LED lighting assembly having electrically conductive heat sink for providing power directly to an LED light source

1. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting assembly comprising:

at least one LED lighting source; and

at least one heat sink configured between a power source and the at least one LED lighting source that acts both as an electrical and thermal conductor for providing power to the at least one LED light source and for removing heat generated by the LED light source;

wherein the at least one heat sink includes first and second portions that are thermally conductive and electrically conductive and that are electrically isolated from one another but thermally coupled to one another, the first and second portions being electrically coupled, respectively, to first and second electrical inputs of the LED light source.

2. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the electrically isolated sections each have at least one shape from the group of wedge, disc or block.

3. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one LED lighting source is mounted to a printed circuit board.

4. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 3 , wherein the printed circuit board is electrically connected to the at least one heat sink.

5. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the at least one LED light source is a bare semiconductor die mounted directly to the at least one heat sink.

6. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the LED lighting assembly has a form factor of a parabolic aluminized reflector (PAR) 38 bulb.

7. A light assembly, comprising:

an LED light source having first and second electrical inputs;

a heat sink having first and second portions that are thermally conductive and electrically conductive, and that are electrically isolated from each other but thermally coupled to one another, the first and second portions being electrically coupled, respectively, to the first and second electrical inputs of the LED light source; and

driver circuitry electrically coupled to the LED light source via the first and second portions of the heat sink;

wherein the LED light source is mounted onto said first and second portions of said heat sink.

8. A light assembly as in claim 7 , wherein the first and second portions each have at least one shape from the group of wedge, disc or block.

9. A light assembly as in claim 7 , wherein said LED light source includes at least one LED mounted to a printed circuit board.

10. A light assembly as in claim 9 , wherein the printed circuit board is electrically connected to the heat sink.

11. A light assembly as in claim 7 , wherein the LED light source includes a bare semiconductor die mounted directly to the heat sink.

12. A light assembly as in claim 7 , wherein the light assembly has a form factor of a parabolic aluminized reflector (PAR) 38 bulb.

13. A method for forming a light emitting diode (LED) lighting assembly comprising:

providing at least one LED lighting source; and

configuring at least one heat sink between a power source and the at least one LED lighting source that acts both as an electrical and thermal conductor for providing power to the at least one LED light source and for removing heat generated by the at least one LED light source;

wherein, the at least one heat sink includes electrically and thermally conductive portions electrically isolated from one another and thermally coupled to one another.

14. A method for forming an LED lighting assembly as in claim 13 , further comprising the step of:

configuring the electrically isolated sections into a shape from one of the group of wedge, disc or block.

15. A method for forming an LED lighting assembly as in claim 13 , further comprising the step of:

mounting the at least one LED lighting source to a printed circuit board (PCB).

16. A method for forming an LED lighting assembly as in claim 13 , further comprising the step of:

configuring the at least one LED light source as a bare semiconductor die mounted directly to the at least one heat sink.

17. A method for forming an LED lighting assembly as in claim 13 , further comprising the step of:

configuring the LED lighting assembly into a parabolic aluminized reflector (PAR) 38 bulb form factor.

18. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting assembly comprising:

at least two electrically and thermally conductive heat sink portions electrically isolated from one another but thermally coupled to one another; and

an LED light source mounted onto and thermally coupled to said at least two electrically and thermally conductive heat sink portions to remove heat from said LED light source;

wherein said LED light source is electrically coupled to receive electrical power from said at least two electrically and thermally conductive heat sink portions.

19. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 18 , wherein said LED light source includes a thermally conductive main circuit board electrically and thermally coupled to said at least two electrically and thermally conductive heat sink portions.

20. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 19 , wherein said LED light source further includes a plurality of sub-boards mounted to corresponding pads provided on said main circuit board, and wherein at least one LED is mounted to each sub-board.

21. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 20 , wherein each sub-board includes a plurality of solder pads for making electrical connection to said pads of said main circuit board.

22. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 20 and further comprising at least one thermal pad provided below each sub-board to promote thermal conductivity.

23. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 18 and further comprising an electrically isolative material disposed between said at least two electrically and thermally conductive heat sink portions.

24. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 23 , wherein said electrically isolative material is thermally conductive.

25. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 18 , wherein said at least two electrically and thermally conductive heat sink portions each have at least one shape selected from the group of wedge, disc or block.

26. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 18 and further comprising a potted base having a threaded lamp connector.

27. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 26 and further comprising a power supply driver, wherein said threaded lamp connector provides AC power to said power supply driver, which converts the AC power to DC output power.

28. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 27 , wherein said power supply driver supplies the DC output power to said LED light source through said at least two electrically and thermally conductive heat sink portions.

29. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 18 , wherein said LED light source comprises a bare semiconductor die mounted directly to said at least two electrically and thermally conductive heat sink portions.

30. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 18 , wherein said LED lighting assembly has a form factor of a parabolic aluminized reflector (PAR) 38 bulb.

31. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 18 and further comprising:

a potted base having a threaded lamp connector; and

a power supply driver,

wherein said LED light source includes a thermally conductive main circuit board that is electrically and thermally coupled to said at least two electrically and thermally conductive heat sink portions, and

wherein said threaded lamp connector provides AC power to said power supply driver, which converts the AC power to DC output power, and supplies the DC output power to said LED light source through said at least two electrically and thermally conductive heat sink portions and said main circuit board.

32. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 18 , wherein said at least one LED lighting source is mounted to a printed circuit board.

33. An LED lighting assembly as in claim 32 , wherein said printed circuit board is electrically connected to said at least one heat sink.