Semiconductor lighting devices and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9506628-B1
Application number	US-201213482969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 29, 2012
Priority date	May 28, 2011
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

Lighting devices using selectively permeable barrier elements, graphite sheet materials, and/or browning agent destroyers/sequestering agents are disclosed. In one embodiment a lighting device may include a body or housing with a selectively permeable barrier element, such as a silicone membrane or o-ring to allow diffusion of contaminants from one or more interior volumes to the exterior environment. Contaminants may be mitigated through use of a sequestering agent/browning agent destroyer. Heat conduction between elements of the housing, such as to aid removal of heat generated from a lighting element such as an LED, may be improved through use of graphite materials, such as PGS sheets between housing elements.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lighting device, comprising:
a housing enclosing one or more interior volumes; the housing comprising;
a forward housing element with a forward opening having a first diameter and an aft opening having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter;
a transparent, pressure-bearing window positioned inside the forward housing, and having a diameter that is larger than the first diameter and smaller than the second diameter;
a water-tight seal disposed between the window and a surface of the forward housing;
a window support structure positioned in the forward housing behind a portion of the window;
a semiconductor lighting element positioned in the forward housing behind the window;
a sequestering agent and/or a browning agent destroyer disposed behind the window; and
a graphite material configured to seal a volume including the semiconductor lighting element from a second volume of the housing;
one or more electronic circuit elements disposed in the one or more interior volumes; and
a selectively permeable barrier element disposed in the housing having a first area exposed to one of the interior volumes and a second area exposed to a gas or liquid volume exterior to the housing to allow diffusion of browning contaminants from the one of the interior volumes to the gas or liquid volume exterior to the housing.

2. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is a submersible pressure bearing housing for withstanding ambient external pressures of at least 50 pounds per square inch (PSI).

3. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is a submersible pressure bearing housing for withstanding ambient external pressures of at least 1000 PSI.

4. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor lighting element is an LED lighting element is disposed in a first volume of the one or more interior volumes and one of the one or more electronics circuits is a power circuit is disposed in a second volume of the one or more volumes.

5. The lighting device of claim 4 , wherein the first side of the selectively permeable barrier element is in contact with the first volume.

6. The lighting device of claim 4 , wherein the first side of the selectively permeable barrier element is in contact with the second volume.

7. The lighting device of claim 4 , further comprising another selectively permeable barrier, wherein the selectively permeable barrier membrane is in contact with the first volume and the another selectively permeable barrier is in contact with the second volume.

8. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the selectively permeable barrier membrane comprises a silicone material.

9. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the graphite material comprises a pyrolitic graphite sheet (PGS).

10. The lighting device of claim 9 , wherein conductive particles are embedded in the PGS to increase thermal conductivity.

11. The lighting device of claim 9 , wherein the conductive particles include diamond particles.

12. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the sequestering agent comprises a molecular sieve material.

13. The lighting device of claim 1 , agent wherein the sequestering agent comprises an activated charcoal material.

14. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent material comprises a clay mineral material.

15. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the browning agent destroyer comprises a catalyst material.

16. The lighting device of claim 15 , wherein the catalyst material comprises one or more of a platinum, palladium, rhodium, cerium, iron, manganese, nickel, and copper material.

17. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor lighting elements are LEDs.

18. The lighting device of claim 17 , wherein one or more domes of the LEDs are in contact with the window.

19. The lighting device of claim 18 , wherein the window is a sapphire window and the LED domes include a flat surface in contact with the window.

20. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the sequestering agent is a material for absorbing and containing a gas capable of browning the lighting element and/or a phosphor associated with the lighting element.

21. The lighting device of claim 1 , wherein the sequestering agent and/or browning agent destroyer is disposed at least partially within the selectively permeable barrier element.

22. The device of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor lighting elements comprise LEDs having a dome and the housing includes a sapphire window, wherein the dome is in contact with the sapphire window.

23. The lighting device of claim 1 , further including a silicone material.

24. The lighting device of claim 23 , wherein the sequestering agent and/or browning agent destroyer is disposed on or within the silicone element.

25. A submersible light, comprising:
a housing;
a transparent pressure bearing window positioned at a forward end of the housing;
a window supporting structure mounted in the housing behind the transparent window;
a water-tight seal between the window and the housing;
a circuit element configured and positioned within the housing behind the window supporting structure to bear at least some of the pressure applied to the transparent window by ambient water on the exterior side of the window;
at least one solid state light source mounted on the circuit element behind the transparent window;
a sequestering agent and/or a browning agent destroyer disposed behind the window; and
a graphite material configured to seal two surfaces of the light to enhance thermal conductivity from the circuit element to the housing.

26. A submersible LED light fixture, comprising:
A light head made of a thermally conductive material;
A metal core printed circuit board (PCB) thermally coupled to the light head;
A plurality of LEDs mounted on the MCPCB;
A transparent window mounted in the light head, extending across the MCPCB and spaced from the LEDs, the window being sealed around a periphery thereof to the light head;
A multilayer stack of spacers made of a high compressive strength material positioned between the window and the MCPCB for engaging the window and carrying loads exerted by the window;
a sequestering agent and/or a browning agent destroyer disposed behind the window; and
a graphite material configured to seal a first volume of the light head including the at least one solid state light source and circuit element from a second volume of the light head.

Assignees

• Merewether Ray
• Olsson Mark S
• Simmons Jon E
• Sanderson Iv John R
• Steiner Aaron J
• Deepsea Power & Lighting Inc

Inventors

• Merewether Ray
• Olsson Mark S
• Simmons Jon E
• Sanderson Iv John R
• Steiner Aaron J

Classifications

• F21V13/14

  the elements being filters or photoluminescent elements, reflectors and refractors · CPC title

• F21V15/01 Primary

  Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts (F21V15/02 takes precedence {housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04}) · CPC title

• F21V3/06

  characterised by the material · CPC title

• F21V23/001

  the elements being electrical wires or cables · CPC title

• F21V31/005 Primary

  Sealing arrangements therefor · CPC title