Heat management subsystems for LED lighting systems, LED lighting systems including heat management subsystems, and/or methods of making the same

• US 9,845,943 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 12/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Veerasamy, Vijayen S., Alvarez, Jemssy
• Primary Examiner(s): Sawhney, Hargobind S
• Application Number:
  US13/188,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20130021775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,342 Days
• Field of Search: 362 84, 362157, 36221701, 362218, 362231, 362244, 36224901, 36224902, 36224911, 362293, 362294, 36231101, 36231102, 362326-328, 362346, 362373, 362521, 362545-547, 362800, 257 98-100, 257431, 257432, 257705, 257706, 257E33032, 257E33059, 257E33061, 257E33072, 257E33067, 257E33075, 313498-501, 313512
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/14 the elements being filters or photoluminescent elements, reflectors and refractors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/54 using thermoelectric means, e.g. Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/045 the lens having discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/10 comprising photoluminescent material
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/06 with parabolic curvature
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Certain example embodiments relate to improved lighting systems and/or methods of making the same. In certain example embodiments, a lighting system includes a glass substrate with one or more apertures. An LED or other light source is disposed at one end of the aperture such that light from the LED directed through the aperture of the glass substrate exits the opposite end of the aperture. Inner surfaces of the aperture have a mirroring material such as silver to reflect the emitted light from the LED. In certain example embodiments, a remote phosphor article or layer is disposed opposite the LED at the other end of the aperture. In certain example embodiment, a lens is disposed in the aperture, between the remote phosphor article and the LED.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a tile that includes;

at least a first glass substrate having at least one cavity formed therein, each said cavity (a) increasing in diameter or distance from a first end thereof to a second end thereof, and (b) having a reflective surface;

at least one light emitting diode (LED) at or proximate to the first end of a respective one of said cavities so as to enable the reflective surface of the associated cavity to reflect at least some light emitted from the respective LED;

an active thermal management system disposed proximate to the at least one LED, such that the LED is between the active thermal management system and the second end, the active thermal management system being configured to variably transfer heat from a first side of the active thermal management system to a second side of the active thermal management system, the first side being closer to the at least one LED than the second side;

a thermal controller coupled to the active thermal management system, the thermal controller being configured to sense a temperature associated with the at least one LED and/or the active thermal management system, and to control the variably transferred heat of the active thermal management system based the sensed temperature control; and

a passive heat sink disposed proximate to the active thermal management system such that the active thermal management system is between the at least one LED and the passive heat sink.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the thermal controller is configured to supply electrical energy to the active thermal management system, and

the transferred heat is based on the amount of electrical energy supplied to the active thermal management system.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the thermal controller is further configured to supply power of both positive and negative voltages to the active thermal management system.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the thermal controller includes an H-bridge circuit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tile is no more than 10 mm thick.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the active thermal management system includes a thermal electrical cooler (TEC).

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the thermal electrical cooler includes at least one bismuth-inclusive element.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a phosphor-inclusive material disposed over the at least one LED and proximate the first end.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

each said LED is configured to produce light in accordance with a first spectrum;

the phosphor-inclusive material has a second spectrum; and

light exiting the apparatus has a third spectrum.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a Fresnel lens such that light from the at least one LED diffusion of the light is increased upon after the light passes through the Fresnel lens.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one LED lacks an epoxy cap.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, furthering comprising a plurality of the tiles, wherein tiles are interconnected with one another.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lens disposed at least partially in the at least one cavity.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, where the lens increases the collimation of light emitted from the at least one LED.

15. A lighting system comprising the apparatus of claim 1.

16. A method of making a light fixture, the method comprising:

forming at least one cavity in a glass substrate, each said cavity increasing in diameter or distance from a first end thereof to a second end thereof;

disposing a reflective element on a surface of the at least one cavity;

locating a light emitting diode (LED) at or proximate to the first end of each said cavity so as to enable the associated reflective element to reflect at least some light emitted from the respective LED;

disposing an active thermal management system proximate to each one of the located LEDs, where the respective LED is between the active thermal management system and the first end, the active thermal management system being configured to variably transfer heat from a first side of the active thermal management system to a second side of the active thermal management system, the first side being closer to the respective LED than the second side;

coupling a thermal controller to at least the active thermal management systems, the thermal controller being configured to sense a temperature associated with the at least one LED and/or the active thermal management system, and control the variably transferred heat based the sensed temperature control; and

providing a passive heat sink proximate to the active thermal management system such that the active thermal management system is between the LED and the passive heat sink.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the active thermal management system includes a thermal electrical cooler (TEC).

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising disposing a collimating lens within each said cavity, the reflected light exiting the second end of each said cavity is substantially collimated so as to allow for 10-30 degrees of distribution, and

wherein the reflective surface of each said cavity is configured to conserve é

tendue of the light from the respective LED.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising disposing a phosphor-inclusive material over the first end.