Lighting fixture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9371966-B2
Application number	US-201113042378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2011
Priority date	Nov 15, 2010
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a lighting fixture that is configured to transfer heat that is generated by a light source and any associated electronics toward the front of the lighting fixture. The lighting fixture includes a heat spreading cup that is formed from a material that efficiently conducts heat and a light source that is coupled inside the heat spreading cup. The heat spreading cup has a bottom panel, a rim, and at least one sidewall extending between the bottom panel and the rim. The light source is coupled inside the heat spreading cup to the bottom panel and configured to emit light in a forward direction through an opening formed by the rim. Heat generated by the light source during operation is transferred radially outward along the bottom panel and in a forward direction along the at least one sidewall toward the rim of the heat spreading cup.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lighting fixture comprising:
a heat spreading cup having a bottom panel integral with the heat spreading cup, a rim, and at least one sidewall extending between the bottom panel and the rim;
a light source coupled to an interior surface of the bottom panel and inside the heat spreading cup, the light source being configured to emit light in a forward direction through an opening formed by the rim, wherein the light source is thermally coupled to the bottom panel such that heat generated by the light source during operation is transferred radially outward along the bottom panel and in the forward direction along the at least one sidewall toward the rim;
a control module having electronics to control the light source and coupled to an exterior surface of the bottom panel opposite the interior surface; and
a heat sink coupled to the exterior surface of the bottom panel opposite the light source, wherein the heat sink has an interior opening in which the control module is received once the heat sink is coupled to the exterior surface of the bottom panel.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1 further comprising a lens assembly coupled to the heat spreading cup and covering the opening provided by the rim.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 2 wherein the lens assembly comprises a lens portion and at least one tab that is coupled to the heat spreading cup.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 3 wherein the at least one tab is coupled to an interior surface of the at least one sidewall of the heat spreading cup.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 4 wherein the lens portion is substantially perpendicular to a central axis of the heat spreading cup and the at least one tab is substantially parallel to the central axis.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 5 wherein the interior surface of the at least one sidewall comprises at least one channel in which the at least one tab is received.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 6 further comprising an attachment implement and wherein the at least one channel further comprises a first hole that extends through the at least one sidewall and aligns with a second hole in the at least one tab when the lens assembly is in place, the attachment implement extending through the first hole and into the second hole to hold the lens assembly in place.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 7 wherein an exterior surface of the at least one sidewall comprises at least one elongated slot substantially aligned with the at least one channel and the first hole resides in the at least one elongated slot.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 1 further comprising a reflector having a body extending between a smaller opening substantially adjacent and about a light emitting element of the light source and a larger opening biased toward the opening formed by the rim.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 9 further comprising a diffuser mounted between the rim and the lens assembly.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein the reflector is conical.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 11 wherein the reflector is formed from paper.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein the light emitting element of the light source comprises a light emitting diode.

14. The lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein the light emitting element comprises an array of light emitting diodes.

15. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein heat generated by the electronics during operation is transferred radially outward along the bottom panel and in the forward direction along the at least one sidewall toward the rim.

16. The lighting fixture of claim 15 wherein a majority of the heat that is generated from the electronics and the light source and transferred to the bottom panel is transferred radially outward along the bottom panel and in the forward direction along the at least one sidewall toward the rim.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 1 further comprising a mounting can comprising a panel having an opening receiving the rim of the heat spreading cup, a forward rim, and at least one sidewall extending between the panel and the forward rim, wherein the panel is coupled to the rim of the heat spreading cup and the heat transferred from the light source to the rim of the heat spreading cup is further transferred in the forward direction along the at least one sidewall of the mounting can.

18. The lighting fixture of claim 17 wherein the heat spreading cup and the mounting can are formed from at least one of a metal and a ceramic.

19. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the heat spreading cup is formed from at least one of a metal and a ceramic.

20. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the rim is substantially annular and the at least one sidewall is substantially cylindrical.

21. The lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein a majority of the heat that is generated from the light source and transferred to the bottom panel is transferred radially outward along the bottom panel and in the forward direction along the at least one sidewall toward the rim.

22. The lighting fixture of claim 21 wherein the rim is provided by a flange.

23. A lighting fixture comprising:
a heat spreading cup having a bottom panel integral with the heat spreading cup, a rim, and at least one sidewall extending between the bottom panel and the rim;
a light source coupled to an interior surface of the bottom panel and inside the heat spreading cup, the light source being configured to emit light in a forward direction through an opening formed by the rim wherein the light source is thermally coupled to the bottom panel such that heat generated by the light source during operation is transferred radially outward along the bottom panel and in the forward direction along the at least one sidewall toward the rim;
a lens assembly that is coupled to the heat spreading cup and covers the opening provided by the rim;
a reflector having a body extending between a smaller opening substantially adjacent and about a light emitting element of the light source and a larger opening biased toward the opening formed by the rim;
a control module having electronics to control the light source and coupled to an exterior surface of the bottom panel opposite the interior surface; and
a heat sink coupled to the exterior surface of the bottom panel opposite the light source, wherein the heat sink has an interior opening in which the control module is received once the heat sink is coupled to the exterior surface of the bottom panel.

24. The lighting fixture of claim 23 , wherein heat generated by the electronics during operation is transferred radially outward along the bottom panel and in the forward direction along the at least one sidewall toward the rim.

25. The lighting fixture of claim 24 wherein a majority of the heat that is generated from the electronics and the light source and transferred to the bottom panel is transferred radially outward along the bottom panel and in the forward direction along the at least one sidewall toward the rim.

26. The lighting fixture of claim 25 wherein the heat spreading cup is formed from at least one of a metal and a ceramic.

27. The lighting fixture of claim 26 wherein the rim is substantially annular, the at least one sidewall is substantially cylindrical, and the reflector is conical.

28. The lighting fixture of claim 27 wherein the light emitting elemen

Assignees

• Rowlette Jr John R
• Hardin Craig William
• Schwab Scott
• Cree Inc

Inventors

• Rowlette Jr John R
• Hardin Craig William
• Schwab Scott

Classifications

• F21V29/89

  Metals · CPC title

• F21V29/86

  Ceramics or glass · CPC title

• F21S8/02

  of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters (specially adapted for vehicle exteriors F21S41/00-F21S45/00) · CPC title

• F21V29/773

  the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis · CPC title

• F21V21/04

  Recessed bases · CPC title