Replacement illumination device for a miniature flashlight bulb

• US 20050225985A1
• Filed: 12/31/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Lighting Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Technology Assessment Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Catalano, Anthony, Harrison, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,300,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/277
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/238 Arrangement or mounting of circuit elements integrated in the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/02 characterised by the provision of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/048 the lens being a simple lens adapted to cooperate with a point-like source for emitting mainly in one direction and having an axis coincident with the main light transmission direction, e.g. convergent or divergent lenses, plano-concave or plano-convex lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/06 with parabolic curvature
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/24 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/28 characterised by coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for providing a solid state light emitter and driving circuitry integrated into a component module that will retrofit common incandescent light bulb applications. The disclosed embodiment is directed to the retrofitting of small flashlights using miniature bulbs, such as the Mini Maglite®. Because the emitter and driving circuitry cannot readily fit within the envelope of the bulb being replaced, the volume occupied by the module needs to be acquired from within the flashlight'"'"'s interior, such as from part of the volume occupied by the reflector. In that case, the invention includes a replacement reflector supplied with the module. The invention provides that no original functionality of the flashlight is sacrificed. Consideration is also given to the conduction of heat from the light emitter and module.

Claims

1-75. -75. (canceled)

76. An illumination device, such as a flashlight, comprising:

(a) a light reflector including (i) light reflecting surface segments which circumscribe a given area and which define a forwardly extending central axis of illumination and (ii) a rearward facing edge;

(b) an illumination assembly including (i) a printed circuit board having a front surface and a back surface, (ii) at least one solid state light source on the front surface of said printed circuit board, and (iii) control circuitry connected with said solid state light source and printed on at least one of the surfaces of said printed circuit board for connecting the solid state light source to a source of power in order to control the illumination of said solid state light source; and

(c) a housing arrangement including a first portion thereof connected with said light reflector and a second portion connected with said illumination assembly (i) such that said first housing portion and said light reflector are movable together relative to said second housing portion and said illumination assembly, (ii) such that the solid state light source is disposed within said given area in a way which causes light from said solid state light source to emanate our of said given area in the general direction of said forwardly extending central axis of illumination and (iii) such that the rearward facing edge of said light reflector engages a bearing surface defined by said illumination assembly during at least some of said relative movement.

77. An illumination device according to claim 76 wherein the front surface of said printed circuit board includes bearing surface.

78. An illumination device according to claim 76 wherein said relative movement of said first and second housing portions includes both rotational movement about and simultaneous axial movement along said central axis, said first housing portion supporting said reflector for rotation therewith such that the rearward facing edge of the reflector engages in a sliding manner on said bearing surface during at least some of the rotation of said first housing portion.

79. An illumination device according to claim 78 wherein said illumination assembly is configured such that said bearing surface is movable in a direction parallel with said central axis between a forward position for disconnecting said circuitry and said solid state light source from said source of power and a rearward position for connecting said circuitry and solid state light source to said source of power, and wherein the rotation of said housing portion causes tee rearward facing edge of said reflector to move said bearing surface from said first position to said second position as it slidably engages said bearing surface.

80. An illumination device according to claim 76 including a thermally conductive material disposed against the back surface of said printed circuit board for directing heat from said circuitry including said solid state light source away from the printed circuit board.

81. An illumination device according to claim 76 wherein said solid state light source is and LED.

82. An illumination device according to claim 76 wherein said printed circuit board and its front and back surfaces are round in shape.

83. In a method of converting an incandescent type light projecting illumination device, such as a flashlight, into a device using a solid state light source, the incandescent device having (i) a housing including a light reflector arrangement supported therewith, said light reflector arrangement being configured to include light reflecting surface segments circumscribing a given area which define a central axis of illumination and (ii) an incandescent light source located at said given area, the improvement comprising:

(a) replacing said incandescent light source with at least one solid state light source within said given area; and

(b) replacing said light reflector arrangement with a different light reflector arrangement.

