LED-based light bulb device

• US 9,709,221 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2014
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Forever Bulb, LLC
• Original Assignee: Forever Bulb, LLC
• Inventors: Carroll, Wendell L., Carroll, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Snyder, Zachary J
• Application Number:
  US14/509,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20150022116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/86 Ceramics or glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/87 Organic material, e.g. filled polymer composites; Thermo-conductive additives or coatings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• 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: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/357 specially adapted for retrofit LED light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

An LED light bulb device including a bulb body, a flex circuit leg, an LED, conversion circuitry and a cap.

Claims

1. An LED light bulb device comprising:

a bulb body including a wall defining a hollow interior region;

a first flex circuit leg including a substrate and circuitry traces;

a first LED mounted to the first flex circuit leg;

wherein the first flex circuit leg is assembled directly to a surface of the wall;

power conversion circuitry electrically connected to the first LED by the first flex circuit leg, the power conversion circuitry adapted to modify applied power for powering the first LED; and

a cap mounted to the bulb body and configured for selective connection to an electrical socket

wherein the first LED is arranged relative to the wall such that light from the first LED is directed inwardly into the interior region and then outwardly from the interior region.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first flex circuit leg locates the first LED immediately adjacent to the wall.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first flex circuit leg is affixed to the wall.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first flex circuit leg is directly adhered to the wall.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the first flex circuit leg is affixed to the wall by a heat conductive adhesive.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first flex circuit leg includes a metal heat dissipation layer.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the bulb body defines a closed top side and a bottom side opposite the top side, and further wherein the cap is mounted to the bottom side, and even further wherein the first flex circuit leg extends from a location proximate the bottom side in a direction of the top side.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the first flex circuit leg terminates opposite the bottom side at an end spaced from the top side.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein extension of the first flex circuit leg from the location proximate the bottom side to the end is linear.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate defines a substrate length, a substrate width less than the substrate length, and a substrate thickness less than the substrate width, and further wherein an area of interface between the first flex circuit leg and the surface of the wall has an interface length and an interface width, and even further wherein the substrate width corresponds with the interface width.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a second flex circuit leg including a substrate and circuitry traces; and

a second LED mounted to the second flex circuit leg;

wherein the power conversion circuitry is electrically connected to the second LED via the second flex circuit leg;

and further wherein the second flex circuit leg is assembled directly to the surface of the wall so as to be circumferentially spaced from the first flex circuit leg.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein:

the bulb body defines a closed top side and a bottom side opposite the top side;

the cap is mounted to the bottom side;

the first flex circuit leg extends from a first location proximate the bottom side in a direction of the top side; and

the second flex circuit leg extends from a second location proximate the bottom side in a direction of the top side.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the first and second flex circuit legs each terminate opposite the bottom side at a corresponding end spaced from the top side.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first flex circuit leg is discontinuous with the end of the second flex circuit leg, and the second flex circuit leg is discontinuous with the end of the first flex circuit leg.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the first LED is one of a plurality of LEDs mounted to the first flex circuit leg, and further wherein upon final assembly, all of the LEDs of the plurality of LEDs are linearly aligned.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the first LED is arranged such that light travels directly from the first LED inwardly into the interior region.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the first LED defines a front face from which light is emitted and a rear face opposite the front face, and further wherein the first LED is arranged such that the front face is aimed inwardly toward the interior region.