LED Light Engine with Integrated Power Supply and Thermal Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional LED modules for high-voltage applications often face issues with heat management, leading to reduced brightness and reliability due to inadequate thermal contact with the luminaire housing, and require separate power supplies, increasing complexity and space requirements.
Innovation Solution
The development of solid state light engines with integral power supplies and thermally conductive housings that maintain the LED chips in thermal contact with the housing, which provides a heat conducting path around the power supply to dissipate heat efficiently, minimizing temperature cross-talk and enhancing reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional LED modules use separate power supplies, then power conversion is achieved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the power supply directly into the LED module housing, combining previously separate components (LED array, power supply, housing) into a single unified structure. This merging eliminates the need for external power supplies and interconnections, reducing device complexity while improving reliability through better integration.
2Illumination intensity
If LED chips are mounted on substrates with reflective cups, then light directionality is improved, but heat extraction becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat extraction function from the traditional reflective cup structure and implements it through the housing itself. The housing is designed with thermally conductive materials and integrated heat sinks that directly contact the LED chips, separating the optical function (performed by the reflective cup) from the thermal management function (performed by the housing).
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, acts as a heat sink for thermal management, and serves as the outer enclosure. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate heat extraction components while maintaining light directionality through the reflective cup.
3Illumination intensity
If high power operations are used to achieve high luminous flux, then brightness output increases, but heat generation and retention worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful heat generated by high-power LED operations into a manageable thermal flow by designing integrated heat sinks and thermally conductive pathways that directly channel heat away from the LED chips. The housing structure itself becomes part of the heat dissipation system, transforming heat retention from a problem into a controlled thermal management solution.
4Volume of moving object
If compact LED modules are designed to reduce space requirements, then installation simplicity improves, but thermal contact with housing becomes inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the LED chips are directly mounted on substrates that are integrated into the housing structure. The heat sinks are embedded within the housing, creating concentric thermal pathways that maximize thermal contact in a compact volume. This nesting allows efficient heat transfer without requiring additional external space.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
These light engines achieve high luminous flux with reduced heat generation, improved thermal management, and increased reliability, allowing for compact, efficient, and reliable operation similar to halogen J-type lamps while being more compact and simpler to install.
Implementation Method 1
The housing at least partially comprises a thermally conductive material and the light source is in thermal contact with the housing
Implementation Method 2
Light emitting diodes (LED or LEDs) are solid state devices that convert electric energy to light
Implementation Method 3
The reflective cup may be filled with an encapsulant material which may contain a wavelength conversion material such as a phosphor. Light emitted by the LED at a first wavelength may be absorbed by the phosphor, which may responsively emit light at a second wavelength
Data Source
AI summary
Solid state light engines are disclosed that emit a bright, non-symmetrical emission pattern, with a relatively high luminous flux and from a relatively small area. The light engines can be used in many different types and sizes of light sources, with some embodiments providing a light quantity, quality and distribution similar to conventional J-type Halogen light sources. The light engines are arranged with integral power supplies and heat management features that allow for the engines to provide high emission intensities while generating significantly less heat at the light source. This can result in significantly higher efficiency and greater life space. In some embodiments, the light can perform similarly to a halogen J-type Lamp 80 mm light tube, while generating similar or greater amounts of light. The light engines according to the present invention provide the capability to be used in low profile light fixtures.