Pre-warped LED Module Substrate for Heatsink Contact

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional LED modules mounted on heatsinks experience inadequate heat dissipation due to warping during the blanking process, which prevents effective heat conduction from the central light emitting unit to the heatsink.

Innovation Solution

The LED module is designed with a substrate composed of an insulating plate and a heat conducting plate, where the substrate is warped such that the central part protrudes on the heatsink side, ensuring the hottest part of the light emitting unit contacts the heatsink, facilitating efficient heat conduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the LED module is mounted on the heatsink with the substrate in a flat state, then the edge parts of the insulating plate contact the heatsink, but the central part of the light emitting unit does not contact the heatsink due to warping, resulting in insufficient heat dissipation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipationVSAvoidsubstrate flatness

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is pre-warped during manufacturing such that the central part protrudes toward the heatsink side before mounting. This preliminary action ensures that when the module is mounted on the heatsink, the central part of the light emitting unit (which generates the most heat) is already positioned to contact or closely approach the heatsink surface, enabling effective heat dissipation from the hottest region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of making the substrate flat and relying on mounting pressure to create contact, the invention inverts the approach by pre-warping the substrate with the central part protruding toward the heatsink. This reversal of the usual flat-substrate design allows the hottest central region to naturally contact the heatsink without requiring excessive mounting pressure or complex adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If the socket pressing units press against the edge parts of the insulating plate to mount the LED module, then the module is secured to the heatsink, but the warping prevents effective heat conduction from the central light emitting unit

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting stabilityVSAvoidheat conduction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is pre-warped during manufacturing such that the central part protrudes toward the heatsink side before mounting. This preliminary action ensures that when the module is mounted on the heatsink, the central part of the light emitting unit (which generates the most heat) is already positioned to contact or closely approach the heatsink surface, enabling effective heat dissipation from the hottest region.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of making the substrate flat and relying on mounting pressure to create contact, the invention inverts the approach by pre-warping the substrate with the central part protruding toward the heatsink. This reversal of the usual flat-substrate design allows the hottest central region to naturally contact the heatsink without requiring excessive mounting pressure or complex adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 design significantly improves heat dissipation properties by ensuring the central, hottest part of the light emitting unit contacts the heatsink, effectively conveying heat away from the module.

Implementation Method 1

the metal plate ensures stiffness of the LED module as well as having a function of conducting heat generated when the light emitting unit (in other words, the LEDS) emits light to the heatsink

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS7728231B2Light emitting module, lighting device, and display device

Publication Date: 2010.06.01 SATCO PRODUCTS INC

AI summary

A lighting device includes a heatsink 70, a socket 10 and an LED module 60. The LED module 60 has a light emitting unit 62 in a central part of a top side of a metal base substrate 63 composed of an insulating plate and a metal plate. The LED module 60 is warped such that the central part protrudes on a heatsink 70 side, which is the side opposite to the light emitting unit 62 side. The LED module 60 is mounted on the heatsink 70 in a state of the surrounds of the light emitting unit 62 being pressed according to pressing units 14T, 14L, and 14D of the socket 10. Pressing the surrounds of the light emitting unit 62 against the heatsink 70 ensures that a central part of the warping of the LED module 60 contacts the heatsink 70.