Abstract:
A robust LED lamp may be assembly by forming a heat sinking sandwich with two metal heat sinks positioned around the circuit board and pinned together a heat conductive element. The assembly is positioned by pressing it into a base providing electrical connections. The robust assembly is rapidly assembled, thermally effective in draining or spreading heat from the circuit board and is readily adaptable to a variety of applications lighting. The heat sink may be decorated, colored or otherwise esthetically enhanced for consumer appreciation.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to electric lamps and particularly to LED electric lamps. More particularly the invention is concerned with LED lamps with heat sinks for rapid manufacture. 
     2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     LED lamps are being developed as exterior vehicle light sources. A frequent problem is to dispose of the excess heat while at the same time protecting the LED light source or chip. One method has been to use a flexible substrate and wrap that LED support onto a heat sinking body. The warping technique relies on an essentially fragile, or perhaps more accurately less robust substrate. A flexed substrate may be less reliable in manufacture or use. Certainly the flexing and positioning of the substrate offers opportunities in manufacture for error in construction. Another method has been to form some or all for the base with a heat sinking element, such as a metal core or similar heat transferring element. The most desirable place for the heat sink to extend to is the exterior and open air. This has lead to base structures with enclosed heat sinks or heat sinks passing through to the outside. This requires co-molding, or some other method of constructing the multi-component base which can be expensive. This contrasts with the molded plastic base with a staked in lamp source and electrical connections. There is then a need for an LED lamp structure that is robust, easy to make and capable of distributing a substantial heat flow from one or more LEDs. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An LED lamp assembly may be made with a planar circuit board having a substantially greater length and width than thickness, defining a first major side and a second major side. At least one LED is mounted on a major side of the circuit board. An electrical coupling is extended from an end of the circuit board for electrical connection. Electrical circuitry is supported on the circuit board, coupling the at least one LED to the electrical coupling. A first heat sink with a planar face is sized and shaped to substantially span and fit side by side to a major side of the circuit board. The heat sink is formed with recesses or openings of sufficient size and shape to mechanically accommodate any adjacent electrical components formed on the circuit board, and includes at least one recess receiving the at least one LED permitting the transmission of light from the at least one LED to the exterior of the lamp assembly. The planar side of the first heat sink is mechanically positioned in close thermal contact with a major side of the circuit board. The circuit board and heat sink assembly form an axially extending body having substantially greater length and width than thickness, with the electrical coupling extending beyond the periphery of the first heat sink exposed for electrical connection. A base is mechanically coupled to the circuit board and heat sink assembly, and has at least one latching face for mechanically coupling the lamp assembly in a lamp socket. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a LED Lamp Assembly. 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a circuit board. 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a circuit board and LED assembly. 
         FIG. 4  shows a rear perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a circuit board and heat sink assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a LED lamp assembly  10 . The LED lamp assembly  10  is formed generally with at least one LED  12 , a circuit board  14 , a heat sink  16 , and a base  18 . The preferred LED may be an LED enclosed in a carrier (TOPLED), or may be an open LED chip (chip on board). 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a circuit board  14 . The circuit board  14  is a planar circuit board  14  having a first major side  20  and a second major side  22 . The preferred circuit board  14  is made from a heat conductive material, such as aluminum coated as needed with electrically insulating layers on one or both sides. Another possible circuit board type is the metal core board, which has an additional aluminum core to conduct heat and which is insulated on one or both sides. The preferred circuit board  14  has a greater length and width than thickness and has the general form of an elongated rectangle. The circuit board  14  may be one typical of LED lamps supporting electrical circuits, having a heat conductive layer, electrically insulating layers, or patterns, and electrically conductive patterns for delivering electrical power to the LEDs and or other electrical devices mounted to the circuit board. The preferred circuit board is made of a thin insulating material with copper traces on one or both sides for electrical connection and thermal conduction to the heat sinks. The copper traces are coated with a thin insulating lacquer to avoid electrical contact to the heat sink. In one embodiment the circuit board  14  was 3.0 cm long, 1.0 cm wide and 1.0 mm thick. 
     At least one LED  12  is electrically coupled to the circuit board  14 . Preferably a plurality of LEDs  12  is mounted on both the first major side  20  and the second major side  22  of the circuit board  14 . The LEDs  12  may be LED assemblies (TOPLEDs) mounted on the circuit board  14 , or may be LED chips mounted directly on the circuit board  14  (chip on board). The preferred LEDs  12  all provide white light, but it is understood the LEDs may be of differing colors (red, blue, green, white) and the circuitry  36  may selectively illuminate individually or in combinations, the various LEDs  12  for differing purposes. For example, one set of LEDs may provide only white light, (back up lighting), an alternative set may provide only red light (brake lighting) another set of LEDs may provide amber light for flashing functions (turn or warning) and so on. 
