LED Flashlight Heat Sink Thermal Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for effective heat management in portable lights that utilize light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and electronic circuitry, as excessive heat can damage components and pose safety hazards, especially under fault conditions, and existing solutions do not adequately address the thermal management of these systems.
Innovation Solution
A heat sink arrangement using a thermally conductive material is integrated into the light, with the LED thermally bonded to it and the electronic circuit attached, featuring a design with a first rectangular planar member, elongated members, and a second rectangular member to dissipate heat efficiently under normal and fault conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a high-power LED is used to increase brightness, then illumination intensity is improved, but heat generation increases causing reliability to deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat management function from the LED assembly by introducing a dedicated heat sink structure. The heat sink is thermally coupled to the LED to conduct heat away from the LED junction, thereby maintaining LED reliability while allowing high-power operation for improved brightness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a thermal interface material as an intermediary between the LED and heat sink. This material optimizes thermal transfer from the LED to the heat sink, enabling effective heat removal that maintains LED reliability while supporting high-power bright operation.
2Ease of operation
If electronic circuitry is added to control LED current, then current control capability is improved, but heat generation increases causing temperature to rise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat dissipation function for both the LED and electronic circuitry into a single integrated heat sink structure. The circuitry is mounted on the heat sink, allowing both heat sources to be managed by the same thermal management system, thereby controlling temperature while maintaining current control capability.
3Temperature
If heat sink is added to remove heat, then temperature control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the heat sink to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a thermal management component for the LED, a mounting structure for the electronic circuitry, and a structural element of the flashlight assembly. This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity while maintaining effective temperature control.
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
The heat sink effectively maintains the LED and electronic components at safe temperatures below 200°C, ensuring the light's reliability and safety, meeting Underwriters' Laboratory (UL) standards for Class I, Division I, devices in various environments.
Implementation Method 1
a heat sink of a thermally conductive material, wherein the light emitting diode is thermally bonded to the heat sink
Data Source
AI summary
An LED light may comprise a light emitting diode selectively energizable for producing light; an electronic circuit for selectively energizing the light emitting diode; and a heat sink of a thermally conductive material, wherein the light emitting diode is thermally bonded to the heat sink; and wherein the electronic circuit is attached to the heat sink. The light may have a pair of contact springs extending from the heat sink and the electronic circuit may include thermal conductivity enhancing features.