LED light bulb with internal flexible heatsink and circuit

• US 9,555,610 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2015
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Forever Bulb, LLC
• Original Assignee: Forever Bulb, LLC
• Inventors: Carroll, David W., Carroll, Wendell, Johnson, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Bannan, Julie
• Application Number:
  US14/643,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20150252956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/18 Handling of layers or the laminate
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• 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: F21S 4/22 flexible or deformable, e.g. into a curved shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/005 by permanent fixing means, e.g. gluing, riveting or embedding in a potting compound
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/026 Fastening of transformers or ballasts
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• 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: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1043 Subsequent to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An LED light bulb device that includes a bulb body, a plurality of flexible circuit strips, and at least one LED. The flexible circuit strips are formed to a shape of, and adhered directly to, an interior face of the bulb body. At least one of the flexible circuit strips defines a plurality of stress-relieving notches. At least one LED is mounted to a corresponding one of the flexible circuit strips and is electrically connected to a conductive trace formed by the flexible circuit strip. The LEDs are arranged to aim inwardly relative to the bulb body. In some embodiments, a rear surface of each of the flexible circuit strips is adhesively attached to the interior face of the bulb body. In some embodiments, a plurality of LEDs are provided and arranged to provide one or both of uniform light distribution and diverse heat distribution.

Claims

1. An LED light bulb device comprising:

a bulb body;

a plurality of flexible circuit strips formed to a shape of, and adhered directly to, an interior face of the bulb body, wherein at least one of the flexible circuit strips defines a plurality of stress-relieving notches;

at least one LED mounted to a corresponding one of the flexible circuit strips and electrically connected to a conductive trace formed by the flexible circuit strip;

wherein the at least one LED is arranged to aim inwardly relative to the bulb body;

and further wherein the LED light bulb device is characterized by the absence of a metal heat sink body in direct contact with any of the flexible circuit strips immediately opposite the corresponding LEDs.

2. The LED light bulb device of claim 1, wherein each of the flexible circuit strips includes thermally conductive structure defining a front surface and a rear surface, and further wherein the LED is mounted to the front surface and the rear surface is adhesively attached to the interior face of the bulb body.

3. The LED light bulb device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flexible circuit strips defines a front surface to which the at least one LED is mounted and a rear surface opposite the front surface, the rear surface facing the interior face of the bulb body upon final assembly, and further wherein the at least one flexible circuit strip further includes indicia displayed on the rear surface.

4. The LED light bulb device of claim 1, wherein each of the flexible circuit strips has an elongated shape defining an axial centerline, and further wherein the plurality of stress-relieving notches associated with each of the flexible circuit strips includes a first pair of notches that are aligned with one another relative to the corresponding centerline.

5. The LED light bulb device of claim 4, wherein the plurality of stress-relieving notches associated with each of the flexible circuit strips further includes a second pair of notches that are aligned with one another relative to the corresponding centerline and are longitudinally spaced from the corresponding first pair of notches.

6. The LED light bulb device of claim 5, wherein a section is established between the first and second pair of notches, the section including a pad region, and further wherein at least one LED is mounted to the pad region.

7. The LED light bulb device of claim 6, wherein the section further includes opposing tabs at opposite sides of the pad region.

8. The LED light bulb device of claim 7, wherein the opposing tabs are foldable relative to the corresponding pad region.

9. The LED light bulb device of claim 6, wherein each of the flexible circuit strips defines a plurality of the sections, and further wherein each of the flexible circuit strips forms a fold line between immediately adjacent ones of the corresponding sections.

10. The LED light bulb device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of stress-relieving notches is formed entirely through a thickness of the corresponding flexible circuit strip.

11. The LED light bulb device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of stress-relieving notches is open to a side edge of the corresponding flexible circuit strip.

19. The LED light bulb device of claim 1, wherein all of the LEDs associated with at least one of the plurality of flexible circuit strips are arranged to aim inwardly relative to the bulb body.

12. A method of making an LED light bulb device, comprising:

providing a bulb body that defines an open end opposite a closed end;

providing a plurality of flexible circuit strip assemblies, each of the assemblies including a flexible circuit strip, at least one LED, and an adhesive, wherein the flexible circuit strip defines opposing, front and rear surfaces, and further wherein the at least one LED is mounted to the front surface and the adhesive is coated on to the rear surface;

inserting the flexible circuit strip assemblies into the open end of the bulb body;

locating an expandable member, in a contracted state, between the flexible circuit strip assemblies;

expanding the expandable member from the contracted state to an expanded state, causing the flexible circuit strips to attach to an interior face of the bulb body via the corresponding adhesive;

contracting the expandable member from the expanded state toward the contracted state; and

removing the expandable member from the bulb body.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

after the step of removing the expandable member from the bulb body, electrically connecting power conversion circuitry with electrical traces carried by each of the flexible circuit strips.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

after the step of removing the expandable member from the bulb body, applying a closure over the open end of the bulb body.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the closure includes an exteriorly threaded cap.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the expandable member is a balloon.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the balloon has a predetermined shape in the expanded state corresponding with a shape of the bulb body.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the flexible circuit strips includes stress-relieving notches, and further wherein the step of expanding the expandable member includes the flexible circuit strips deforming in a region of the stress-relieving notches to conform to a shape of the interior face of the bulb body.