Light source temperature monitor and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9357592-B2
Application number	US-94969410-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2010
Priority date	Nov 18, 2010
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A light source comprising a light emitter; a heat sink coupled to the light emitter; and a temperature sensor substantially adjacent to the light emitter. A first thermal time constant associated with the temperature sensor is less than a second thermal time constant associated with a radiation surface of the heat sink.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A light source, comprising:
a light emitter;
a heat sink comprising a liquid cooling system, the heat sink having a radiation surface and a surface on an opposite side of the heat sink from the radiation surface, the surface on the opposite side of the heat sink from the radiation surface interfacing with a surface of the light emitter;
a temperature sensor mounted in contact with the surface of the light emitter, the temperature sensor disposed within the heat sink between the liquid cooling system and the light emitter; and
an opening in the heat sink, the opening formed as a channel extending through the heat sink from the radiation surface to the surface on the opposite side of the heat sink from the radiation surface, the opening exposing and allowing access to the temperature sensor at the radiation surface,
wherein a first thermal time constant associated with the temperature sensor is less than a second thermal time constant associated with the radiation surface of the heat sink.

2. The light source of claim 1 , wherein:
the opening in the heat sink exposing the temperature sensor is disposed such that it does not penetrate the liquid cooling system.

3. The light source of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller coupled to the temperature sensor and configured to control the light emitter in response to the temperature sensor.

4. The light source of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to sense that a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor passes a threshold temperature and in response, disable the light emitter.

5. The light source of claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a rate of temperature change in response to the temperature sensor and disable the light emitter in response to the rate of temperature change.

6. A method of operating a light source, comprising:
sensing a temperature via a temperature sensor at a location substantially adjacent to a light emitter;
determining a rate of temperature change in response to the sensed temperature; and
controlling an operation of the light emitter in response to the rate of temperature change at the location;
wherein a first thermal time constant associated with the location is less than a second thermal time constant associated with a radiation surface of a heat sink coupled to the light emitter, wherein a surface on an opposite side of the heat sink from the radiation surface interfaces with a surface of the light emitter, wherein the heat sink is cooled via a liquid cooling system, wherein the temperature sensor is disposed within the heat sink between the liquid cooling system and the light emitter, and wherein an opening is formed as a channel extending through the heat sink from the radiation surface to the surface on the opposite side of the heat sink from the radiation surface, the opening exposing and allowing access to the temperature sensor at the radiation surface.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
determining that a temperature of the light emitter has exceeded a threshold in response to the rate of temperature change and the sensed temperature; and
controlling the operation of the light emitter in response to the rate of temperature change.

8. A light source comprising:
a light emitter;
a heat sink coupled to the light emitter and having a radiation surface and a continuous surface on an opposite side of the heat sink from the radiation surface which interfaces with a surface of the light emitter, the heat sink further comprising a liquid cooling system; and
a temperature sensor substantially adjacent to the light emitter, and coupled to the surface of the light emitter, the temperature sensor disposed within the heat sink;
wherein an opening in the heat sink is disposed outside of the liquid cooling system, the opening formed as a channel extending through the heat sink from the radiation surface of the heat sink to the surface on the opposite side of the heat sink from the radiation surface, the opening exposing and allowing access to the temperature sensor at the radiation surface.

9. The light source of claim 8 , wherein a first thermal time constant associated with the temperature sensor is less than a second thermal time constant associated with the radiation surface of the heat sink.

10. The light source of claim 8 , wherein the opening extends in a direction different than substantially perpendicular to a plane of the light emitter.

11. The light source of claim 8 , further comprising a controller coupled to the temperature sensor and the light emitter, the controller configured to control the light emitter in response to the temperature sensor.

12. The light source of claim 8 , wherein the liquid cooling system comprises a pipe passing through the heat sink, the temperature sensor disposed between the pipe and the light emitter.

13. The Light source of claim 8 , wherein at least one wire extends through the opening in the heat sink.

Assignees

• Basauri Alejandro V
• Phoseon Technology Inc

Inventors

• Basauri Alejandro V

Classifications

• H05B45/22

  using optical feedback · CPC title

• H05B33/0854

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H05B33/089

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H05B33/0869

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H05B33/0815

  Electricity · mapped topic