Multi-element LED lamp package

• US 8,324,635 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creeled Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hutchins, Edward Lloyd
• Primary Examiner(s): Sefer, A.
• Application Number:
  US12/895,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20110018466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 257/79, 257/89, 257/94, 257/96, 257/98
• US Class Current: 257/79
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/147 the main emission direction of the LED being angled to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/321 the reflector being a surface of revolution or a planar surface, e.g. truncated
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/337 the reflector having a structured surface, e.g. with facets or corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/60 characterised by a variable light distribution
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/04 Optical design
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/8592 Applying permanent coating, e.g. protective coating
• 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 2924/00014 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 33/54 having a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements

Abstract

In one embodiment, a single light emitting diode lamp package includes at least two light emitting devices that can be switched independently of one another and thus may be useful in vehicular lighting applications, for example low and high beam headlights. In another embodiment, a LED device includes a first LED die and at least one additional LED die disposed at different positions within a common reflector cup. Multiple LED sub-assemblies may be mounted to a common lead frame along non-coincident principal axes. Methods for varying intensity or color from multi-LED lamps are further provided.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED) package comprising:

a first LED sub-assembly comprising a first LED die, a first reflector having a first principal axis, and a first lens;

a second LED sub-assembly comprising a second LED die, a second reflector having a second principal axis, and a second lens; and

a common lead frame;

wherein the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly are mounted to the common lead frame; and

wherein the first LED sub-assembly is adapted to emit a first beam centered in a first direction, and the second LED sub-assembly is adapted to emit a second beam centered in a second direction that is different from the first direction, wherein the second direction is non-parallel to the first direction.

2. The LED package of claim 1, wherein the first principal axis and the second principal axis are non-parallel.

3. The LED package of claim 1, wherein each of the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly is independently controlled.

4. The LED package of claim 1, wherein each of the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly comprises an encapsulant material at least partially disposed within the associated reflector.

5. The LED package of claim 4, wherein the first lens substantially covers the encapsulant material and the first reflector of the first LED sub-assembly, and the second lens substantially covers the encapsulant material and the second reflector of the second LED sub-assembly.

6. The LED package of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of any of the first reflector, the second reflector, the first lens, and the second lens is faceted.

7. The LED package of claim 1, wherein the first reflector and the second reflector comprises a geometric shape selected from the group consisting of parabolic, ellipsoid, and compound curves.

8. The LED package of claim 1, wherein any of the first reflector and the second reflector is asymmetric.

9. The LED package of claim 1, wherein any of the first lens and the second lens is asymmetric.

10. The LED package of claim 1, wherein the second die is disposed non-coincident with the second principal axis.

11. The LED package of claim 1, wherein the second die is disposed non-coincident with the second principal axis and the second reflector is asymmetric.

12. The LED package of claim 1, wherein the second reflector is asymmetric and the second lens is asymmetric.

13. The LED package of claim 1, wherein the second die is disposed non-coincident with the second principal axis, the second reflector is asymmetric, and the second lens is asymmetric.

14. The LED package of claim 1, wherein any of the first LED die and the second LED die has a spectral output selected from the group consisting of white light, blue light, red light, green light, yellow light, ultraviolet radiation, and combinations thereof.

15. The LED package of claim 1, wherein each of the first LED die and the second LED die has a white light spectral output.

16. The LED package of claim 1, wherein the first LED die has a white light spectral output and the second LED die has an infrared spectral output.

17. The LED package of claim 1, wherein the first LED die has a white light spectral output and the second LED die has a yellow light spectral output.

18. The LED package of claim 1, wherein the first LED die has a white light spectral output and the second LED die has a red light spectral output.

19. The LED package of claim 1, wherein any of the first LED die and the second LED die comprises a RGB die.

20. A lighting product comprising the LED package of claim 1.

21. The LED package of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly comprises at least one additional LED die.

22. The LED package of claim 21, wherein the at least one additional LED die is independently controllable relative to the first LED die and the second LED die.

23. The LED package of claim 1, further comprising at least one phosphor material arranged to receive light from at least one of the first LED die and the second LED die.

24. The LED package of claim 1, further comprising a third LED sub-assembly comprising a third LED die, a third reflector, and a third lens.

25. The LED package of claim 1, comprising an associated photosensor, wherein operation of the LED package is controlled responsive to an output signal of the photosensor.

26. A method of controlling light originating from a light emitting diode (LED) lamp comprising at least one LED package according to claim 1, the method comprising independently operating the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein independent operation of the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly includes adjusting any of current and voltage supplied to the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly.

28. A method according to claim 26, wherein independent operation of the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly is performed to control direction of light output by the LED lamp.

29. A method according to claim 26, wherein independent operation of the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly is performed to control color of light output by the LED lamp.

30. A method according to claim 26, wherein each of the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly comprises a white light spectral output.

31. A method according to claim 26, wherein the first LED sub-assembly comprises a white light spectral output and the second LED sub-assembly comprises a yellow light spectral output.

32. A method according to claim 26, wherein the first LED sub-assembly comprises a white light spectral output and the second LED sub-assembly comprises a red light spectral output.

33. A method according to claim 26, wherein the first LED sub-assembly comprises a white light spectral output and the second LED sub-assembly comprises an infrared light spectral output.

34. A method according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED subassembly comprises a spectral output selected from the group consisting of white light, blue light, red light, green light, yellow light, ultraviolet radiation, and combinations thereof.

35. A method according to claim 26, wherein any of the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly comprises multiple LEDs.

36. A method according to claim 26, wherein each of the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly comprises multiple LEDs.

37. A method according to claim 36, wherein each LED of each LED sub-assembly is independently controllable.

38. A method according to claim 26, wherein the at least one of the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly comprises a RGB LED package.

39. A method according to claim 26, wherein the first LED sub-assembly comprises a first RGB LED package, and the second LED sub-assembly comprises a second RGB LED package.

40. A method according to claim 26, further comprising controlling operation of at least one of the first LED sub-assembly and the second LED sub-assembly responsive to an output signal of a photosensor.