LED light fixture with fluid flow to and from the heat sink

• US 9,243,794 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilcox, Kurt S., Kinnune, Brian, Snell, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruce, David V
• Application Number:
  US13/764,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20140049961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 362/153, 362/153.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/033 the surface being a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/04 with provision for changing light source, e.g. turret auxiliary devices for cleaning, placing, or removing incandescent lamps H01K3/32, fluorescent lamps H01J9/006
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/005 for several lighting devices in an end-to-end arrangement, i.e. light tracks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/116 Fixing lighting devices to arms or standards F21V21/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 27/00 Cable-stowing arrangements structurally associated with lighting devices, e.g. reels storing lengths of cable in general B65H; the lighting devices being vehicle headlamps F21S41/192; the lighting devices being vehicle lights F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/507 of means for protecting lighting devices from damage, e.g. housings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/56 using liquid coolants F21V29/51 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/60 characterised by the use of a forced flow of gas, e.g. air
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/71 using a combination of separate elements interconnected by heat-conducting means, e.g. with heat pipes or thermally conductive bars between separate heat-sink elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/75 with fins or blades having different shapes, thicknesses or spacing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/03 with provision for venting for vehicle head lights F21S45/33; for vehicle rear lights F21S41/192
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 : of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 : Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 : of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 : comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode

Abstract

An LED light fixture including a housing and an LED assembly secured with respect to the housing. The LED assembly includes a heat sink and an LED illuminator secured with respect to an LED-supporting region of the heat sink with heat-dissipating surfaces extending therefrom. The heat sink having front, rear and lateral sides and being open to ambient-fluid flow to and from the heat-dissipating surfaces along each of the sides.

Claims

1. An LED light fixture comprising:

a housing; and

an LED assembly secured with respect to the housing and comprising (a) a heat sink including an LED-supporting region and heat-dissipating surfaces extending therefrom, the heat sink having front, rear and lateral sides and being open to ambient-fluid flow to and from the heat-dissipating surfaces along each of the sides, and (b) an LED illuminator secured with respect to the LED-supporting region of the heat sink.

2. The LED light fixture of claim 1 wherein the heat sink includes central and peripheral portions, the central portion including the LED-supporting region and having central heat-dissipating surfaces opposite the LED illuminator, the peripheral portion having peripheral heat-dissipating surfaces along the lateral sides of the heat sink.

3. The LED light fixture of claim 2 further comprising at least one central-portion venting aperture facilitating ambient-fluid flow to and from the central heat-dissipating surfaces.

4. The LED light fixture of claim 3 wherein the central-portion venting aperture is partially defined by the housing.

5. The LED light fixture of claim 3 wherein the central portion has a plurality of elongate fins protruding in a direction opposite the LED illuminator and extending from distal fin-ends adjacent to the front side of the heat sink to proximal fin-ends adjacent to the rear side of the heat sink.

6. The LED light fixture of claim 5 wherein at least one of the proximal fin-ends is secured to the housing.

7. The LED light fixture of claim 5 wherein the fins define horizontal between-fin channels open at the distal fin-ends, the proximal fin-ends configured to permit ambient-fluid flow from the between-fin channels to the at least one central-portion aperture, thereby to facilitate liquid drainage therefrom.

8. The LED light fixture of claim 7 wherein, in the mounted position, the central portion has between-fin surfaces which are inclined off-horizontal, thereby to facilitate liquid drainage from the heat sink.

9. The LED light fixture of claim 7 wherein at least one of the proximal fin-ends is secured with respect to the housing.

10. The LED light fixture of claim 9 wherein the housing and the heat sink are formed as one piece.

11. The LED light fixture of claim 2 wherein the peripheral portions of the heat sink each have at least one peripheral-portion venting aperture along the heat sink to facilitate ambient-fluid flow to and from the peripheral heat-dissipating surfaces.

12. The LED light fixture of claim 11 further comprising at least one central-portion venting aperture facilitating ambient-fluid flow to and from the central heat-dissipating surfaces.

13. The LED light fixture of claim 11 wherein each of the peripheral portions has at least one peripheral fin along the heat sink, the peripheral fins extending from distal fin-ends adjacent to the front side of the heat sink to proximal fin-ends adjacent to the rear side of the heat sink.

14. The LED light fixture of claim 13 wherein the proximal fin-ends of the peripheral fins are secured to the housing.

15. The LED light fixture of claim 13 wherein the at least one peripheral-portion venting aperture includes at least a pair of venting apertures between the respective peripheral fin and the central portion of the heat sink.

16. The LED light fixture of claim 15 wherein the peripheral-portion venting apertures are elongate in spaced substantially end-to-end relationship with a non-apertured region therebetween.

17. The LED light fixture of claim 16 wherein the combined length of the apertures along each respective peripheral fin constitutes a majority of the length of such fin.

18. The LED light fixture of claim 11 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.

19. The LED light fixture of claim 18 wherein the central portion has a plurality of forwardly-extending fins extending from the central portion of the heat sink with open spaces between such fins.

