Gas cooled LED lamp with heat conductive submount

• US 9,322,543 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2012
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hussell, Christopher P., Edmond, John Adam, Negley, Gerald H., Progl, Curt, Edmond, Mark, Athalye, Praneet
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Joseph L
• Application Number:
  US13/467,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20130271987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• 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 29/506 of globes, bowls or cover glasses
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/60 characterised by the use of a forced flow of gas, e.g. air
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/63 using electrically-powered vibrating means; using ionic wind
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/65 the gas flowing in a closed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/67 characterised by the arrangement of fans
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/85 characterised by the material liquid coolants F21V29/56
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/10 characterised by coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/00 Light sources with three-dimensionally disposed light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/30 on the outer surface of cylindrical surfaces, e.g. rod-shaped supports having a circular or a polygonal cross section
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01K 1/00 Details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A gas cooled LED lamp and submount is disclosed. The centralized nature of the LEDs allows the LEDs to be configured near the central portion of the optical envelope of the lamp. In example embodiments, the LEDs can be cooled and/or cushioned by a gas in thermal communication with the LED array to enable the LEDs to maintain an appropriate operating temperature for efficient operation and long life. In some embodiments, the LED assembly is mounted on a glass stem. In some embodiments a thermal resistant path is created that prevents overtemperature of the LED array during the making of the lamp. In some embodiments the LED assembly comprises a lead frame and/or metal core board that is bent into a three-dimensional shape to create a desired light pattern in the enclosure or an extruded submount formed into a three-dimensional shape.

Claims

1. A lamp comprising:

an optically transmissive enclosure containing a gas;

an LED assembly disposed in the optically transmissive enclosure to be operable to emit light when energized through an electrical connection, the LED assembly comprising a lead frame made of an electrically conductive material and comprising at least one anode and at least one cathode and at least one LED mounted on the at least one anode and the at least one cathode and, the lead frame further comprising a heat sink structure made of the electrically conductive material, the lead frame and heat sink structure being bent into a three-dimensional shape to create a desired light pattern in the enclosure such that the heat sink structure is thermally coupled to the gas in the enclosure and is entirely contained inside of the enclosure.

2. The lamp of claim 1 comprising a glass stem fused to the enclosure supporting the LED assembly.

3. The lamp of claim 1 wherein a portion of the lead frame is covered with a reflective material to reflect light inside of the enclosure.

4. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the LED assembly comprises two lead frames.

5. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the heat sink structure comprises a plurality of fins.

6. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the lead frame comprises a first portion and a second portion, and a non-conductive support securing the first portion to the second portion.

7. The lamp of claim 6 wherein the support comprises a molded plastic member.

8. The lamp of claim 1 comprising at least one electrically non-conductive support connected between the at least one anode and the at least one cathode.

9. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the lead frame supports a plurality of LEDs where the plurality of LEDs are formed into a cylindrical shape.

10. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the lead frame supports a plurality of LEDs where at least one of the LEDs is angled toward a top of the LED assembly.

11. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the lead frame comprises a plurality of LEDs arranged in a first tier and a second plurality of LEDs arranged in a second tier.

12. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the lead frame supports a plurality of LEDs where the plurality of LEDs are formed into a polyhedron.

13. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the lead frame supports a plurality of LEDs where the plurality of LEDs are formed into a helix.

14. A lamp comprising:

an optically transmissive enclosure;

an LED assembly disposed in the optically transmissive enclosure to be operable to emit light when energized through an electrical connection, the LED assembly comprising a metal core board comprising at least one anode and at least one cathode and at least one LED mounted on the at least one anode and the at least one cathode and a heat sink structure, the metal core board being bent into a three-dimensional shape to create a desired light pattern in the enclosure.

15. The lamp of claim 14 comprising a gas contained in the enclosure to provide thermal coupling to the LED assembly.

16. The lamp of claim 14 comprising a glass stem fused to the enclosure supporting the LED assembly.

17. The lamp of claim 14 wherein the metal core board comprises a thermally and electrically conductive core made of a pliable metal material.

18. The lamp of claim 17 wherein the core is covered by a dielectric material.

19. The lamp of claim 14 wherein the metal core board is formed as a flat member having a central band on which a plurality of LED packages containing LEDs are mounted and a heat sink structure extending from the central band.

20. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the central band is divided into sections by thinned areas and the LEDs are located on the sections such that the metal core board may be bent along the thinned areas.

21. The lamp of claim 14 wherein the heat sink structure comprises fins.

22. The lamp of claim 14 wherein the metal core board is bent into a cylindrical shape.

23. The lamp of claim 14 wherein the LEDs are placed on the metal core board to form a helix.

24. The lamp of claim 14 wherein a first plurality of LEDs are arranged in a first tier and a second plurality of LEDs arranged in a second tier.

25. The lamp of claim 14 wherein at least one of the plurality of LEDs is angled toward a top of the LED assembly.

26. A lamp comprising:

an optically transmissive enclosure;

an LED assembly disposed in the optically transmissive enclosure to be operable to emit light when energized through an electrical connection, the LED assembly comprising a metal extruded submount supporting a plurality of LEDs and a heat sink structure coextruded with the submount, the submount being extruded in a three-dimensional shape to create a desired light pattern in the enclosure;

a gas contained in the enclosure to provide thermal coupling to the LED assembly; and

a glass stem fused to the enclosure and extending into the center of the enclosure, the glass stem supporting the LED assembly in the center of the enclosure such that the LED assembly is surrounded by the gas.

27. A lamp comprising:

an optically transmissive enclosure;

an LED assembly disposed in the optically transmissive enclosure to be operable to emit light when energized through an electrical connection, the LED assembly comprising a metal core board supporting and electrically coupled to a plurality of LEDs and a heat sink structure comprising a lead frame thermally coupled to the metal core board, the metal core board and lead frame being bent into a three-dimensional shape to create a desired light pattern in the enclosure.