Light engines for lighting devices

• US 9,285,103 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2009
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Van De Ven, Antony Paul, Swoboda, Charles M., Chan, Wai Kwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sawhney, Hargobind S
• Application Number:
  US12/621,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20110075414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,308 Days
• Field of Search: 362/240, 362/246, 362/247, 362/249.01, 362/249.02, 362/249.1, 362/249.11, 362/294, 362/310, 362/346, 362/362, 362/364, 362/365, 362/370, 362/371, 362/373, 362/396, 362/427, 362/432, 362/455, 362/545, 362/546, 362/548, 362/549, 362/647, 362/648, 362/800
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/061 with a non-rigid pendant, i.e. a cable, wire or chain
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/002 with provision for interchangeability, i.e. component parts being especially adapted to be replaced by another part with the same or a different function F21V17/10 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 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/773 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A light engine housing comprising a mixing chamber element, a driver chamber element and/or a connection element, one or more of which is removable. A light engine comprising (1) a light engine housing and (2) a mixing chamber module and/or a driver module removably attached to and/or positioned in the light engine housing. Also, a light engine comprising (1) a light engine housing and a mixing chamber module and/or a driver module. Also, a solid state light engine comprising a light engine housing comprising at least a first connection element.

Claims

1. A light engine housing comprising:

at least a first mixing chamber element,

at least a first connection element,

at least a first driver chamber element, and

at least a first component selected from among driver modules, trim elements, fixture elements and heat sink modules,

the first connection element configured to hold in place relative to the first mixing chamber element the first component selected from among driver modules, trim elements, fixture elements and heat sink modules,

the first driver chamber element and the first mixing chamber element a single-piece are unitary structure.

2. A light engine housing as recited in claim 1, wherein the mixing chamber element at least in part defines a mixing chamber in which light from at least one solid state light emitter mixes prior to exiting the light engine housing.

3. A light engine housing as recited in claim 1, wherein the driver chamber element defines a driver compartment that has a size and shape that accommodate at least one component selected from among driver components and power supply components.

4. A light engine comprising a light engine housing as recited in claim 1 and at least one component selected from among driver components and power supply components.

5. A light engine comprising a light engine housing as recited in claim 1 and at least one solid state light emitter.

6. A lighting device comprising a light engine housing as recited in claim 1 and at least one other component selected from among fixture elements, trim elements and heat sinks, wherein the connection element provides both mechanical connection and thermal coupling between the light engine housing and the at least one other component selected from among fixture elements, trim elements and heat sinks.

7. A light engine housing, comprising:

at least a first driver chamber element;

at least a first mixing chamber element; and

at least a first connection element,

the first driver chamber element and the first mixing chamber element a single-piece are unitary structure,

the first connection element removably connected to at least one of (1) an exterior of the first driver chamber element and (2) an exterior surface of the first mixing chamber element.

8. A light engine housing as recited in claim 7, wherein

an entirety of the first driver chamber element is to a first side of a first plane,

an entirety of the first mixing chamber element is to a second side of the first plane.

9. A light engine housing as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the first connection element is configured to hold in place relative to the first mixing chamber element at least one component selected from among driver modules, trim elements, fixture elements and heat sink modules.

10. A light engine housing as recited in claim 7, wherein the light engine housing further comprises at least one driver module in or on the driver chamber element.

11. A light engine housing as recited in claim 7, wherein the light engine housing further comprises at least one mixing chamber module in or on the mixing chamber element.

12. A light engine housing as recited in claim 7, wherein the mixing chamber element at least in part defines a mixing chamber in which light from at least one solid state light emitter mixes prior to exiting the light engine housing.

13. A light engine housing as recited in claim 7, wherein the driver chamber element defines a driver compartment that has a size and shape that accommodate at least one component selected from among driver components and power supply components.

14. A light engine housing, comprising,

at least a first driver chamber element;

at least a first mixing chamber element; and

at least a first driver module,

the first driver chamber element and the first mixing chamber element a single-piece are unitary structure.

15. A light engine housing as recited in claim 14, wherein the light engine housing further comprises at least one mixing chamber module in or on the mixing chamber element.

16. A light engine housing as recited in claim 14, wherein the mixing chamber element at least in part defines a mixing chamber in which light from at least one solid state light emitter mixes prior to exiting the light engine housing.

17. A light engine housing as recited in claim 14, wherein the driver chamber element defines a driver compartment that has a size and shape that accommodate at least one component selected from among driver components and power supply components.

18. A light engine housing as recited in claim 14, wherein

an entirety of the first driver chamber element is to a first side of a first plane,

an entirety of the first mixing chamber element is to a second side of the first plane.

19. A light engine housing as recited in claim 14, wherein:

the first connection element is configured to hold in place relative to the first mixing chamber element at least one component selected from among driver modules, trim elements, fixture elements and heat sink modules.

20. A light engine housing, comprising,

at least a first driver chamber element;

at least a first mixing chamber element; and

at least a first mixing chamber module;

the first driver chamber element and the first mixing chamber element a single-piece are unitary structure.

21. A light engine housing as recited in claim 20, wherein the light engine housing further comprises at least one driver module in or on the driver chamber element.

22. A light engine housing as recited in claim 20, wherein the mixing chamber element at least in part defines a mixing chamber in which light from at least one solid state light emitter mixes prior to exiting the light engine housing.

23. A light engine housing as recited in claim 20, wherein the driver chamber element defines a driver compartment that has a size and shape that accommodate at least one component selected from among driver components and power supply components.

24. A light engine housing as recited in claim 20, wherein

an entirety of the first driver chamber element is to a first side of a first plane,

an entirety of the first mixing chamber element is to a second side of the first plane.

25. A light engine housing as recited in claim 20, wherein:

the first connection element is configured to hold in place relative to the first mixing chamber element at least one component selected from among driver modules, trim elements, fixture elements and heat sink modules.