84. The improvement according to claim 83 wherein said solid state light source is an LED.

85. In a method of converting an incandescent type light projecting illumination device, such as a flashlight, into a device using a solid state light source, the incandescent device having (i) a housing including a light reflector arrangement supported therewith, said light reflector arrangement being configured to include light reflecting surface segments circumscribing a given area which defines a central axis of illumination and (ii) an incandescent light source located at said given area, the improvement comprising:

(a) replacing said incandescent light source with at least one solid state light source within said given area; and

(b) replacing said light reflector arrangement with a different light reflector arrangement configured to include light reflecting surface segments which circumscribe said given area and which define the same central axis of illumination, said different light reflector arrangement being shorter than the first mentioned reflector arrangement in the direction of said central axis so as to accommodate circuitry associated with said solid state light source.

86. The improvement according to claim 85 wherein said solid state light source is an LED.

87. An illumination assembly for use in an illumination device, such as a flashlight, having a housing including a light reflector arrangement supported therewith, said light reflector arrangement including light reflecting surface segments which circumscribe a given area and which define a forwardly extending central axis of illumination, said illumination assembly comprising:

(a) a printed circuit board having a front surface and a back surface;

(b) at least one LED light source on the front surface of said printed circuit board;

(c) control circuitry connected with said LED and printed on at least one of the surfaces of said printed circuit board for connecting the LED to a source of power in order to control the illumination of said LED;

(d) a thermally conductive material disposed against at least the back surface of said printed circuit board for directing heat from said circuitry and said LED away from the printed circuit board;

(e) said illumination assembly being adapted for connection with said housing such that the LED is disposed within said given area in a way which causes light from said LED to emanate our of said given area directly and/or indirectly by means of reflection in the general direction of said forwardly extending central axis of illumination.

88. An illumination device according to claim 87 wherein said printed circuit board and its front and back surfaces are round in shape.

89. An illumination device, comprising:

(a) a housing arrangement including (i) a fist portion thereof defining a given light source receiving area which defines a forwardly extending central axis of illumination and (ii) a second portion such that said second portion is movable along said central axis toward and away from said first portion; and

(b) an illumination assembly including (i) a printed circuit board having a front surface and a back surface, (ii) at least one solid state light source on the front surface of said printed circuit board, and (iii) control circuitry connected with said solid state light source and printed on at least one of the surfaces of said printed circuit board for connecting the solid state light source to a source of power in order to control the illumination of said solid state light source, said illumination assembly being connected with said using such that the solid state light source is disposed within said given area in a way which causes light from said solid state light source to emanate out of said given area directly and/or indirectly by means of reflection in the general direction of said forwardly extending central axis of illumination; and

(c) said illumination assembly (i) being connected with said first housing portion for movement between a first position for connecting said control circuitry and solid state light source with said source of power and a second position for disconnecting said circuitry and solid state light source from said source of power and (ii) including a surface against which said second housing portion engages during its movement toward said first housing portion so as to move said illumination assembly from said second position to said fist position so as to disconnect said circuitry and said solid state light source from said source of power.

90. An illumination device according to claim 89 wherein said sold state light source is an LED.

91. An illumination device according to claim 89 wherein said device is a flashlight.

92. An illumination assembly for use in a flashlight, said assembly having a housing including a light reflector arrangement supported therewith, said light reflector arrangement including light reflecting surface segments which circumscribe a given area and which define a forwardly extending central axis of illumination, said illumination assembly comprising:

(a) a round-shaped printed circuit board having round-shaped front and back surfaces;

(b) at least one solid state light source on the front surface of said printed circuit board;

(c) control circuitry connected with said solid state light source and printed on at least one of the surfaces of said printed circuit board for connecting the solid state light source to a source of power in order to control the illumination of said solid state light source; and

(d) said illumination assembly being adapted for connection with said housing such that the solid state light source is disposed within said given area in a way which causes light from said solid state light source to emanate out of said given area directly and/or indirectly by means of reflection in the general direction of said forwardly extending central axis of illumination.

93. An illumination assembly according to claim 92 wherein said solid state light source is an LED.