     An electrical coupling  24  extends from the circuit board  14  for connection to an electrical power source and any relevant signal control input. The electrical coupling  24  may comprise lugs  26  that are electrically coupled to the circuit board  14  at first ends  28  and are extended at second ends  30  into the socket cavity  34  of the base  18  where second ends  30  may be adapted for plug connection, as in a socket receptacle. Alternatively, the lugs may be electrically connected in the base to other shaped socket connectors, such as blades, spring faces, bayonet couplings and so on so as to adapt the base for electrical and mechanical coupling into other styles of lamp mountings, and electrical connections. 
     Formed on the electrical board may be electrical circuitry  36  and including related components  38  supported on the circuit board  14  and coupling the at least one LED  12  to the electrical coupling  24 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a circuit board and LED assembly. The first heat sink  16  has a planar face that substantially abuts the first major side  20  of the circuit board  14 . The preferred first heat sink  16  is made from metal, such as copper, aluminum or others and has the general form of an elongated rectangle similar in size and shape to the circuit board  14 . In one embodiment the first heat sink  16  was made of aluminum and was 3.0 cm long, 1.0 cm wide and 2.0 mm thick. The first heat sink  16  is otherwise shaped to include one or more recesses  42  or openings that span or fit corresponding electrical components  38  formed on the circuit board  14 . The first heat sink  16  includes at least one open recess  42  for receiving the at least one LED  12 . The open recess  42  permits the transmission of light from the at least one LED  12  to the exterior of the lamp assembly. The planar side of the first heat sink  16  is mechanically bound in close thermal contact with a major side of the circuit board  14 . Heat from the circuit board  14 , and heat from the at least one LED  12  is then substantially transmitted to the heat sink  16 , where it is spread over a larger area, exposed to greater radiation or cooling effects and otherwise effectively removed from the circuit board  14  and or LED  12 . The circuit board  14  and heat sink  16  form an axially extending body extending from the electrical coupling  24 . The electrical coupling  24  extends beyond the respective peripheries of the circuit board  14  and the heat sink(s)  16 ,  44  to be exposed for electrical connection. 
     A similar second heat sink  44  may be mechanically coupled to the second major side  22  of the circuit board  14 . The second heat sink  44  has a planar face that substantially abuts the second major side  22  of the circuit board  14 . The first and second heat sinks  16 ,  44  then sandwich the circuit board  14 , capturing the circuit board  14  intermediate first heat sink  16  and the second heat sink  44 . 
     The preferred first heat sink  16  and the second heat sink  44  are mechanically coupled one to the other through or around the circuit board  14 , foe example with rivets or similar mechanical fasteners  46  It is understood that the circuit board  14  or the heat sink  16  may be electrically insulated one from the other, at least in the relevant areas, by coating, such as lacquer or insertion of an intermediate insulating layer. The first heat sink  16  and second heat sink  44  then press against the intermediate circuit board  14  for good thermal contact with the circuit board  14 . The preferred first heat sink  16  and the second heat sink  44  are riveted with rivets  46  one to the other to press against the intermediate circuit board  14 . The circuit board  14 , or the first heat sink  16  and second heat sink  44  may have formed end features adjacent the base to enhance coupling and alignment of the circuit board  14  and heat sink  16 ,  44  assembly with the base  18 . The exposed exterior surfaces of the heat sink may be modified for additional heat dispersion with ribs, fins or similar feature, or may be colored or textured for to aid heat radiation, improve light emission, decrease glare or improve appearance (black, true color, white, silver, mirror reflective, dimpled, sand blasted, and so on). 
     A base  18  is mechanically coupled to the circuit board  14  and heat sink assembly. The preferred base  18  is made from molded plastic of sufficient heat tolerance so as to accommodate the support of the LED circuit board  14  and heat sink  16 ,  44  assembly. The preferred base  18  has the general form of a cylindrical cup with latching flange  48  structure extending radially from the side of the cylindrical base  18 . The base  18  includes a recess for receiving and supporting the circuit board  14  and heat sink assembly  16 ,  44 . The recess may include formed latching and aligning features to receive and mechanically couple with the circuit board  14  and heat sink  16 ,  44  assembly. In one embodiment, the circuit board  14  and heat sink  16 ,  44  assembly had a base end formed as a flat tongue, and the recess was correspondingly formed with a rectangular slot to enable the insertion (coupling) of the circuit board  14  and heat sink  16 ,  44  assembly into the base  18 . Alternatively the circuit board  14  and heat sink  16 ,  44  assembly may be co-molded in the base  18 . Formed in the bottom of the base  18  is a socket cavity  34  for sheltering the electrical couplings  24 , such as lugs  26 , electrically connected to the circuit board  14 , and extended through the end wall into the socket cavity  34 . The base  18  has at least one latching face  54  for mechanically coupling the lamp assembly  10  in a lamp socket. The preferred latching face  54  is a bayonet type mounting. The latched mounting may be keyed according to differing lamp structures and purposes, so that a tail lamp may be similarly made to a turn signal lamp, but the two lamp types are distinctly keyed to prevent confused use in actual application. The preferred base  18  includes a seal  56  element positioned adjacent the latching face  54  to exclude water and other environment features that may disrupt the lamp function over time. A compressible o-ring or annular seal  56  for example may be used as the seal. 
     While there have been shown and described what are at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.