Patent ID: 8567989

Claim:
An improved heat sink ( 104 ) for a light emitting diode (LED) lamp assembly, said improved heat sink ( 104 ) comprising: a monolithic heat sink ( 104 ) having a core region ( 109 ) formed about a longitudinal axis and having a lower end ( 111 ) and an opposite upper end ( 113 ), a lower rim ( 107 ) being formed adjacent said lower end ( 111 ), and an upper thermal ring ( 115 ) formed proximate the upper end ( 113 ), said upper thermal ring ( 115 ) being disposed in spaced relation from said core region ( 109 ) and extending substantially about an entire circumference of said heat sink ( 104 ), said heat sink ( 104 ) defining adjacent said lower peripheral rim ( 107 ) a first region ( 110 ) configured to receive in operative electrical and mechanical association an electrical connector ( 105 ), said heat sink ( 104 ) further defining a second region ( 112 ) proximate said upper end ( 113 ), said second region ( 112 ) configured to receive at least one LED ( 103 ) and oriented to direct light outward from the heat sink ( 104 ), the heat sink ( 104 ) further being formed with a plurality of longitudinal vanes ( 108 ) formed on an outwardly directed surface of said core region ( 109 ) and extending generally along said longitudinal axis from said lower rim ( 107 ) towards said upper end ( 113 ), wherein said vanes ( 108 ) intersect and support said upper thermal ring ( 115 ), said vanes ( 108 ) and said upper thermal ring ( 115 ) bounding, as viewed in a direction along said longitudinal axis, air flow apertures ( 116 ), wherein the improvement comprises: a plurality of webs ( 120 ) formed between adjacent pairs of said longitudinal vanes ( 108 ), said webs ( 120 ) collectively defining an auxiliary thermal ring ( 122 ), said auxiliary thermal ring ( 122 ) substantially circumferentially surrounding in spaced relation said core region ( 109 ) and disposed, as viewed in said longitudinal direction, between said upper thermal ring ( 115 ) and said lower rim ( 107 ), and wherein each said longitudinal vane ( 108 ) defines a respective thermal notch ( 126 ) formed on a vane surface facing an adjacent longitudinal vane ( 108 ), said thermal notch ( 126 ) being in confronting relationship to a respective said air flow aperture ( 116 ).