Light emitting devices, systems, and methods

• US 9,490,235 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2011
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creeled Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Edmond, John A., Kong, Hua-Shuang, Donofrio, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, EARL N
• Application Number:
  US13/224,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20120193651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 362/311.02, 362/311.06, 362/296.05, 438/28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48137 the bodies being arranged next to each other, e.g. on a common substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/167 comprising optoelectronic devices, e.g. LED, photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/52 Encapsulations

Abstract

Light emitting devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment a light emitting device can include an emission area having one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted over an irregularly shaped mounting area. The light emitting device can further include a retention material disposed about the emission area. The retention material can also be irregularly shaped, and can be dispensed. Light emitting device can include more than one emission area per device.

Claims

1. A light emitting device, comprising:

a submount;

a retention material disposed over the submount, the retention material comprising at least one inner wall that defines an emission area, wherein the retention material and the emission area each comprise an irregular shape, the irregular shape having no more than two lines of symmetry;

a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted over the emission area; and

wherein the plurality of LEDs comprises one or more strings of serially connected LEDs arranged in at least two different patterns, wherein at least a first pattern is a non-linear pattern in which adjacent LEDs alternate above and below a horizontal line, and wherein at least a second pattern is a linear pattern that is substantially parallel to the horizontal line.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of LEDs are arranged in an array.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises more than one emission area.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the emission area comprises a concave portion adjacent an attachment area.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the submount comprises ceramic.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the emission area is disposed off-center with respect to the submount.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the retention material is comprises silicone.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the emission area further comprises a filling material disposed over the plurality of LEDs, the filling material being retained by the retention material.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a first emission area disposed over a first surface of the submount and a second emission area disposed over a second surface of the submount, wherein an angle is disposed between the first and second surfaces for emitting light at different angles.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of LEDs are electrically connected in series via wirebonds.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of LEDs are electrically connected in parallel.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least four emission areas, each emission area comprising an irregular shape.

13. The device of claim 3, wherein the device further comprises an attachment area at least partially disposed between the more than one emission areas.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the emission area comprises a single, undivided area.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the irregular shape comprises no more than one line of symmetry.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the irregular shape is asymmetric.

17. A light emitting device, comprising:

a submount;

a retaining structure disposed over the submount;

an emission area disposed between a portion of the retaining structure, wherein the emission area comprises an irregular shape having no more than two lines of symmetry; and

an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed over the emission area, wherein the array of LEDs comprises at least a first string of serially connected LEDs provided in a first pattern and at least a second string of serially connected LEDs provided in a second pattern that is different than the first pattern, wherein the first pattern is a non-linear pattern in which adjacent LEDs alternate above and below a horizontal line, and wherein the second pattern is a linear pattern that is substantially parallel to the horizontal line; and

an attachment area disposed outside of the emission area.

18. The device of claim 17 comprising more than one emission area.

19. The device of claim 17 comprising more than one attachment area.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the array of LEDs comprises three or more strings of serially connected LEDs.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the retaining structure is reflective.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein the emission area is disposed over a center of the submount.

23. The device of claim 17, wherein the emission area is disposed off-center with respect to the submount.

24. The device of claim 17, wherein the retention material comprises silicone.

25. The device of claim 17, wherein the emission area further comprises a filling material disposed over the array of LEDs, the filling material being retained by the retaining structure.

26. The device of claim 17, wherein the device comprises a first emission area disposed over a first surface of the submount and a second emission area disposed over a second surface of the submount, and wherein an angle is disposed between the first and second surfaces for emitting light at different angles.

27. The device of claim 17, wherein at least some of the LEDs in the array of LEDs are electrically connected in series via wirebonds.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein each LED of the array of LEDs is configured to emit a same color of light.

29. The device of claim 17, wherein at least some LEDs in the array of LEDs are electrically connected in parallel.

30. The device of claim 17, wherein the device comprises at least four emission areas, each emission area comprising an irregular shape.

31. The device of claim 17, wherein the irregular shape comprises no more than one line of symmetry.

32. The device of claim 17, wherein the irregular shape is asymmetric.

33. The device of claim 17, wherein the attachment area comprises an opening.

34. The device of claim 17, wherein the attachment area comprises a clip fastener.

35. A method of providing a light emitting device, the method comprising:

providing a submount;

providing a retention material over the submount, the retention material comprising at least one inner wall that defines an emission area, wherein the retention material and the emission area each comprise an irregular shape, the irregular shape having no more than two lines of symmetry;

providing a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted over the emission area;

serially connecting the plurality of LEDs in one or more strings of LEDs arranged in at least two different patterns, wherein at least a first pattern is a non-linear pattern in which adjacent LEDs alternate above and below a horizontal line, and wherein at least a second pattern is a linear pattern that is substantially parallel to the horizontal line.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising providing a filling material between portions of the at least one inner wall of the retention material.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the submount comprises ceramic.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising providing the submount within an LED bulb.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein providing the plurality of LEDs comprises providing an array of LEDs.

40. The method of claim 35, comprising providing multiple emission areas over the submount.

41. The method of claim 35, comprising providing the emission area with one or more concave portions adjacent an attachment area.

42. The method of claim 35, wherein providing retention material comprises dispensing retention material.

43. The method of claim 35, further comprising providing first and second emission areas, wherein the first emission area is disposed over a first surface of the submount and a second emission area is disposed over a second surface of the submount, where the second surface is angled with respect to the first surface.

44. The method of claim 35, wherein serially connecting the plurality of LEDs comprises electrically connecting adjacent LEDs of the plurality of LEDs via wirebonds.

45. The method of claim 35, wherein providing the plurality of LEDs comprises providing at least some LEDs that are configured to emit blue light and at least some LEDs that are configured to emit red light.

46. The method of claim 35, further comprising providing an attachment area disposed outside of the emission area.

47. A light emitting device, comprising:

a submount comprising at least a first planar surface;

a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) attached to the first planar surface of the submount, wherein at least some of the LEDs are disposed in a non-linear pattern in which adjacent LEDs alternate above and below a horizontal line; and

a retention material attached to the first planar surface of the submount, the retention material, from a plan view of the first planar surface, forming an asymmetric shape over the first planar surface and around the plurality of LEDs.

48. The device of claim 47, wherein at least some of the plurality of LEDs are serially connected in a first string of LEDs, wherein one portion of the first string comprises LEDs arranged in a substantially straight line and another portion of the first string comprises LEDs that are staggered with respect to the substantially straight line.

49. The device of claim 47, wherein an asymmetrically shaped mounting area is disposed below the plurality of LEDs and between at least one inner wall of the retention material.

50. The device of claim 47, wherein the retention material comprises silicone.

51. The device of claim 47, wherein the plurality of LEDs are mounted over the submount for forming one or more emission areas.

52. The device of claim 51, wherein the device comprises more than one emission area.

53. The device of claim 51, wherein the emission area is disposed off-center with respect to the submount.

54. The device of claim 51, wherein the emission area comprises a filling material disposed over at least some of the plurality of LEDs, the filling material being retained by the retention material.