LED package mount

• US 9,279,543 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lay, James Michael, Le, Long Larry, Pickard, Paul Kenneth, van de Ven, Antony Paul, Wellborn, James Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F
• Application Number:
  US12/901,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20120087137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 361/720, 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: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0045 by tongue and groove connections, e.g. dovetail interlocking means fixed by sliding
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/86 Ceramics or glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A light emitting diode package mounting apparatus comprises a heatsink defining a surface comprising one of a male or female connector. An LED package has a base where a portion of the base defines the other of the female or male connector. The connectors engage one another such that a force is exerted on the base that presses the LED package against the surface. To assemble the LED package in the heat sink, the LED package is located on the surface. The LED package and heatsink are moved relative to one another such that the male connector is inserted into the female connector.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED) package mounting apparatus comprising:

a heatsink comprising a first surface and an arm, the arm disposed over the first surface and defining a space between the arm and the first surface wherein the arm comprises a camming surface extending at an angle relative to the first surface between a first end of the arm and a second end of the arm such that the distance between the camming surface and the first surface decreases from the first edge toward the second edge;

an LED package comprising a base that supports an LED, the base comprising a second surface that supports the LED and a third surface in contact with the first surface over substantially the entire extent of the third surface, the base being inserted into the space from the first end such that a force applied to the base by the camming surface increases as the base is inserted into the space, the arm engaging the second surface of the base such that the force is exerted on the base to clamp the third surface against the first surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arm further comprises a plurality of arms wherein the plurality of arms are equally spaced about the first surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the plurality of arms are arranged in opposed pairs.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the base comprises a plurality of projections extending laterally from the base, said plurality of projections being spaced from one another by a plurality of recesses, the plurality of recesses being wider than the plurality of arms.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arm comprises a projection for mechanically engaging the base.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arm extends in a cantilevered fashion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the camming surface presses the base against the first surface when the base is rotated relative to the camming surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base comprises a shoulder defined by a pair of recessed areas that extends under the arm.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the heat sink further comprises four arms equally spaced from one another, each of the four arms disposed over the surface and defining spaces between the arms and the first surface, wherein the base comprises a plurality of male connectors, one of the plurality of male connectors being disposed in each one of the spaces, the four arms being configured such that the four arms exert the force on the base that clamps the LED package against the first surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the base comprises four shoulders defined by recessed areas between the shoulders, one of the four shoulders being located under each one of the four arms.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a tab on the heatsink for engaging the LED package to fix a lateral position of the LED package relative to the first surface.

12. A light emitting diode (LED) package mounting apparatus comprising:

a heatsink comprising a surface and a first arm and a second arm spaced from the surface to define a first space between the first arm and the surface and a second space between the second arm and the surface;

an LED package having a base that supports an LED, the base comprising a first shoulder and a second shoulder, said first shoulder being disposed in the first space and the second shoulder being disposed in the second space, the first arm being configured such that the first arm exerts a force on the first shoulder to clamp the first shoulder between the first arm and the surface and the second arm being configured such that the second arm exerts the force on the second shoulder to clamp the second shoulder between the second arm and the surface such that the base is pressed against the surface without waffling the base wherein a first recess is disposed between the first shoulder and the second shoulder and a second recess is disposed between the second shoulder and the first shoulder.

13. A method of assembling a light emitting diode (LED) package in a heatsink comprising:

providing a heatsink comprising a first surface and a second surface disposed over the first surface and defining a space between the first surface and the second surface;

providing an LED package comprising a LED board on which a LED is mounted, the LED board comprising a shoulder formed between two recesses;

locating the LED package on the first surface;

after locating the LED package on the first surface, rotating the LED package and heatsink relative to one another such that the shoulder is inserted into the space to engage the LED package with the first surface to thereby thermally couple the heat sink to the LED package.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the second surface is formed on an arm that is spaced from the first surface to define the space, each of the two recesses being wider than the arm.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of rotating the LED package further comprises rotating the LED package such that the shoulder is disposed under the arm.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of rotating the LED package relative to the surface further comprises engaging a stop on the heatsink to limit movement of the LED package.

17. A light emitting diode (LED) package mounting apparatus comprising:

a heatsink comprising a first surface and a second surface disposed over the first surface and defining a space between the first surface and the second surface and a first engagement element on the first surface;

an LED package comprising a second engagement element and a LED board on which a LED is mounted, the LED board comprising a shoulder formed between two recesses the shoulder being disposed in the space such that a force is exerted on the LED board that clamps the LED board against the first surface, the first engagement element engaging the second engagement element such that the first engagement element is rotatable relative to the second engagement element such that the LED board is able to rotate relative to the heat sink on the surface to insert the shoulder into the space.

18. A light emitting diode (LED) package mounting apparatus comprising:

a heatsink comprising a plurality of stationary arms, the stationary arms formed as part of the heat sink and disposed over the surface and defining a plurality of spaces where one space of the plurality of spaces is positioned between one arm of the a plurality of stationary arms and the surface;

an LED package comprising a base that supports an LED, the base comprising a plurality of shoulders and a plurality of recesses, one of the recesses disposed between two adjacent shoulders, one shoulder of said plurality of shoulders being disposed in each of the plurality of spaces, the plurality of arms being configured to exert a force on the plurality of shoulders to clamp the shoulders between the arms and the surface;

the base having a thickness, and a distance between the plurality of arms and the surface being less than the thickness of the base such that the plurality of arms contacts a first surface of the base and the surface contacts a second surface of the base such that a force is exerted on the base that clamps the LED package against the surface without waffling the base.

19. A light emitting diode (LED) package mounting apparatus comprising:

a heatsink comprising a first surface and a female connector, the female connector comprising a plurality of arms equally spaced about the first surface, the plurality of arms disposed over the first surface and defining spaces between the plurality of arms and the first surface;

an LED package comprising a base that supports an LED, the base comprising a second surface in contact with the first surface over substantially the entire extent of the second surface and a male connector, the male connector comprising a plurality of projections extending laterally from the base, said plurality of projections being spaced from one another by a plurality of recesses, the plurality of recesses being wider than the plurality of arms and disposed in the spaces, the plurality of arms being configured such that the plurality of arms exert a force on the base that clamps the second surface of the LED package against the first surface.

20. A light emitting diode (LED) package mounting apparatus comprising:

a heatsink comprising a first surface and an arm, the arm disposed over the first surface and defining a space between the arm and the first surface;

an LED package comprising a base that supports an LED, the base comprising a second surface that supports the LED and a third surface in contact with the first surface over substantially the entire extent of the third surface, the arm engaging the second surface of the base such that a force is exerted on the base that clamps the third surface against the first surface;

a first engagement element on the first surface that engages a second mating engagement element on the base such that the first engagement element is rotatable relative to the second engagement element and the base.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the base has a thickness, and a distance between the arm and the first surface is less than the thickness of the base.