Lightweight solid state light source with common light emitting and heat dissipating surface

A light source comprising:

• at least one light emitting diode (LED),
• at least one reflector element and
• at least one reflective and light transmitting thermally conductive element,
• wherein said at least one reflective and light transmitting thermally conductive element has at least one exterior light emitting surface and at least one interior facing surface, and has a reflectivity great enough that said element reflects more incident light from said at least one LED than it initially transmits,
• wherein said at least one reflector element and said at least one reflective and light transmitting thermally conductive element form an enclosed light recycling cavity causing light emitted by said at least one light emitting diode to be multiply reflected within said light recycling cavity and predominantly transmitted through and emitted by said at least one reflective and light transmitting thermally conductive element,
• wherein a high number of reflections within said light recycling cavity results in a uniform and monolithic appearance to said exterior light surface of said at least one reflective and light transmitting thermally conductive element, and
• wherein said at least one light emitting diode is contained within said light recycling cavity and in thermal contact with said at least one reflective and light transmitting thermally conductive element such that substantially all of the heat from said at least one light emitting diode is transferred via thermal conduction to said at least one exterior light emitting surface of said at least one reflective and light transmitting thermally conductive element and is removed to ambient via convection and radiative cooling from said at least one exterior light emitting surface of said reflective and light transmitting thermally conductive element.