US6045240A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
LED lamp assembly with means to conduct heat away from the LEDS
Assignee: Relume Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1997-10-20
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Granted: 2000-04-04
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Expires: 2017-10-20
Abstract
Abstract An electrically driven L.E.D. lamp assembly (14) comprising an electrically insulating circuit board (26) having opposed first and second surfaces with light emitting diodes (28) having positive and negative leads (30, 32) mounted on the first surface. A plurality of holes extend through the board (26) and a plurality of pads (50) of thermally conductive plating are disposed on the second side with each pad (50) associated with the leads to conduct heat from each of the leads to one of the pads (50) while maintaining electrical isolation between the pads. A heat sink includes a base (36) overlying the second surface and an adhesive layer (58) of thermally conductive adhesive is disposed between the conductive plating and the heat sink (36) to secure the conductive plating and the circuit board (26) to the heat sink (36). The assembly is characterized by an electrically non-conductive spacer (56, 156) for preventing contact between the conductive plating (50) and the heat sink to prevent electrical shorting between the conductive plating (50) and the heat sink (36) while maximizing heat transfer. The spacer may comprise a pre-cured coating of the same material as the adhesive (58) or discrete elements (156).
Inventors
- 👤 Peter A. Hochstein
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:01
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60Q; B60Q1/00; B60Q1/26; B60Q1/2696; B61; B61L; B61L5/00; B61L5/12; B61L5/18; B61L5/1809; B61L5/1854; F; F21; F21S; F21S43/00; F21S43/10; F21S43/13; F21S43/14; F21S45/00; F21S45/30; F21S45/37; F21S45/40; F21S45/47; F21V; F21V29/00; F21V29/50; F21V29/70; F21V29/74; F21V29/83; F21V29/85; F21V29/89; G; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/09; G08G1/095; H; H05; H05K; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/0201; H05K1/0203; H05K1/0204; H05K1/0206; H05K3/00; H05K3/0058; H05K3/0061; H10; H10H; H10H20/00; H10H20/80; H10H20/85; H10H20/858; B61L2207/00; B61L2207/02; F21W; F21W2111/00; F21W2111/02; F21Y; F21Y2115/00; F21Y2115/10; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/02; H05K2201/0203; H05K2201/0206; H05K2201/0209; H05K2201/09; H05K2201/09209; H05K2201/09654; H05K2201/09781; H05K2201/10; H05K2201/10007; H05K2201/10106; H05K3/40; H05K3/42; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S362/00; Y10S362/80
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
An electrically driven L.E.D. lamp assembly comprising; an electrically insulating circuit board having opposed first and second surfaces, light emitting diodes mounted on said first surface, each of said light emitting diodes having positive and negative leads, a thermally conductive plating on said second surface, said conductive plating being thermally connected to said leads to conduct heat from said leads to said conductive plating, a heat sink overlying said conductive plating, an adhesive layer of thermally conductive adhesive disposed between said conductive plating and said heat sink to secure said conductive plating and said board to said heat sink, said assembly characterized by an electrically non-conductive spacer for preventing contact between said conductive plating and said heat sink to prevent electrical shorting between said conductive plating and said heat sink while maximizing heat transfer from said conductive plating to said heat sink.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
An electrically driven L.E.D. lamp assembly comprising; an electrically insulating circuit board having opposed first and second surfaces, light emitting diodes mounted on said first surface, each of said light emitting diodes having positive and negative leads, a thermally conductive plating on said second surface, said conductive plating being thermally connected to said leads to conduct heat from said leads to said conductive plating, a heat sink overlying said conductive plating, an adhesive layer of thermally conductive adhesive disposed between said conductive plating and said heat sink to secure said conductive plating and said board to said heat sink, said assembly characterized by an electrically non-conductive spacer for preventing contact between said conductive plating and said heat sink to prevent electrical shorting between said conductive plating and said heat sink while maximizing heat transfer from said conductive plating to said heat sink.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said conductive plating is divided into a plurality of pads, said pads being separated form one another a discrete distance which only of a magnitude sufficient to prevent electrical conductivity from pad to pad, each of said pads being thermally connected to one of said leads to conduct heat from each of said leads to one of said pads while maintaining electrical isolation between said pads.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said conductive plating is divided into conductors for electrically connecting one of said leads of adjacent light emitting diodes, said conductive plating covering over fifty percent of the area between the leads of adjacent diodes for maximizing the heat transfer to said heat sink.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 3 including solder connecting said leads to said conductive plating on said second surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said adhesive layer is also electrically insulating.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said spacer is also thermally conductive.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said spacer comprises a thin layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said thin layer comprises the same material as said adhesive layer but cured differently from said adhesive layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said spacer comprises elements defining spaces therebetween and said adhesive layer fills said spaces and interconnects said conductive plating and said heat sink.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said circuit board includes holes therein and said elements are supported in said holes and extend from said second surface of said circuit board.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of fabricating a L.E.D. lamp assembly comprising the steps of: providing an electrically insulating circuit board having opposed first and second surfaces with light emitting diodes mounted on the first surface and a thermally conductive plating on the second surface and thermally connected to the leads of the light emitting diodes to conduct heat from each of the light emitting diodes to the thermally conductive plating, providing a heat sink for overlying the thermally conductive plating, applying an adhesive layer of thermally conductive adhesive between the thermally conductive plating and the heat sink to secure the thermally conductive plating and the board to the heat sink, said method characterized by disposing an electrically non-conductive spacer between the heat sink and the thermally conductive plating for preventing contact between the thermally conductive plating and the heat sink to prevent electrical shorting between the thermally conductive plating and the heat sink while maximizing heat transfer from the thermally conductive plating to the heat sink.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of fabricating a L.E.D. lamp assembly comprising the steps of: providing an electrically insulating circuit board having opposed first and second surfaces with light emitting diodes mounted on the first surface and a thermally conductive plating on the second surface and thermally connected to the leads of the light emitting diodes to conduct heat from each of the light emitting diodes to the thermally conductive plating, providing a heat sink for overlying the thermally conductive plating, applying an adhesive layer of thermally conductive adhesive between the thermally conductive plating and the heat sink to secure the thermally conductive plating and the board to the heat sink, said method characterized by disposing an electrically non-conductive spacer between the heat sink and the thermally conductive plating for preventing contact between the thermally conductive plating and the heat sink to prevent electrical shorting between the thermally conductive plating and the heat sink while maximizing heat transfer from the thermally conductive plating to the heat sink.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 further defined as applying a thin layer over the heat sink to define the spacer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as set forth in claim 12 further defined as applying the thin layer in soft state and curing the thin layer into a hard state.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as set forth in claim 12 further defined as applying the thin layer of the same material as the adhesive layer in a soft state and curing the thin layer into a hard state, and applying the adhesive layer after the thin layer is cured whereby the hard thin layer prevents contact between the conductive plating and the heat sink.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 further defined as disposing elements defining spaces therebetween to define the spacer, and applying the adhesive layer to fill the spaces to interconnect the conductive plating and the heat sink.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as set forth in claim 15 further defined employing a circuit board including holes therein and disposing the elements in the holes to extend from the holes and the second surface of the circuit board.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 including the step of urging said circuit board toward the heat sink while curing the adhesive layer as the spacer prevents contact between the conductive plating and the heat sink.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as set forth in claim 17 further defined as applying an adhesive layer which is also electrically insulating.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as set forth in claim 18 further defined as disposing a spacer which is also thermally conductive.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-04-04 | 2003-10-04 | 2004-04-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-04-04 | 2007-10-04 | 2008-04-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-04-04 | 2011-10-04 | 2012-04-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |