Heatsink with integrated electrical and base contacts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9970646-B2
Application number	US-201514850010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2015
Priority date	Sep 10, 2015
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A heatsink having integrated electrical and base contacts for use with a light emitting diode (LED) light source. In some embodiments, a heatsink assembly for an LED lamp includes a first metallic heatsink component having a first wall portion and a first electrical contact, and a second metallic heatsink component having a second wall portion and a second, separate contact portion. A non-electrically conducting heatsink housing is configured to house the first wall portion and the second wall portion of the first and second heatsink components such that the first electrical contact extends from the non-electrically conducting heatsink housing and the second contact portion extends from the plastic housing in a manner to facilitate connection to hot and neutral lines of a power source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heatsink assembly for an LED lamp comprising:
a first metallic heatsink component comprising a first wall portion and a first electrical contact;
a second metallic heatsink component comprising a second wall portion and a second, separate neutral contact portion; and
a plastic housing configured to house the first wall portion of the first metallic heatsink component and the second wall portion of the second metallic heatsink component such that the first electrical contact extends from the plastic housing and the second contact portion extends from the plastic housing in a manner to facilitate connection to hot and neutral lines of a power source.

2. The heatsink of claim 1 , wherein the hot contact comprises one of an alternating current (AC) hot contact and direct current (DC) contact.

3. The heatsink assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-electrically conducting heatsink housing further comprises divider portions configured to electrically isolate the first metallic heatsink component from the second metallic heatsink component.

4. The heatsink assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-electrically conducting heatsink housing is comprised of a plastic material.

5. An LED lamp assembly comprising:
an LED light source;
an LED driver board operably connected to the LED light source; and
a heat sink assembly in thermal communication with the LED light source and in electrical communication with the LED driver board, wherein the heat sink assembly comprises:
a first metallic heatsink component comprising a first wall portion and a first electrical contact;
a second metallic heatsink component comprising a second wall portion and a second, separate contact portion; and
a heatsink housing comprising at least one electrically insulating portion configured to house the first wall portion of the first metallic heatsink component and the second wall portion of the second metallic heatsink component such that the first electrical contact of the first metallic heatsink component is in electrical contact with a base hot line contact and the second, separate contact portion of the second metallic heatsink component is in electrical contact with a base neutral contact.

6. The LED lamp assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a diffuser component adhered to the heat sink housing and enclosing the LED light source.

7. The LED lamp assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a reflector operable to direct light from the LED light source.

8. The LED lamp assembly of claim 5 , further comprising potting material thermally connecting components of the LED driver board to the first and second metallic heatsink components.

9. An LED lamp assembly comprising:
an LED light source and LED driver assembly; and
a heat sink assembly in thermal communication with the LED light source and LED driver board assembly, and in electrical communication with the LED driver board, wherein the heat sink assembly comprises:
a first metallic heatsink component comprising a first wall portion and a first hot line electrical contact;
a second metallic heatsink component comprising a second wall portion and a second, separate neutral contact portion; and
a heatsink housing comprising at least one electrically insulating portion configured to house the first wall portion of the first metallic heatsink component and the second wall portion of the second metallic heatsink component such that the first electrical contact of the first metallic heatsink component is in electrical contact with a base hot line contact and the second, separate contact portion of the second metallic heatsink component is in electrical contact with a base neutral contact.

10. The LED lamp assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a diffuser component adhered to the heat sink housing and enclosing the LED light source and LED driver assembly.

11. The LED lamp assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a reflector operable to direct light from the LED light source.

12. The LED lamp assembly of claim 9 , further comprising potting material thermally connecting components of the LED lamp and LED driver board assembly to the first and second metallic heatsink components.

13. The LED lamp assembly of claim 9 , further comprising a housing overmolded over the first metallic heatsink component and the second metallic heatsink component.

14. A method for assembling an LED lamp comprising:
inserting a first metallic heatsink component having a first electrical contact into a non-electrically conducting housing;
inserting a second metallic heatsink component having a second, separate contact into the non-electrically conducting housing;
inserting an LED driver board into an opening between the first and second metallic heatsink components such that a hot contact of the LED driver board contacts the first electrical contact of the first metallic heatsink component and a neutral contact of the LED driver board contacts the second, separate contact of the second metallic heatsink component; and
electrically connecting a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising at least one LED light source to the LED driver board.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising connecting a reflector to the PCB to encircle and outwardly reflect light from the at least one LED light source.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising adhering a diffuser to a rim of the non-electrically conducting housing to cover the at least one LED light source.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, after inserted the LED driver board, depositing a potting material into an interior volume between components of the LED driver board and the first and second metallic heatsink components in enough quantity to ensure that heat from the various electrical components is thermally carried to at least some portions of the first and second metallic heatsink components to dissipate heat.

18. A method for assembling an LED lamp comprising:
inserting a first metallic heatsink component having a first electrical contact into a non-conducting housing;
inserting a second metallic heatsink component having a second, separate contact into the non-conducting housing; and
inserting an LED lamp and LED driver printed circuit board (PCB) assembly into an opening between the first and second metallic heatsink components such that a hot contact of the LED lamp and LED driver PCB assembly contacts the first electrical contact of the first metallic heatsink component and a neutral contact of the LED lamp and LED driver PCB assembly contacts the second, separate contact of the second metallic heatsink component.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising connecting a reflector to the LED lamp and LED driver PCB to encircle and outwardly reflect light from the at least one LED light source.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising adhering a diffuser to a rim of the non-conducting housing to cover the at least one LED light source of the LED lamp and LED driver PCB.

21. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, after inserted the LED lamp and LED driver PCB, depositing a potting material into an interior volume between components of the LED lamp and LED driver PCB and the first and second metallic heatsink components in enough quantity to ensure that heat from the various electrical components is thermally carried to at least some portions of the first and second metallic heatsink components to dissipate heat.

Assignees

• Ge Lighting Solutions Llc

Inventors

• Brnada Josip
• Huddleston Charles Leigh
• Johnson William Stewart

Classifications

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21K9/68

  Details of reflectors forming part of the light source · CPC title

• F21K9/232

  specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb · CPC title

• F21V29/70 Primary

  characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks · CPC title

• F21K9/90

  Methods of manufacture · CPC title