LED illumination apparatus and card-type LED illumination source

• US 6,949,772 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2003
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Everlight Electronics Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsui, Nobuyuki, Tamura, Tetsushi, Setomoto, Tatsumi, Shimizu, Masanori, Yano, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, MINH LOAN
• Application Number:
  US10/374,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20030189829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 257/88, 257/98, 257/99, 362/240, 362/241, 362/249, 362/226
• US Class Current: 257/99
• 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: F21L 4/00 Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/005 the device being a pocket lamp F21L4/022, F21L4/045, F21L4/085 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/00 Lighting devices intended to be free-standing F21S9/00, F21S10/00, F21S13/12 take precedence lighting devices specially adapted to be transported from place to place, e.g. lighting devices carried on wheeled supports F21L; details of supports for lighting devices F21V21/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/003 for task lighting, e.g. for reading or desk work, e.g. angle poise lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/04 with provision for changing light source, e.g. turret auxiliary devices for cleaning, placing, or removing incandescent lamps H01K3/32, fluorescent lamps H01J9/006
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0083 Array of reflectors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more reflectors F21V7/0025
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/33 annular
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/00 Planar light sources
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/15 Organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/20 Electroluminescent [EL] light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05568 the whole external layer protruding from the surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05573 Single external layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/06102 : the bonding areas being at different heights
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16 : of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 : the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/1703 : Bump connectors having different sizes, e.g. different diameters, heights or widths
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 : Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 : Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 : connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 : the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49107 : on the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/97 : the devices being connected to a common substrate, e.g. interposer, said common substrate being separable into individual assemblies after connecting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 : the devices being arranged next to each other
• 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 2924/00012 : Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01004 : Beryllium [Be]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 : Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/07811 : Extrinsic, i.e. with electrical conductive fillers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 : Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12041 : LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15787 : Ceramics, e.g. crystalline carbides, nitrides or oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/20 : with a particular shape, e.g. curved or truncated substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/64 : Heat extraction or cooling elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/714 : with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/225 : secured to structure or printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 : Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 : Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/345 : Current stabilisation; Maintaining constant current
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3574 : Emulating the electrical or functional characteristics of incandescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3578 : Emulating the electrical or functional characteristics of discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 : Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/40 : Details of LED load circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/05 : Insulated conductive substrates, e.g. insulated metal substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/112 : directly combined with via connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/117 : Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 : Light emitting diode [LED]

Abstract

An LED illumination apparatus according to the present invention includes at least one connector and a lighting drive circuit. The connector is connected to an insertable and removable card-type LED illumination source, which includes multiple LEDs that have been mounted on one surface of a substrate. The lighting drive circuit is electrically connected to the card-type LED illumination source by way of the connector. The card-type LED illumination source preferably includes a metal base substrate and the multiple LEDs that have been mounted on one surface of the metal base substrate. The back surface of the metal base substrate, including no LEDs thereon, thermally contacts with a portion of the illumination apparatus. A feeder terminal to be electrically connected to the connector is provided on the surface of the metal base substrate on which the LEDs are provided.

Claims

1. An LED illumination apparatus comprising:

at least one connector to be connected to an insertable and removable card-type LED illumination source, the illumination source including multiple LEDs that have been mounted on one surface of a substrate; and

a lighting drive circuit to be electrically connected to the card-type LED illumination source by way of the connector.

2. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a metal base substrate, an insulating layer and a conductive line pattern being provided on the surface of the metal base substrate such that the LEDs are mounted thereon.

3. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 2, wherein the LEDs have been mounted in a bare chip state on the substrate.

4. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 3, wherein feeder terminals are provided at one end of the surface of the substrate on which the LEDs have been mounted, and

wherein the center of a light outgoing region of the substrate, in which the LEDs mounted are located, is shifted from the center of the substrate.

5. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 4, comprising a thermal conductor member, the thermal conductor member contacting thermally with the back surface of the substrate, on which none of the LEDs is mounted, and receiving heat from the back surface of the substrate.

6. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 5, wherein the area of a contact portion between the back surface of the substrate and the thermal conductor member is equal to or greater than the area of the light outgoing region of the substrate in which the LEDs mounted are located.

7. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a feeder base for externally supplying electrical energy to the lighting drive circuit.

8. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 7, wherein the feeder base is a lamp base for a light bulb.

9. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 8, comprising a housing, which transmits light emitted from the card-type LED illumination source that is connected to the connector.

10. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 1, comprising:

a receiving portion, on/from which the card-type LED illumination source is fixable and removable; and

stopper means for keeping the card-type LED illumination source from dropping from the receiving portion,

wherein the stopper means operates in such a manner as to allow a human user to remove the card-type LED illumination source from the receiving portion with his or her fingers.

11. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 10, wherein the surface of the substrate on which the LEDs have been mounted has a rectangular shape, and

wherein the receiving portion includes a guide for getting the card-type LED illumination source slid and guided thereon, and

wherein when fixed on the receiving portion, the card-type LED illumination source is supplied with electrical power from the connector and has the back surface of the substrate thereof contact thermally with the receiving portion.

12. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 10, comprising a movable mechanism with a fixing portion for fixing the card-type LED illumination source onto the receiving portion,

wherein when fixed on the receiving portion, the card-type LED illumination source is supplied with electrical power from the connector and has the back surface of the substrate thereof contact thermally with the receiving portion.

13. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 1, wherein a thermal resistance between the back surface of the substrate of the card-type LED illumination source, on which none of the LEDs is mounted, and the LEDs is 10°

C./W or less.

14. The LED illumination apparatus of claim 1, comprising means for dissipating heat from the back surface of the substrate on which none of the LEDs is mounted.

15. The card-type LED illumination source of claim 14, wherein an insulating layer and a conductive line pattern are provided on the surface of the metal base substrate so that the LED bare chips are mounted thereon, and

wherein the insulating layer is made of a composite material including at least an inorganic filler and a resin composition.

16. The card-type LED illumination source of claim 15, wherein the insulating layer is white.

17. The card-type LED illumination source of claim 15, comprising at least two conductive line pattern layers that are stacked one upon the other with an insulating layer interposed between them, wherein the illumination source has a structure for interconnecting the at least two conductive line pattern layers together at a predetermined position of the insulating layer.

18. A card-type LED illumination source comprising:

a metal base substrate; and

multiple LED bare chips that have been mounted on one surface of the metal base substrate,

wherein the card-type LED illumination source is supported so as to be insertable into, and removable from, an illumination apparatus that includes a connector and a lighting drive circuit, and the back surface of the metal base substrate, on which none of the LED bare chips is mounted, thermally contacts with a portion of the illumination apparatus, and

wherein a feeder terminal is provided at one end of the surface of the metal base substrate on which the LED bare chips have been mounted.

19. The card-type LED illumination source of claim 18, wherein an optical reflector with holes to surround the LED bare chips is provided on the surface of the metal base substrate on which the LED bare chips have been mounted, and wherein the LED bare chips are encapsulated.

20. The card-type LED illumination source of claim 19, wherein optical lenses are fitted with the holes of the optical reflector.

21. The card-type LED illumination source of claim 19, wherein stress relaxing means is provided between the metal base substrate and the optical reflector.

22. The card-type LED illumination source of claim 19, wherein the center of the metal base substrate is shifted from the center a light outgoing region of the metal base substrate in which the LED bare chips mounted are located.

23. The card-type LED illumination source of claim 19, wherein a thermal resistance between the back surface of the metal base substrate, on which none of the LED bare chips is mounted, and the LED bare chips is 10°

C./W or less.

24. The card-type LED illumination source of one of claim 18, wherein at least some of the LED bare chips are flip-chip bonded to the conductive line pattern on the metal base substrate.

25. The card-type LED illumination source of one of claim 18, wherein a phosphor, which receives at least some of the light that has been emitted from the LED bare chips and which emits visible radiation, is provided on the metal base substrate.

26. An apparatus comprising a connector that supplies electrical power to the card-type LED illumination source as recited in claim 18.