Abstract:
A light-emitting diode (LED) bulb has a shell. An LED is within the shell. The LED is electrically connected to a driver circuit, which is electrically connected to a base of the LED bulb. The LED bulb also has a heatsink between the shell and base. A thermal break partitions the heatsink into an upper partition adjacent the shell and a lower partition adjacent the base.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure relates generally to a heatsink for a light-emitting diode (LED) bulb, and more specifically to a partitioned heatsink for improved cooling of different components of an LED bulb. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Traditionally, lighting has been generated using fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs. While both types of light bulbs have been reliably used, each suffers from certain drawbacks. For instance, incandescent bulbs tend to be inefficient, using only 2-3% of their power to produce light, while the remaining 97-98% of their power is lost as heat. Fluorescent bulbs, while more efficient than incandescent bulbs, do not produce the same warm light as that generated by incandescent bulbs. Additionally, there are health and environmental concerns regarding the mercury contained in fluorescent bulbs. 
         [0005]    Thus, an alternative light source is desired. One such alternative is a bulb utilizing an LED. An LED comprises a semiconductor junction that emits light due to an electrical current flowing through the junction. Compared to a traditional incandescent bulb, an LED bulb is capable of producing more light using the same amount of power. Additionally, the operational life of an LED bulb is orders of magnitude longer than that of an incandescent bulb, for example, 10,000-100,000 hours as opposed to 1,000-2,000 hours. 
         [0006]    The lifetime and performance of an LED bulb depends, in part, on its operating temperature. The lifetime of the LED bulb driver circuit may limit the overall lifetime of the LED bulb if the driver circuit operates at high temperature for long periods of time. Similarly, the lifetime of the LEDs that produce the light may be reduced by excessive heat. Additionally, high operating temperatures can reduce the light output of the LEDs. 
         [0007]    While both the driver circuit and LEDs are sensitive to high operating temperatures, these components are also responsible for generating heat. LEDs are about 80% efficient, meaning that 20% of power supplied to LEDs is lost as heat. Similarly, the driver circuit that supplies current to the LED is about 90% efficient, meaning that 10% of the power supplied to it is lost as heat. 
         [0008]    The operating temperature of an LED bulb depends on many factors. For example, each individual LED produces heat. Therefore, the number and type of LEDs present in the bulb may affect the amount of heat the LED bulb produces. Additionally, driver circuitry may also produce significant amounts of heat. 
         [0009]    Other factors may determine the rate at which generated heat is dissipated. For example, the nature of the enclosure into which the LED bulb is installed may dictate the orientation of the LED bulb, the insulating properties surrounding the LED bulb, and the direction of the convective air stream flowing over the LED bulb. Each of these factors may have a dramatic effect on the buildup of heat in and around the LED bulb. 
         [0010]    Accordingly, LED bulbs may require cooling systems that account for the different sources of heat, the ability of components to withstand elevated temperatures, and the variables associated with the dissipation of heat. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0011]    One embodiment of an LED bulb has a shell. An LED is within the shell. The LED is electrically connected to a driver circuit, which is electrically connected to a base of the LED bulb. The LED bulb also has a heatsink between the shell and base. A thermal break partitions the heatsink into an upper partition adjacent the shell and a lower partition adjacent the base. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary embodiment of an LED bulb with a partitioned heatsink. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  depicts an enlarged view of a portion of the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  depicts an exploded view of the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  depicts another exemplary embodiment of an LED bulb with a partitioned heatsink. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  depicts an exploded view of the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  depicts an exploded view of yet another exemplary embodiment of an LED bulb. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  depicts a cross-sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    The following description is presented to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the various embodiments. Descriptions of specific devices, techniques, and applications are provided only as examples. Various modifications to the examples described herein will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other examples and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the various embodiments. Thus, the various embodiments are not intended to be limited to the examples described herein and shown, but are to be accorded the scope consistent with the claims. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary embodiment of LED bulb  100  using partitioned heatsink  102  for improved cooling. Thermal break  104  partitions heatsink  102  into upper heatsink partition  106  and lower heatsink partition  108 . The amount of heat that may be dissipated by each partition depends, in part, on the amount of surface area that is exposed away from the bulb. The more surface area exposed to the environment outside of the LED bulb, the more heat that may be dissipated. 
         [0021]    Heatsink  102  may be made of any materials that exhibit suitable thermal conductivity. For example, metals such as aluminum or copper are often used for heatsink applications. In this exemplary embodiment, a plurality of fins  120  increases the surface area of the heatsink and helps dissipate heat generated by LED bulb  100  into the surrounding environment. Heatsink  102  may be shaped to make LED bulb  100  resemble a common A19 bulb form factor. 
         [0022]    Thermal break  104  may be made by cutting or otherwise removing a portion of heatsink  102  to create a void. Alternatively, heatsink  102  may be fabricated, using metal casting or other suitable manufacturing processes, with thermal break  104  in place. 
         [0023]    Thermal break  104  may be maintained with a thermally insulting material that completely or partially fills thermal break  104 . For example, as depicted in  FIG. 1 , thermal break  104  may be maintained by connector piece  124  between upper partition  106  and lower partition  108 . Connector piece  124  holds upper partition  106  in proper alignment with lower partition  108  while maintaining thermal break  104  as a void. Depending on how connector piece  124  is shaped, connector piece  124  may form part or all of thermal break  104 . Suitable materials for connector piece  124  include glass-filled nylon, ceramics, ceramic derivatives, and materials with low thermal conductivity. As an alternative to thermal break  104  being a void, a thermally insulting material may maintain thermal break  104  by partially or completely filling thermal break  104  using injection molding or other suitable manufacturing processes. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  depicts a portion of LED bulb  100  ( FIG. 1 ).  FIG. 3  depicts an exploded view of LED bulb  100 .  FIGS. 2 and 3  depict connector piece  124 . As depicted in  FIG. 2 , in this exemplary embodiment, connector piece  124  has voids that define air pockets  128 . The use of air pockets  128  may decrease the thermal conductivity between upper partition  106  and lower partition  108 . However, in alternative embodiments, LED bulb  100  ( FIG. 1 ) can also use connector pieces without voids or air pockets. 
