LED lighting fixture

• US 9,222,632 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kinnune, Brian, Snell, Nathan, Sorenson, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US13/764,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20140211470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 362/244, 362/245, 362/247, 362/248, 362/294, 362/373
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/116 Fixing lighting devices to arms or standards F21V21/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/045 the sensor receiving a signal from a remote controller
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/507 of means for protecting lighting devices from damage, e.g. housings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/40 Lighting for industrial, commercial, recreational or military use
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/54 having a particular shape

Abstract

An LED light fixture including a frame defining a forward open region and a rearward region with a rearmost portion adapted for securement to a support member. An LED assembly is secured with respect to the frame and positioned within the open forward region with open spaces remaining therebetween. The LED assembly includes an LED illuminator secured with respect to the LED-supporting region of a heat sink with an LED-supporting region and heat-dissipating surfaces extending therefrom. Another aspect of the invention is a non-metallic frame defining a forward open region and having a rearward region having a rearmost portion adapted for securement to a support member. An LED assembly is secured with respect to the frame and positioned within the open forward region with open spaces remaining therebetween.

Claims

1. An LED light fixture comprising:

a peripheral frame defining a forward open region and a rearward region with a rearmost portion adapted for securement to a support member;

an LED assembly secured with respect to the frame and positioned within the open forward region with open spaces remaining therebetween, the LED assembly comprising (a) a heat sink comprising an LED-supporting region and heat-dissipating surfaces extending therefrom and (b) an LED illuminator secured with respect to the LED-supporting region, the forward open region extending forwardly from the rearward region to the peripheral frame and being open thereacross but for the LED assembly; and

an enclosure within the rearward region and defining a chamber enclosing electronic LED power circuitry.

2. The LED light fixture of claim 1 wherein the heat sink and the frame are formed as a single piece.

3. The LED light fixture of claim 1 wherein the enclosure has upper and lower shells, the upper shell and the frame being formed as a single piece.

4. The LED light fixture of claim 3 wherein the heat sink, the upper shell and the frame are formed as a single piece.

5. The LED light fixture of claim 4 wherein the single piece is a metal casting.

6. The LED light fixture of claim 5 wherein the lower shell is movably secured with respect to the upper shell, the lower shell being a one-piece polymeric structure.

7. The LED light fixture of claim 6 wherein the LED power circuitry comprises an antenna and circuitry for wireless control of the fixture, the antenna being fully enclosed within the chamber.

8. The LED light fixture of claim 1 wherein the heat sink is open to ambientfluid flow and comprises a central portion and peripheral portions, the central portion comprising the LED-supporting region, the peripheral portions having peripheral heat-dissipating surfaces along lateral sides of the heat sink.

9. The LED light fixture of claim 8 wherein the central portion has a plurality of fins protruding in a direction opposite the LED illuminator.

10. The LED light fixture of claim 9 wherein the heat sink comprises at least one central-portion venting aperture facilitating ambient-fluid flow to and from the heatdissipating surfaces of the central portion.

11. The LED light fixture of claim 9 wherein, in the mounted position, the central portion has between-fin surfaces which are inclined off-horizontal, thereby facilitating liquid drainage from the heat sink.

12. The LED light fixture of claim 8 wherein the peripheral heat-dissipating surfaces comprise a plurality of fins extending laterally from the central portion of the heat sink with open spaces between such fins.

13. The LED light fixture of claim 12 wherein the central portion has a plurality of fins extending forwardly from the central portion of the heat sink with open spaces between the fins.

14. The LED light fixture of claim 1 wherein:

the enclosure has an upper shell and a lower shell movably secured with respect to the upper shell; and

the electronic LED power circuitry comprises a caseless LED driver the components of which are encapsulated in a protective polymeric material, the driver being removably secured to the upper shell.

15. The LED light fixture of claim 14 wherein the lower shell is a polymeric structure.

16. The LED light fixture of claim 15 wherein the LED power circuitry comprises an antenna and circuitry for wireless control of the fixture, the antenna being fully enclosed within the chamber.

17. The LED light fixture of claim 15 wherein the heat sink, the upper shell and the frame are formed as a single piece.

18. The LED light fixture of claim 17 wherein the single piece is a metal casting.

19. The LED light fixture of claim 1 wherein the LED illuminator comprises an LED emitter on a circuit board and an LED optical member over the emitter.

20. The LED light fixture of claim 19 wherein the LED emitter comprises an array of LED light sources spaced along the circuit board.

21. The LED light fixture of claim 20 wherein the LED optical member comprises a plurality of lenses each over a corresponding one of the LED light sources.

22. The LED light fixture of claim 21 wherein each LED light source comprises an array of LEDs.

23. An LED light fixture comprising:

a non-metallic frame having a peripheral forward portion defining a forward open region and having a rearward region defining a chamber enclosing electronic LED power circuitry, the rearward region having a rearmost portion adapted for securement to a support member; and

an LED assembly secured with respect to the frame and positioned within the forward open region with open space extending from the LED assembly to the peripheral forward portion of the frame on opposite sides of the LED assembly, the LED assembly comprising (a) a heat sink comprising an LEDsupporting region and heat-dissipating surfaces extending therefrom and (b) an LED illuminator secured with respect to the LED-supporting region.

24. The LED light fixture of claim 23 wherein the frame has upper and lower shells.

25. The LED light fixture of claim 23 wherein the non-metallic frame is of a polymeric material.

26. The LED light fixture of claim 25 wherein the LED power circuitry comprises an antenna and circuitry for wireless control of the fixture, the antenna being fully enclosed within the chamber.

