LED lighting modules and luminaires incorporating same

• US 8,733,980 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2009
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wyndsor Lighting, LLC
• Original Assignee: Wyndsor Lighting, LLC
• Inventors: Cook, William V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Y My Quach
• Application Number:
  US12/576,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20110063843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 362/218, 362/249.02, 362/294, 362/373, 362/362, 362/431
• US Class Current: 362/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/20 Light sources comprising attachment means
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/088 with lighting device mounted on top of the standard, e.g. for pedestrian zones
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/16 using sheets without apertures, e.g. fixed
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/67 characterised by the arrangement of fans
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/677 the fans being used for discharging
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/713 in direct thermal and mechanical contact of each other to form a single system
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/717 using split or remote units thermally interconnected, e.g. by thermally conductive bars or heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/75 with fins or blades having different shapes, thicknesses or spacing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/76 with essentially identical parallel planar fins or blades, e.g. with comb-like cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/04 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/05 plane
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• 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]

Abstract

LED lighting modules have a highly thermally conductive polyhedral body having a plurality of exterior facets disposed around a mounting axis in a polygonal array facing outwardly away from the mounting axis and at a downward angle thereto. At least a majority of the facets carries at least one LED whose optical axis is angled acutely. The body carries a plurality of heat dissipating fins and serves as a heat sink to prevent overheating the LEDs in a transient and steady state operation. For retrofit applications, the module is mounted to a fixture via either a support or a bracket in a mounting position in which the elevation of the LEDs is determined according to the mounting and geometry of the replaced lamp.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting module for installation in a light fixture, said module comprising:

(a) a body of highly thermally conductive material, said body having a plurality of exterior surfaces disposed in an array around a first axis, each of said surfaces facing outwardly away from said first axis;

(b) a thermally conductive support having an first end and a second end, said first end and said second end being mutually spaced from one another along said first axis, said body being supportably mounted to said first end of said support and thermally conductively coupled to said first end of said support, said second end of said support being mechanically coupleable to the light fixture to support said body in an installed position in the light fixture;

(c) a plurality of LEDs, at least one LED of said plurality of LEDs being supportably mounted to each respective one of at least a majority of said surfaces and thermally conductively coupled to said body; and

(d) a plurality of first heat dissipating fins supportably mounted to said body and thermally conductively coupled to said body, said LED'"'"'s being located with respect to said first axis axially between said first heat dissipating fins and said support; and

wherein said body has sufficient thermal mass and is thermally conductively coupled to each of said plurality LEDs by way of a thermal path having sufficiently low thermal resistance that during a thermal lag period which occurs under normal operating conditions after said LEDs are energized until heat can begin to be drained from said body at a rate at least as rapid as that at which heat enters said body from said plurality of LEDs, said body is capable of taking on heat from said plurality of LEDs at a sufficiently high rate of heat flow to prevent any of said plurality of LEDs from exceeding a temperature limit.

2. The LED lighting module of claim 1 wherein said surfaces are oriented at a downward angle with respect to said first axis and said downward angle is an angle within a range of about twenty five degrees (25°

) to about thirty degrees (30°

).

3. The LED lighting module of claim 1 wherein said surfaces are oriented at a downward angle with respect to said first axis, and said downward angle is an angle of about twenty nine point seven degrees (29.7°

).

4. The LED lighting module of claim 1 wherein said surfaces are oriented at a downward angle with respect to said first axis and each of said LEDs have an optical axis which is oriented at an acute angle with respect to said first axis and wherein said downward angle and said acute angle are complementary angles.

5. The LED lighting module of claim 1 wherein each of said LEDs have an optical axis which is oriented at an acute angle with respect to said first axis and wherein said acute angle is an angle within a range of about sixty five degrees (65°

) to about sixty degrees (60°

).

6. The LED lighting module of claim 1 wherein each of said LEDs have an optical axis which is oriented at an acute angle with respect to said first axis and wherein said acute angle is an angle of about sixty point three degrees (60.3°

).

