Light emitter assembly

• US 7,701,055 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2007
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science And Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Science and Technology Research Institute TBF Company Limited
• Inventors: Wu, Kai Chiu, Pang, Chak Hau, Lu, Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAI SING
• Application Number:
  US11/700,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20080121900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 257/625, 257/707, 257/712, 257/720, 257/718
• US Class Current: 257/712
• 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: F21V 29/767 the planes containing the fins or blades having directions perpendicular to the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/773 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/60 on stacked substrates
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09027 Non-rectangular flat PCB, e.g. circular
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09063 Holes or slots in insulating substrate not used for electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10295 Metallic connector elements partly mounted in a hole of the PCB

Abstract

A plurality of disc-shaped substrates carry light emitters and are axially stacked, spaced apart, in a metal housing to dissipate the heat produced by the light emitters. The housing comprises mutually connected elongate planar ribs that abut the light emitters or substrates for thermally connecting the light emitters to the housing. The ribs have shoulders. The substrates are received between the ribs and abut the shoulders. The shoulders are positioned proximate each light emitter in intimate contact with the substrate for efficient heat dissipation.

Claims

1. A light emitter assembly, comprising:

a substrate carrying a plurality of light emitters, and

a housing including mutually connected thermally conductive ribs spaced apart for air flow therebetween, the substrate supported generally transversely between the ribs, the ribs abutting the light emitters or substrate and configured to thermally connect the light emitters or substrate to the housing.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the ribs have shoulders abutting the light emitters or substrate.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the substrate includes a thermally conductive core, one of the shoulders abutting the substrate adjacent each emitter for thermally connecting each light emitter to the housing.

4. The assembly of claim 3 further including at least one thermally conductive heat dissipation member fixed to the ribs and extending generally transversely between the ribs adjacent the substrate, the member being spaced apart from the adjacent substrate for air flow therebetween.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the ribs and each heat dissipation member are metal, the member abutting shoulders on the ribs.

14. The assembly of claim 1 further including at least one generally transversely extending metal heat dissipation member connected to the ribs and spaced apart from the adjacent substrate for air flow there between.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein each the heat dissipation member is substantially planar and abuts the shoulders.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein the heat dissipation member is slotted to receive and engage each of the ribs.

32. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing is configured to receive the substrate, wherein the mutually connected thermally conductive ribs are spaced apart about a periphery of the substrate so as to permit the air flow between adjacent ones of the ribs, and wherein the ribs are elongate and the substrate extends generally transversely between the ribs.

6. A light emitter assembly, comprising:

first and second substrates carrying first and second pluralities of light emitters respectively,

a housing including mutually connected metal ribs spaced apart for air flow therebetween, the substrates extending generally transversely between the ribs with the second substrate spaced apart from the first substrate for air flow therebetween, the ribs having shoulders abutting the light emitters or substrates and configured to thermally connect the light emitters or substrates to the housing.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein each substrate has a respective peripheral edge and respective planar inner and outer face, the outer faces being aligned generally parallel, the ribs surrounding the peripheral edges of the substrates, the first substrate having a recess such that light emitted outward from each of the second plurality of light emitters in a direction perpendicular to the outer faces passes through the recess and is not occluded by the first substrate.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein a mounting portion of each outer face abuts each light emitter, and one of said shoulders abuts a portion of the inner face opposite each mounting portion.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the ribs extend radially relative to a central axis of the housing and are mutually connected at the longitudinally inner ends thereof.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the ribs are mutually connected by a ring portion at the longitudinally outer ends thereof.

11. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the first and second pluralities of light emitters are mounted substantially upon respective first and second pitch circles centred on the central axis, the diameter of the first pitch circle exceeding the diameter of the second pitch circle, the light emitters of the first plurality being circumferentially offset relative to the light emitters of the second plurality.

12. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the substrates are ring shaped.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the substrates are formed from planar sheet material.

17. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the housing has a substantially frustoconical periphery defined by the circumferentially spaced radially outermost edges of the ribs.

33. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the housing is configured to receive the substrates, and wherein the mutually connected metal ribs are spaced apart about peripheries of the substrates so as to permit the air flow between adjacent ones of the ribs.

18. A light emitter assembly, comprising:

first and second substrates carrying first and second pluralities of light emitters respectively,

a housing including mutually connected metal ribs spaced apart for air flow therebetween and extending between an inner and an outer end of the housing, wherein

the substrates extend generally transversely between the ribs, the second substrate being spaced apart inwardly from the first substrate for air flow therebetween, the first substrate having a recess such that light emitted outward from each of the second plurality of light emitters in the longitudinal direction faces passes through the recess and is not occluded by the first substrate, and the ribs abutting the light emitters or substrates and configured to thermally connect the light emitters or substrates to the housing.

19. The assembly of claim 18 wherein shoulders formed on the ribs abut the light emitters or substrates for thermally connecting the light emitters to the housing.

20. The assembly of claim 18 wherein the substrate has opposing inner and outer faces, a mounting face portion of the outer face abuts each light emitter, and one of the shoulders abuts a portion of the inner face opposite each mounting portion.

21. The assembly of claim 18 wherein shoulders are formed on the ribs, the substrate has opposing inner and outer faces, a mounting face portion of the outer face abuts each light emitter, and one of the shoulders abuts a portion of the inner face opposite each mounting portion.

22. The assembly of claim 21 wherein the ribs are splayed apart in a longitudinal direction and each substrate has a peripheral edge;

the ribs surrounding the peripheral edges of the substrates.

23. The assembly of claim 22 wherein the ribs extend radially relative to a central longitudinal axis of the housing and are mutually connected at the inner ends thereof.

24. The assembly of claim 22 wherein the ribs are mutually connected by a ring portion at the longitudinally outer ends thereof.

25. The assembly of claim 22 wherein the first and second pluralities of light emitters are mounted substantially upon respective first and second pitch circles centred on the central axis, the diameter of the first pitch circle exceeding the diameter of the second pitch circle, and the light emitters of the first plurality being circumferentially offset relative to the light emitters of the second plurality.

26. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the substrates are ring shaped.

27. The assembly of claim 26 wherein the substrates are formed from planar sheet material.

28. The assembly of claim 18 further including at least one generally transversely extending metal heat dissipation member connected to the ribs intermediate the inner and outer ends.

29. The assembly of claim 28 wherein each the heat dissipation member is substantially planar and abuts the shoulders.

30. The assembly of claim 28 wherein the heat dissipation member is slotted to receive and engage each of the ribs.

31. The assembly of claim 22 wherein the housing has a substantially frustoconical periphery defined by the circumferentially spaced radially outermost edges of the ribs.

34. The assembly of claim 18 wherein the housing is configured to receive the substrates, and wherein the mutually connected metal ribs are spaced apart about peripheries of the substrates so as to permit the air flow between adjacent ones of the ribs.