Solid state lighting devices and fabrication methods including deposited light-affecting elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9099575-B2
Application number	US-201313943043-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2013
Priority date	Jul 16, 2013
Publication date	Aug 4, 2015
Grant date	Aug 4, 2015

Abstract

Solid state light emitting devices include one or more light affecting elements (e.g., of one or more light-transmissive, light-absorptive, light-reflective, and/or lumiphoric materials) formed on, over, or around at least one solid state light emitter, with the light affecting elements including multiple fused elements embodying plurality of dots, rods, or layers such as may be formed by three-dimensional (3D) printing. At least one electrically conductive path in electrical communication with a solid state light emitter may be formed by selective material deposition such as 3D printing. Light affecting elements may be individually tailored to individual solid state light emitters, such as to yield different optical distributions for interactions between each specific emitter and its corresponding light affecting element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for fabricating a lighting device including at least one solid state light emitter arranged on or over a substrate, the method comprising depositing at least one light-affecting element on, over, or around the at least one solid state light emitter using a three-dimensional printing process, and the method further comprises at least one the following features (a) to (f):
(a) the at least one light-affecting element comprises at least one lumiphoric material;
(b) wherein the at least one light-affecting element is deposited directly on the at least one solid state light emitter;
(c) the at least one light-affecting element is deposited directly on the substrate;
(d) the at least one light-affecting element comprises a cup or dam, and the method further comprises dispensing a liquid material, by a process other than three-dimensional printing, into a recess bounded by the cup or dam;
(e) the at least one solid state light emitter comprises a first and a second solid state light emitter, and the at least one light-affecting element comprises a first light-affecting element deposited on, over, or around the first solid state light emitter and a second light-affecting element deposited on, over, or around the second solid state light emitter; and the method further comprises: obtaining or receiving information indicative of output characteristics of at least one of the first solid state light emitter and the second solid state light emitter; and adjusting at least one of material composition, material concentration, material curing, thickness, and shape of at least one of the first light-affecting element and the second light-affecting element based on said information indicative of output characteristics of at least one of the first solid state light emitter and the second solid state light emitter; wherein the at least one of material composition, material concentration, material curing, thickness, and shape differs among the first light-affecting element and the second light-affecting element; and
(f) the at least one solid state light emitter comprises a first and a second solid state light emitter, the at least one light-affecting element comprises a first light-affecting element deposited on, over, or around the first solid state light emitter to yield a first optical distribution based on interaction between the first solid state light emitter and the first light-affecting element; the at least one light-affecting element comprises a second light-affecting element deposited on, over, or around the second solid state light emitter to yield a second optical distribution based on interaction between the second solid state light emitter and the second light-affecting element; and the first optical distribution differs from the second optical distribution.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-affecting element is arranged to receive at least a portion of emissions generated by the at least one solid state light emitter.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-affecting element includes a plurality of fused elements comprising a plurality of dots, rods, or layers, wherein a plurality of microscopic boundaries are provided between adjacent dots, rods, or layers of the plurality of dots, rods, or layers.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-affecting element is deposited directly on the at least one solid state light emitter.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-affecting element is deposited directly on the substrate.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-affecting element comprises a light-absorptive material arranged to prevent transmission of light through the at least one light-affecting element.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-affecting element comprises at least one lumiphoric material.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-affecting element comprises a cup or dam, and the method further comprises dispensing a liquid material, by a process other than three-dimensional printing, into a recess bounded by the cup or dam.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-affecting element comprises a plurality of compositionally different materials deposited in discrete areas of the at least one light-affecting element.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a base material or carrier, and the method further comprises depositing a plurality of electrically conductive regions on the base material or carrier by three-dimensional printing.

11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein a proximal surface of the at least one solid state light emitter is arranged adjacent to the substrate, wherein a distal surface of the at least one solid state light emitter is arranged distal from the substrate, and the method further comprises forming at least one electrically conductive path between at least one conductive region of the plurality of conductive regions and at least one electrical contact arranged along the distal surface, wherein the at least one electrically conductive path is formed by three-dimensional printing.

12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one solid state light emitter comprises a first and a second solid state light emitter, and the at least one light-affecting element comprises a first light-affecting element deposited on, over, or around the first solid state light emitter and a second light-affecting element deposited on, over, or around the second solid state light emitter; and the method further comprises:
obtaining or receiving information indicative of output characteristics of at least one of the first solid state light emitter and the second solid state light emitter; and
adjusting at least one of material composition, material concentration, material curing, thickness, and shape of at least one of the first light-affecting element and the second light-affecting element based on said information indicative of output characteristics of at least one of the first solid state light emitter and the second solid state light emitter;
wherein at least one of material composition, material concentration, material curing, thickness, and shape differs among the first light-affecting element and the second light-affecting element.

13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one solid state light emitter comprises a first and a second solid state light emitter;
the at least one light-affecting element comprises a first light-affecting element deposited on, over, or around the first solid state light emitter arranged to yield a first optical distribution based on interaction between the first solid state light emitter and the first light-affecting element;
the at least one light-affecting element comprises depositing a second light-affecting element deposited on, over, or around the second solid state light emitter arranged to yield a second optical distribution based on interaction between the second solid state light emitter and the second light-affecting element; and
the first optical distribution differs from the second optical distribution.

14. A lighting device comprising:
a substrate;
at least one solid state light emitter arranged on or over the substrate; and
at least one light-affecting element arranged to receive at least a portion of emissions generated by the at least one solid state light emitter;
wherein the at least one light-affecting element includes a plurality of fused elements comprising a plurality of

Assignees

• Cree Inc

Inventors

• Medendorp Jr Nicholas W
• Wilcox Kurt S
• Kinnune Brian

Classifications

• H10W90/00

  Package configurations · CPC title

• H10H20/0362

  of encapsulations · CPC title

• H10H20/0361

  of wavelength conversion means · CPC title

• H10H20/854

  characterised by their material, e.g. epoxy or silicone resins · CPC title

• H10H20/853

  characterised by their shape · CPC title