LED package with compound converging optical element

• US 7,390,117 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Dong, Leatherdale, Catherine A., Ouderkirk, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, LAURA K
• Application Number:
  US11/381,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20070258246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 362/800, 362/555, 362/560, 362/311, 362307-309, 362/326
• US Class Current: 362/555
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0028 refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0061 the light source comprising a LED semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission H01L33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/04 Prisms
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

The present application discloses a light source comprising an LED die having an emitting surface and an optical element including a base, an apex, the base, and a converging side joining the base and the apex, wherein the base is optically coupled to the emitting surface. Furthermore, the optical element comprises a first section including the base and that is composed of a first material and a second section including the apex and that is composed of a second material.

Claims

1. A light source, comprising:

an LED die having an emitting surface;

an optical element including a base, an apex, and a converging side joining the base and the apex, wherein the base is optically coupled to the emitting surface;

wherein the optical element comprises a first section including the base and that is composed of a first material;

wherein the optical element comprises a second section including the apex and that is composed of a second material; and

wherein the optical element directs light emitted by the LED die to produce a side emitting pattern.

2. The light source of claim 1, wherein the first material has a refractive index greater than that of the second material.

3. The light source of claim 1, wherein the side emitting pattern includes a plurality of side lobes.

4. The light source of claim 1, wherein the side emitting pattern is torroidal.

5. The light source of claim 1, wherein the side emitting pattern is asymmetric.

6. The light source of claim 1, wherein the apex resides over the emitting surface.

7. The light source of claim 1, wherein the apex is centered over the base.

8. The light source of claim 1, wherein the apex is blunted.

9. The light source of claim 1, further comprising an optically conducting layer disposed between the optical element and the emitting surface.

10. The light source of claim 1, wherein the optical element is bonded to the LED die at the emitting surface.

11. The light source of claim 1, wherein the base and the emitting surface are substantially matched in size.

12. The light source of claim 1, wherein the base is smaller than the emitting surface.

13. The light source of claim 1, wherein the first section has an index of refraction of at least 1.75.

14. The light source of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first and second sections consist of inorganic material.

15. The light source of claim 1, wherein the LED die is one of a plurality of LED dies arranged in an array.

16. The light source of claim 1, wherein the optical element is shaped as a polyhedron.

17. The light source of claim 16, wherein the base is rectangular and wherein the optical element includes four sides, each side extending between the base and the apex.

18. The light source of claim 1, wherein the base is circular.

19. A light source, comprising:

an LED die having an emitting surface;

an optical element including a base, an apex, and a converging side joining the base and the apex, wherein the base is optically coupled to the emitting surface;

wherein the optical element comprises a first section including the base and that is composed of a first material, wherein the first section has an index of refraction of at least 1.75; and

wherein the optical element comprises a second section including the apex and that is composed of a second material.

20. The light source of claim 19, wherein the first material has a refractive index greater than that of the second material.

21. The light source of claim 19, wherein the apex is centered over the base.

22. The light source of claim 19, further comprising an optically conducting layer disposed between the optical element and the emitting surface.

23. The light source of claim 19, wherein the optical element is bonded to the LED die at the emitting surface.

24. The light source of claim 19, wherein the base is smaller than the emitting surface.

25. The light source of claim 19, wherein the LED die is one of a plurality of LED dies arranged in an array.

26. A light source, comprising:

an LED die having an emitting surface;

an optical element including a base, an apex, and a converging side joining the base and the apex, wherein the base is optically coupled to the emitting surface, wherein the optical element is bonded to the LED die at the emitting surface;

wherein the optical element comprises a first section including the base and that is composed of a first material; and

wherein the optical element comprises a second section including the apex and that is composed of a second material.