LED Leadframe Assembly With Reflective Insulation for Thermal Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting assemblies with LED elements face challenges in achieving improved functionality, particularly in ensuring good thermal contact and reducing manufacturing complexity and costs, as they often require separate components for mechanical mounting, electrical connection, and heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
A lighting assembly utilizing a leadframe with an optically reflective and electrically insulating material for both electrical connection and optical functions, which allows for direct mounting of LED elements, eliminating the need for a printed circuit board and thermal interface material, thereby simplifying manufacturing and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a printed circuit board (PCB) connected to a heat sink is used to mount LED elements, then electrical connection and heat dissipation are provided, but thermal contact between the LED elements and heat sink is difficult to ensure, requiring additional thermal interface material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electrical connection function and thermal management function into a single leadframe component. The leadframe directly contacts the LED element's thermal pad, providing both electrical connection and thermal conduction path to the heat sink, eliminating the need for separate PCB and thermal interface material layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The leadframe serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical connection to the LED element, acts as a thermal conduction path to the heat sink, and serves as a mechanical mounting structure. This multi-functionality reduces the overall component count and simplifies the assembly structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate components are used for mechanical mounting, electrical connection, and heat dissipation, then each function can be optimized independently, but the number of production steps and material types increases, complicating manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional components (mechanical mounting structure, electrical connection path, and thermal management interface) into a single integrated leadframe component. This integration reduces the number of material types needed and simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating multiple assembly steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The leadframe is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: mechanical support for the LED element, electrical connection through its conductive structure, and thermal conduction to the heat sink. This multi-functionality reduces the bill of materials and simplifies production.
3Illumination intensity
If the leadframe is provided with both optically reflective and electrically insulating material, then optical performance and electrical insulation are improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite coating material that combines optical reflectivity and electrical insulation properties in a single layer. This composite approach eliminates the need for separate reflective and insulating coatings, reducing the number of manufacturing steps while achieving both functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The optically reflective coating on the leadframe serves dual purposes: it reflects light to improve optical performance and simultaneously provides electrical insulation between the conductive leadframe and surrounding components. This multi-functional coating simplifies the overall device structure.
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
This approach enhances thermal management, reduces production steps and material requirements, and improves optical performance by using the leadframe as a heat sink and reflector, resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective lighting assembly.
Implementation Method 1
an optically reflective and electrically insulating material arranged to reflect at least a portion of the light emitted from the at least one LED element
Implementation Method 2
Mechanically stable mounting, electrical connection, and good heat dissipation are qualities of interest for achieving a high performance and long lifetime of the lighting assemblies
Implementation Method 3
an optically reflective and electrically insulating material arranged to reflect at least a portion of the light emitted from the at least one LED element and to electrically insulate at least a portion of the leadframe
Data Source
AI summary
Lighting systems are described. A lighting system includes a first lead frame portion and a second lead frame portion. The first lead frame portion has at least a top surface, a bottom surface, and an opening. The second lead frame portion is within the opening of the first lead frame portion and has at least a top surface and a bottom surface. Light-emitting diode (LED) devices are each mechanically and electrically coupled to the top surface of the first lead frame portion and the top surface of the second lead frame portion. An electrically insulating and optically reflective material is disposed over exposed regions of the top surfaces of the first and second lead frame portions.