Light emitting devices and methods

1. A light emitting device, the device comprising:

a package body;

a leadframe comprising a first lead component and a second lead component;

a thermal element that is thermally and electrically isolated from the first and second lead components via portions of the package body; and

a first group of LEDs arranged over the thermal component, wherein the first group of LEDs comprises a first LED electrically connected in series to a second LED; and

wherein the package body is formed about a portion of the thermal element and a portion of each of the first and second lead components.

2. The light emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the package body comprises a molded plastic body.

3. The light emitting device according to claim 1 , wherein the first group of LEDs is electrically connected in parallel to a second group of LEDs.

4. The light emitting device according to claim 3 , wherein the second group of LEDs comprises a preceding LED electrically connected in series to a subsequent LED.

5. The light emitting device according to claim 4 , wherein the first group comprises LEDs arranged in a first zigzag configuration and the second group comprises LEDs arranged in a second zigzag configuration.

6. An arrangement of light emitting diodes (LEDs), the arrangement comprising:

a first group of LEDs comprising a first LED electrically connected in series to a second LED; and

a second group of LEDs;

wherein the first group of LEDs is electrically connected in parallel to the second group of LEDs; and

wherein the first and second groups of LEDs are electrically connected to first and second lead components.

7. The arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein the second group of LEDs comprises a preceding LED electrically connected in series to a subsequent LED.

8. The arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein the first and second groups of LEDs are arranged over a thermal element.

9. The arrangement according to claim 8 , comprising a package body molded about a portion of each of the first and second lead components wherein the package body is molded about a lateral protrusion of the thermal element, the package body forming a cavity disposed about the first and second groups of LEDs.

10. The arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the package body comprises encapsulant in at least a portion of the cavity.

11. The arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the package body comprises a recess formed in a bottom surface of the package body.

12. A method of arranging light emitting diodes (LEDs) within a package, the method comprising:

providing a package body;

providing a first group of LEDs wherein a first LED in the first group is electrically connected in series to a second LED in the first group;

providing a second group of LEDs;

electrically connecting the first group of LEDs in parallel with the second group of LEDs within the package body; and

encapsulating at least some of the LEDs in the first or second groups of LEDs.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein providing the second group of LEDs comprises providing a second group of LEDs comprising a preceding LED electrically connected in series to a subsequent LED.

14. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising electrically connecting each of the first and second groups of LEDs to first and second lead components.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising arranging the first and second group of LEDS within a package body such that each of the first and second groups comprises a zigzag series configuration.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the package body comprises molded plastic.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising filling at least a portion of the package body with an encapsulant comprising a phosphor.