LED work light
An LED work light has multichip LEDs and a diffusing dome. Each LED may have separate electrical terminals for each chip. The LED work light may have convex lenses forward of each LED. Convex lenses may be hemispherical. Convex lenses may have a nonhemispheric curved surface whose cross section has at least one circular arc and no non-circular arcs. The LED work light has a battery or receives power from an external power source. The LED work light may have a transparent plastic tube as a structural member. A replaceable plastic cover may be added to protect any structural tube or other major transparent part of the LED work light from abrasions. The plastic cover may be tubular. The plastic cover may comprise laminations of plastic that can be removed individually after being abraded. Any external power source may be a wall transformer type and may have current limiting means. The LEDs may be attached to the rear surface of an LED PCB that is fastened to a heatsink in a manner achieving thermal contact between the rear surfaces of the LEDs and the heatsink. A position sensing switch may be used.
1. A light emitting diode (LED) work light comprising:
a handle section, a head section and a structural tube extending through both the head section and the handle section,
a plurality of LEDs mounted in the tube within the head section,
power receiving means for the plurality of LEDs to receive electrical power, an LED board in the tube within the head section having a first side and a second side, the second side defining a plane, the LED board including a respective hole for each LED of the plurality of LEDs, each hole being a channel extending from the first side of the LED board to the plane of the second side, the plurality of LEDs being attached to the first side of the LED board such that a dome of each LED of the plurality of LEDs projects forward through the respective channel of the LED and extends past the plane of the second side of the LED board, wherein each LED fills an entirety of the respective channel for the LED,
each LED of the plurality of LEDs being associated with a respective lens, each lens mounted onto the second side of the LED board in front of the associated LED, the second side of the LED board opposing the first side of the LED board, and
a heatsink disposed behind both the plurality of LEDs and the LED board in the tube within the head section,
wherein the LED board is fastened to the heatsink in a manner that achieves thermal contact by direct contact between a base of each LED and the heatsink and wherein the structural tube is transparent in the head section for light from the plurality of LEDs to emit from the work light,
wherein the base of each LED projects rearward from the first side of the LED board to directly contact the heatsink such that a space is defined between the LED board and the heatsink such that the LED board does not directly contact the heatsink when fastened thereto.
2. The LED work light of claim 1 wherein the heatsink is a heat conducting sheet.
3. The LED work light of claim 1 wherein the heatsink is a metal core printed circuit board.
4. The LED work light of claim 1 wherein the LED board is a printed circuit board.
5. The LED work light of claim 1 wherein the heatsink, LED board and plurality of LEDs form a light assembly, and the LED work light further comprising board holding means to rotationally and laterally hold the light assembly to the structural tube.
6. The LED work light of claim 2 further comprising board holding means extending longitudinally along the structural tube to rotationally and laterally hold the heatsink to the structural tube.
7. The LED work light of claim 3 further comprising board holding means extending longitudinally along the structural tube to rotationally and laterally hold the heatsink to the structural tube.
8. The LED work light of claim 1 wherein the LED board further comprises electrical connections for powering each LED.
9. A light emitting diode (LED) work light comprising a handle section, a head section and a structural tube extending through both the head section and the handle section, at least one LED mounted in the tube within the head section, power receiving means for the at least one LED to receive electrical power, an LED board in the tube within the head section having a first side and a second side, the second side defining a plane, with the at least one LED being attached to the LED board, and a heatsink in the tube within the head section; wherein the LED board is fastened to the heatsink in a manner that achieves direct thermal contact between a base of each LED and the heatsink; wherein the structural tube is transparent in the head section for light from the at least one LED to emit from the work light; wherein the LED board comprises a hole for each LED of the at least one LED, each hole being a channel extending from the first side of the LED board to the plane of the second side, wherein a dome of each LED of the at least one LED projects forward through the respective channel of the LED board and extends past the plane of the second side of the LED board, wherein each one of the at least one LED is mounted to the first side of the LED board, wherein each LED fills an entirety of the respective channel for the LED, wherein the work light further comprises a respective lens for each LED of the at least one LED, with each lens mounted to the second side of the LED board, forward of the dome; and wherein the heatsink is disposed behind both the LED board and the at least one LED; wherein the base of each LED projects rearward from the first side of the LED board to directly contact the heatsink such that a space is defined between the LED board and the heatsink such that the LED board does not directly contact the heatsink when fastened thereto.