Light Emitting Assemblies And Portions Thereof

Abstract

Apparatus may be provided including a high power light emitting diode (LED) unit, at least one printed circuit board, and an interfacing portion of a heat sink structure. The high power LED unit includes at least one LED die, at least one first lead and at least one second lead, and a heat sink interface. The at least one printed circuit board includes a conductive pattern configured to connect both the at least one first lead and the at least one second lead to a current source. The interfacing portion of the heat sink structure is that portion through which a majority of heat of the heat sink interface is transmitted. The interfacing portion is directly in touching contact with a majority of a heat transfer area of the heat sink interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Apparatus comprising:
 a high power light emitting diode (LED) unit including at least one LED die, including at least one first lead and at least one second lead, and including a heat sink interface, the heat sink interface being electrically isolated from both the at last one first lead and the at least one second lead;   at least one printed circuit board including a conductive pattern configured to connect both the at least one first lead and the at least one second lead to a current source; and   an interfacing portion of a heat sink structure through which a majority of heat of the heat sink interface is transmitted, the interfacing portion being directly in touching contact with a majority of a heat transfer area of the heat sink interface.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to claim one, wherein the heat sink interface includes a thermal pad of a surface mount LED. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink interface includes a metal substrate connected directly to the LED die via a low thermal resistance connection. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , where the at least one printed circuit board includes a flex circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one printed circuit board includes a single layer flex circuit. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the interfacing portion of the heat sink structure includes a heat spreader. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the majority of heat transfer area includes all of the heat transfer area of the heat sink interface. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the interfacing portion is directly in touching contact with the majority of heat transfer area of the heat sink interface via a reflow solder connection. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the interfacing portion is directly in touching contact with the heat transfer area of the heat sink interface via thermal epoxy. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the interfacing portion is directly in touching contact with the majority of a heat transfer area of the heat sink interface via thermal tape. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a biaser configured to resiliently apply a biasing force causing the interfacing portion and the heat transfer area of the heat sink interface to be forced with continuous pressure to remain in touching contact with each other. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus comprising:
 a high power light emitting diode (LED) unit including at least one first lead and at least one second lead, and including a heat sink interface, the heat sink interface being electrically isolated from both the at last one first lead and the at least one second lead; and   an interfacing portion of a heat sink structure through which a majority of heat of the heat sink interface is transmitted, the interfacing portion being directly in touching contact with a heat transfer area of the heat sink interface   wherein the heat sink interface includes a metal substrate connected to the LED unit via a low thermal resistance connection.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising at least one printed circuit board including a conductive pattern configured to connect both the at least one first lead and the at least one second lead to a current source. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the interfacing portion is directly in touching contact with the majority of a heat transfer area of the heat sink interface via thermal tape. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising a biaser configured to resiliently apply a biasing force causing the interfacing portion and the heat transfer area of the heat sink interface to be forced with continuous pressure to remain in touching contact with each other 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the biaser includes a spring clip. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according  claim 16 , wherein the biaser includes a plug-in receptacle including a spring configured to receive the LED unit, whereby once the LED unit is so received, the biasing force is automatically and continuously applied.