Lighting device with one or more removable heat sink elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9464801-B2
Application number	US-56685009-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2009
Priority date	Sep 25, 2009
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

A lighting device comprising at least a first light source and at least one heat sink element that is removable, that comprises an first inner region and an first outer region, that is identical in shape to another heat sink element, that is in thermal contact with a trim element, that is stacked, that is in thermal contact with at least a first portion of a first surface of the trim element, that has a cross-sectional area at a first distance from an axis of a trim element that is larger than at a shorter distance, and/or that maintains a junction temperature of a lighting device at or below a recommended junction temperature. Also, a lighting device comprising at least a first light source, a trim element, a driver sub-assembly and a spacer element positioned between the trim element and the driver sub-assembly. Also, methods of dissipating heat.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lighting device comprising:
at least a first light source; and
at least a first removable heat sink element and a second removable heat sink element,
a contact portion of the first removable heat sink element in direct physical contact with a contact portion of the second removable heat sink element,
the first and second removable heat sink elements individually removable from each other and from the lighting device.

2. A lighting device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the lighting device further comprises a trim element.

3. A lighting device as recited in claim 2 , wherein:
the lighting device further comprises a driver sub-assembly, and
at least the first removable heat sink element is between a portion of the driver sub-assembly and a portion of the trim element.

4. A lighting device as recited in claim 2 , wherein:
the lighting device further comprises a driver sub-assembly,
the lighting device comprises at least two heat sink elements, including at least the first removable heat sink element and a second removable heat sink element, and
at least the first removable heat sink element and the second removable heat sink element are between a portion of the driver sub-assembly and a portion of the trim element.

5. A lighting device as recited in claim 4 , wherein a shape of the first removable heat sink element and a shape of the second removable heat sink element are substantially identical, with the second removable heat sink element rotated about the axis of the trim element at least five degrees relative to the first removable heat sink element.

6. A lighting device as recited in claim 2 , wherein at least a first portion of the first removable heat sink element is in thermal contact with at least a first portion of a first surface of the trim element.

7. A lighting device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the first portion of the first removable heat sink element is between the first light source and the first portion of the trim element.

8. A lighting device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the first portion of the first surface of the trim element is between the first light source and the first portion of the first removable heat sink element.

9. A lighting device as recited in claim 6 , wherein the first portion of the first removable heat sink element includes locations that are included in respective planes that are perpendicular to the axis of the trim element and that are spaced from each other.

10. A lighting device as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first heat sink element comprises at least a first inner region and at least a first outer region, the first inner region of the first heat sink element closer to an axis of the trim element than the first outer region of the first heat sink element.

11. A lighting device as recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the lighting device comprises at least the first removable heat sink element and a second removable heat sink element,
the first heat sink element comprises a plurality of outer regions, each of the outer regions of the first heat sink element farther from the axis of the trim element than the first inner region of the first heat sink element,
the second heat sink element comprises at least a first inner region and a plurality of outer regions, each of the outer regions of the second heat sink element farther from the axis of the trim element than the first inner region of the second heat sink element,
a contact portion of the first inner region of the first heat sink element is in contact with a contact portion of the first inner region of the second heat sink element.

12. A lighting device as recited in claim 11 , wherein angles of inclination of each of at least three outer regions of the second heat sink element differ by at least about 15 degrees from each angle of inclination of at least three outer regions of the first heat sink element.

13. A lighting device as recited in claim 10 , wherein an axis of substantial symmetry of the first outer region of the first heat sink element passes within a distance from the axis of the trim element which is not greater than one-third of a dimension of the first outer region of the first heat sink element in a direction along the axis of substantial symmetry of the first outer region of the first removable heat sink element.

14. A lighting device as recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the lighting device comprises at least three heat sink elements including the first removable heat sink element, a second removable heat sink element and a third removable heat sink element,
the first outer region of the first heat sink element has a first angle of inclination relative to the axis of the trim element,
a first outer region of the second heat sink element has a second angle of inclination relative to the axis of the trim element,
a first outer region of the third heat sink element has a third angle of inclination relative to the axis of the trim element,
the first angle of inclination differs from the second angle of inclination by at least about 15 degrees,
the first angle of inclination differs from the third angle of inclination by at least about 15 degrees, and
the second angle of inclination differs from the third angle of inclination by at least about 15 degrees.

15. A lighting device as recited in claim 14 , wherein:
the first heat sink element has at least three outer regions, including the first outer region of the first heat sink element, a second outer region of the first heat sink element and a third outer region of the first heat sink element,
the first outer region of the first heat sink element has a first angle of inclination relative to the axis of the trim element,
the second outer region of the first heat sink element has a second angle of inclination relative to the axis of the trim element,
the third outer region of the first heat sink element has a third angle of inclination relative to the axis of the trim element,
the first angle of inclination is equal to or differs from the second angle of inclination by not more than about 5 degrees,
the first angle of inclination is equal to or differs from the third angle of inclination by not more than about 5 degrees,
the second angle of inclination is equal to or differs from the third angle of inclination by not more than about 5 degrees,
a first plane of substantial symmetry of the first outer region of the first heat sink element, which first plane encompasses the axis of the trim element, defines an angle of at least 15 degrees relative to a second plane of substantial symmetry of the second outer region of the first heat sink element, which second plane encompasses the axis of the trim element,
the first plane of substantial symmetry defines an angle of at least 15 degrees relative to a third plane of substantial symmetry of the third outer region of the first heat sink element, which third plane encompasses the axis of the trim element,
the second plane of substantial symmetry defines an angle of at least 15 degrees relative to the third plane of substantial symmetry.

16. A lighting device as recited in claim 10 , wherein:
the first heat sink element has at least three outer regions, including the first outer region of the first heat sink element, a second outer region of the first heat sink element and a third outer region of the first heat sink element,
the first outer region of the first heat sink element has a first angle of inclination relative to the axis of the trim element,
the second outer region of the first heat sink element has a second angle of incl

Assignees

• Van De Ven Antony Paul
• Pickard Paul Kenneth
• Lay James Michael
• Chan Wai Kwan
• Cree Inc

Inventors

• Van De Ven Antony Paul
• Pickard Paul Kenneth
• Lay James Michael
• Chan Wai Kwan

Classifications

• F21S8/026

  intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling · CPC title

• F21K9/62

  using mixing chambers, e.g. housings with reflective walls · CPC title

• F21V29/74 Primary

  with fins or blades · CPC title

• F21K9/233

  specially adapted for generating a spot light distribution, e.g. for substitution of reflector lamps · CPC title

• F21S8/02

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