LED light fixture with heat-dissipation-related high light output

• US 9,441,824 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kinnune, Brian, Ruud, Alan J., Wilcox, Kurt, Goelz, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): FEATHERLY, HANA SANEI
• Application Number:
  US13/839,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20140104836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 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: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/013 the housing being an extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/015 Devices for covering joints between adjacent lighting devices; End coverings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/107 using hinge joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0055 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/04 with provision for changing light source, e.g. turret auxiliary devices for cleaning, placing, or removing incandescent lamps H01K3/32, fluorescent lamps H01J9/006
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/002 Arrangements of cables or conductors inside a lighting device, e.g. means for guiding along parts of the housing or in a pivoting arm
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/56 using liquid coolants F21V29/51 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/75 with fins or blades having different shapes, thicknesses or spacing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/03 with provision for venting for vehicle head lights F21S45/33; for vehicle rear lights F21S41/192
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An LED floodlight fixture LED light fixture including a plurality of heat-sink-mounted LED-array modules, each module engaging an LED-adjacent surface of a heat-sink base for transfer of heat from the module, and at least one venting aperture through the heat-sink base to provide air ingress to the heat-dissipating surfaces adjacent to the aperture. The LED light fixture may include a plurality of heat sinks, each heat sink with its own heat-dissipating surfaces and heat-sink base which has one of the LED-array modules engaged thereon. The heat-sink base is wider than the module thereon such that the heat-sink base includes a beyond-module portion. The venting aperture(s) is/are through the beyond-module portion of the heat-sink base. The inventive light fixture may include a housing and an LED assembly which includes the heat-sink-mounted LED-array modules. The LED assembly and the housing form a venting gap therebetween to provide air ingress along the heat-sink base to the heat-dissipating surfaces.

Claims

1. An LED light fixture comprising a plurality of heat sinks and a plurality of LED-array modules each engaging a base of a corresponding heat sink for transfer of heat from the module, each heat-sink base defining at least one venting aperture therethrough and being wider than the module thereon such that the heat-sink base includes a beyond-module portion, the at least one venting aperture including at least one venting aperture through the beyond-module portion of the heat-sink base.

2. The LED light fixture of claim 1 wherein:

the heat-sink base includes a second beyond-module portion, the two beyond-module portions of the heat-sink base being along opposite sides of the module; and

the at least one venting aperture also includes at least one venting aperture through the second beyond-module portion.

3. The LED light fixture of claim 2 wherein the at least one venting aperture includes at least two venting apertures along each of the beyond-module portions.

4. The LED light fixture of claim 3 wherein:

the heat sinks have heat-dissipating surfaces including surfaces of at least one edge-adjacent fin extending transversely from each of the beyond-module portions at positions beyond the venting apertures therealong;

the venting apertures along each of the beyond-module portions of the heat-sink base are spaced along an extrusion; and

each of the beyond-module portions of the heat-sink base has at least one non-apertured portion extending thereacross to allow heat flow across such beyond-module portion toward the at least one edge-adjacent fin extending therefrom.

5. The LED light fixture of claim 4 wherein:

the venting apertures along each one of the beyond-module portions include two elongate apertures extending along the extrusion in spaced substantially end-to-end relationship; and

the at least one non-apertured portion of each one of the beyond-module portions of the heat-sink base includes a non-apertured portion which is between the two elongate apertures and is located substantially centrally along the length of the extrusion.

6. The LED light fixture of claim 5 wherein the combined length of the apertures along each of the beyond-module portions constitutes a majority of the length of the extrusion.

7. The LED light fixture of claim 4 wherein:

the heat-sink base includes a module-engaging portion between the beyond-module portions; and

the heat-sink heat-dissipating surfaces include the surfaces of a plurality of middle fins extending transversely from the module-engaging portion of the heat-sink base.

8. The LED light fixture of claim 7 wherein the edge-adjacent fins extending from each one of the beyond-module portions of the heat-sink base is a single edge-adjacent fin, such two edge-adjacent fins forming the opposite lateral sides of the extrusion.