20. The LED light fixture of claim 19 wherein the heat sink is 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 then the forward-rearward and side-to-side dimensions of the heat sink.

21. The LED light fixture of claim 20 wherein:

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

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

22. The LED light fixture of claim 1 wherein the housing and the heat sink are formed as one piece.

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

24. The LED light fixture of claim 23 wherein the LED emitter comprises an array of LED light sources spaced along the mounting board.

25. The LED light fixture of claim 24 wherein the LED optical member comprises a plurality of lenses each over a corresponding one of the LED light sources.

26. The LED light fixture of claim 25 wherein each LED light source comprises an array of LEDs.

27. An LED light fixture comprising a frame and an LED assembly secured thereto, the LED assembly comprising a heat sink and an LED illuminator on a bottom surface thereof, the heat sink, when the fixture is in its mounted orientation, comprising a top surface which in plan view has a surrounding edge, the top surface sloping downwardly toward the surrounding edge in at least two of the forward, rearward and opposite lateral plan-view directions, thereby facilitating liquid drainage from the heat sink.

28. The LED light fixture of claim 27 wherein through-openings are formed in the fixture for ambient fluid flow to and from the heat sink.

29. The LED light fixture of claim 28 wherein the heat sink defines the through-openings.

30. The LED light fixture of claim 27 wherein the top surface slopes toward the at least three of the forward, rearward and opposite lateral plan-view directions.

31. The LED light fixture of claim 30 wherein the surface slopes toward each of such plan-view directions.

32. The LED light fixture of claim 30 wherein the heat sink includes central and peripheral portions, the peripheral portion having peripheral heat-dissipating surfaces along the lateral sides of the heat sink.

33. The LED light fixture of claim 32 further comprising at least one central-portion venting aperture facilitating ambient-fluid flow to and from the top surface.

34. The LED light fixture of claim 33 further comprising a housing with the LED assembly secured with respect thereto, the central-portion venting aperture being at least partially defined by the housing.

35. The LED light fixture of claim 34 wherein the central portion of the heat sink has a plurality of elongate fins protruding from the top surface in a direction opposite the LED illuminator, the sloping top surface including between-fin surfaces.

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

37. The LED light fixture of claim 36 further comprising a housing secured with respect to the LED assembly, the housing comprising a housing top surface sloping downwardly in at least two of the forward, rearward and opposite lateral plan-view directions, thereby facilitating liquid drainage therefrom.

38. The LED light fixture of claim 37 wherein the top housing surface is of a housing upper shell, the housing upper shell and heat sink being formed as a single piece, whereby the housing upper shell facilitates heat dissipation.

39. The LED light fixture of claim 38 wherein the top housing surface slopes toward the top surface of the heat sink, whereby liquid drainage from the housing facilitates cooling of the heat sink.

40. The LED light fixture of claim 39 wherein the heat sink, the frame and the housing upper shell are formed as a single piece.

41. An LED light fixture comprising a frame and an LED assembly secured thereto, the LED assembly comprising (a) a heat sink with an LED-supporting region and heat-dissipating surfaces extending therefrom and (b) an LED illuminator secured with respect to the LED-supporting region, the heat sink having front, rear and lateral sides each being open to ambient fluid flow to and from the heat-dissipating surfaces, the LED-supporting region having a surface opposite the LED illuminator which surface, when the fixture is in its mounted orientation, slopes toward at least two of the sides of the heat sink, thereby facilitating liquid drainage from the heat sink.

42. The LED light fixture of claim 41 wherein the surface slopes toward at least three of the sides of the heat sink.

43. The LED light fixture of claim 42 wherein the surface slopes toward each of the sides of the heat sink.

44. The LED light fixture of claim 43 wherein the heat sink includes central and peripheral portions, the central portion including the LED-supporting region and having central heat-dissipating surfaces opposite the LED illuminator, the peripheral portion having peripheral heat-dissipating surfaces along the lateral sides of the heat sink.

45. The LED light fixture of claim 44 further comprising at least one central-portion venting aperture facilitating ambient-fluid flow to and from the central heat-dissipating surfaces.

46. The LED light fixture of claim 45 further comprising a housing with the LED assembly secured with respect thereto, the central-portion venting aperture being at least partially defined by the housing.

47. The LED light fixture of claim 46 wherein the central portion of the heat sink has a plurality of elongate fins protruding in a direction opposite the LED illuminator, the sloping surface opposite the LED illuminator including between-fin surfaces.

48. The LED light fixture of claim 41 wherein the frame and the heat sink are formed as one piece.

49. An LED light fixture comprising:

a housing; and

an LED assembly secured with respect to the housing and including (a) a heat sink including an LED-supporting region and heat-dissipating surfaces extending therefrom, the heat sink having front, rear and lateral sides and defining openings open to ambient-fluid flow to and from the heat-dissipating surfaces, the openings being along at least two of the sides which are transverse to one another, and (b) an LED illuminator secured with respect to the LED-supporting region of the heat sink.

50. The LED light fixture of claim 49 wherein the openings are along two of the lateral sides and the rear side.

51. The LED light fixture of claim 49 wherein the frame and the heat sink are formed as one piece.