Solid state lights with cooling structures
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorScott E. Sills
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solid state lighting (SSL) with a solid state emitter (SSE) having thermally conductive projections extending into an air channel, and methods of making and using such SSLs. The thermally conductive projections can be fins, posts, or other structures configured to transfer heat into a fluid medium, such as air. The projections can be electrical contacts between the SSE and a power source. The air channel can be oriented generally vertically such that air in the channel warmed by the SSE flows upward through the channel.
Claims14
A solid state lighting device (SSL), comprising:
- a housing having a front, a back, a chamber from which light projects toward the front along a primary light direction, a side section outward of the chamber, and a channel along a portion of the side section and outward of the chamber, wherein at least a portion of the channel is inclined at an angle relative to horizontal and has an inlet, and an outlet above the inlet;
- and
- a solid state emitter (SSE) carried by the housing at the side section, the SSE having an active portion and a back portion, the active portion facing inwardly toward the chamber at an acute angle relative to the primary light direction, and one of the active portion and the back portion being exposed to the channel;
- wherein the channel has an inlet and an outlet that are configured to provide an airflow through the chamber that passes over the active portion of the SSE.
A solid state lighting device (SSL), comprising:
- a housing having a front, a back, a chamber, a side section between the front and the back, and a channel outward of the chamber and passing along the side section from the front to the back, wherein light exits the chamber along a primary light direction of the SSL device;
- and
- a solid state emitter (SSE) having a light-emitting active portion facing inwardly toward the chamber at an angle with respect to the primary light direction such that the SSE emits light toward the back of the housing and a back portion facing toward the side section, the SSE being carried by the housing at a sufficient angle relative to horizontal such that air in the channel is heated by the SSE, rises, and draws air into a lower portion of the channel at the front of the housing to produce a cooling flow of air across at least one of the active portion side or the back portion of the SSE.
A solid state lighting (SSL) device, comprising:
- a housing having a front, a back and side section defining a chamber, wherein light exits the chamber along a primary light direction of the SSL device;
- a plurality of solid state emitters (SSEs) at the side section and having an active portion facing inwardly toward the chamber and away from the front;
- a channel in the housing passing along the side section from the front of the housing to the back of the housing, the channel being positioned outwardly of the chamber, wherein a portion of individual SSEs is exposed to the channel, and wherein the channel is oriented such that air in the channel heated by the SSEs flows through the channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.