LED lighting apparatus with a high efficiency convective heat sink

An LED lighting apparatus, comprising:

• an LED chip including at least one LED mounted thereto;
• a light reflector configured to direct light emitted by said LED at a predetermined direction and dispersion angle;
• a heat sink including a mounting base and a plurality of cooling fins extending from a first side of said mounting base and with said LED chip secured to an opposite second side of said mounting base;
• a cooling fan attached to said heat sink adjacent distal ends of said plurality of fins;
• an electrical regulator electrically connected to said cooling fan to provide regulated power to said cooling fan;
• an LED driver electrically connected to said LED chip to provide power to said LED chip;
• and
• a thermal limit switch mounted to said heat sink and configured to cut off power to said LED chip if a sensed temperature of said heat sink exceeds a temperature set point to thereby provide thermal protection to said LED chip;
• wherein said heat sink includes a pair of outer mounting legs extending laterally from said mounting base with said plurality of fins positioned between said mounting legs, said outer mounting legs attached to said cooling fan;
• and
• wherein said fins have varying lengths measured from said mounting base.

An LED lighting apparatus, comprising:

• an LED chip including at least one LED mounted thereto;
• a light reflector configured to direct light emitted by said LED at a predetermined direction and dispersion angle;
• a heat sink including a mounting base and a plurality of cooling fins extending from a first side of said mounting base and with said LED chip secured to an opposite second side of said mounting base;
• a cooling fan attached to said heat sink adjacent distal ends of said plurality of fins;
• an electrical regulator electrically connected to said cooling fan to provide regulated power to said cooling fan;
• an LED driver electrically connected to said LED chip to provide power to said LED chip;
• and
• a thermal limit switch mounted to said heat sink and configured to cut off power to said LED chip if a sensed temperature of said heat sink exceeds a temperature set point to thereby provide thermal protection to said LED chip;
• and
• wherein said cooling fan cooperates with said heat sink to provide convective heat transfer by drawing air through spaces between said fins to dissipate heat generated by said LED chip.