Patent ID: 8115229

Claim:
Arrangement for dissipating thermal energy generated by a light emitting diode (LED), comprising: an LED including an LED circuit having a top surface from which radiation is emitted in response to current flow through the LED circuit and an opposite bottom surface mounted to a mounting surface, encapsulating material surrounding the LED circuit, the encapsulating material defining a top portion opposite the top surface of the LED circuit, a bottom portion opposite the bottom surface of the LED circuit and at least one side portion extending between the bottom portion and the top portion, a first electrical lead extending into the encapsulating material and electrically connected to the bottom surface of the LED circuit, and a second electrical lead extending into the encapsulating material and electrically connected to the top surface of the LED, and a thermal energy dissipating medium defining an opening therethrough sized to receive therein the LED such that the thermal energy dissipating medium defining the opening is in physical, thermally conductive contact with an exterior surface of the at least one side portion of the encapsulating material of the LED, wherein the thermal energy dissipating medium is not electrically connected to any of the LED circuit, the mounting surface, the first electrical lead and the second electrical lead, and wherein the thermal energy dissipating medium is formed of a material having a thermal conductivity of greater than or equal to 50 W/mK.