7. The LED lighting module of claim 1 wherein said array is a pentagonal array and wherein said plurality of exterior surfaces comprises five facets.

8. The LED lighting module of claim 1 further comprising at least one light shield mounted to said body and extending outwardly therefrom, said light shield being positioned to prevent at least some of the light emitted by at least one of said LEDs from being projected skyward.

9. The LED lighting module of claim 8 wherein said light shield comprises at least one reflective surface positioned to reflect said at least some of said light downwardly.

10. The LED lighting module of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of second heat dissipating fins, said plurality of second heat dissipating fins being supportably mounted to said support, said plurality of second heat dissipating fins being thermally conductively coupled to said body by way of said support, said first heat dissipating fins and said second heat dissipating fins being located such that said first heat dissipating fins and said second heat dissipating fins are directly exposed to air when said body is in said installed position.

11. The LED lighting module of claim 1 wherein said support includes a first passage through which may be routed electrical conductors for supplying electrical energy to at least one of said LEDs.

12. The LED lighting module claim 1 wherein said second end of said support is threaded to receive a threaded fastener for mechanically coupling said second end of said support to the light fixture.

13. The LED lighting module of claim 1 wherein at least one of said LEDs is mounted supportably on a substrate, at least a portion of said substrate being interposed between said at least one of said LEDs and said body.

14. The LED lighting module of claim 13 wherein said substrate includes at least one electrically conductive path for supplying electrical energy to said at least one of said LEDs to enable said at least one of said LEDs to emit light.

15. The LED lighting module of claim 13 wherein said substrate carries a driver for electrically driving at least one of said LEDs.

16. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting module for installation in a light fixture, said module comprising:

(a) a polyhedral body of highly thermally conductive material, said body having a mounting axis and a plurality of exterior facets disposed about said mounting axis in a substantially polygonal array, each of said facets facing outwardly away from said mounting axis and at a downward angle with respect to said mounting axis;

(b) a support having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end and said lower end being mutually spaced from one another along said mounting axis, said body being supportably mounted to said upper end of said support, said lower end of said support being adapted to be mechanically coupled to the light fixture;

(c) a plurality of LEDs, at least one LED of said plurality of LEDs being supportably mounted to each respective one of at least a majority of said facets and thermally conductively coupled to said body, each of said LEDs having an optical axis oriented at an acute angle with respect to said mounting axis, at least one of said LEDs being mounted supportably on a substrate, at least a portion of said substrate being interposed between said at least one of said LEDs and said body, said substrate including at least one electrically conductive path for supplying electrical energy to said at least one of said LEDs to enable said at least one of said LEDs to emit light, said substrate having mounted thereon a first mating part of at least one electrical connector, said first mating part being electrically coupled to said electrically conductive path for supplying electrical energy to said at least one of said LEDs by way of a second mating part which is selectively disconnectably coupleable, both mechanically and electrically, to said first mating part; and

(d) a plurality of heat dissipating fins supportably mounted to said body and thermally conductively coupled to said body.

17. The LED lighting module of claim 16 wherein said support includes a first passage which extends between said upper end and said lower end and wherein said body includes a second passage, said second passage communicating with said first passage and extending to an exterior opening on said body, said module further comprising at least one electrical conductor routed from at least said lower end of said support to said exterior opening by way of said first passage and said second passage, said electrical conductor being electrically coupled to said second mating part of said at least one said electrical connector.

18. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting module for installation in a light fixture, said module comprising:

(a) a body of highly thermally conductive material, said body having a plurality of exterior surfaces disposed in an array around a first axis, each of said surfaces facing outwardly away from said first axis;

(b) a thermally conductive support having a first end and a second end, said first end and said second end being mutually spaced from one another along said first axis, said body being supportably mounted to said first end of said support and thermally conductively coupled to said first end of said support, said second end of said support being mechanically coupleable to the light fixture to support said body in an installed position in the light fixture;

(c) a plurality of LEDs, at least one LED of said plurality of LEDs being supportably mounted to each respective one of at least a majority of said surfaces and thermally conductively coupled to said body; and

(d) a plurality of first heat dissipating fins supportably mounted to said body and thermally conductively coupled to said body, said LED'"'"'s being located with respect to said first axis axially between said first heat dissipating fins and said support; and

wherein said support includes a first passage which extends between said first end and said second end and wherein said body includes a second passage, said second passage communicating with said first passage and extending to an exterior opening on said body, said module further comprising at least one electrical conductor routed from at least said second end of said support to said exterior opening by way of said first passage and said second passage for supplying electrical energy to said at least one LED to enable said LED to emit light.

19. A light emitting diode (LED) luminaire, comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a lens mechanically coupleable to said housing, said lens having an interior cavity;

(c) a body of highly thermally conductive material, said body having a plurality of exterior surfaces disposed in an array around a first axis, each of said surfaces facing outwardly away from said first axis;

(d) a thermally conductive support having a first end and a second end, said first end and said second end being mutually spaced from one another along said axis, said body being supportably mounted to said first end of said support and thermally conductively coupled to said first end of said support, said second end of said support being mechanically coupled to said housing to support said body inside said interior cavity of said lens;

(e) a plurality of LEDs, at least one LED of said plurality of LEDs being supportably mounted to each respective one of at least a majority of said surfaces, each of said LEDs being thermally conductively coupled to said body; and

(f) a plurality of first heat dissipating fins supportably mounted to said body and thermally conductively coupled to said body, said LEDs being located with respect to said first axis axially between said first heat dissipating fins and said support; and

wherein said body has sufficient thermal mass and is thermally conductively coupled to each of said plurality LEDs by way of a thermal path having sufficiently low thermal resistance that during a thermal lag period which occurs under normal operating conditions after said LEDs are energized until heat can begin to be drained from said body at a rate at least as rapid as that at which heat enters said body from said plurality of LEDs, said body is capable of taking on heat from said plurality of LEDs at a sufficiently high rate of heat flow to prevent any of said plurality of LEDs from exceeding a temperature limit.

20. The LED luminaire of claim 19 wherein said surfaces are oriented at a downward angle with respect to said first axis and said downward angle is an angle within a range of about twenty five degrees (25°

) to about thirty degrees (30°

).

21. The LED luminaire of claim 19 wherein said surfaces are oriented at a downward angle with respect to said first axis and said downward angle is an angle of about twenty nine point seven degrees (29.7°

).

22. The LED luminaire of claim 19 wherein said surfaces are oriented at a downward angle with respect to said first axis and each of said LEDs has an optical axis which is oriented at an acute angle with respect to said first axis and wherein said downward angle and said acute angle are complementary angles.

23. The LED luminaire of claim 21 wherein said acute angle is an angle within a range of about sixty five degrees (65°

) to about sixty degrees (60°

).

24. The LED luminaire of claim 23 wherein said acute angle is an angle of about sixty point three degrees (60.3°

).

25. The LED luminaire of claim 19 wherein said array is a pentagonal array and wherein said plurality of exterior surfaces comprises five facets.

26. The LED luminaire of claim 19 further comprising at least one light shield mounted to said body and extending outwardly therefrom, said light shield being positioned to prevent at least some of the light emitted by at least one of said LEDs from being projected skyward.

27. The LED luminaire of claim 26 wherein said light shield comprises at least one reflective surface positioned to reflect said at least some of said light downwardly.

28. The LED luminaire of claim 19 further comprising a second plurality of second heat dissipating fins, said plurality of second heat dissipating fins being supportably mounted to said support, said plurality of second heat dissipating fins being thermally conductively coupled to said body by way of said support, said first heat dissipating fins and said second heat dissipating fins being located such that said first heat dissipating fins and said second heat dissipating fins are directly exposed to air when said body is in said installed position.

