Sectionally covered light emitting assembly

1. A light emitting assembly ( 10 ) comprising:

a heat sink ( 12 ) presenting a mounting surface ( 14 ),

a plurality of light emitting diodes ( 28 ) disposed on said mounting surface ( 14 ),

said heat sink ( 12 ) including a plurality of elongated slots ( 18 ) to define a plurality of sections ( 20 ) disposed in spaced and parallel relationship to one another and extending between opposite ends ( 22 ) to present side edges ( 24 ) of at least one elongated slot ( 18 ) between adjacent sections ( 20 ) for allowing ambient air to pass through said elongated slots ( 18 ) of said heat sink ( 12 ) adjacent said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) disposed along each of said sections ( 20 ), and

a plurality of independent covers ( 44 ) with each cover ( 44 ) being light transmissive and disposed over one of said sections ( 20 ) so that one cover ( 44 ) independently covers said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) on said mounting surface ( 14 ) of each of said sections ( 20 ) and so that said covers ( 44 ) are separated by said elongated slots ( 18 ).

2. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said covers ( 44 ) defines a periphery ( 46 ) being in sealed engagement with said mounting surface ( 14 ) around said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) on each of said sections ( 20 ).

3. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 1 including a screen ( 54 ) disposed over at least one of said elongated slots ( 18 ) for preventing debris from passing through said elongated slots ( 18 ).

4. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heat sink ( 12 ) presents a heat transfer surface ( 16 ) facing in the opposite direction from said mounting surface ( 14 ) and including a plurality of fins ( 30 ) extending transversely from said heat transfer surface ( 16 ) of said heat sink ( 12 ) for transferring heat away from said heat sink ( 12 ) to surrounding ambient air.

5. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 4 wherein said fins ( 30 ) are disposed in spaced and parallel relationship to one another.

6. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 4 wherein one of said fins ( 30 ) is disposed along each of said edges ( 24 ) of said sections ( 20 ).

7. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said fins ( 30 ) extends continuously between said ends ( 22 ) of each of said sections ( 20 ) to present a void space ( 32 ) between adjacent fins ( 30 ).

8. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 7 wherein said void space ( 32 ) is open at said ends ( 22 ) for exposing said void space ( 32 ) between adjacent fins ( 30 ) to air.

9. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 4 including a housing ( 50 ) covering and spaced from said heat transfer surface ( 16 ) and said fins ( 30 ) for shielding said sections ( 20 ).

10. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 9 wherein said housing ( 50 ) includes at least one vent ( 52 ) for allowing ambient air to pass through said housing ( 50 ).

11. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 9 including a plurality of connectors ( 48 ) securely connecting said housing ( 50 ) to at least one of said sections ( 20 ).

12. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 1 including at least one bridge ( 26 ) extending transversely to said elongated slots ( 18 ) to interconnect adjacent sections ( 20 ).

13. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 12 wherein said bridge ( 26 ) is integral and homogenous with said sections ( 20 ).

14. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heat sink ( 12 ) comprises thermally conductive aluminum material.

15. An assembly ( 10 ) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) on each of said sections ( 20 ) are electrically interconnected in series with one another and said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) on each of said sections ( 20 ) are electrically connected in parallel with said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) on other sections ( 20 ).

16. A light emitting assembly ( 10 ) comprising:

a heat sink ( 12 ) of thermally conductive aluminum material presenting a mounting surface ( 14 ) and a heat transfer surface ( 16 ) facing in the opposite direction from said mounting surface ( 14 ),

said heat sink ( 12 ) including a plurality of fins ( 30 ) extending transversely from said heat transfer surface ( 16 ) of said heat sink ( 12 ) and disposed in spaced and parallel relationship to one another for transferring heat away from said heat sink ( 12 ) to surrounding ambient air,

a coating ( 34 ) of electrically insulating material disposed over said mounting surface ( 14 ) of said heat sink ( 12 ),

said coating ( 34 ) being less than one thousand microns in thickness,

a plurality of circuit traces ( 36 ) spaced from one another on said coating ( 34 ) for preventing electrical conduction between each of said traces ( 36 ) so that said coating ( 34 ) prevents electrical conduction from each of said traces ( 36 ) to said heat sink ( 12 ),

a plurality of light emitting diodes ( 28 ) disposed in spaces between adjacent ones of said traces ( 36 ),

each of said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) having a positive lead ( 38 ) and a negative lead ( 40 ),

said leads ( 38 ) of each of said L.E.D.s ( 28 ) being in electrical engagement with said adjacent ones of said traces ( 36 ) for electrically interconnecting said traces ( 36 ) and said light emitting diodes ( 28 ),

an adhesive ( 42 ) of electrically conductive material securing said leads ( 38 ) to said traces ( 36 ),

said heat sink ( 12 ) including a plurality of elongated slots ( 18 ) to define a plurality of sections ( 20 ) disposed in spaced and parallel relationship to one another and extending between opposite ends ( 22 ) to present side edges ( 24 ) of at least one elongated slot ( 18 ) between adjacent ones of said sections ( 20 ) for allowing ambient air to pass through said elongated slots ( 18 ) of said heat sink ( 12 ) adjacent said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) disposed along each of said sections ( 20 ),

one of said fins ( 30 ) disposed along each of said edges ( 24 ) of each said section ( 20 ),

each pair of said fins ( 30 ) extending continuously between said ends ( 22 ) of each of said sections ( 20 ) to present a void space ( 32 ) between each pair of said fins ( 30 ) and open at said ends ( 22 ) for exposing said void space ( 32 ) between each pair of said fins ( 30 ) to air,

said heat sink ( 12 ) including a plurality of bridges ( 26 ) being integral and homogenous with said sections ( 20 ) and extending transversely to each of said elongated slots ( 18 ) to interconnect adjacent sections ( 20 ),

said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) on each of said sections ( 20 ) being electrically interconnected in series with one another and said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) on each of said sections ( 20 ) being electrically connected in parallel with said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) on other sections ( 20 ),

at least three of said traces ( 36 ) extending in end to end relationship along at least one of said sections ( 20 ),

at least two of said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) disposed in each of the two spaces between said three adjacent traces ( 36 ) on each one of said sections ( 20 ),

a housing ( 50 ) covering and spaced from said heat transfer surface ( 16 ) and said fins ( 30 ) for shielding said sections ( 20 ),

said housing ( 50 ) including at least one vent ( 52 ) for allowing ambient air to pass through said housing ( 50 ),

a plurality of connectors ( 48 ) securely connecting said housing ( 50 ) to at least one of said sections ( 20 ),

a plurality of independent covers ( 44 ) with each cover ( 44 ) being light transmissive and disposed over one of said sections ( 20 ) so that one cover ( 44 ) independently covers said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) on said mounting surface ( 14 ) of each said section ( 20 ) and said covers ( 44 ) are separated by said elongated slots ( 18 ),

each of said covers ( 44 ) defining a periphery ( 46 ) being in sealed engagement with said mounting surface ( 14 ) around said light emitting diodes ( 28 ) on each of said sections ( 20 ),

said connectors ( 48 ) securely connecting said covers ( 44 ) to said heat sink ( 12 ), and

a screen ( 54 ) disposed over said elongated slots ( 18 ) for preventing debris from passing through said elongated slots ( 18 ).