Universal light emitting diode illumination device and method

• US 8,328,386 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: J Baxter Brinkmann International Corporation
• Original Assignee: TerraLUX Incorporated
• Inventors: Catalano, Anthony, Harrison, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US13/225,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20120051035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 362202-206, 362/208, 362/197, 362/187, 362/188, 362/240, 362244-246, 362/277, 362/282, 362/285, 362/418, 362/449, 362/646, 362/649, 362/650, 362/651
• US Class Current: 362/208
• 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. An illumination device comprising:

a housing having first and second discrete portions;

disposed within the housing, a sub-assembly comprising (i) at least one solid-state light emitter and (ii) a driving circuit for providing suitable current to the at least one solid-state light emitter; and

disposed within the housing and at least partially surrounding and extending above the at least one solid-state light emitter, a reflective element for directing light emitted by the at least one solid-state light emitter out of the housing along an emission axis, at least the reflective element being rotatable around the at least one solid-state light emitter,

wherein (i) the first portion of the housing is configured for movement relative to the second portion of the housing, the relative movement selectively connecting and disconnecting the at least one solid-state light emitter with a power source and (ii) the driving circuit comprises a high-frequency DC-to-DC converter.

2. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the sub-assembly comprises a printed circuit board on which the at least one solid-state light emitter and the driving circuit are disposed.

3. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the reflective element defines an opening therethrough through which the at least one solid-state light emitter extends.

4. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein a shape of the reflective element defines a portion of a paraboloid or a portion of a cone.

5. The illumination device of claim 1, further comprising a heat sink in thermal communication with the at least one solid-state light emitter for conducting heat therefrom.

6. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the at least one solid-state light emitter is oriented substantially parallel to the emission axis of the illumination device.

7. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the at least one solid-state light emitter is oriented substantially perpendicular to the emission axis of the illumination device.

8. The illumination device of claim 7, wherein the sub-assembly comprises a printed circuit board and the at least one solid-state light emitter comprises at least one solid state-light emitter disposed on each of two opposing surfaces of the printed circuit board.

9. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the at least one solid-state light emitter comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

11. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the housing is configured to contain the power source.

12. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the housing is rotatable around the at least one solid-state light emitter.

13. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the illumination device is configured to accept a replaceable lens.

14. The illumination device of claim 13, further comprising a replaceable lens for altering light emitted from the illumination device.

15. The illumination device of claim 14, wherein the replaceable lens comprises a diffusing lens.

16. The illumination device of claim 14, wherein a surface of the replaceable lens is not flat.

10. An illumination device configured to accept a replaceable lens, the illumination device comprising:

a housing having first and second discrete portions;

disposed within the housing, a sub-assembly comprising (i) at least one solid-state light emitter and (ii) a driving circuit for providing suitable current to the at least one solid-state light emitter;

disposed within the housing and at least partially surrounding and extending above the at least one solid-state light emitter, a reflective element for directing light emitted by the at least one solid-state light emitter out of the housing along an emission axis, at least the reflective element being rotatable around the at least one solid-state light emitter; and

a replaceable lens for altering light emitted from the illumination device,

wherein (i) the first portion of the housing is configured for movement relative to the second portion of the housing, the relative movement selectively connecting and disconnecting the at least one solid-state light emitter with a power source and (ii) the replaceable lens comprises a converging lens.