GAS COOLED LED LAMP

• US 20130271989A1
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hussell, Christopher P., Edmond, John Adam, Negley, Gerald H., Progl, Curt, Edmond, Mark, Athalye, Praneet, Swoboda, Charles M., van de Ven, Antony Paul, Pickard, Paul Kenneth, Reier, Bart P., Lay, James Michael, Lopez, Peter E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,757,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/249.02
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/65 the gas flowing in a closed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/75 with fins or blades having different shapes, thicknesses or spacing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/85 characterised by the material liquid coolants F21V29/56
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/061 the material being glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/10 characterised by coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/00 Light sources with three-dimensionally disposed light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/30 on the outer surface of cylindrical surfaces, e.g. rod-shaped supports having a circular or a polygonal cross section
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/40 on the sides of polyhedrons, e.g. cubes or pyramids
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

In one embodiment, a lamp comprises an optically transmissive enclosure. An LED array is disposed in the optically transmissive enclosure operable to emit light when energized through an electrical connection. A gas is contained in the enclosure to provide thermal coupling to the LED array. The gas may include oxygen.

Claims

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18. A lamp comprising:

an optically transmissive enclosure;

an LED array disposed in the optically transmissive enclosure to be operable to emit light when energized through an electrical connection, the LED array being mounted on an LED assembly comprising a heat sink structure where the LED array is disposed toward one side of the LED assembly with the heat sink structure extending toward the opposite side of the LED assembly, the LED array being positioned substantially in the center of the enclosure;

a gas contained in the enclosure to provide thermal coupling to the LED array.

19. The lamp of claim 18 wherein the gas comprises helium.

20. The lamp of claim 18 wherein the gas comprises hydrogen.

21. The lamp of claim 18 wherein the electrical connection comprises a thermally resistive electrical path that prevents overtemperature of the LED array.

22. The lamp of claim 21 wherein the thermally resistive electrical path comprises a wire, the wire having a dimension such that the dimension prevents overtemperature of the LED array.

23. A lamp comprising:

an optically transmissive sealed enclosure;

an LED disposed in the optically transmissive enclosure operable to emit light when energized through an electrical connection;

a gas contained in the enclosure to provide thermal coupling to the LED array where the gas comprises oxygen.

24. The lamp of claim 23 where the oxygen is provided in the enclosure in an amount that is sufficient to prevent degradation of the LED.

25. The lamp of claim 23 where the gas comprises less than approximately 40% by volume of oxygen.

26. The lamp of claim 25 where the gas comprises second thermally conductive gas.

27. The lamp of claim 26 where the second thermally conductive gas has a higher thermal conductivity than oxygen.

28. The lamp of claim 26 where the second thermally conductive gas comprises helium.

29. The lamp of claim 23 where the gas has a thermal conductivity of about at least 87.5 mW/m-K.

30. The lamp of claim 23 where the lamp emits light equivalent to a 60 watt equivalent bulb and the gas comprises approximately 100% by volume of oxygen.

31. The lamp of claim 23 further comprising a gas movement device.

32. The lamp of claim 31 wherein the gas movement device comprises at least one of an electric fan, a rotary fan, a piezoelectric fan, corona or ion wind generator, and diaphragm pump.

33. The lamp of claim 23 where the lamp emits light equivalent to a 40 watt equivalent bulb and the gas comprises at least approximately 4% by volume of oxygen.

34. The lamp of claim 23 where the gas comprises at least approximately 4% by volume of oxygen.

35. The lamp of claim 23 where the gas comprises less than approximately 50% by volume of oxygen.

36. The lamp of claim 23 where the gas comprises less than approximately 5% by volume of oxygen.