Waveguide light fixtures

• US 9,618,678 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2013
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Tickner, Jerold Alan, Harpenau, Kevin Roy, Green, Russell Bryant
• Primary Examiner(s): Neils, Peggy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kryukova, Erin
• Application Number:
  US14/061,328
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 362373
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0085 Means for removing heat created by the light source from the package heat extraction or cooling elements for semiconductor light sources in general H01L33/64

Abstract

A light emitting diode (LED) light fixture is described. The LED light fixture can include a wave guide having an aperture that traverses therethrough. The LED light fixture can also include at least one LED disposed adjacent to the aperture in the wave guide. The LED light fixture can further include a LED driver electrically coupled to the at least one LED. The LED light fixture can also include a heat sink thermally coupled to the at least one LED.

Claims

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

a wave guide having an aperture that traverses therethrough and an outer perimeter disposed opposite the aperture;

at least one LED disposed within the aperture in the wave guide, wherein the at least one LED emits light through the aperture in the wave guide toward the outer perimeter of the wave guide, wherein the light emitted by the at least one LED is directed through a bottom surface of the wave guide between the aperture and the outer perimeter;

a LED driver electrically coupled to the at least one LED;

a heat sink disposed adjacent to a top surface of the wave guide and thermally coupled to the at least one LED, wherein the heat sink comprises a portion that receives the outer perimeter of the wave guide;

an electrical insulator that abuts against and is disposed between the at least one LED and the heat sink, wherein the electrical insulator comprises thermally conductive material;

a retainer plate that supports the wave guide, the electrical insulator, the at least one LED, and the heat sink, wherein the retainer plate directly abuts against, at least, the bottom surface of the wave guide and is mechanically coupled to the electrical insulator;

a mounting plate comprising at least one mounting feature, wherein the mounting plate is mechanically coupled to the heat sink;

a mounting bracket disposed atop and coupled to the mounting plate, wherein the LED driver is secured atop the heat sink by the mounting bracket; and

a first fastening device that traverses the retainer plate, the aperture in the waveguide, the heat sink, the LED driver, and the mounting bracket.

2. The LED light fixture of claim 1, further comprising:

a junction box disposed atop the mounting plate, wherein the junction box comprises at least one wall that forms a cavity, inside of which are disposed the LED driver and at least a portion of the mounting bracket.

3. The LED light fixture of claim 2, further comprising:

a second fastening device that traverses the mounting bracket and is disposed within the at least one wall of the junction box.

4. The LED light fixture of claim 1, wherein the electrical insulator is disposed, in part, in a slot formed within the heat sink.

5. The LED light fixture of claim 1, further comprising:

a first reflector disposed between the wave guide and the heat sink.

6. The LED light fixture of claim 5, further comprising:

a second reflector disposed between the retainer plate and the wave guide.

7. The LED light fixture of claim 1, wherein the aperture and the at least one LED are positioned toward a center of the wave guide and emits the light toward an outer perimeter of the wave guide before the light is directed through the bottom surface of the wave guide.

8. The LED light fixture of claim 7, wherein a portion of a perimeter of the heat sink is disposed within the aperture in the wave guide.

9. The LED light fixture of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the electrical insulator is disposed within the aperture in the wave guide adjacent to the heat sink.

10. The LED light fixture of claim 9, wherein the at least one LED is disposed on a mounting board of a LED module, wherein the mounting board comprises a flexible substrate and wraps around the portion of the electrical insulator opposite the heat sink.

11. The LED light fixture of claim 1, further comprising:

a cover plate that covers an outer surface of the retainer plate.

12. The LED light fixture of claim 1, further comprising:

a sealing member disposed within a channel of the heat sink adjacent to the outer perimeter of the wave guide.

13. The LED light fixture of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the wave guide comprises a recessed area adjacent to the aperture, wherein the retainer plate is disposed within recessed area, and wherein a bottom of the retainer plate is substantially flush with a remainder of the bottom surface of the wave guide.

14. A light-emitting diode (LED) light fixture, comprising:

a wave guide having an aperture that traverses therethrough and an outer perimeter disposed opposite the aperture;

at least one LED disposed within the aperture in the wave guide, wherein the at least one LED emits light through the aperture in the wave guide toward the outer perimeter of the wave guide, wherein the light emitted by the at least one LED is directed through a bottom surface of the wave guide between the aperture and the outer perimeter;

a LED driver electrically coupled to the at least one LED;

a heat sink disposed adjacent to a top surface of the wave guide and thermally coupled to the at least one LED, wherein the heat sink comprises a portion that abuts against receives the bottom surface outer perimeter of the wave guide;

an electrical insulator that abuts against and is disposed between the at least one LED and the heat sink, wherein the electrical insulator comprises thermally conductive material; and

a retainer plate that supports the wave guide, the electrical insulator, the at least one LED, and the heat sink, wherein the retainer plate directly abuts against, at least, the bottom surface of the wave guide and is mechanically coupled to the electrical insulator,

wherein the electrical insulator comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is disposed within a slot in the heat sink between the heat sink and the wave guide, and wherein the second portion abuts against the at least one LED.

15. The LED light fixture of claim 14, wherein the electrical insulator further comprises a third portion, wherein the third portion is disposed between the heat sink and the retainer plate.

16. The LED light fixture of claim 15, wherein the electrical insulator further comprises a fourth portion, wherein the fourth portion abuts against a reflector.