27. An LED light fixture comprising:

a frame having a forward peripheral portion defining a forward region of the fixture and further defining a projected forward-region area, the frame also defining a rearward region of the fixture, the rearward region having a rearmost portion adapted for securement to a support member; and

an LED assembly secured in the forward region with open space between the LED assembly and the forward peripheral portion of the frame, the LED assembly comprising a heat sink with an LED illuminator secured with respect thereto, the LED assembly defining a projected LED-assembly area which is no more than about 75% of the projected forward-region area.

28. The LED light fixture of claim 27 wherein the projected LED-assembly area is no more than about 60% of the projected forward-region area.

29. The LED light fixture of claim 27 wherein projected area of open space is at least about 50% of the projected LED-assembly area.

30. The LED light fixture of claim 29 wherein projected area of open space is at least about 60% of the projected LED-assembly area.

31. The LED light fixture of claim 30 wherein projected area of open space is about two-thirds of the projected LED-assembly area.

32. The LED light fixture of claim 27 wherein:

the LED assembly has substantially straight opposite lateral sides;

the open space comprises substantially minor-image areas on opposite lateral sides of the LED assembly; and

the frame has substantially curved outward edges defining the forward region in a footprint substantially similar to the footprint of a cobrahead non-LED light fixture.

33. The LED light fixture of claim 27 wherein the frame and the heat sink are formed as one piece.

34. An LED light fixture comprising:

a frame having an outer perimeter and including a rearward portion and a peripheral forward portion defining a forward open region, the fixture having a rearmost portion adapted for securement to a support member;

an LED assembly secured with respect to the frame and comprising a heat sink with an LED illuminator secured on the heat sink, the forward open region extending forwardly from rearward portion to the peripheral forward portion of the frame and being open thereacross but for the LED assembly, the LED illuminator defining an illuminator plane facing an area to be illuminated, the intersection of the LED assembly with the illuminator plane defining an LED-assembly area and the intersection of the outer perimeter with the illuminator plane defining a fixture area; and

one or more through-spaces in the fixture area such that total through-space area projected in the illuminator plane is at least about 15% of the fixture area.

35. The LED light fixture of claim 34 wherein the total throughspace area projected in the illuminator plane is at least about 40% of the fixture area.

36. The LED light fixture of claim 34 wherein the total throughspace area projected in the illuminator plane is at least about 50% of the LED-assembly area.

37. The LED light fixture of claim 36 wherein the total throughspace area projected in the illuminator plane is at least about 60% of the LED-assembly area.

38. The LED light fixture of claim 37 wherein the total throughspace area projected in the illuminator plane is about two-thirds of the projected LED-assembly area.

39. The LED light fixture of claim 34 wherein:

the LED assembly has substantially straight opposite lateral sides;

the one or more through-spaces comprise substantially mirror-image through-spaces on opposite lateral sides of the LED assembly; and

the frame has substantially curved outward edges defining the outer perimeter substantially similar to the footprint of a cobrahead non-LED light fixture.

40. An LED light fixture comprising:

a frame defining a forward open region and a rearward region with a rearmost portion adapted for securement to a support member;

an LED assembly secured with respect to the frame and positioned within the open forward region with open spaces remaining therebetween, the LED assembly comprising

a heat sink comprising an LED-supporting region and heat-dissipating surfaces extending therefrom open to ambient air flow, the heat sink comprising (i) a central portion having the LED-supporting region and a plurality of fins protruding in a direction opposite the LED illuminator, (ii) peripheral portions having heat-dissipating surfaces along lateral sides of the heat sink, and (iii) at least one central-portion venting aperture facilitating ambient-fluid flow to and from the heat-dissipating surfaces of the central portion, the fins of the central portion defining horizontal between-fin channels open at front fin-ends, the rear fin-ends being configured to permit ambient-fluid flow from the between-fin channels to the at least one centralportion aperture, thereby facilitating liquid drainage therefrom, and

an LED illuminator secured with respect to the LED-supporting region; and

an enclosure within the rearward region and defining a chamber enclosing electronic LED power circuitry.

41. The LED light fixture of claim 40 wherein the at least one central-portion venting aperture is/are adjacent to the enclosure.

42. An LED light fixture comprising:

a frame defining a forward open region and a rearward region with a rearmost portion adapted for securement to a support member;

an LED assembly secured with respect to the frame and positioned within the open forward region with open spaces remaining therebetween, the LED assembly comprising

a heat sink comprising an LED-supporting region and heat-dissipating surfaces extending therefrom and open to ambient air flow, the heat sink comprising a central portion comprising the LED-supporting region and peripheral portions having peripheral heat-dissipating surfaces along lateral sides of the heat sink, the peripheral heat-dissipating surfaces including a plurality of fins extending laterally from the heat-sink central portion with open spaces therebetween, the heat sink being an extrusion which was extruded in a direction orthogonal to both the forward and lateral directions, the extruded dimension of the heat sink being substantially less than the forward-rearward and side-to-side dimensions of the heat sink, and

an LED illuminator secured with respect to the LED-supporting region; and

an enclosure within the rearward region and defining a chamber enclosing electronic LED power circuitry.

43. The LED light fixture of claim 42 wherein:

the central portion of the extrusion comprises walls defining a central opening in the extrusion; and

in addition to the extrusion, the heat sink comprises a mounting plate in thermal contact with the extrusion, the LED illuminator being secured to the mounting plate.