Light source

An embodiment of a light source comprises a first lead and a second lead. The first lead comprises a first mounting surface wherein a first light emitter is connectable to the first mounting surface, a support member attached to the first mounting surface, a conductor portion attached to the support member, and at least one tab extending from the first mounting surface, the at least one tab being used to hold the first lead during fabrication. The second lead is second lead located adjacent the first lead and comprises a second mounting surface wherein a second light emitter is connectable to the second mounting surface, at least two support members attached to the second mounting surface, and a conductor portion attached to each of the support members.

BACKGROUND

Many light sources use a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to generate light. In some embodiments, the light sources use a plurality of different colored LEDs in order to generate a broad spectrum of light. In order to generate a high intensity of light, the light sources use high power LEDs. High power LEDs, however, generate a lot of heat. In small applications, the light sources cannot dissipate heat well, which limits the amount of power that can be input to the LEDs. This in turn limits the intensity of light that can be produced by a light source.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A top perspective view of an embodiment of the internal components of a light source100is shown inFIG. 1. The light source100uses its leads to conduct heat from light emitters located therein. In addition, the light source uses tabs on the leads that are used for fabrication as heat sinks to further dissipate heat. Another heat dissipation element of the light source100is the mounting of leads around the circumference of the light source, which provides more heat paths for heat dissipation. The embodiment of the light source100ofFIG. 1is a surface mount device, meaning that the aforementioned leads attach the light source to a circuit board using surface mount technology.

The light source100has a first lead104. As mentioned above and as described in greater detail below, the first lead104may be adapted to mount to a circuit board via surface mount technology. The first lead104has a first mounting surface108that is adapted to have a first light emitter110connected thereto. In some embodiments, the first mounting surface108may have a plurality of light emitters connected thereto. In some embodiments, the light emitter110is a light-emitting diode (LED)110. A support member112extends from the first mounting surface. In the embodiment ofFIG. 1, the support member112extends substantially perpendicular to the first mounting surface108. A mounting portion116extends from the support member112and serves to connect the light source100to a circuit board. In some embodiments, the mounting portion116extends substantially perpendicular to the support member112. The mounting portion116also enables heat to transfer from the first lead104to the circuit board.

At least one tab extends from the mounting surface108. In the embodiment described herein, two tabs extend from the mounting surface108. The tabs are referred to as the first tab120and the second tab122. The tabs120,122are used to hold the first lead104during fabrication of the first lead104. For example, the first lead104may be stamped from a sheet of material, such as a metal. The above-described components of the first lead104may then be bent to form the first lead104shown inFIG. 1. During the stamping and/or bending stages, the tabs120,122are used to secure the first lead104in a predetermined location. As described in greater detail below, the tabs120,122serve to dissipate heat from the light emitter110.

A second lead130is located adjacent the first lead104. Like the first lead104, the second lead130has a mounting surface132wherein at least one second light emitter134is connectable to the mounting surface132. The mounting surface132is sometimes referred to herein as the second mounting surface132. A plurality of support members extend from the second mounting surface132. In the embodiment described herein, three support members extend substantially perpendicular to the second mounting surface132. The support members are referred to individually as the first support member136, the second support member138, and the third support member140. As described above, the support members136,138, and140may extend substantially perpendicular to the second mounting surface132.

Each of the support members136,138,140may have a mounting portion attached thereto. The mounting portions serve to connect the light source100to a circuit board. In some embodiments, the mounting portions serve to connect the light source100to the circuit board by way of surface mount technology. The mounting portions are referred to individually as the first mounting portion141, the second mounting portion142, and the third mounting portion143. The second mounting portion142is shown inFIG. 2, which is a bottom view of the light source100.

In some embodiments, the light source100may have a third lead150located adjacent the first lead104. The third lead150may be identical or substantially identical to the first lead104. The use of three leads,104,130,150enables the light source100to use three different LEDs or three different pluralities of LEDs. Each lead may contain a different color of LED or LEDs, which enables the light source100to emit a broad spectrum of light colors. More specifically, the intensity of light emitted by the LEDs associated with a specific lead may be varied in order to produce a desired color of light.

The light source100may also include a plurality of secondary leads. The secondary leads are referred to individually as the first secondary lead160, the second secondary lead162, and the third secondary lead164. The secondary leads160,162,164provide complete electrical circuits for the light emitters mounted to the leads104,130,150. Wires connect the light emitters to their respective secondary connectors. A first wire165connects the first light emitter110to the first secondary lead160. A second wire166connects the second light emitter134to the second secondary lead162. A third wire167connects the light emitter on the third lead150to the third secondary lead164.

For orientation purposes, the light source100is described as having a first end170and an opposite second end172. Between the ends170,172is a first edge174and a second edge176located opposite the first edge174. Light is emitted from a first side178and an opposite second side180connects the light source100to a circuit board or the like.

As shown inFIG. 1, the mounting portions on the second lead130and the mounting portions on the secondary leads160,162,162fold inward. This folding of the mounting portions along with the other surfaces of the leads creates a cavity. A material190,FIG. 2, may be located in the cavity. The material190may be an electrical insulator and may serve to maintain the leads in a fixed position. In some embodiments, the material190is less conductive than the first lead104. With regard to the first side178, the light emitters are mounted there and the design has a substantial amount of lead material on the first side178, including the tabs120,122. Therefore, heat is readily removed via the lead material.

Most conventional light sources using multiple light emitters have leads that extend along the sides, which would correspond to the edges176,178of the light source100. The leads on many conventional light sources do not extend along the ends, which corresponds to the ends170,172of the light source100. The light source100described herein has leads extending around the circumference, which provides more paths for heat to dissipate from the light emitters. Therefore, the light source100is able to operate at greater intensity and is able to generate more heat.

During fabrication of the light source100the first lead104and the third lead150may be stamped from a single sheet of metal. The first tab120and the second tab122maybe connected to the metal sheet. This connection holds the first lead104in place during fabrication. The first lead104is cut from the metal sheet at the tabs120,122. Rather than remove the tabs120,122, they are kept attached to the first lead104to act as heat sinks.

Referring toFIG. 3, which is a top plan view of an embodiment of the light source100, a lens192or the like may cover the light emitters. The lens192may include a case that substantially encases the leads of the light emitter100.

It is noted that other embodiments of the light source100may be fabricated. For example, the lead130may have a single support member in place of the individual support members138and140. Such a configuration may enable more heat to be dissipated from the second light emitter134. In such an embodiment, the lead130may have the to mounting portions140,142in order to use surface mount technology to mount the light source100to a circuit board.