REMOVABLE LED LIGHT ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN A LIGHT FIXTURE ASSEMBLY

• US 20100127637A1
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korrus Incorporated (MKD Electric, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Journee Lighting, Inc. (EcoSense Lighting Inc.)
• Inventors: Mundell, Brandon S., Alexander, Clayton
• Granted Patent: US 8,152,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/02 of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters specially adapted for vehicle exteriors F21S41/00-F21S45/00
• 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 17/12 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/14 Bayonet-type fastening
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/026 Fastening of transformers or ballasts
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/507 of means for protecting lighting devices from damage, e.g. housings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A removable LED light assembly for use in a light fixture assembly includes an LED lighting element and one or more resilient members to maintain a compression force between the LED light assembly and a housing to provide effective heat transfer from the LED to the housing. The LED light assembly includes a plurality of electrical contact members to facilitate installation of the LED light assembly in the housing.

Claims

1. An LED light assembly removably coupleable to a light fixture assembly, comprising:

an LED lighting element;

a thermal interface member coupled to the LED lighting element and configured to resiliently contact a thermally conductive housing of the light fixture assembly when the LED light assembly is installed in the light fixture assembly, the thermal interface member configured to thermally couple the LED lighting element and the thermally conductive housing;

one or more resilient members operatively coupled to the thermal interface member, the resilient members configured to generate a compression force when the LED light assembly is installed in the light fixture assembly to maintain a compressive contact force between the thermal interface member and the thermally conductive housing; and

a plurality of electrical contact members electrically connected to the LED lighting element, at least one of the electrical contact members configured to releasably contact an electrical contact on the light fixture assembly when the LED light assembly is coupled to the housing to establish an electrical connection between the LED lighting element and the housing irrespective of the orientation of the LED light assembly during installation.

2. The removable LED light assembly of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board electrically coupled to the LED lighting element and configured to control the operation of the LED lighting element, the printed circuit board comprising said electrical contact members.

3. The removable LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact members are electrical contact strips or pads.

4. The removable LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact members are gold plated.

5. The removable LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein the resilient member has a generally wishbone shape, each of the electrical contact members accessible through an opening between adjacent resilient members.

6. The removable LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein the compression force causes a subassembly of the LED light assembly to travel relative to the first shell.

7. The removable LED light assembly of claim 6, wherein the subassembly includes a printed circuit board, the circuit board being coupled to the thermal interface member.

8. The removable LED light assembly of claim 6, wherein the subassembly comprises an optic coupled to the thermal interface member and movable toward an opening in a first shell of the LED light assembly when the LED light assembly is installed in the light fixture assembly, the opening in the first shell allowing light from the LED lighting element to pass therethrough.

9. The removable LED light assembly of claim 8, wherein the LED lighting element is configured to move into a focal point of the optic aligned with the opening in the first shell when the LED light assembly is coupled to the housing and to move out of the focal point when the LED light assembly is disengaged from the housing.

10. The removable LED light assembly of claim 8, further comprising a second shell removably coupleable to the first shell without the use of threaded fasteners, the second shell coupleable to the thermal interface member.

11. The removable LED light assembly of claim 1, further comprising a wattage adjust control switch actuatable to adjust a wattage of the LED light assembly.

12. The removable LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more resilient members are made of metal.

13. The removable LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein the LED lighting element is directly coupled to the thermal interface member.

14. The removable LED light assembly of claim 1, further comprising a thermal pad attached to the thermal interface member, the thermal pad configured to minimize a thermal impedance between the thermal interface member and the thermally-conductive housing when the LED light assembly is coupled to the thermally-conductive housing.

15. An LED light assembly removably coupleable to a light fixture assembly, comprising:

an LED lighting element;

a thermal interface member coupled to the LED lighting element and configured to resiliently contact a thermally conductive housing of the light fixture assembly when the LED light assembly is coupled to the housing, the thermal interface member configured to thermally couple the LED lighting element and the thermally conductive housing;

a plurality of resilient members operatively coupled to the thermal interface member, the resilient members movable between an uncompressed state and a compressed state when the LED light assembly is coupled to the housing to generate a compression force between the thermal interface member and the thermally conductive housing to establish a thermal connection between the LED light assembly and the housing; and

a plurality of electrical contact members electrically connected to the LED lighting element, at least one of the electrical contact members configured to releasably contact an electrical contact on the light fixture assembly when the LED light assembly is coupled to the housing to establish an electrical connection between the LED lighting element and the housing irrespective of the orientation of the LED light assembly during installation.

16. The removable LED light assembly of claim 15, wherein the electrical contact members are gold plated.

17. The removable LED light assembly of claim 15, further comprising a wattage adjust control switch actuatable to adjust wattage of the LED light assembly.

18. The removable LED light assembly of claim 15, further comprising a printed circuit board electrically connected to the LED lighting element, the printed circuit board comprising the plurality of electrical contact members.

19. The removable LED light assembly of claim 15, wherein the resilient members are made of metal.

20. The removable LED light assembly of claim 15, wherein the LED lighting element is directly coupled to the thermal interface member.

21. The removable LED light assembly of claim 15, further comprising a first shell of the LED light assembly having an opening that allows light from the LED lighting element to pass therethrough, the first shell housing the LED lighting element therein.

22. The removable LED light assembly of claim 21, further comprising a second shell removably coupleable to the first shell without the use of threaded fasteners, the second shell coupleable to the thermal interface member.

23. The removable LED light assembly of claim 15, further comprising a thermal pad attached to the thermal interface member, the thermal pad configured to minimize a thermal impedance between the thermal interface member and the thermally-conductive housing when the LED light assembly is coupled to the thermally-conductive housing.

24. A light fixture assembly, comprising:

a thermally-conductive housing;

an LED assembly removably coupleable to the thermally-conductive housing, comprising;

an LED lighting element;

a thermal interface member coupled to the LED lighting element and configured to resiliently contact the thermally conductive housing when the LED light assembly is installed in the light fixture assembly to establish a thermal contact between the LED lighting element and the thermally conductive housing;

one or more resilient members operatively coupled to the thermal interface member, the resilient members movable between an uncompressed state and a compressed state when the LED light assembly is coupled to the thermally-conductive housing to generate a compression force between the thermal interface member and the thermally conductive housing; and

a plurality of electrical contact members electrically connected to the LED lighting element and configured to releasably contact an electrical contact on the housing when the LED light assembly is coupled thereto to establish an electrical connection between the LED lighting element and the housing irrespective of the orientation of the LED light assembly during installation.

25. The light fixture assembly of claim 24, wherein the thermally-conductive housing comprises a socket configured to releasably couple to the LED assembly, said socket comprising the electrical contact configured to electrically connect to the electrical contact members of the LED assembly, the socket dimensioned to cause the resilient members to move from the uncompressed state to the compressed state when the LED assembly is coupled to the socket.

26. The light fixture assembly of claim 25, wherein the socket is removably coupled to the thermally-conductive housing.

27. The light fixture assembly of claim 24, wherein the resilient members are made of metal.

28. The light fixture assembly of claim 24, wherein the electrical contact members of the LED assembly are gold plated.

29. The light fixture assembly of claim 24, wherein the LED assembly is releasably coupled to the thermally-conductive housing via the interaction of protrusions on the LED assembly and slots in a socket of the housing.

30. The light fixture assembly of claim 24, further comprising a wattage adjust control switch actuatable to adjust a wattage of the LED assembly.