29. The LED luminaire of claim 19 wherein said support includes a first passage through which one or more wires are routed for supplying electrical energy to said LEDs.

30. The LED luminaire of claim 19 wherein said second end of said support is threaded to receive a threaded fastener for mechanically coupling said second end of said support to the housing.

31. The LED luminaire of claim 19 wherein at least one of said LEDs is mounted supportably on a substrate, at least a portion of said substrate being interposed between said LED and said body.

32. The LED luminaire of claim 31 wherein said substrate includes at least one electrically conductive path for supplying electrical energy to said LED to enable said LED to emit light.

33. The LED luminaire of claim 19 wherein said substrate carries a driver for electrically driving at least one of said LEDs.

34. A light emitting diode (LED) luminaire, comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a lens mechanically coupleable to said housing, said lens having an interior cavity;

(c) a polyhedral body of highly thermally conductive material, said body having a mounting axis and a plurality of exterior facets disposed about said mounting axis in a substantially polygonal array, each of said facets facing outwardly away from said mounting axis and at a downward angle with respect to said mounting axis;

(d) a plurality of heat dissipating fins supportably mounted to said body and thermally conductively coupled to said body;

(e) a support having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end and said lower end being mutually spaced from one another along said mounting axis, said body being supportably mounted to said upper end of said support, said lower end of said support being adapted to be mechanically coupled to said housing to support said body in an installed position inside said interior cavity of said lens; and

(f) a plurality of LEDs, at least one LED of said plurality of LEDs being supportably mounted to each respective one of at least a majority of said facets, each of said LEDs being thermally conductively coupled to said body, each of said LEDs having an optical axis oriented at an acute angle with respect to said mounting axis, at least one of said LEDs being mounted supportably on a substrate, at least a portion of said substrate being interposed between said LED and said body, said substrate including at least one electrically conductive path for supplying electrical energy to said LED to enable said LED to emit light, said substrate having mounted thereon a first mating part of at least one electrical connector, said first mating part being electrically coupled to said electrically conductive path for supplying electrical energy to said LED by way of a second mating part which is selectively disconnectably coupleable, both mechanically and electrically, to said first mating part.

35. The LED lighting module of claim 34 wherein said support includes a first passage which extends between said upper end and said lower end and wherein said body includes a second passage, said second passage communicating with said first passage and extending to an exterior opening on said body, said module further comprising at least one electrical conductor routed from at least said lower end of said support to said exterior opening by way of said first passage and said second passage, said electrical conductor being electrically coupled to said second mating part of said at least one said electrical connector for supplying electrical energy to said at least one LED for enabling said at least one LED to emit light.

36. A light emitting diode (LED) luminaire, comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a lens mechanically coupleable to said housing, said lens having an interior cavity;

(c) a body of highly thermally conductive material, said body having a plurality of exterior surfaces disposed in an array around a first axis, each of said surfaces facing outwardly away from said first axis;

(d) a thermally conductive support having an first end and a second end, said first end and said second end being mutually spaced from one another along said axis, said body being supportably mounted to said first end of said support and thermally conductively coupled to said first end of said support, said second end of said support being mechanically coupled to said housing to support said body inside said interior cavity of said lens; and

(e) a plurality of LEDs, at least one LED of said plurality of LEDs being supportably mounted to each respective one of at least a majority of said surfaces, each of said LEDs being thermally conductively coupled to said body; and

(f) a plurality of first heat dissipating fins supportably mounted to said body and thermally conductively coupled to said body, said LEDs being located with respect to said first axis axially between said first heat dissipating fins and said support and;

wherein said support includes a first passage which extends between said first end and said second end and wherein said body includes a second passage, said second passage communicating with said first passage and extending to an exterior opening on said body, said module further comprising at least one electrical conductor routed from at least said second end of said support to said exterior opening by way of said first passage and said second passage for supplying electrical energy to said at least one LED for enabling said at least one LED to emit light.