LED lamp with LED board heat sink

• US 9,285,082 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Athalye, Praneet
• Primary Examiner(s): Santiago, Mariceli
• Application Number:
  US13/852,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20140292176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 313/46, 362/294, 362/373
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0035 the fastening means being capable of simultaneously attaching of an other part, e.g. a housing portion or an optical component
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/503 of light sources cooling arrangements structurally associated with gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps H01J61/52; cooling arrangements structurally associated with electric incandescent lamps H01K1/58; cooling arrangements structurally associated with light-emitting diodes H01L33/64
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• 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: F21Y 2107/10 on concave supports or substrates, e.g. on the inner side of bowl-shaped supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/70 on flexible or deformable supports or substrates, e.g. for changing the light source into a desired form
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/056 the metal substrate being covered by an organic insulating layer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09018 Rigid curved substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]

Abstract

A LED lamp includes an optically transmissive enclosure and a base connected to the enclosure. LEDs are mounted on a substrate for emitting light when energized though an electrical path from the base. The mounting substrate for the LEDs has a surface that is exposed to the exterior of the enclosure for transmitting heat from the plurality of LEDs and dissipating heat to the ambient environment.

Claims

1. A LED lamp comprising:

an enclosure that is at least partially optically transmissive defining an interior and an exterior, the enclosure comprising an exterior surface having a curvature;

a base connected to the enclosure;

a plurality of LEDs mounted on a mounting surface of a substrate for emitting light when energized though an electrical path from the base, the substrate comprising an electrical conductor in the electrical path for providing current to the plurality of LEDs, wherein the enclosure comprises apertures and the substrate comprises portions that fit into the apertures, the portions supporting at least one LED positioned in the interior, the substrate having a surface that is exposed to the exterior of the enclosure for transmitting heat from the plurality of LEDs and dissipating heat to the ambient environment wherein the surface of the substrate and the mounting surface are the same physical component, the substrate being formed to conform to the curvature of the exterior surface of the enclosure such that the substrate does not protrude beyond the exterior surface.

2. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the base comprises an Edison base.

3. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the plurality of LEDs are disposed near an interior surface of the enclosure and are positioned to direct light primarily inwardly toward a center of the enclosure.

4. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the plurality of LEDs are disposed about the periphery of the enclosure.

5. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the substrate is made of a single one-piece part.

6. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the substrate is made of a plurality of separate parts.

7. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the substrate is made of a thermally conductive material.

8. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the surface of the substrate is generally smooth.

9. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the plurality of LEDs are mounted directly to the substrate.

10. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the substrate is approximately 0.25 mm to 5 mm thick.

11. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the outer dimensions of the lamp fall within the ANSI standards for an A19 bulb.

12. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises one of aluminum board, flexible PCB, PCB and MCPCB.

13. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the substrate is bent along score lines.

14. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the score lines comprise thinned areas of the substrate.

15. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the plurality of LEDs face at various angles relative to the longitudinal axis of the lamp.

16. The lamp of claim 1 wherein a sufficient portion of the substrate is exposed to the ambient environment that heat is dissipated from the plurality of LEDs via the substrate to prevent degradation of the plurality of LEDs.

17. The lamp of claim 1 wherein a power supply is located in the base and the substrate is physically spaced from the base.

18. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the portions comprise a plurality of fingers where each finger supports at least one LED.

19. The lamp of claim 18 wherein the plurality of fingers are connected to one another by a support.

20. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the plurality of fingers and the support are formed of a single piece of material.

21. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the support is generally ring shaped.

22. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the support is positioned between the base and the enclosure.

23. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the support is positioned inside the base.

24. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the support is positioned outside of the enclosure.

25. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the plurality of fingers extend from one side of the support with the plurality of LEDs facing inwardly.

26. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the plurality of fingers extend from both sides of the support.

27. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the support is located at the approximate equator of the enclosure with the fingers disposed above and below the support.

28. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the support is positioned between a first and a second enclosure portion.

29. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the support is disposed on a longitudinal line of the bulb.

30. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the fingers extend from the support toward the distal end of the bulb and extend only to the equator of the enclosure.

31. A LED lamp comprising:

an enclosure that is at least partially optically transmissive defining an interior and an exterior, the enclosure comprising an exterior surface having a curvature;

a base connected to the enclosure;

a plurality of LEDs mounted on a mounting surface of a substrate for emitting light when energized though an electrical path from the base, the substrate comprising an electrical conductor in the electrical path for providing current to the plurality of LEDs, wherein the enclosure comprises and the substrate comprises portions that fit into the apertures, the portions supporting at least one LED positioned in the interior, the substrate having a surface that is exposed to the exterior of the enclosure for transmitting heat from the plurality of LEDs and dissipating heat to the ambient environment wherein the surface of the substrate and the mounting surface are the same physical component, the substrate being formed to follow the curvature of the exterior surface of the enclosure such that the surface forms a generally contiguous part of the enclosure, wherein the portions comprise a plurality of fingers where each finger supports at least one LED and the plurality of fingers are connected to one another by a support where the support is positioned between a first and a second enclosure portion.

32. A LED lamp comprising:

an enclosure that is at least partially optically transmissive;

a base connected to the enclosure;

a plurality of LEDs mounted on a substrate for emitting light when energized though an electrical path from the base, the substrate having a surface that is exposed to the exterior of the enclosure for transmitting heat from the plurality of LEDs and dissipating heat to the ambient environment, wherein the lamp is a directional lamp comprising a reflective surface, the substrate being mounted on the enclosure between the enclosure and a lens such that it is physically spaced from the base.

33. The lamp of claim 32 wherein the lens defines an exit surface of the lamp.

34. The lamp of claim 32 wherein the substrate comprises a support mounted between the enclosure and a lens.

35. The lamp of claim 34 further comprising a plurality of fingers extending from the support toward the base.

36. The lamp of claim 32 comprising a housing portion that extends into the center of the enclosure wherein the housing portion contains at least a portion of the lamp electronics.

37. The lamp of claim 36 wherein a reflective surface is provided on an exterior surface of the housing portion such that the housing portion reflects light outwardly toward the enclosure.

38. A LED lamp comprising:

an enclosure that is at least partially optically transmissive defining an interior and an exterior, the enclosure comprising an exterior surface having a curvature;

a base connected to the enclosure;

a plurality of LEDs mounted on a mounting surface of a substrate for emitting light when energized though an electrical path from the base, the substrate comprising at least one of aluminum board, flexible PCB, PCB and MCPCB and comprising an electrical conductor in the electrical path for providing current to the plurality of LEDs, wherein the enclosure comprises apertures and the substrate comprises portions that fit into the apertures, the portions supporting at least one LED positioned in the interior, the substrate having a surface that is exposed to the exterior of the enclosure for transmitting heat from the plurality of LEDs and dissipating heat to the ambient environment wherein the surface of the substrate and the mounting surface are the same physical component, the substrate being formed to conform to the curvature of the exterior surface of the enclosure such that the substrate does not protrude beyond the exterior surface.