Heat dissipation system for high power LED lighting system

• US 6,481,874 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Consumer Lighting, LLC (d/b/a GE Lighting) (Savant Systems, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Gelcore (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Petroski, James T.
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US09/681,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20020141197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 362/294, 362/373, 362/545, 362/555, 362/800, 257/705, 257/706, 257/707, 257/720
• US Class Current: 362/373
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/713 in direct thermal and mechanical contact of each other to form a single system
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/483 Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/64 Heat extraction or cooling elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A high power LED lamp device includes a high power LED, a die for supplying electrical power to the LED, a heat sink secured to the die, and a housing between the heat sink and an external environment. Heat within the die is conducted to the heat sink. The housing conducts the heat received from the heat sink to the external environment.

Claims

1. A heat dissipating system for an LED lighting device, comprising:

an LED;

a die for supplying electrical power to the LED;

a heat sink including a thermally conductive sleeve, the heat sink secured to the die, heat within the die being conducted to the thermally conductive sleeve; and

an outer housing surroundingly contacting the thermally conductive sleeve, the heat being transferred from the thermally conductive sleeve to an external environment via the outer housing.

2. The heat dissipating system for an LED lighting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the heat sink further includes:

a die support portion arranged inside the thermally conductive sleeve and supporting the die, the heat within the die being transferred to the thermally conductive sleeve via the die support portion.

3. The heat dissipating system for an LED lighting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive sleeve includes a metal material.

4. The heat dissipating system for an LED lighting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the heat sink is a one-piece casing of a metal material.

5. The heat dissipating system for an LED lighting device as set forth in claim 2, further including:

a circuit board secured to the die support portion.

6. The h eat dissipating system for an LED lighting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the heat is transferred from the thermally conductive sleeve to the outer housing via conduction.

7. The heat dissipating system for an LED lighting device as set forth in claim 6, wherein the heat is transferred from the outer housing to the external environment via convection.

8. The heat dissipating system for an LED lighting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the heat is transferred from the thermally conductive sleeve to the outer housing via a contact between the sleeve and the outer housing.

9. The heat dissipating system for an LED lighting device as set forth in claim 1, further including:

a thermally conductive adhesive between the thermally conductive sleeve and the outer housing, the heat being transferred from the thermally conductive sleeve to the outer housing via the thermally conductive adhesive.

10. A high power LED lamp device, comprising:

a high power LED;

a die for supplying electrical power to the LED;

a heat sink secured to the die, heat within the die being conducted to the heat sink, the heat sink having a first portion that supports the LED and a second portion that encompasses and connects with the first portion; and

a housing between the heat sink and an external environment, the housing secured with the second portion of the heat sink and in thermal contact therewith, the housing conducting the heat received from the heat sink to the external environment.

11. The high power LED lamp device as set forth in claim 10, further including:

a die attachment structure secured to the die and the heat sink, the heat within the die being transferred to the heat sink via the die attachment structure.

12. The high power LED lamp device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the heat sink is substantially surrounded by the housing.

13. The high power LED lamp device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the second portion of the heat sink frictionally secures with the housing.

14. The high power LED lamp device as set forth in claim 10, further including:

an adhesive between the heat sink and the housing, the heat being conducted from the heat sink to the housing via the adhesive.

15. The high power LED lamp device as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

the second portion of the heat sink has a substantially cylindrical shape;

the first portion of the heat sink has a disk shape and connects with an inner surface of the second portion at a disk circumferential surface; and

the housing includes a portion having a substantially cylindrical shape, the substantially cylindrically shaped second portion of the heat sink being surrounded by the substantially cylindrically shaped portion of the housing.

16. A method for manufacturing a high power LED lamp device, the method comprising:

casting a heat sink sleeve assembly including a central support portion and a surrounding sleeve portion;

securing a high power LED to the central support portion, heat within the LED being conducted to and distributed across the heat sink sleeve portion; and

securing a housing between the heat sink sleeve portion and an external environment, the housing transmitting the heat received from the heat sink sleeve portion to the external environment.

17. The method for manufacturing a high power LED lamp device as set forth in claim 16, wherein the step of securing the LED includes:

mounting a die support between the LED and the central support portion, the heat within the LED being conducted to the central support portion via the die support.

18. The method for manufacturing a high power LED lamp device as set forth in claim 16, wherein the step of securing the housing includes:

securing an adhesive between the housing and the surrounding sleeve portion of the heat sink sleeve assembly, the heat being transferred from the sleeve to the housing via the adhesive.

19. The method for manufacturing a high power LED lamp device as set forth in claim 16, wherein the step of securing the housing includes:

frictionally connecting the housing and the surrounding sleeve portion of the heat sink sleeve assembly, the heat being transferred from the sleeve to the housing via the frictional connection.

20. An LED lighting apparatus comprising:

a thermally conductive heat sink having a base portion and a sleeve portion joined to one another, said sleeve portion including a wall extending from the base portion, the wall forming a perimeter about a hollow region within the wall and having a surface facing outwardly from the hollow region;

a housing connected to the sleeve portion of the heat sink, said housing having an interior surface surroundingly conforming to the outwardly facing surface of the wall of the sleeve portion of the heat sink, and an exterior surface in direct radiative thermal communication with an environment outside of the LED lighting apparatus; and

an LED assembly arranged on the base portion of the heat sink, said LED assembly including an LED which is selectively energized to produce light, wherein heat generated by energizing the LED passes conductively through the heat sink to the housing and radiatively passes from the housing to the environment outside the LED lighting apparatus.

21. The apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein the base portion is a substantially planar plate and the wall of the sleeve portion extends therefrom substantially perpendicular to the plate.

22. The apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein the heat sink is made from a metallic material.