Plastic LED bulb

• US 8,702,257 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Switch Bulb Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Switch Bulb Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Lenk, Ronald J., Lenk, Carol, Chandler, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US12/299,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20090257220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,552 Days
• Field of Search: 362/84, 362/96, 362/186, 362/293, 36231101-31104, 36231113-31115, 362/318, 362/355, 362/363, 362/800, 362/218, 362/294, 362/373, 362/650, 362/260, 313498-512, 313/46
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/60 Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/90 Methods of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/58 characterised by the coolants
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/85 characterised by the material liquid coolants F21V29/56
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/00 Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/0625 the material diffusing light, e.g. translucent plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/08 the material comprising photoluminescent substances
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/12 with liquid-filled chambers
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/395 Filling vessels
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/22 for screw type base, e.g. for lamp
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An LED bulb having a bulb-shaped shell, a thermally conductive plastic material within the bulb-shaped shell, and at least one LED within the bulb-shaped shell. The bulb also includes a base, wherein the base is dimensioned to be received within a standard electrical socket.

Claims

1. An LED bulb comprising:

a shell;

a thermally conductive material within the shell, wherein the thermally conductive material is a liquid material;

at least one LED within the shell;

a dispersion material distributed throughout the liquid material, wherein the dispersion material is configured to shift the color of light emitted from the at least one LED and the dispersion material is configured to disperse the light from the at least one LED; and

a base configured to fit within a socket.

2. The LED bulb as set forth in claim 1, wherein the base comprises a series of screw threads and a base pin, wherein the screw threads and base pin are dimensioned to be received within a standard electrical socket.

3. The LED bulb as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shell is a plastic material.

4. The LED bulb as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the at least one LED is mounted within the thermally conductive material.

5. The LED bulb as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one LED is thermally connected to the thermally conductive material through a shell-wall.

6. The LED bulb as set forth in claim 1, wherein the shell is configured to disperse the light from the at least one LED.

7. The LED bulb as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a color shifting material within the shell, wherein the color shifting material is configured to shift light from the at least one LED from a first color spectrum to a second color spectrum.

8. The LED bulb as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a dye added to the shell, wherein the dye is configured to shift the light of the at least one LED from a first color spectrum to a second color spectrum.

9. The LED bulb as set forth in claim 1, wherein the dispersion material is configured to shift light from the at least one LED from a first color spectrum to a second color spectrum.

10. The LED bulb as set forth in claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive material is a liquid plastic.

11. A method of manufacturing an LED bulb comprising:

creating a shell;

installing at least one LED in the shell; and

filling the shell with a thermally conductive material, wherein the thermally conductive material is a liquid material, a dispersion material is distributed throughout the liquid material, the dispersion material is configured to shift the color of light emitted from the at least one LED, and the dispersion material is configured to disperse the light from the at least one LED.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising attaching a base to the shell, wherein the base is dimensioned to be received within a standard electrical socket.

13. A method of manufacturing an LED bulb comprising:

creating a shell;

installing at least one LED in the shell; and

filling the shell with a gel, wherein the gel includes a dispersion material distributed throughout the gel, the dispersion material is configured to shift the color of light emitted from the at least one LED, and the dispersion material is configured to disperse the light from the at least one LED.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the gel has the characteristics to color shift the light.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the shell includes a color shifting material, wherein the color shifting material is configured to shift light from the LED from a first color spectrum to a second color spectrum.

16. The method as set forth in claim 13, further comprising adding a dye to the shell, wherein the dye is configured to shift the light of the at least one LED from a first color spectrum to a second color spectrum.

17. The method as set forth in claim 13, further comprising adding a dye to the gel, wherein the dye is configured to shift the light of the at least one LED from a first color spectrum to a second color spectrum.

18. A method of manufacturing an LED bulb comprising:

creating a shell;

filling the shell with gel; and

installing at least one LED in the gel filled shell, wherein the gel includes a dispersion material distributed throughout the gel, the dispersion material is configured to shift the color of light emitted from the at least one LED, and the dispersion material is configured to disperse the light from the at least one LED.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, wherein the gel has the characteristics to disperse and/or color shift the light from the at least one LED.

20. The method as set forth in claim 18, wherein the shell includes a color shifting material, wherein the color shifting material is configured to shift light from the LED from a first color spectrum to a second color spectrum.

21. The method as set forth in claim 18, further comprising adding a dye to the shell, wherein the dye is configured to shift the light of the at least one LED from a first color spectrum to a second color spectrum.

22. The method as set forth in claim 18, further comprising adding a dye to the gel, wherein the dye is configured to shift the light of the at least one LED from a first color spectrum to a second color spectrum.