LED lamp with active cooling element
First Claim
1. A solid state light source, comprising:
- a light emitting diode (LED);
a heat sink with said LED in thermal contact with said heat sink;
an integral fan configured to reduce the convective thermal resistance of at least some lamp elements;
at least one electrical contact configured to pass through said integral fan so that an electrical signal applied to said at least one electrical contact is supplied to said LED;
a diffuser dome on said heat sink and over said LED; and
a phosphor carrier on said heat sink and over said LED, said phosphor carrier separate from and at least partially within said diffuser dome;
said heat sink shaped to define at least two inlets, at least one of which opens adjacent to said LED and inside said phosphor carrier, such that said fan flows cool air from outside said light source into said phosphor carrier via said at least one inlet adjacent to said LED.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Solid state lamp or bulb structures are disclosed that can provide an essentially omnidirectional emission pattern from directional emitting light sources, such as forward emitting light sources. The present invention is also directed to lamp structures using active elements to assist in thermal management of the lamp structures and in some embodiments to reduce the convective thermal resistance around certain of the lamp elements to increase the natural heat convection away from the lamp. Some embodiments include integral fans or other active elements that move air over the surfaces of a heat sink, while other embodiments comprise internal fans or other active elements that can draw air internal to the lamp. The fan'"'"'s movement of the air over these surfaces can agitate otherwise stagnant air to decrease the convective thermal resistance and increasing the ability of the lamp to dissipate heat generated during operation.
281 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A solid state light source, comprising:
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a light emitting diode (LED); a heat sink with said LED in thermal contact with said heat sink; an integral fan configured to reduce the convective thermal resistance of at least some lamp elements; at least one electrical contact configured to pass through said integral fan so that an electrical signal applied to said at least one electrical contact is supplied to said LED; a diffuser dome on said heat sink and over said LED; and a phosphor carrier on said heat sink and over said LED, said phosphor carrier separate from and at least partially within said diffuser dome; said heat sink shaped to define at least two inlets, at least one of which opens adjacent to said LED and inside said phosphor carrier, such that said fan flows cool air from outside said light source into said phosphor carrier via said at least one inlet adjacent to said LED. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A solid state light source, comprising:
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a light emitting diode (LED); a heat sink with said LED in thermal contact with said heat sink; an integral active air agitation mechanism configured to reduce the convective thermal resistance of at least some lamp elements, said air agitation mechanism comprising at least one electrical contact configured to pass through said air agitation mechanism so that an electrical signal applied to said at least one electrical contact is supplied to said LED; a diffuser dome on said heat sink and over said LED; and a phosphor carrier between said heat sink and said diffuser dome;
said phosphor carrier on said heat sink and separate from said diffuser domesaid heat sink shaped to define at least two inlets, at least one of which opens adjacent to said LED and inside said phosphor carrier, such that said active air agitation mechanism flows cool air from outside said light source into said heat sink and then into said phosphor carrier via said at least one inlet opening adjacent to said LED.
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15. A solid state light source, comprising:
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a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs); a heat sink comprising fins, said heat sink configured in relation to said LEDs so that said LEDs are in thermal contact with said heat sink; an integral fan configured to flow air over the surfaces of said heat sink to reduce the convective thermal resistance of said heat sink; at least one electrical contact configured to pass through said fan so that an electrical signal applied to said at least one electrical contact is supplied to said plurality of LEDs; and a phosphor carrier in thermal contact with said heat sink; and a diffuser dome on said heat sink and over said LEDs, said phosphor carrier between said heat sink and said diffuser dome, wherein said integral fan flows cool air through said heat sink and then into said phosphor carrier; wherein at least a portion of said fins are outside the footprint of the base of said diffuser dome. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A solid state light source, comprising:
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a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs); a heat sink comprising fins and a mount surface, said heat sink configured in relation to said LEDs so that said LEDs are in thermal contact with said heat sink; a fan internal to said solid state light source and configured to flow air over surfaces of said solid state light source to reduce the convective thermal resistance at said surfaces; at least one electrical contact configured to pass through said fan so that an electrical signal applied to said at least one electrical contact is supplied to said plurality of LEDs; and a diffuser cavity over said LEDs; and a phosphor carrier between said heat sink and said diffuser cavity;
said phosphor carrier on said heat sink and separate from said diffuser cavitysaid heat sink shaped to define at least two inlets, at least one of which is through said mount surface and adjacent to said LEDs and inside said phosphor carrier, such that said fan flows cool air from outside said light source into said heat sink and then into said phosphor carrier via said at least one inlet adjacent to said LEDs; wherein at least a portion of said fins are outside the footprint of the base of said diffuser dome. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A solid state light source, comprising:
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a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs); a heat sink comprising fins, a mount surface, and a heat sink core, said LEDs on and in thermal contact with said heat sink; a fan within said heat sink core; at least one electrical contact configured to pass through said fan so that an electrical signal applied to said at least one electrical contact is supplied to said plurality of LEDs; a base having drive electronics, said base mounted to said heat sink at least partially within said heat sink core; a diffuser dome mounted to said heat sink over said LEDs; and a phosphor carrier between said heat sink and said diffuser dome;
said phosphor carrier on said heat sink and separate from said diffuser domesaid heat sink shaped to define at least two inlets, at least one of which is through said mount surface and adjacent to said LEDs and inside said phosphor carrier, said fan drawing air into said heat sink core and then flowing the air into said phosphor carrier via said at least one inlet adjacent to said LEDs; wherein at least a portion of said fins are outside the footprint of the base of said diffuser dome.
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34. A solid state light source, comprising:
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a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs); a heat sink with said LEDs on and in thermal contact with a top surface of said heat sink; a fan, said fan comprising at least one electrical contact configured to pass through said fan so that an electrical signal applied to said at least one electrical contact is supplied to said plurality of LEDs; a base comprising drive electronics, said base on said heat sink with said fan between said base and said heat sink; a diffuser dome on said heat sink over said LEDs; and a phosphor carrier between said heat sink and said diffuser dome;
said phosphor carrier on said heat sink and separate from said diffuser domesaid heat sink shaped to define at least two inlets, at least one of which is adjacent to said LEDs and inside said phosphor carrier and through said top surface, said fan flowing air over the surfaces of said heat sink and then into said phosphor carrier via said at least one inlet adjacent to said LEDs.
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35. A solid state light source, comprising:
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a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs); a heat sink in relation to said LEDs so that said LEDs are in thermal contact with said heat sink; an active element configured to flow air over surfaces of said light source to reduce the convective thermal resistance at said surfaces; at least one electrical contact configured to pass through said active element so that an electrical signal applied to said at least one electrical contact is supplied to said plurality of LEDs; a phosphor carrier in thermal contact with said heat sink; and a diffuser dome on said heat sink and over said LEDs and said phosphor carrier, said phosphor carrier between said heat sink and said diffuser dome and separated from said LEDs and said diffuser dome, wherein said active element draws air into said heat sink and then into said phosphor carrier via at least one air inlet adjacent to said plurality of LEDs.
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Specification