9. The LED light fixture of claim 8 wherein the heat-sink base has a thickness at positions adjacent to the edge-adjacent fins that is greater than the thickness of the base at positions adjacent to some of the middle fins, thereby to facilitate conduction of heat laterally away from the module.

10. The LED light fixture of claim 8 wherein each of the fins has a base-adjacent proximal portion integrally joined to the heat-sink base and a distal edge remote therefrom, the proximal portions of the edge-adjacent fins being thicker than the proximal portions of at least some of the middle fins, thereby to facilitate conduction of heat away from the module.

11. The LED light fixture of claim 10 wherein the heat-sink base has a thickness at positions adjacent to the edge-adjacent fins that is greater than the thickness of the base at positions adjacent to some of the middle fins, thereby to facilitate conduction of heat laterally away from the module.

12. The LED light fixture of claim 8 wherein:

all of the fins extend away from the heat-sink base in a first direction; and

the edge-adjacent fins also extend from the heat-sink base in a second direction opposite to the first direction to provide an additional heat-dissipating surface.

13. The LED light fixture of claim 1 wherein the plurality of heat sinks are beside one another in positions such that the beyond-module portion of each of the heat sinks is adjacent to but spaced from the beyond-module portion of another of the heat sinks, thereby further facilitating flow of cool air to the heat-dissipating surfaces of the heat sinks and thermal isolation of the heat sinks from one another.

14. The LED light fixture of claim 13 wherein the spacing between the heat sinks is at least as great as the widths of the venting apertures in the beyond-module portions of the heat-sink bases.

15. The LED lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein each heat sink comprises a plurality of fins extending away from the base in a first direction, the fins including first and second fins along the opposite edges of the base, the first and second edge-adjacent fins also extending from the base in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

16. An LED light fixture comprising:

a plurality of heat sinks each with its own heat-dissipating surfaces and its own heat-sink base defining at least one venting aperture therethrough to provide air ingress to the heat-dissipating surfaces adjacent to the aperture; and

a plurality of LED-array modules each mounted on a corresponding heat-sink base being wider than the module thereon such that the heat-sink base includes a beyond-module portion and defines at least two venting apertures along the beyond-module portion.

17. The LED light fixture of claim 16 wherein:

the heat-sink heat-dissipating surfaces include the surfaces of at least one edge-adjacent fin extending transversely from the beyond-module portion of the heat-sink base at a position beyond the venting apertures therealong;

the venting apertures along the beyond-module portion are spaced along an extrusion; and

the beyond-module portion of the heat-sink base has at least one non-apertured portion extending thereacross to allow heat flow across the beyond-module portion toward the at least one edge-adjacent fin extending therefrom.

18. The LED light fixture of claim 17 wherein:

the venting apertures along the beyond-module portion include two elongate apertures extending along the extrusion in spaced substantially end-to-end relationship; and

the at least one non-apertured portion includes a non-apertured portion which is between the two elongate apertures and is located substantially centrally along the length of the extrusion.

19. The LED light fixture of claim 18 wherein the combined length of the apertures along the beyond-module portion constitutes a majority of the length of the extrusion.

20. An LED light fixture comprising a housing and an LED assembly which includes a plurality of heat sinks and a plurality of heat-sink-mounted LED-array modules, each heat sink with its own heat-dissipating surfaces and a heat-sink base defining at least one venting aperture therethrough to provide air ingress to the heat-dissipating surfaces adjacent to the aperture, each heat-sink base being wider than the module thereon such that the heat-sink base includes a beyond-module portion, the at least one venting aperture including at least one venting aperture through the beyond-module portion of the heat-sink base, the LED assembly and the housing forming a venting gap therebetween to provide air ingress along the heat-sink base to the heat-dissipating surfaces.

21. The LED light fixture of claim 20 wherein the at least one venting aperture along the beyond-module portion of the heat-sink base includes at least two venting apertures along the beyond-module portion.

22. The LED light fixture of claim 21 wherein:

the heat-sink heat-dissipating surfaces include the surfaces of at least one edge-adjacent fin extending transversely from the beyond-module portion of the heat-sink base at a position beyond the venting apertures therealong;

the venting apertures along the beyond-module portion are spaced along an extrusion; and

the beyond-module portion of the heat-sink base has at least one non-apertured portion extending thereacross to allow heat flow across the beyond-module portion toward the at least one edge-adjacent fin extending therefrom.

