An LED spotlight that is operable to emit light with a selected emission angle measured relative to an emission axis of the spotlight comprises: a dish shaped (parabolic) reflector and a plurality of LEDs, wherein the LEDs are configured such that in operation each emits light in a generally radial direction to the emission axis of the spotlight and wherein the light emission axis of the LEDs is configured at an angle to the emission axis of the spotlight of at least 40°. In preferred embodiments the LEDs are configured such that their emission axis is substantially orthogonal to the emission axis of the spotlight and the reflector comprises a respective parabolic light reflective surface portion associated with a respective one of the LEDs.
1. An LED spotlight operable to emit light with a selected emission angle measured relative to an emission axis of the spotlight comprising:
a dish-shaped reflector having a plurality of parabolic light reflective surface portions and
a plurality of LEDs each having a respective light emission axis,
wherein the LEDs are configured such that in operation each emits light in a generally radial direction to the emission axis of the spotlight and wherein the light emission axis of each LED is configured at an angle to the emission axis of the spotlight of at least 40°.
2. The spotlight of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are configured such that their emission axis is at an acute angle to the emission axis of the spotlight at an angle in a range 40° to 85°.
3. The spotlight of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are configured such that their emission axis is at an obtuse angle to the emission axis of the spotlight at an angle in a range 95° to 140°.
4. The spotlight of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are configured such that their emission axis is substantially orthogonal to the emission axis of the spotlight.
5. The spotlight of claim 4 , wherein the LEDs are configured as at least one linear array that lies on a line that is mutually orthogonal to the emission axis of the LEDs and the emission axis of the spotlight.
6. The spotlight of claim 1 or claim 5 , wherein each of the parabolic light reflective surface portions is associated with a respective one of the LEDs.
7. The spotlight of claim 1 , and further comprising a thermally conductive substrate and wherein the LEDs are mounted in thermal communication with the substrate.
8. The spotlight of claim 7 , wherein the substrate is substantially planar and the LEDs are mounted to opposite faces of the substrate.
9. The spotlight of claim 8 , wherein the LEDs are configured as a linear array that lies on a line that is mutually orthogonal to the emission axis of the LEDs and the emission axis of the spotlight.
10. The spotlight of claim 9 , wherein each of the parabolic light reflective surface portions is associated with a respective one of the LEDs.
11. The spotlight of claim 8 , wherein the substrate is polygonal and the LEDs are mounted to faces of the substrate.
12. The spotlight of claim 11 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of being: triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal and hexagonal.
13. The spotlight of claim 11 , wherein each of the parabolic light reflective surface portions is associated with a respective one of the LEDs.
14. The spotlight of claim 10 , wherein the substrate further comprise rib portions that extend in a radial direction from at least one corner and/or at least one face of the substrate.
15. The spotlight of claim 7 , wherein the substrate has a thermal conductivity selected from the group consisting of at least 150 Wm −1 K −1 and at least 200 Wm −1 K −1 .
16. The spotlight of claim 7 , wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: a metal core printed circuit board, aluminum, an alloy of aluminum, a magnesium alloy, copper and a thermally conductive ceramic material.
17. The spotlight of claim 1 , wherein the selected emission angle of the spotlight is 20° or lower.
18. The spotlight of claim 1 , wherein the selected emission angle of the spotlight is 10° or lower.
19. The spotlight of claim 1 , and further comprising a light diverging light transmissive cover positioned over the reflector opening.
20. The spotlight of claim 7 , and further comprising a thermally conductive body and wherein the substrate is in thermal communication with the body.
21. The spotlight of claim 20 , wherein the form of the body is selected from the group consisting of being: generally cylindrical, generally conical and generally hemispherical in form.
22. The spotlight of claim 20 , wherein the body is configured such that the spotlight can be fitted in an existing lighting fixture.
23. The spotlight of claim 20 , wherein the body is configured such that it has a form factor that resembles a standard form selected from the group consisting of: MR16, MR11, PAR20, PAR30, PAR38, PAR56 and PAR64.
24. The spotlight of claim 1 , wherein the reflector is selected from the group consisting of: Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, a polycarbonate, an acrylate, polymer material, aluminum, an aluminum alloy and a magnesium alloy.
25. An LED spotlight operable to emit light with a selected emission angle measured relative to an emission axis of the spotlight comprising:
a dish-shaped reflector and
a plurality of LEDs each having a respective light emission axis, wherein the LEDs are configured such that in operation each emits light in a radial direction that is substantially orthogonal to the emission axis of the spotlight and wherein the reflector comprises a plurality of generally parabolic light reflective surface portions in which each light reflective surface portion is associated with a respective one of the LEDs.
26. The spotlight of claim 25 , wherein the LEDs are configured as at least one linear array that lies on a line that is mutually orthogonal to the emission axis of the LEDs and the emission axis of the spotlight.
27. The spotlight of claim 26 , and further comprising a substantially planar thermally conductive substrate and wherein the LEDs are mounted in thermal communication with the substrate to opposite faces of the substrate.