LED light bulb with structural support

• US 9,353,932 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Veres, Janos, Schmaelzle, Philipp, Paulson, Christopher, Pattekar, Ashish, Maeda, Patrick Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F
• Application Number:
  US13/802,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20140268739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 36224902-24906, 362/216, 362/294, D26/2
• 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: F21K 9/90 Methods of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/00 Supporting, suspending, or attaching arrangements for lighting devices F21V17/00, F21V19/00 take precedence; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q, stands for supporting apparatus or articles in general F16M11/00; Hand grips
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0066 specially adapted to cooperate with point like light sources; specially adapted to cooperate with light sources the shape of which is unspecified F21V7/16 - F21V7/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/00 Light sources with three-dimensionally disposed light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 2201/056 Folded around rigid support or component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0058 Laminating printed circuit boards onto other substrates, e.g. metallic substrates H05K1/0281 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

A light emitting diode (LED) light bulb includes a base and at least one support structure coupled to the base. The support structure is formed into a shape that defines contours for a luminous surface and an open volume. The LED light bulb includes least one LED assembly comprising two or more electrically connected LEDs. The LED assembly is attached to and in physical contact with the support structure along a length of the support structure to form the luminous surface. The support structure has openings between neighboring segments of the LED assembly.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED) light bulb, comprising:

a base;

at least one support structure coupled to the base and formed into a shape that defines contours for a luminous surface and an open volume;

at least one LED assembly comprising two or more electrically connected LEDs, the LED assembly attached to and in physical contact with the support structure along a length of the support structure to form the luminous surface, wherein the support structure has openings between neighboring segments of the LED assembly; and

a coating disposed over at least a portion of the LED assembly, the coating having a surface that is exposed to ambient air, the coating surface having a surface texture that provides a surface area at least three times greater than an untextured surface of the same size, wherein a light output per surface area of the LED light bulb is between about 0.3 lumens and 30 lumens per cm² of an exterior surface area of the LED light bulb.

2. The LED light bulb of claim 1, wherein a volume defined by the luminous surface has a sphericity greater than about 0.7.

3. The LED light bulb of claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a material that has a thermal conductivity greater than about 100 W/mK.

4. The LED light bulb of claim 1, wherein the support structure includes cooling fins configured to dissipate heat generated by the LEDs.

5. The LED light bulb of claim 1, wherein the support structure has a reflectivity greater than 85% for wavelengths between about 320 nm and 700 nm.

6. The LED light bulb of claim 1, wherein overall dimensions of the LED light bulb are similar to an incandescent light bulb of equivalent luminosity.

7. The LED light bulb of claim 1, wherein the LED assembly comprises a single elongated support element, the single elongated support element coupled to a single LED assembly.

8. The LED light bulb of claim 1, wherein the support structure has a first major surface and an opposing a second major surface and each of the LEDs has a light emitting surface or edge that is substantially perpendicular to major surface of the flexible substrate.

9. The LED light bulb of claim 1, wherein the support structure has a first major surface and an opposing second major surface and each of the LEDs has a light emitting surface or edge that is substantially parallel to major surface of the flexible substrate.

10. The LED light bulb of claim 1, further comprising an optical sheet disposed over the LEDs.

11. The LED light bulb of claim 10, wherein the optical sheet is configured to diffuse the light emitted by the LEDs.

12. A light emitting diode (LED) light bulb, comprising:

a base;

at least one support structure coupled to the base and formed into a shape that defines contours for a luminous surface and an open volume;

at least one LED assembly comprising two or more electrically connected LEDs, the LED assembly attached to and in physical contact with the support structure along a length of the support structure to form the luminous surface, wherein the support structure has openings between neighboring segments of the LED assembly, wherein at least one major surface of the support structure has a surface texture that provides a surface area at least three times greater than an untextured surface of the same size.

13. A method of making a light emitting diode (LED) light bulb, comprising:

forming a support structure into a predetermined shape, the predetermined shape defining contours of a luminous surface and an open volume;

attaching at least one LED assembly to the support structure, the LED assembly comprising a substrate and a plurality of electrically connected LEDs spaced apart along the substrate;

applying a coating to a surface of one or both of the support structure and the LED assembly; and

treating a surface of one or both of the coating and the support structure, the treatment imparting a texture to the surface that provides a surface area at least three times greater than an untreated surface of the same size, wherein a light output per surface area of the LED light bulb is between about 0.3 lumens and 30 lumens per cm² of an exterior surface area of the LED light bulb.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a volume defined by the luminous surface has a sphericity of greater than about 0.7.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the forming and attaching comprise forming the support structure into the predetermined shape before attaching the at least one LED assembly.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the forming and attaching comprise forming the support structure into the predetermined shape after attaching the at least one LED assembly.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising arranging an optical sheet over a light emitting surface of the LEDs.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising depositing an optical layer on the LED assembly, the optical layer comprising a material that provides one or more of light transmission, reflection and diffusion.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein forming the support structure into the predetermined shape comprises at least one of extruding, folding, bending, molding, and curing.