         [0025]    Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the location of thermal break  104  may be selected to allocate portions of heatsink  102  between driver circuit  110  and LEDs  114 . The size of the portions allocated to driver circuit  110  and LEDs  114  affects the ability of heatsink  102  to cool those components. Factors that may be considered in allocating the portions of heatsink  102  between driver circuit  110  and LEDs  114  include the amount of heat generated by each component, the sensitivity of each component to elevated temperatures, and other paths that each component may have for dissipating heat. 
         [0026]    Driver circuit  110 , which is located substantially within bulb base  112 , controls the drive current delivered to LEDs  114  that are mounted on LED mounts  116 , which are disposed within shell  118 . LED mounts  116  may help transfer heat from LEDs  114  to heatsink  102 . LED mounts  116  may be formed as part of heatsink  102 . Alternatively, LED mounts  116  may be formed separate from heatsink  102 , but are still thermally coupled to heatsink  102 . As another alternative, LED mounts  116  may be omitted, and the LEDs  114  may be mounted to heatsink  102  to thermally couple LEDs  114  to upper partition  106 . 
         [0027]    Thermal vias or a metal core printed circuit board (PCB) may facilitate heat transfer from drive circuit  110  to heatsink  102  at position  122 . For example, in this exemplary embodiment, driver circuit  110  may produce less heat than LEDs  114 , but driver circuit  110  may also be more sensitive to high temperatures. Specifically, driver circuit  110  may be able to operate in temperatures up to 90° C. without damage, but LEDs  114  may be able to operate in temperatures up to 120° C. without damage. Additionally, LEDs  114  may be able to dissipate some heat out of shell  118 , especially if shell  118  is filled with a thermally conductive liquid. Therefore, in this exemplary embodiment, thermal break  104  is placed to allocate the majority of heatsink  102  in the form of lower heatsink partition  108  to cooling driver circuit  110 . The rest of heatsink  102  is allocated to cooling LEDs  114  in the form of upper heatsink partition  106 . 
         [0028]    In addition to allocating partitions of heatsink  102  to driver circuit  110  and LEDs  114 , thermal break  104  may also prevent heat from LEDs  114  from affecting driver circuit  110 . Without thermal break  104 , heat from LEDs  114  may degrade or damage driver circuit  110  because LEDs  114  typically produce more heat than driver circuit  110 , and driver circuit  110  is typically more sensitive to heat than LEDs  114 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  depicts another exemplary embodiment of LED bulb  400  using partitioned heatsink  402  for improved cooling. Thermal break  404  partitions heatsink  402  into upper partition  406  and lower partition  408 . In this exemplary embodiment, a plurality of fins  410  increases the surface area of heatsink  402  and helps dissipate heat generated by LED bulb  400  into the surrounding environment. 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  depicts an exploded view of LED bulb  400 . In this exemplary embodiment, thermal break  404  ( FIG. 4 ) is implemented with connector piece  500 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , in this exemplary embodiment, connector piece  500  has holes  502  in the disk-shaped portion that separates upper partition  406  and lower partition  408 . The use of holes  502  may decrease the thermal conductivity between upper partition  406  and lower partition  408 . 
         [0031]    As compared to heatsink  102  ( FIG. 1 ) of LED bulb  100  ( FIG. 1 ), heatsink  402  of LED bulb  400  is partitioned so that upper partition  406  is a greater proportion, meaning effective heatsinking capacity, of heatsink  402  as compared to the proportion that upper partition  106  ( FIG. 1 ) uses of heatsink  102  ( FIG. 1 ). For example, upper partition  406  can be configured to have more mass and/or exposed surface area than upper partition  106  ( FIG. 1 ). By dedicating more of heatsink  402  to upper partition  406 , heatsink  402  may be able to dissipate more heat generated by the LEDs of LED bulb  400  as compared to the ability of heatsink  102  ( FIG. 1 ) to dissipate heat generated by LEDs  114  ( FIG. 1 ). 
         [0032]      FIG. 6  depicts yet another exemplary embodiment of LED bulb  600  using partitioned heatsink  602  for improved cooling. A thermal break partitions heatsink  602  into upper partition  606  and lower partition  608 . The amount of heat that may be dissipated by each partition depends, in part, on the amount of exposed surface area. The more surface area exposed to the environment outside of LED bulb  600 , the more heat that may be dissipated. In this exemplary embodiment, the thermal break is implemented with connector piece  610 . LED bulb  600  includes driver circuit  612  within lower partition  608  and base  614 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 7  depicts a cross-section of LED bulb  600 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , lower partition  608  substantially surrounds driver circuit  612 . This may allow for better heat transfer from driver circuit  612  to lower partition  608 , which may allow driver circuit  612  to operate at a cooler temperature. 
         [0034]    Although a feature may appear to be described in connection with a particular embodiment, one skilled in the art would recognize that various features of the described embodiments may be combined. Moreover, aspects described in connection with an embodiment may stand alone.