Automotive lighting assembly cooling system

• US 20040213016A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guide Corporation (Vehicle Lighting Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guide Corporation (Vehicle Lighting Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rice, Lawrence M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,910,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/547
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/47 Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/48 with means for conducting heat from the inside to the outside of the lighting devices, e.g. with fins on the outer surface of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/51 using condensation or evaporation of a fluid, e.g. heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/767 the planes containing the fins or blades having directions perpendicular to the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/0233 the conduits having a particular shape, e.g. non-circular cross-section, annular F28D15/0241, F28D15/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/046 characterised by the material or the construction of the capillary structure
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/24 and extending transversely F28F1/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/26 the means being integral with the element F28F1/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2215/06 Hollow fins; fins with internal circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/648 the elements comprising fluids, e.g. heat-pipes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0209 External configuration of printed circuit board adapted for heat dissipation, e.g. lay-out of conductors, coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]

Abstract

An automotive lighting assembly cooling system includes a heat pipe with an evaporation area proximate to a beat generating component, such as a Light Emitting Diode (LED), and a condensing area located remote from the evaporation area. Evaporation of fluid within the heat pipe transfers heat away from the heat generating component. The efficiency of the cooling system in one embodiment is increased by including fins associated with the condensing area and placing the fins in an area where air flow external to a moving vehicle assists in cooling the fins.

Claims

1. An automotive lighting assembly comprising,

an LED that generates heat when energized, and

a heat pipe thermally coupled to the LED, such that at least some of the heat generated by the LED is transferred to the heat pipe.

2. The automotive lighting assembly of claim 1 wherein the heat pipe comprises,

a shell, the shell defining an evaporation area internal to the heat pipe and

a plurality of fins extending into the evaporation area.

3. The automotive lighting assembly of claim 1 wherein the heat pipe comprises,

a shell, the shell defining a condensation area internal to the heat pipe, the heat pipe being designed such that when the automotive lighting assembly is mounted to a vehicle, the condensation area is thermally coupled to air external to the vehicle.

4. The automotive lighting assembly of claim 3, wherein the heat pipe is designed such that at least a portion of the heat pipe extends beyond the outer surface of the vehicle.

5. The automotive lighting assembly of claim 3 wherein the heat pipe is designed such that the heat pipe is not visible from external the vehicle.

6. The automotive lighting assembly of claim 1 wherein the heat pipe comprises,

a shell, the shell defining a condensation area internal to the heat pipe, and

at least one protuberance extending from the heat pipe, the protuberance thermally coupled to the condensation area such that heat at the condensation area may be transferred to the protuberance.

7. The automotive lighting assembly of claim 6 wherein the protuberance is designed such that when the automotive lighting assembly is mounted to a vehicle, the protuberance is thermally coupled to air external to the vehicle.

8. The automotive lighting assembly of claim 7, wherein the protuberance comprises at least one fin.

9. The automotive lighting assembly of claim 8, wherein the at least one fin is designed so as to protrude from the body of a vehicle when the automotive lighting assembly is mounted to the vehicle.

10. The automotive lighting assembly of claim 9, wherein the at least one fin defines an interior space, the interior space in fluid communication with the condensation area.

11. A method of cooling an automotive lighting assembly comprising the steps of,

thermally coupling a fluid to a light assembly, and

evaporating the fluid to form a vapor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of thermally coupling a fluid to a light assembly further comprises the steps of,

providing a heat pipe with a shell that defines a condensing area and an evaporation area, the fluid contained within the shell of the heat pipe and located at the evaporation area,

thermally coupling the light assembly to the shell of the heat pipe proximate to the evaporation area, and

transferring heat from the light assembly through the shell of the heat pipe to the fluid.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of,

thermally coupling a heat sink external to the heat pipe to the shell of the heat pipe at location proximate to the condensation area, and

transferring heat from the vapor through the shell of the heat pipe at the condensation area to the heat sink.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of,

providing fins within the shell of the heat pipe at the condensation area, and wherein the step of transferring heat from the vapor through the shell of the heat pipe at the condensation area to the heat sink further comprises the step of,

transferring heat from the vapor through the fins to the heat sink.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of thermally coupling a heat sink external to the heat pipe to the shell of the heat pipe at location proximate to the condensation area further comprises the step of,

thermally coupling a heat sink external to a vehicle to the heat pipe.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of thermally coupling a heat sink external to the heat pipe to the shell of the heat pipe at location proximate to the condensation area further comprises the step of,

thermally coupling a portion of a vehicle to the heat pipe.

17. An automotive lighting assembly cooling system comprising,

a heat pipe with a shell, an evaporation area and a condensation area located remote from the evaporation area, the condensation area designed to be thermally coupled to a heat sink external to the body of a vehicle when the heat pipe is mounted to a lighting assembly which is mounted to the vehicle, and

fluid located within the shell at the condensation area.

18. The automotive lighting assembly cooling system of claim 17 further comprising

fins thermally coupled to the heat pipe at a location proximate the condensation area, the fins designed be thermally coupled to a heat sink external to the body of a vehicle when the heat pipe is mounted to a lighting assembly which is mounted to the vehicle.

19. The automotive lighting assembly cooling system of claim 18 further comprising,

wicking means located within the shell for transferring fluid from the condensation area to the evaporation area.

20. The automotive lighting assembly cooling system of claim 19 further comprising,

fins thermally coupled to the shell of the heat pipe at a location proximate the evaporation area.

21. The automotive lighting assembly cooling system of claim 20 wherein the fins are located within the evaporation area.