LED plastic heat sink and method for making and using the same

A heat sink system, comprising an integrally formed plastic heat sink and printed circuit board package;

• wherein the plastic heat sink comprises:
• 35 vol % to 80 vol % of a thermoplastic polymer;
• 5 vol % to 45 vol % of a low thermal conductivity, electrically insulative filler with an intrinsic thermal conductivity of 10 W/mK to 30 W/mK;
• 2 vol % to 15 vol % of a high thermal conductivity, electrically insulative filler with an intrinsic thermal conductivity greater than or equal to 50 W/mK;
• and
• 2 vol % to 15 vol % of a high thermal conductivity, electrically conductive filler with an intrinsic thermal conductivity greater than or equal to 50 W/mK.

A light comprising:

• a housing,
• a heat sink system comprising
• a printed circuit board package;
• a plastic heat sink, wherein the plastic heat sink comprises radially extending fins and wherein the plastic heat sink comprises a thermally conductive plastic having a thermal conductivity of at least 1.0 W/mK;
• an insert located in the plastic heat sink;
• and
• at least one of the following features
• the plastic heat sink comprises a wall between the fins with holes through the wall;
• insert holes that align with plastic heat sink holes;
• the insert comprises embossing;
• and
• the insert comprises lancing provisions and the lancing provisions comprise openings formed by protrusions extending into the insert, with the thermally conductive plastic extending into the openings;
• a reflector located in the housing in optical communication with an LED of the printed circuit board package;
• and
• a lens covering the printed circuit board package.

A heat sink system, comprising:

• an integrally formed plastic heat sink and an insert, wherein the plastic heat sink comprises a thermally conductive plastic, the plastic heat sink and the insert each having a cylindrical shape, and wherein the system comprises at least one of the following features;
• the plastic heat sink comprises a wall between the fins with holes through the wall;
• insert holes that align with plastic heat sink holes;
• the insert comprises embossing;
• and
• the insert comprises lancing provisions and the lancing provisions comprise openings formed by protrusions extending into the insert, with the thermally conductive plastic extending into the openings.

A method of making an integral hybrid-heat sink system, comprising:

• inserting an insert into a mold;
• melting a thermally conductive plastic;
• introducing the melted thermally conductive plastic into the mold and into contact with the insert to form a plastic heat sink around the insert upon cooling;
• and
• cooling the thermally conductive plastic to form the integral heat sink system, wherein the plastic heat sink and the insert each have a cylindrical shape, and wherein the insert comprises at least one of the following features
• the insert comprises lancing provisions comprising openings formed by protrusions extending into the insert, with the thermally conductive plastic extending into the openings;
• the plastic heat sink comprises radially extending fins with walls between the fins and holes through the walls;
• insert holes that align with plastic heat sink holes;
• and
• the insert comprises embossing.