LED lighting fixture

• US 9,261,270 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2015
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• 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: Ruud, Alan J., Wilcox, Kurt S., Walczak, Steven R., Guillien, Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US14/708,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20150241051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249.02, 362/373, 362/294
• 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: F21K 9/20 Light sources comprising attachment means
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• 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 15/013 the housing being an extrusion
• 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 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/009 the casing being inside the housing of the lighting device
• 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 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• 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: F21W 2131/10 : Outdoor lighting
• 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 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

A light fixture comprising a chamber, at least one power-circuitry driver within the chamber, at least one LED module outside the chamber, and at least one air gap between the chamber and the at least one LED module, the air gap permitting air/water-flow therethrough. The chamber is defined by a housing. The at least one LED module is on an LED heat sink outside the chamber. The housing defines the air gap permitting air/water-flow to and from the heat sink.

Claims

1. A light fixture comprising a chamber, at least one power-circuitry driver within the chamber, at least one LED module outside the chamber, and at least one air gap between the chamber and the at least one LED module, the air gap permitting air/water-flow therethrough.

2. The light fixture of claim 1 wherein the chamber is defined by a housing.

3. The light fixture of claim 2 wherein the at least one LED module is on an LED heat sink outside the chamber.

4. The light fixture of claim 3 wherein the housing defines the air gap permitting air/water-flow to and from the heat sink.

5. The light fixture of claim 3 wherein the heat sink is a separate structure connected with respect to the housing.

6. The light fixture of claim 5 wherein the housing and the heat sink define the air gap therebetween.

7. The light fixture of claim 3 wherein the heat sink is open to air/water-flow thereover.

8. The light fixture of claim 3 wherein at least one end of the heat sink is at the chamber and is open to the air gap.

9. The light fixture of claim 3 wherein the heat sink has a module-engaging surface and a heat-dissipating surface.

10. The light fixture of claim 9 wherein the heat-dissipating surface includes at least one fin protruding therefrom.

11. The light fixture of claim 3 wherein the at least one LED module includes a plurality of modules.

12. The light fixture of claim 11 wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of interconnected heat sinks.