Solid-State Fan LED Luminaire Thermal Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Designing light emitting diode (LED) luminaires that can directly replace conventional light sources like incandescent or fluorescent lamps is challenging due to thermal management issues, requiring innovative cooling solutions to enhance consumer acceptance and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The luminaire incorporates a solid-state fan with no moving parts to directly cool LEDs, eliminating the need for a heat sink and allowing for efficient thermal management within a light fixture, enabling direct replacement of conventional light sources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If conventional heat sink designs are used for LED cooling, then thermal management is achieved, but the device complexity and size increase, preventing direct replacement of conventional light sources

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveLED thermal managementVSAvoidcooling system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the conventional mechanical heat sink system with a solid-state fan that uses no moving parts. This substitution eliminates the need for traditional mechanical cooling components while achieving effective thermal management through solid-state technology, thereby reducing device complexity and enabling direct replacement of conventional light sources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and eliminates the heat sink component from the LED cooling system. By removing the heat sink and replacing it with a solid-state fan, the design simplifies the overall structure and reduces the number of parts required, addressing the contradiction between thermal management effectiveness and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If LED arrays are designed for direct replacement of conventional light sources, then consumer acceptance increases, but thermal management challenges arise due to space constraints

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedirect replacement capabilityVSAvoidthermal management
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The solid-state fan with no moving parts replaces traditional mechanical cooling systems, enabling effective thermal management within the compact form factor required for direct replacement applications. This substitution allows the LED array to fit into conventional light source fixtures while maintaining adequate cooling performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the cooling system by transitioning from mechanical to solid-state technology. This parameter change enables the cooling system to operate effectively within the reduced space constraints of direct replacement fixtures, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and thermal management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If solid-state fan with no moving parts is used, then reliability increases and maintenance requirements decrease, but the cooling mechanism differs from conventional approaches

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling system reliabilityVSAvoidcooling mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By replacing the mechanical fan system with a solid-state device that has no moving parts, the invention eliminates mechanical failure points and reduces maintenance requirements. The solid-state technology achieves enhanced reliability while the compact integration keeps the overall device complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The solid-state fan provides self-service cooling without requiring mechanical components that need maintenance. The absence of moving parts means the system is inherently more reliable and requires less intervention, resolving the contradiction between reliability improvement and potential increases in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 solution enables efficient cooling of LEDs, enhancing their performance and longevity, thus facilitating the transition to LED-based lighting solutions that can replace traditional fixtures, improving consumer acceptance and industry adoption.

Implementation Method 1

The fan contains no moving parts

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIon wind: Ion Wind

Data Source

PatentEP2376835B1Light emitting diode luminaire
Publication Date: 2018.08.29 BRIDGELUX INC
  • EP2376835B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2376835B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2376835B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A luminaire includes a light fixture having an opening, at least one LED positioned within the light fixture to emit light through the opening, and a fan configured to cool said at least one LED.