Hybrid illuminator

• US 8,794,797 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Teknoware Oy (Teknopower Oy)
• Original Assignee: Teknoware Oy (Teknopower Oy)
• Inventors: Kuisma, Jouko
• Primary Examiner(s): CARTER, WILLIAM JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US10/969,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20050117351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,576 Days
• Field of Search: 362/294, 362/800, 362/373, 362/345
• US Class Current: 362/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3675 characterised by the shape of the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/167 comprising optoelectronic devices, e.g. LED, photodiodes
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0999 Circuit printed on or in housing, e.g. housing as PCB; Circuit printed on the case of a component; PCB affixed to housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0061 onto a metallic substrate, e.g. a heat sink heat sinks for electric apparatus H05K7/20

Abstract

The present invention relates to an illuminator apparatus comprising one or more LEDs and one or more current control components and/or other illuminator components coupled in a thermally conductive manner to a circuit board. The circuit board, in turn, is in a thermally conductive manner integrated into a cooling element which serves as a frame part of the illuminator in order to transfer heat generated by the LEDs and the current control components and/or the other components through the circuit board to the cooling element and therefrom further to other structures of the illuminator and to an ambient environment.

Claims

1. An illuminator apparatus comprising a circuit board, at least one LED, at least one current-limiting converter, and at least one cooling element, wherein the LED and the current-limiting converter are mounted and coupled in a thermally conductive manner to the circuit board, and the cooling element serves as a frame part of the illuminator and is integrated into the circuit board in a thermally conductive manner in order to transfer heat generated by the LED and the current-limiting converter away from the circuit board and to other structures of the illuminator and to an ambient environment such that the LED and the current-limiting converter are cooled with the cooling element being common.

2. The illuminator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling element is at least one of a thermally highly conductive plate or a profile attached to the circuit board.

3. The illuminator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling element is at least one of a metal plate, profile or a metal coating.

4. The illuminator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cooling element is at least one of an aluminum plate, profile or an aluminum coating.

5. The illuminator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling element comprises a surface, and the circuit board in its entirety is mounted to said surface of the at least one cooling element.

6. The illuminator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling element comprises a surface, and the circuit board is only partially mounted to said surface of the at least one cooling element.

7. The illuminator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling element consists of at least two coatings, plates or profiles, or any combination thereof, arranged on top of one another.

8. The illuminator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit board is attached to the cooling element by means of thermally conductive glue in order to transfer heat efficiently through the circuit board to the cooling element.

9. The illuminator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit board is attached to the cooling element mechanically and by means of a thermally conductive silicon paste in order to transfer heat through the circuit board to the cooling element.

10. The illuminator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit board is attached to the cooling element by means of a heat-activated glue in order to transfer heat through the circuit board to the cooling element.

11. The illuminator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling element is at least one of a metal plate, profile or a metal coating.

12. The illuminator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cooling element is at least one of an aluminum plate, profile or an aluminum coating.

13. The illuminator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one cooling element comprises a surface, and the circuit board in its entirety is mounted to said surface of the at least one cooling element.

14. The illuminator as claimed in claim 13, wherein the cooling element consists of at least two coatings, plates or profiles, or any combination thereof, arranged on top of one another.

15. The illuminator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the circuit board is attached to the cooling element by means of thermally conductive glue, mechanical attachment, thermally conductive silicon paste, or heat-activated glue in order to transfer heat efficiently through the circuit board to the cooling element.

16. The illuminator as claimed in claim 15, wherein the circuit board is attached to the cooling element by means of mechanical attachment and by means of a thermally conductive silicon paste in order to transfer heat through the circuit board to the cooling element.

17. The illuminator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one cooling element comprises a surface, and the circuit board is only partially mounted to said surface of the at least one cooling element.