LED Lighting Module Thermal Management via Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lighting modules using LEDs face challenges with thermal management and optical uniformity, as individual LED chips have high thermal resistance and varying wavelengths, leading to inefficiencies and increased production costs due to binning procedures.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves directly attaching a large number of low-power LED chips to a base panel with a substrate, using a de-rated current to maintain lower operating temperatures and enhance output efficiency, and employing optical cups or disks with phosphors for uniform light distribution, eliminating the need for auxiliary heat sinking and binning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If high-power LEDs are grouped together in a lighting module, then sufficient light output is achieved, but thermal management becomes difficult and requires exotic solutions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the lighting system into multiple low-power LED chips (e.g., 35 chips of 0.064W each) instead of using fewer high-power LEDs. This segmentation allows the total light output to be achieved while distributing the heat generation across many small units, eliminating the need for complex thermal management solutions like heat pipes or cooling fins.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the power parameter of individual LED chips from high-power (1W) to low-power (0.064W) operation. By operating LEDs at a lower power level, the thermal load is significantly reduced, allowing direct attachment to the PCB without auxiliary heat sinking while still achieving sufficient total light output through the cumulative effect of multiple chips.
2Illumination intensity
If LED chips are placed close together to create uniform light source, then light blending through diffuser is improved, but thermal management difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses many small LED chips distributed across the PCB surface, allowing them to be placed close together for uniform light output while each chip generates minimal heat. The low power consumption of each individual chip means that even with high density placement, the cumulative thermal load remains manageable without exotic cooling solutions.
3Illumination intensity
If LED chips from a small range of bins are used to ensure uniformity, then color uniformity is improved, but production costs increase due to binning procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the approach to color uniformity by using many low-power chips where slight wavelength variations are imperceptible to the human eye. This allows the use of LED chips from broader wavelength bins without requiring expensive binning procedures, as the cumulative light output from numerous chips with slightly different wavelengths still appears uniform to observers.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention accepts minor variations in individual chip performance and uses the statistical averaging effect of many chips to achieve overall uniformity. This approach allows the use of less expensive, less tightly controlled LED chips that would be discarded in traditional binning processes, thereby reducing production costs while maintaining acceptable color uniformity.
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 results in a more efficient lighting module with improved thermal management, increased lumens-density, and uniform color output without the need for exotic thermal solutions or expensive binning processes.
Implementation Method 1
The LED chip emits light of a specific wavelength (in the UV or blue region). The emitted light excites the phosphor, which results in the emission of white light.
Implementation Method 2
When electrical current is passed through the LED chip in a forward-bias, electrons 'jump' across the p-n junction and emit light.
Data Source
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AI summary
A lighting module comprising a base panel and a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) chips attached directly to the base panel. The LED chips are in electrical communication with conductive traces on the base panel, which deliver a current to the LED chips. Various embodiments of this generally described lighting module are also presented. Additionally, methods of preparing such a lighting module, and system components of the lighting module are presented.