Lighting system with thermal management system having point contact synthetic jets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9423106-B2
Application number	US-201314081339-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2013
Priority date	Oct 21, 2010
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system includes a plurality of synthetic jets. The synthetic jets are arranged within the lighting system such that they are secured at contact points.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting system, comprising:
a housing structure;
a light source configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure;
a thermal management system configured to cool the lighting system, the thermal management system comprising:
a plurality of synthetic jet devices secured within the housing structure by a plurality of contact points; and
a heat sink having a base portion and a plurality of fins extending from the base portion so as to provide a plurality of air gaps therebetween;
wherein the plurality of synthetic jet devices are positioned to produce an air flow path through the respective air gaps between the plurality of fins;

driver electronics configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system; and
a base bracket configured to hold each of the plurality of synthetic jet devices at two respective contact points, wherein the base bracket comprises a plurality of slots formed therein so as to be arranged in two rows that are generally aligned with one another, with a pair of slots comprising a respective slot from each of the two rows providing the two contact points to hold a respective synthetic jet device.

2. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED).

3. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the thermal management system comprises air ports to provide ingress and egress of ambient air through the lighting system when the plurality of synthetic jet devices is actuated.

4. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the thermal management system comprises slots in the housing structure to provide ingress and egress of ambient air through the lighting system when the plurality of synthetic jet devices is actuated.

5. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the housing structure is a molded structure comprising the base bracket molded therein.

6. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 1 , comprising a bridge configured to couple to the housing structure and further configured to hold each of the plurality of synthetic jet devices within the housing structure.

7. A lighting system, comprising: a housing structure; a light source configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure; a thermal management system configured to cool the lighting system, the thermal management system comprising: a plurality of synthetic jet devices secured within the housing structure by a plurality of contact points; and a heat sink having a base portion and a plurality of fins extending from the base portion so as to provide a plurality of air gaps therebetween; wherein the plurality of synthetic jet devices are positioned to produce an air flow path through the respective air gaps between the plurality of fins; and driver electronics configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system comprising a bridge configured to couple to the housing structure and further configured to hold each of the plurality of synthetic jet devices within the housing structure, wherein the bridge comprises a plurality of slots each configured to hold a respective one of the plurality of synthetic jet devices, the plurality of slots being generally arranged along a length of the bridge.

8. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of slots comprises tapered edges.

9. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the driver electronics comprise a light emitting diode (LED) power supply and a synthetic jet power supply.

10. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the lighting system comprises a screw-based structure configured to electrically couple the lighting system to a standard socket.

11. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of synthetic jet devices are secured within the housing structure by three contact points.

12. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a plurality of LEDs driven by the driver electronics with an efficiency of 90%, with the plurality of LEDs being driven to produce at least approximately 1500 lumens.

13. A lighting system, comprising:
a housing structure;
a light source configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure;
a thermal management system configured to cool the light source, the thermal management system comprising a plurality of synthetic jet devices; and
a mounting structure configured to secure the plurality of synthetic jet devices within the housing structure, the mounting structure comprising:
a base bracket coupled to or formed integrally with the housing structure and configured to hold each of the plurality of synthetic jet devices; and
a bridge coupled to the housing structure and configured to hold each of the plurality of synthetic jet devices;
wherein the plurality of synthetic jet devices are secured between the base bracket and the bridge so as to be secured within the housing structure, wherein the base bracket and the bridge are spaced apart from each other, so as to hold the plurality of synthetic jet devices therebetween in a point contact configuration comprising a plurality of contact points, wherein the base bracket is configured to hold each of the plurality of synthetic jet devices at two contact points and wherein the base bracket comprises a plurality of slots formed therein, and wherein each respective synthetic jet device is engaged with two slots such that the synthetic jet device is held at the two contact points.

14. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the housing structure is a molded structure comprising the base bracket molded therein.

15. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the bridge is formed to have a linear configuration or a curved configuration and include a plurality of slots formed therein, the bridge being configured to hold each of the plurality of synthetic jet devices at a single contact point by way of a respective slot.

16. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 13 , further comprising a heat sink having a base portion and a plurality of fins extending from the base portion so as to provide a plurality of air gaps therebetween, with the plurality of synthetic jet devices being arranged to produce an air flow path through the respective air gaps between the plurality of fins.

17. The lighting system, as set forth in claim 16 , further comprising a trim plate formed of a thermally conductive material, the trim plate being directly coupled to the heat sink to provide heat transfer from the lighting system into an ambient environment.

18. A lighting system, comprising:
a housing structure;
a light source configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure;
a thermal management system configured to cool the light source, the thermal management system comprising:
a plurality of synthetic jet devices secured within the housing structure by a plurality of contact points; and
a heat sink having a base portion and a plurality of fins extending from the base portion so as to provide a plurality of air gaps therebetween; and

a mounting structure configured to secure the plurality of synthetic jet devices within the housing structure in a position relative to the heat sink such that the plurality of synthetic jet devices produce an air flow path through the air gaps between the pl

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Arik Mehmet
• Weaver Stanton Earl
• Kuenzler Glenn Howard
• Wolfe Jr Charles Franklin
• Sharma Rajdeep

Classifications

• F21V23/00

  Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices {(characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508)} · CPC title

• F21V29/507

  of means for protecting lighting devices from damage, e.g. housings · CPC title

• F21V29/00 Primary

  Protecting lighting devices from thermal damage; Cooling or heating arrangements specially adapted for lighting devices or systems (lighting fixtures combined with outlets for air-treatment systems F24F13/078) · CPC title

• F21V29/50

  Cooling arrangements (air-treatment systems dissipating or using the heat of lighting fixtures F24F3/056) · CPC title

• F21S8/02

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