Apparatus providing beamforming and environmental protection for led light sources

Abstract

Apparatus providing beamforming and environmental protection for LED light sources. A lens apparatus is provided to protect an LED mounted on a substrate. The lens apparatus includes an alignment feature configured to align the LED to a selected position and a focusing region configured to form a selected beam pattern from light emitted from the LED when located at the selected position. The lens apparatus also includes a compression surface configured to compress the substrate to a heat sink to facilitate heat dissipation from the LED and a fastening feature configured to fasten the lens apparatus to the heat sink to provide an environmentally protective seal, so that when the lens apparatus is fastened to the heat sink the alignment feature aligns the LED to the selected position, the compression surface compresses the substrate to the heat sink, and the protective seal protects the LED from environmental conditions.

1 - 22 . (Canceled). 
     
     
         23 . A lens apparatus for protecting a light emitting diode (LED) mounted on a substrate, the lens apparatus comprising:
 a lens having a mounting structure configured to mount the lens to a heat sink and an optics region configured to focus light emitted from the LED; and   a compression surface configured to compress the substrate to the heat sink, such that the lens apparatus is configured as an environmentally protective seal for the LED, wherein a portion of the compression surface contacts the substrate along a perimeter of the substrate.   
     
     
         24 . The lens apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the compression surface comprises only a thermal isolation layer and a rigid layer, the rigid layer being directly coupled to the thermal isolation layer and the substrate. 
     
     
         25 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 23 , further comprising a thermal interface coupling the substrate to the heat sink. 
     
     
         26 . The lens apparatus of  claim 23 , further comprising an alignment feature on the mounting structure and that is configured to align the LED relative to the lens when the lens is mounted to the heat sink. 
     
     
         27 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the alignment feature comprises an indentation flange extending from the mounting structure of the lens adjacent to the compression surface. 
     
     
         28 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the alignment feature comprises one of a projection extending from the mounting structure or a hole extending in the mounting structure. 
     
     
         29 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein the substrate is captured within the projection with the LED aligned to face the optics region of the lens. 
     
     
         30 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 23 , further comprising a fastening feature including at least one mounting hole configured to receive at least one of a screw, pin, and clip to fasten the lens apparatus to the heat sink. 
     
     
         31 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the fastening feature further comprises a protection surface configured to compress at least one of a gasket and an O-ring between the lens apparatus and the heat sink. 
     
     
         32 . A lens apparatus for protecting a light emitting diode (LED) mounted on a substrate, the lens apparatus comprising:
 a lens having a mounting means for mounting the lens to a heat sink and an optics region for focusing light emitted from the LED; and   a compression means for compressing the substrate to the heat sink, such that the lens apparatus is configured as an environmentally protective seal for the LED, with a portion of the compression means contacting the substrate along a perimeter of the substrate.   
     
     
         33 . The lens apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the compression means comprises only a thermal isolation layer and a rigid layer. 
     
     
         34 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein the rigid layer is directly coupled to the thermal isolation layer and the substrate. 
     
     
         35 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 33 , further comprising a thermal interface coupling the substrate to the heat sink. 
     
     
         36 . The lens apparatus of  claim 33 , further comprising an alignment means on the mounting structure for aligning the LED relative to the lens when the lens is mounted to the heat sink. 
     
     
         37 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein the alignment means comprises an indentation flange extending from the mounting means of the lens adjacent to the compression surface. 
     
     
         38 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein the alignment means comprises one of a projection extending from the mounting structure or a hole extending in the mounting structure. 
     
     
         39 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the substrate is captured within the projection with the LED aligned to face the optics region of the lens. 
     
     
         40 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 33 , further comprising a fastening means including at least one mounting hole for receiving at least one of a screw, pin, and clip to fasten the lens apparatus to the heat sink. 
     
     
         41 . The lens apparatus according to  claim 40 , wherein the fastening means further comprises a protection surface for compressing at least one of a gasket and an O-ring between the lens apparatus and the heat sink.