THERMAL PATH FOR HEAT DISSIPATION IN A LINEAR LIGHT MODULE
A linear light module that uses a thermally conductive housing for dissipating heat generated by a lighting source within the housing is described. Light is thermally coupled away from the lighting source via a thermally conductive heating block. The heating block is thermally coupled to a thermally conductive heat pipe that runs along the length of the housing, where the length of the housing is substantially the same length as the linear light module. The housing is extruded to include a channel that runs the length of the housing for holding the heat pipe. Because the housing is long, the heat is easily conducted from the housing.
1 . A system comprising:
a lighting source that generates heat;
a light guide configured to couple light generated by the lighting source and to emit the light in an elongated configuration along a length of the light guide;
a thermally conductive heat pipe thermally coupled to the lighting source, wherein the heat pipe is substantially parallel to the light guide;
a housing for the lighting source, the light guide, and the heat pipe, wherein the housing is thermally coupled to the heat pipe along a length of the heat pipe, and further wherein at least a portion of the heat generated by the lighting source is dissipated by the housing.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting source includes multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs), wherein the multiple LEDs emit light at more than one peak wavelength, and further wherein the emitted light along the length of the light guide appears uniform in color.
3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a thermally conductive heat transfer block, wherein the lighting source is thermally coupled to the thermally conductive heat transfer block, and further wherein the thermally conductive heat transfer block is thermally coupled to the heat pipe.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the housing is made from a thermally conductive material.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a channel for holding the heat pipe, and the channel thermally couples the housing and the heat pipe.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the housing is extruded.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the light guide is at least one foot long.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the housing is approximately a same length as the light guide.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the heat pipe is approximately a same length as the housing.
10 . A system comprising:
a lighting source that generates heat;
a light guide configured to couple light generated by the lighting source and to emit the light in an elongated configuration along a length of the light guide, wherein the light guide has a recessed registration guide;
a housing for the light guide and the lighting source, wherein the housing has a registration bump configured to match a shape of the recessed registration guide,
wherein the registration bump is located within the recessed registration guide to fix a position of the light guide relative to the housing, and
further wherein the light guide and the housing have different thermal coefficients of expansion.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the light guide can thermally expand in a first direction along a length of the light guide at a thermal expansion rate different from the housing while maintaining the registration bump within the recessed registration guide.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the light guide can thermally expand in a second direction at a thermal expansion rate different from the housing while maintaining the registration bump within the recessed registration guide, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the light guide is clamped by the housing in a third direction which limits thermal expansion of the light guide in the third direction, wherein the third direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.
14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the registration bump is hemispherical.
15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the lighting source is thermally coupled to the housing, and at least a portion of the heat generated by the lighting source is dissipated by the housing.
16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the lighting source includes multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs), wherein the multiple LEDs emit light at more than one peak wavelength, and further wherein the emitted light along the length of the light guide appears uniform in color.
17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the light guide is at least one foot long.
18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the housing is approximately a same length as the light guide.
19 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the housing is made from a thermally conductive material.
20 . A system comprising:
means for generating light, wherein the means for generating light also generates heat;
means for coupling light generated by the lighting source and emitting the light in an elongated configuration;
a thermally conductive heat pipe thermally coupled to the means for generating light, wherein the heat pipe is substantially parallel to the light guide;
a housing for the means for generating light, the means for coupling light and emitting the light, and the heat pipe, wherein the housing is thermally coupled to the heat pipe along a length of the heat pipe, and further wherein at least a portion of the heat generated by the means for generating light is dissipated by the housing.
21 . A method of removing heat from a linear light module, wherein the linear light module has a lighting source near a first end, and the linear light module emits light from an emission surface along a length of the linear light module, the method comprising:
conducting heat away from the lighting source via a heat transfer block;
conducting heat away from the heat transfer block via a heat pipe coupled to the heat transfer block, wherein the heat pipe is substantially parallel to the emission surface of the linear light module;
conducting heat away from the heat pipe via a housing for the linear light module, wherein the heat pipe and the housing are coupled along the length of the linear light module.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the lighting source includes multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs), and wherein the multiple LEDs emit light at more than one peak wavelength.
23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the housing includes a channel for holding the heat pipe, and the channel thermally couples the housing and the heat pipe.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the housing is extruded.
25 . A method of fixing a relative position of a light guide and a housing for the light guide, wherein the light guide and the housing have different thermal coefficients, the method comprising:
placing a recessed registration guide on the light guide, wherein the light guide is configured to couple light generated by a lighting source in the housing and to emit the light in an elongated configuration along a length of the light guide;
placing a matching registration bump on the housing, wherein the registration bump is configured to match a shape of the recessed registration guide, and further wherein the registration bump is situated within the recessed registration guide;
upon being heated by the lighting source, allowing the light guide and the housing to thermally expand at different rates in a first direction along a length of the light guide while maintaining the registration bump within the recessed registration guide.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the registration bump is hemispherical.
27 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the lighting source is thermally coupled to the housing, and at least a portion of the heat generated by the lighting source is dissipated by the housing.
28 . The method of claim 25 , further comprising upon being heated by the lighting source, allowing the light guide and the housing to thermally expand at different rates in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction while maintaining the registration bump within the recessed registration guide.
29 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising clamping the light guide in a third direction by the housing to limit thermal expansion of the light guide in the third direction, wherein the third direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.