23. The LED light fixture of claim 22 wherein:

the venting apertures along the beyond-module portion include two elongate apertures extending along the extrusion in spaced substantially end-to-end relationship; and

the at least one non-apertured portion includes a non-apertured portion which is between the two elongate apertures and is located substantially centrally along the length of the extrusion.

24. The LED light fixture of claim 23 wherein the combined length of the apertures along the beyond-module portion constitutes a majority of the length of the extrusion.

25. The LED light fixture of claim 20 wherein:

the heat-sink base includes a second beyond-module portion, the two beyond-module portions of the heat-sink base being along opposite sides of the module; and

the at least one venting aperture also includes at least one venting aperture through the second beyond-module portion.

26. The LED light fixture of claim 25 wherein the at least one venting aperture includes at least two venting apertures along each of the beyond-module portions.

27. The LED light fixture of claim 26 wherein:

the heat-sink heat-dissipating surfaces include the surfaces of at least one edge-adjacent fin extending transversely from each of the beyond-module portions at positions beyond the venting apertures therealong;

the venting apertures along each of the beyond-module portions of the heat-sink base are spaced along an extrusion; and

each of the beyond-module portions of the heat-sink base has at least one non-apertured portion extending thereacross to allow heat flow across such beyond-module portion toward the at least one edge-adjacent fin extending therefrom.

28. The LED light fixture of claim 27 wherein:

the venting apertures along each one of the beyond-module portions include two elongate apertures extending along the extrusion in spaced substantially end-to-end relationship; and

the at least one non-apertured portion of each one of the beyond-module portions of the heat-sink base includes a non-apertured portion which is between the two elongate apertures and is located substantially centrally along the length of the extrusion.

29. The LED light fixture of claim 28 wherein the combined length of the apertures along each of the beyond-module portions constitutes a majority of the length of the extrusion.

30. The LED light fixture of claim 27 wherein:

the heat-sink base includes a module-engaging portion between the beyond-module portions; and

the heat-sink heat-dissipating surfaces include the surfaces of a plurality of middle fins extending transversely from the module-engaging portion of the heat-sink base.

31. The LED light fixture of claim 30 wherein the edge-adjacent fins extending from each one of the beyond-module portions of the heat-sink base is a single edge-adjacent fin, such two edge-adjacent fins forming the opposite lateral sides of the extrusion.

32. The LED light fixture of claim 31 wherein the heat-sink base has a thickness at positions adjacent to the edge-adjacent fins that is greater than the thickness of the base at positions adjacent to some of the middle fins, thereby to facilitate conduction of heat laterally away from the module.

33. The LED light fixture of claim 31 wherein each of the fins has a base-adjacent proximal portion integrally joined to the heat-sink base and a distal edge remote therefrom, the proximal portions of the edge-adjacent fins being thicker than the proximal portions of at least some of the middle fins, thereby to facilitate conduction of heat away from the module.

34. The LED light fixture of claim 33 wherein the heat-sink base has a thickness at positions adjacent to the edge-adjacent fins that is greater than the thickness of the base at positions adjacent to some of the middle fins, thereby to facilitate conduction of heat laterally away from the module.

35. The LED light fixture of claim 31 wherein:

all of the fins extend away from the heat-sink base in a first direction; and

the edge-adjacent fins also extend from the heat-sink base in a second direction opposite to the first direction to provide additional heat-dissipating surface.

36. The LED light fixture of claim 20 wherein the plurality of heat sinks are beside one another in positions such that the beyond-module portion of each of the heat sinks is adjacent to but spaced from the beyond-module portion of another of the heat sinks, thereby further facilitating flow of air to the heat-dissipating surfaces of the heat sinks and thermal isolation of the heat sinks from one another.

37. The LED light fixture of claim 36 wherein the spacing between the heat sinks is at least as great as the widths of the venting apertures in the beyond-module portions of the heat-sink bases.