Adjustable light for underwater photography

• US 9,746,170 B1
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Light & Motion Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Light & Motion Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Armer, Jarod, Olsson, Mark, McCaslin, Christopher, Masek, Theodore, Lame, Brooks
• Primary Examiner(s): Neils, Peggy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harris, William N
• Application Number:
  US14/520,283
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 362 6, 362158
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/02 Divers' equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/00 Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0414 specially adapted to be used with portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/503 of light sources cooling arrangements structurally associated with gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps H01J61/52; cooling arrangements structurally associated with electric incandescent lamps H01K1/58; cooling arrangements structurally associated with light-emitting diodes H01L33/64
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/507 of means for protecting lighting devices from damage, e.g. housings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/508 of electrical circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/56 using liquid coolants F21V29/51 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/58 characterised by the coolants
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/005 Sealing arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/083 for portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 11/00 Filters or other obturators specially adapted for photographic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/02 Illuminating scene
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0517 Housing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0567 Solid-state light source, e.g. LED, laser
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0592 installed in front of light emitter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode

Abstract

An underwater diving light includes efficient cooling of LEDs and other internal electronics by heat transfer to ambient water. The water is in contact with a metallic face plate or puck that conducts heat via contiguous metal from an LED circuit board or LED face plate. Ambient water can enter the assembly to spaces between the face plate and an intermediary plate at the front of a housing to efficiently cool the LEDs and associated electronics. In a high-output form the light can emit 8000 lumens, and in this embodiment the battery is cooled by ambient water. The face plate or puck is interchangeable, for different lighting characteristics.

Claims

1. A diving light for underwater photography, comprising:

a housing or body containing a battery and electronics, the body being sealed against intrusion of water,

a face plate of heat-conducting metal on the front of the housing or body, the face plate facing forward, comprising contiguous metal and including an LED light source positioned to project through a window in the face plate, the LED light source being mounted on an LED mounting plate directly secured against said contiguous metal of the face plate and in thermal conductive contact with said contiguous metal of the face plate,

the contiguous metal of the face plate being positioned to be in direct contact with water around the front of the diving light such that heat from the LED light source is conducted from the LED mounting plate into the contiguous metal of the face plate and directly into the water at an exterior of the face plate,

the face plate being configured such that water can enter the diving light between the body and said contiguous metal of the face plate to contact a back side of said contiguous metal of the face plate to cool the LED light source from a back side of the LED light source, and

a water-sealed switch on the exterior of the housing or body, connected to selectively power the LED light source, at desired light levels,

whereby cooling of the LED light source is effected by contact of water with the face plate at an exterior front of the diving light and also at the back side of the face plate.

2. The diving light of claim 1, including a bezel secured to the front of the housing or body with screw threads, the face plate being secured against the housing or body by the bezel, the bezel being removable so as to enable removal of the face plate and securing of a different face plate against the body if desired.

3. The diving light of claim 2, wherein the LED light source is positioned off-center on the face plate, and further including a filter ring secured over the front bezel and over the front of the face plate, rotatable on the front bezel and with at least one filter for positioning in the path of the LED light, rotation being effective to select use of the filter or non-use of the filter.

4. The diving light of claim 1, capable of producing a maximum flood light output power of about 4000 lumens which can be maintained for at least about 50 minutes.

5. The diving light of claim 4, wherein the battery is rechargeable to about 85% in 90 minutes and to full charge in about 150 minutes.

6. The diving light assembly of claim 1, capable of producing a maximum light output power of about 8000 lumens which can be maintained for at least about 40 minutes.

7. The diving light assembly of claim 6, wherein the battery is rechargeable to full charge in about 2 hours.

8. The diving light assembly of claim 6, wherein the battery is cooled by ambient water.

9. The diving light assembly of claim 8, including a metal battery plate defining a cup-shaped recess engaged over a portion of the battery, which is potted within the recess, and the housing or body including a metal intermediary plate at the front of and closing the housing or body, the intermediary plate being in thermal conductive contact with the metal battery plate, and the intermediary plate being spaced from the face plate in the assembled diving light such that water entering the diving light contacts the intermediary plate at the front of the body as well as contacting said contiguous metal of the face plate, whereby both the battery and the LED light source are cooled by water entering the diving light, via conductive metal paths.

10. The diving light of claim 6, wherein a current of about 5 amperes is drawn from the battery at an 8000-lumen light output.

11. The diving light of claim 1, including a metal battery plate defining a cup-shaped recess engaged over a portion of the battery, which is potted within the recess, and the housing or body including a metal intermediary plate at the front of and closing the housing or body, the intermediary plate being in thermal conductive contact with the metal battery plate, and the intermediary plate being spaced from the face plate in the assembled diving light such that water entering the diving light contacts the intermediary plate at the front of the body as well as contacting said contiguous metal of the face plate, whereby both the battery and the LED light source are cooled by water entering the diving light, via conductive metal paths.

12. The diving light of claim 1, wherein the LED light source comprises a chip on board LED arrangement.

13. A diving light for underwater use, comprising:

a housing or body containing a battery and electronics, the body being sealed against intrusion of water,

a face plate or puck of heat-conducting metal attached to the front of the housing or body, including an LED light source positioned to project through a window of the face plate or puck, the LED light source being on an LED plate in heat-conductive contact with metal of the face plate or puck,

the housing or body having a front intermediary plate, closing the housing or body, and including spacer means between the intermediary plate and the face plate or puck maintaining a space for ambient water flow between the intermediary plate and the face plate or puck in the assembled diving light, and including a sealed connection between the intermediary plate and the puck defining a conduit for power and signals between the LED plate and the housing or body, the sealed connection occupying a portion of the intermediary plate, whereby water flowing between the intermediary plate and the face plate or puck effectively cools the LED light source as well as cooling the intermediary plate, and

a contiguous metal heat conductive path in the housing or body from the battery to the intermediary plate, so that the battery is also cooled by ambient water.

14. The diving light of claim 13, wherein the contiguous metal heat conductive path in the housing comprises the battery being potted in a recess of a metal plate, the metal plate making heat conductive contact with the intermediary plate.

15. The diving light of claim 13, including an LED driver board between the battery and the intermediary plate, the LED driver board being connected to the LED light source through the conduit.

16. The diving light of claim 13, wherein the LED light source comprises a chip on board LED arrangement.

17. The diving light of claim 13, including a screw threaded bezel attaching the face plate or puck to the front of the housing or body, the bezel including peripheral openings positioned to admit ambient water into the diving light, to flow between the intermediary plate and the face plate or puck.

18. A diving light for underwater use, comprising:

a housing containing a battery and electronics, the housing being sealed against intrusion of water,

a face plate or puck of heat-conducting metal attached to the front of the housing, including an LED light source positioned to project through a window of the face plate or puck, the LED light source being secured on an LED plate in heat-conductive contact with metal of the face plate or puck,

the housing having an intermediary plate at front, closing the housing, and including spacer means between the intermediary plate and the face plate or puck maintaining a space for ambient water flow between the intermediary plate and the face plate or puck in the assembled diving light, and including a sealed connection between the intermediary plate and the puck defining a conduit for power and signals between the LED plate and the housing or body, the sealed connection occupying a portion of the intermediary plate, whereby water flowing between the intermediary plate and the face plate or puck effectively cools the LED light source, and

means for dissipating heat from the battery to ambient water, for cooling of the battery.

19. The diving light of claim 18, wherein the means for dissipating heat comprises a heat conducting path from the battery to the intermediary plate, whereby heat from the battery is dissipated via the intermediary plate.