Light emitting diode component

• US 7,224,000 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company, Consumer Lighting, LLC (d/b/a GE Lighting) (Savant Systems, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lumination LLC
• Inventors: Radkov, Emil, Petroski, James T., Aanegola, Srinath K., Weaver, Stanton E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): THAI, LUAN C
• Application Number:
  US10/831,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20050239227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 257/79, 257/81, 257/98, 257/100, 257/E51.18, 257/E33.001, 438/22, 438 25- 28
• US Class Current: 257/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• 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 33/507 the elements being in intimate contact with parts other than the semiconductor body or integrated with parts other than the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/52 Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements

Abstract

A light emitting package (8, 8′, 8″, 208, 408) includes a printed circuit board (10, 10′, 10″, 210, 410) supporting at least one light emitting die (12, 12″, 14, 16, 212, 412). A light transmissive cover (60, 60′, 60″, 260, 460) is disposed over the at least one light emitting die. The cover has an open end defining a cover perimeter (62, 62′, 62″, 262, 462) connected with the printed circuit board. An inside surface of the cover together with the printed circuit board defines an interior volume (70, 70″, 270, 470) containing the at least one light emitting die. An encapsulant (76, 76″, 276, 278, 476) is disposed in the interior volume and covers at least the light emitting die.

Claims

1. A light emitting package comprising:

a printed circuit board supporting at least one light emitting die and having at least two electrical terminals, printed circuitry of the printed circuit board connecting the at least one light emitting die with the at least two electrical terminals to provide power thereto;

a light transmissive cover disposed over the at least one light emitting die but not over the at least two electrical terminals, the cover having an open end defining a cover perimeter connected with the printed circuit board, an inside surface of the cover together with the printed circuit board defining an interior volume containing the at least one light emitting die;

an encapsulant disposed in and at least substantially filling the interior volume and covering the at least one light emitting die; and

a phosphor disposed proximate to the light transmissive cover and remote from the at least one light emitting die, the encapsulant that at least substantially fills the interior volume promoting light coupling between the at least one light emitting die and the remote phosphor.

2. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one light emitting die and the electrical terminals are disposed on opposite sides of the printed circuit board.

3. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least two openings communicate with the interior volume, the openings being formed into at least one of:

(i) the printed circuit board, (ii) the light transmissive cover, and (iii) a connection between the cover perimeter and the printed circuit board.

4. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 3, wherein the openings are filled with one of:

(i) a portion of the encapsulant, and (ii) a filling material.

5. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 1, wherein the interior volume is substantially hermetically sealed by the connection between the cover perimeter and the printed circuit board.

6. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 1, wherein the encapsulant comprises:

a liquid encapsulant contained in the interior volume by the connection of the cover perimeter and the printed circuit board.

7. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an adhesive disposed between the cover perimeter and the printed circuit board to secure the cover perimeter and the printed circuit board.

8. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board includes a groove receiving the cover perimeter.

9. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board comprises:

a metal core printed circuit board providing heat sinking for the at least one light emitting die.

10. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 1, wherein the phosphor is disposed on an outside surface of the light transmissive cover.

11. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 1, wherein the phosphor is embedded in the light transmissive cover.

12. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 1, wherein the encapsulant is at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure.

13. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 1, wherein the light transmissive cover is a dome-shaped cover.

14. A light emitting package comprising:

a printed circuit board that is substantially planar, supports at least one light emitting die, and has at least two electrical terminals, printed circuitry of the printed circuit board connecting the at least one light emitting die with the at least two electrical terminals to provide power thereto;

a light transmissive cover disposed over the at least one light emitting die but not over the at least two electrical terminals, the cover having an open end defining a cover perimeter connected with the printed circuit board, an inside surface of the cover together with the printed circuit board defining an interior volume containing the at least one light emitting die;

an encapsulant disposed in and at least substantially filling the interior volume and covering the at least one light emitting die; and

a phosphor disposed proximate to the light transmissive cover and remote from the at least one light emitting die, the encapsulant that at least substantially fills the interior volume promoting light coupling between the at least one light emitting die and the remote phosphor.

15. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 14, wherein the printed circuit board includes at least one reflective well corresponding to the at least one light emitting die, each light emitting die being disposed inside of the corresponding reflective well.

16. A light emitting package comprising:

a printed circuit board supporting at least one light emitting die and having at least two electrical terminals, printed circuitry of the printed circuit board connecting the at least one light emitting die with the at least two electrical terminals to provide power thereto;

a light transmissive glass cover disposed over the at least one light emitting die but not over the at least two electrical terminals, the glass cover having an open end defining a cover perimeter connected with the printed circuit board, an inside surface of the glass cover together with the printed circuit board defining an interior volume containing the at least one light emitting die;

an encapsulant disposed in and at least substantially filling the interior volume and covering the at least one light emitting die; and

a phosphor disposed proximate to the light transmissive glass cover and remote from the at least one light emitting die, the encapsulant that at least substantially fills the interior volume promoting light coupling between the at least one light emitting die and the remote phosphor.

17. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 16, wherein the phosphor is disposed on the inside surface of the cover.

18. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 17, further comprising:

an optical coating disposed between the phosphor and the inside surface of the cover.

19. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 16, wherein the encapsulant comprises:

a silicone encapsulant at least substantially filling the interior volume.

20. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 16, further comprising:

an optical coating disposed on a surface of the glass cover,

the optical coating reflecting or absorbing light produced by the at least one light emitting die and substantially transmitting light produced by the phosphor.

21. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 20, wherein the phosphor is disposed on the optical coating.

22. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 20, wherein the phosphor is disposed in a portion of the encapsulant distal from the at least one light emitting die and proximate to the glass cover.

23. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 16, wherein the glass cover is one of dome-shaped and tube-shaped.

24. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 16, wherein the printed circuit board is a generally planar printed circuit board and the glass cover includes a generally planar perimeter secured to the generally planar printed circuit board.

25. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 16, wherein the glass cover includes a perimeter substantially hermetically sealed to the printed circuit board.

26. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 16, wherein the light transmissive glass cover is a dome-shaped glass cover.

27. A light emitting package comprising:

a printed circuit board supporting at least one light emitting die and having at least two electrical terminals, printed circuitry of the printed circuit board connecting the at least one light emitting die with the at least two electrical terminals to provide power thereto;

a light transmissive cover disposed over the at least one light emitting die but not over the at least two electrical terminals, the cover having an open end defining a cover perimeter connected with the printed circuit board, an inside surface of the cover together with the printed circuit board defining an interior volume containing the at least one light emitting die;

an encapsulant disposed in and at least substantially filling the interior volume and covering the at least one light emitting die; and

a phosphor disposed proximate to the light transmissive cover and remote from the at least one light emitting die, the phosphor being distributed in a portion of the encapsulant distal from the at least one light emitting die and proximate to the light transmissive cover, the encapsulant that at least substantially fills the interior volume promoting light coupling between the at least one light emitting die and the remote phosphor.

28. A light emitting package comprising:

a printed circuit board supporting at least one light emitting die and having at least two electrical terminals, printed circuitry of the printed circuit board connecting the at least one light emitting die with the at least two electrical terminals to provide power thereto;

a light transmissive cover disposed over the at least one light emitting die but not over the at least two electrical terminals, the cover having an open end defining a cover perimeter connected with the printed circuit board, an inside surface of the cover together with the printed circuit board defining an interior volume containing the at least one light emitting die;

an encapsulant disposed in and at least substantially filling the interior volume and covering the at least one light emitting die; and

a phosphor disposed proximate to the light transmissive cover and remote from the at least one light emitting die, the encapsulant that at least substantially fills the interior volume promoting light coupling between the at least one light emitting die and the remote phosphor;

wherein a surface of the printed circuit board disposed inside the light transmissive cover is reflective for light emitted by the at least one light emitting die and for light emitted by the phosphor, and a surface of the printed circuit board disposed outside the light transmissive cover is reflective for light emitted by the phosphor.

29. A light emitting package comprising:

a printed circuit board supporting a plurality of bare light emitting dice and having at least two electrical terminals, printed circuitry of the printed circuit board connecting the plurality of bare light emitting dice with the at least two electrical terminals to provide power thereto;

a light transmissive cover disposed over the plurality of bare light emitting dice but not over the at least two electrical terminals, the cover having an open end defining a cover perimeter connected with the printed circuit board, an inside surface of the cover together with the printed circuit board defining an interior volume containing the plurality of bare light emitting dice;

an encapsulant disposed in and at least substantially filling the interior volume and covering the plurality of bare light emitting dice such that the bare light emitting dice are commonly encapsulated by the encapsulant and do not include separate encapsulation; and

a phosphor disposed proximate to the light transmissive cover and remote from the plurality of bare light emitting dice, the encapsulant that at least substantially fills the interior volume promoting light coupling between the plurality of bare light emitting dice and the remote phosphor.

30. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 29, wherein the light transmissive cover is a

a single-piece light transmissive cover made of a light-transmissive material disposed on the printed circuit board over the plurality of light emitting dice.

31. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 30, wherein at least two openings communicate with the interior volume, the openings being formed into at least one of:

(i) the printed circuit board, (ii) the light transmissive cover, and (iii) an interface between the light transmissive cover and the printed circuit board.

32. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 30, wherein the encapsulant is one of a liquid encapsulant and a non-rigid semi-solid encapsulant that is contained by the interior volume defined by the cooperating single-piece cover and printed circuit board to prevent leakage of the encapsulant out of the interior volume.

33. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 30, wherein the printed circuit board includes a reflective coating.

34. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 30, wherein the printed circuit board includes a heat sinking core.

35. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 30, wherein the single-piece light transmissive cover comprises:

an inorganic amorphous light transmissive cover.

36. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 29, wherein the light transmissive cover is a dome-shaped cover.

37. The light emitting package as set forth in claim 30, wherein the single-piece light transmissive cover is a dome-shaped cover.

38. A light emitting package comprising:

a printed circuit board supporting at least one light emitting die and having at least two electrical terminals, the at least one light emitting die being flip-chip bonded to the printed circuitry of the printed circuit board, the printed circuitry connecting the at least one light emitting die with the at least two electrical terminals to provide power thereto;

a light transmissive cover disposed over the at least one light emitting die but not over the at least two electrical terminals, the cover having an open end defining a cover perimeter connected with the printed circuit board, an inside surface of the cover together with the printed circuit board defining an interior volume containing the at least one light emitting die;

an encapsulant disposed in and at least substantially filling the interior volume and covering the at least one light emitting die; and

a phosphor disposed proximate to the light transmissive cover and remote from the at least one light emitting die, the encapsulant that at least substantially fills the interior volume promoting light coupling between the at least one light emitting die and the remote phosphor.