LIGHT ENGINE ASSEMBLIES

• US 20080112168A1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: LED Lighting Fixtures, Inc. (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Trott, Gary David, PICKARD, Paul Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 9,605,828 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/247
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/50 characterised by aesthetic components not otherwise provided for, e.g. decorative trim, partition walls or covers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/47 Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/75 with fins or blades having different shapes, thicknesses or spacing
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/401 for swimming pools
• 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]

Abstract

A light engine assembly, comprising at least one trim element, a light engine housing, and a light engine comprising at least one solid state light emitter. In some embodiments, an external surface of the light engine housing is in contact with an internal surface of the trim element. In some embodiments, the light engine assembly further comprises at least one thermal interface element positioned between and in contact with the light engine housing and the trim element. In some embodiments, the light engine assembly further comprises light engine housing fins which are in contact with the light engine housing and the trim element.

Claims

1. A light engine assembly, comprising:

at least one trim element, said trim element defining a trim element internal space;

a light engine housing positioned within said trim element internal space, said light engine housing defining a light engine housing internal space; and

a light engine comprising at least one solid state light emitter, said light engine being positioned within said light engine housing internal space,

an external surface of said light engine housing being in contact with an internal surface of said trim element.

2. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said external surface of said light engine housing and said internal surface of said trim element are each substantially frustoconical.

3. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said external surface of said light engine housing and said internal surface of said trim element are each substantially circular frustoconical.

4. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said light engine assembly further comprises a lighting device housing, said lighting device housing defining a lighting device housing internal space, at least a portion of said trim element being positioned within said lighting device housing internal space.

5. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein said trim element comprises a flange portion, said flange portion extending farther from an axis of said trim element than an outer surface of said lighting device housing.

6. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said internal surface of said trim element has an annular shape,

said trim element defines at least a first opening and a second opening,

each of said first opening and said second opening communicates with said trim element internal space, and

said first opening and said second opening are located on opposite sides of said annular shape.

7. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 6, wherein said first opening is defined by a first end region of said annular shape.

8. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein said trim element further comprises an end element which is in contact with a second end region of said annular shape, and said second opening is defined in said end element.

9. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said internal surface of said trim element has an annular shape, and

said trim element further comprises an end element which is in contact with a second end region of said annular shape, said end element closing a second end of said trim element defined by said second end region.

10. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said light engine assembly further comprises at least a first light diffuser,

said light diffuser is positioned within said trim element internal space,

said trim element and said first light diffuser together define a trim element-diffuser internal space, and

said light engine housing is positioned within said trim element-diffuser internal space.

11. A light engine assembly, comprising:

at least one trim element, said trim element defining a trim element internal space;

a light engine housing positioned within said trim element internal space, said light engine housing defining a light engine housing internal space;

a light engine comprising at least one solid state light emitter, said light engine being positioned within said light engine housing internal space, and

at least one thermal interface element,

said thermal interface element being positioned between and in contact with each of an external surface of said light engine housing and an internal surface of said trim element.

12. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein said external surface of said light engine housing and said internal surface of said trim element are each substantially frustoconical.

13. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein said external surface of said light engine housing and said internal surface of said trim element are each substantially circular frustoconical.

14. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein said light engine assembly further comprises a lighting device housing, said lighting device housing defining a lighting device housing internal space, at least a portion of said trim element being positioned within said lighting device housing internal space.

15. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein said trim element comprises a flange portion, said flange portion extending farther from an axis of said trim element than an outer surface of said lighting device housing.

16. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein:

said internal surface of said trim element has an annular shape,

said trim element defines at least a first opening and a second opening,

each of said first opening and said second opening communicates with said trim element internal space, and

said first opening and said second opening are located on opposite sides of said annular shape.

17. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein said first opening is defined by a first end region of said annular shape.

18. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein said trim element further comprises an end element which is in contact with a second end region of said annular shape, and said second opening is defined in said end element.

19. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein:

said internal surface of said trim element has an annular shape, and

said trim element further comprises an end element which is in contact with a second end region of said annular shape, said end element closing a second end of said trim element defined by said second end region.

20. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein:

said light engine assembly further comprises at least a first light diffuser,

said light diffuser is positioned within said trim element internal space,

said trim element and said first light diffuser together define a trim element-diffuser internal space, and

said light engine housing is positioned within said trim element-diffuser internal space.

21. A light engine assembly, comprising:

at least one trim element, said trim element defining a trim element internal space;

a light engine housing positioned within said trim element internal space, said light engine housing defining a light engine housing internal space;

a light engine comprising at least one solid state light emitter, said light engine being positioned within said light engine housing internal space; and

a plurality of light engine housing fins;

each of said light engine housing fins being;

in contact with an external surface of said light engine housing,

in contact with an internal surface of said trim element,

outside of said light engine housing internal space, and

inside of said trim element internal space.

22. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein said external surface of said light engine housing and said internal surface of said trim element are each substantially frustoconical.

23. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein said external surface of said light engine housing and said internal surface of said trim element are each substantially circular frustoconical.

24. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein said light engine assembly further comprises a lighting device housing, said lighting device housing defining a lighting device housing internal space, at least a portion of said trim element being positioned within said lighting device housing internal space.

25. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 24, wherein said trim element comprises a flange portion, said flange portion extending farther from an axis of said trim element than an outer surface of said lighting device housing.

26. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein:

said internal surface of said trim element has an annular shape,

said trim element defines at least a first opening and a second opening,

each of said first opening and said second opening communicates with said trim element internal space, and

said first opening and said second opening are located on opposite sides of said annular shape.

27. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 26, wherein said first opening is defined by a first end region of said annular shape.

28. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein said trim element further comprises an end element which is in contact with a second end region of said annular shape, and said second opening is defined in said end element.

29. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein:

said internal surface of said trim element has an annular shape, and

said trim element further comprises an end element which is in contact with a second end region of said annular shape, said end element closing a second end of said trim element defined by said second end region.

30. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein:

said light engine assembly further comprises at least a first light diffuser,

said light diffuser is positioned within said trim element internal space,

said trim element and said first light diffuser together define a trim element-diffuser internal space, and

said light engine housing is positioned within said trim element-diffuser internal space.

31. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein said light engine housing fins are integral with said light engine housing.

32. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein:

said external surface of said light engine housing has an annular shape,

said annular shape has a first end region and a second end region,

said first end region and said second end region are on opposite ends of said annular shape,

each of said light engine housing fins extends from said first end region to said second end region.

33. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein each said light engine housing fin extends in a direction substantially radially away from an axis of said external surface of said light engine housing.

34. A light engine assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein:

said external surface of said light engine housing has an annular shape,

said annular shape has a first end region and a second end region,

said first end region and said second end region are on opposite ends of said annular shape,

each of said light engine housing fins extends from said first end region to a location which is beyond said second end region.