGB) LED mixing, blue LEDs coated with phosphor material, or ultra-violet (uV) LEDs coated with phosphor material.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate of the first and second light engines includes a fluorescent or phosphorous material.

7. A method of manufacturing a light emitting diode (LED) lamp, comprising:

providing a light engine including a substrate and a plurality of LEDs mounted to the substrate;

forming a fluorescent or phosphorous material over or within the substrate;

providing a thermally conductive structure including a circular first end and a flattened second end with a distance between opposing parallel sides of the flattened second end less than a diameter of the circular first end;

mounting the light engine to the flattened second end of the thermally conductive structure;

providing a heatsink including a fin structure for dissipating heat energy;

inserting the diameter of the circular first end of the thermally conductive structure into an opening in the heatsink; and

mounting an optical housing to the heatsink such that the light engine and the flattened second end of the thermally conductive structure opposite the circular first end are suspended within the optical housing.

8. The method of claim 7, further including forming a reflector ring over an interior portion of the optical housing, the reflector ring being disposed around the plurality of LEDs of the light engine.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the substrate of the light engine includes an aluminum nitride (AlN), aluminum oxide (Al203), fiber glass board, metal-clad dielectric board, or diamond film material.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the fin structure of the heatsink includes flat leaf fins, wave lead fins, pin fins, flat disc fins, or wave disc fins.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of LEDs is selected in accordance with a white light emitting method selected from red, green, and blue (RGB) LED mixing, red, amber, green, and blue (RAGB) LED mixing, blue LEDs coated with phosphor material, or ultra-violet (uV) LEDs coated with phosphor material.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the light engine includes:

a plurality of conductive traces formed over the substrate to electrically interconnect each of the plurality of LEDs; and

conductive leads connected to the substrate for supplying electrical energy to the plurality of LEDs.

13. A method of manufacturing a lamp, comprising:

providing a light source including a substrate;

forming a fluorescent or phosphorous material over or within the substrate;

providing a thermally conductive structure including a circular first end and a flattened second end with a distance between opposing parallel sides of the flattened second end less than a diameter of the circular first end;

mounting the light source to the flattened second end of a thermally conductive structure;

providing a heatsink for dissipating heat energy;

inserting the diameter of the circular first end of the thermally conductive structure into an opening in the heatsink; and

mounting an optical housing to the heatsink such that the light source is suspended within the optical housing.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the includes an aluminum nitride (AlN), aluminum oxide (Al203), fiber glass board, metal-clad dielectric board, or diamond film material.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the heatsink includes a fin structure, the fin structure including flat leaf fins, wave lead fins, pin fins, flat disc fins, or wave disc fins.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the light source includes a plurality of LED semiconductor devices, the plurality of LEDs being selected in accordance with a white light emitting method selected from red, green, and blue (RGB) LED mixing, red, amber, green, and blue (RAGB) LED mixing, blue LEDs coated with phosphor material, or ultra-violet (uV) LEDs coated with phosphor material.

17. The method of claim 13, further including disposing the optical housing over the flattened second end of the thermally conductive structure.

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

a light engine including a substrate and a plurality of LEDs mounted to the substrate;

a thermally conductive structure including a circular first end and a flattened second end connected to the light engine with a distance between opposing parallel sides of the flattened second end of the thermally conductive structure less than a diameter of the circular first end;

a heatsink including a fin structure for dissipating heat energy and with a diameter of the circular first end of the thermally conductive structure inserted into an opening in the heatsink; and

an optical housing mounted to the heatsink and disposed over the flattened second end of the thermally conductive structure.

19. The LED lamp of claim 18, wherein the light engine is suspended within the optical housing.

20. The LED lamp of claim 18, wherein the substrate of the light engine includes an aluminum nitride (AlN), aluminum oxide (Al203), fiber glass board, metal-clad dielectric board, or diamond film material.

21. The LED lamp of claim 18, wherein the fin structure of the heatsink includes flat leaf fins, wave lead fins, pin fins, flat disc fins, or wave disc fins.

22. The LED lamp of claim 18, wherein the plurality of LEDs is selected in accordance with a white light emitting method selected from red, green, and blue (RGB) LED mixing, red, amber, green, and blue (RAGB) LED mixing, blue LEDs coated with phosphor material, or ultra-violet (uV) LEDs coated with phosphor material.

23. A method of manufacturing a light emitting diode (LED) lamp, comprising:

providing a light engine including a substrate and a plurality of LEDs mounted to the substrate;

providing a thermally conductive structure including a circular first end and a flattened second end with a distance between opposing parallel sides of the flattened second end less than a diameter of the circular first end;

mounting the light engine over the thermally conductive structure;

providing a heatsink including an opening extending from a first surface of the heatsink to a second surface of the heatsink opposite the first surface;

inserting the diameter of the thermally conductive structure into the opening in the heatsink; and

mounting an optical housing to the first surface of the heatsink with the light engine suspended within the optical housing.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the substrate includes aluminum nitride (AlN), aluminum oxide (Al203), fiber glass board, metal-clad dielectric board, or diamond film material.

25. The method of claim 23, further including forming a fluorescent or phosphorous material over or within the substrate.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the heatsink includes a fin structure, the fin structure including flat leaf fins, wave lead fins, pin fins, flat disc fins, or wave disc fins.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the LEDs are selected in accordance with a white light emitting method selected from red, green, and blue (RGB) LED mixing, red, amber, green, and blue (RAGB) LED mixing, blue LEDs coated with phosphor material, or ultra-violet (uV) LEDs coated with phosphor material.