IP Library Granted Patent US 11,988,358
Granted Patent B2
US 11,988,358 · App. 17/396,210 · Granted May 21, 2024

Light fixture including a housing for a ballast

Inventor: Dengke Cai (Camas, WA)
Assignee: HGCI, Inc.
F21S8/036F21V7/0016F21V23/026F21V29/74F21Y2115/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,988,358
App. No.
17/396,210
Granted
May 21, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A light fixture includes a lighting module and a ballast. The ballast includes a housing and a power module. The housing includes a front cover and a rear cover. The front cover includes a front wall and upper fins and lower fins that extend from the front wall. The rear cover includes a rear wall and first fins and second fins that extend from the rear wall. The power module includes a plurality of heat generating semiconductor components that are thermally coupled with the rear wall to facilitate cooling thereof.

Claims (58)

1. A light fixture comprising:

a light module configured to generate light for delivery to an underlying plant; and

a power module coupled with the light module and configured to facilitate powering of the light module;

a heat sink associated with at least one of the light module and the power module, the heat sink comprising:

a wall;

a plurality of first fins that extend from the wall; and

a plurality of second fins that extend from the wall; and

a power module disposed at least partially within the housing and thermally coupled with the wall such that the plurality of first fins and the plurality of second fins cooperate to facilitate cooling of the power module, wherein:

each first fin of the plurality of first fins has a first height;

each second fin of the plurality of second fins has a second height;

the second height is less than the first height;

each first fin of the plurality of first fins is interposed between a pair of the second fins such that each first fin is immediately adjacent to the pair of the second fins; and

each second fin of the plurality of second fins is interposed between a pair of the first fins such that each second fin is immediately adjacent to the pair of the first fins.

2. The light fixture of claim 1 wherein a ratio of the first height to the second height is between about 1.1:1 and about 1.7:1.

3. The light fixture of claim 2 wherein the first height is about 18 mm and the second height is about 11 mm.

4. The light fixture of claim 1 wherein:

each first fin of the plurality of first fins is laterally spaced from adjacent ones of the first fins of the plurality of first fins by a first distance;

each second fin of the plurality of second fins is laterally spaced from adjacent ones of the first fins of the plurality of first fins by a second distance; and

the second distance is equal to or less than half of the first distance.

5. The light fixture of claim 4 wherein the first distance is about 11 mm and the second height is about 5.75 mm.

6. The light fixture of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of shoulder portions, wherein:

each shoulder portion of the plurality of shoulder portions extends laterally between adjacent ones of the first fins of the plurality of first fins and the second fins of the plurality of second fins; and

each shoulder portion of the plurality of shoulder portions has a third height that is less than the first height and the second height.

7. The light fixture of claim 6 wherein a ratio of the second height to the third height is between about 1.1:1 to about 3:1.

8. The light fixture of claim 1 wherein:

each first fin of the plurality of first fins has a first length;

each second fin of the plurality of second fins has a second length; and

the second length is less than half of the first length.

9. The light fixture of claim 8 wherein a ratio of the first length to the second length is between about 2.1:1 to about 3:1.

10. The light fixture of claim 1 wherein each first fin of the plurality of first fins has a substantially tapered shape in one or more of a widthwise and a lengthwise direction.

11. The light fixture of claim 1 wherein each second fin of the plurality of second fins has a substantially tapered shape in one or more of a widthwise and a lengthwise direction.

12. A heat sink for at least one of a heat sink and a power module for a light fixture, the heat sink comprising:

a wall;

a plurality of first fins that extend from the wall; and

a plurality of second fins that extend from the wall, wherein:

each first fin of the plurality of first fins has a first height;

each second fin of the plurality of second fins has a second height;

the second height is less than the first height;

each first fin of the plurality of first fins is interposed between a pair of the second fins such that each first fin is immediately adjacent to the pair of the second fins; and

each second fin of the plurality of second fins is interposed between a pair of the first fins such that each second fin is immediately adjacent to the pair of the first fins.

13. The heat sink of claim 12 wherein a ratio of the first height to the second height is between about 1.1:1 and about 1.7:1.

14. The heat sink of claim 13 wherein the first height is about 18 mm and the second height is about 11 mm.

15. The heat sink of claim 12 wherein:

each first fin of the plurality of first fins is laterally spaced from adjacent ones of the first fins of the plurality of first fins by a first distance;

each second fin of the plurality of second fins is laterally spaced from adjacent ones of the first fins of the plurality of first fins by a second distance; and

the second distance is equal to or less than half of the first distance.

16. The heat sink of claim 15 wherein the first distance is about 11 mm and the second height is about 5.75 mm.

17. The heat sink of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of shoulder portions, wherein:

each shoulder portion of the plurality of shoulder portions extends laterally between adjacent ones of the first fins of the plurality of first fins and the second fins of the plurality of second fins; and

each shoulder portion of the plurality of shoulder portions has a third height that is less than the first height and the second height.

18. The heat sink of claim 17 wherein a ratio of the second height to the third height is between about 1.1:1 to about 3:1.

19. The heat sink of claim 12 wherein:

each first fin of the plurality of first fins has a first length;

each second fin of the plurality of second fins has a second length; and

the second length is less than half of the first length.

20. The heat sink of claim 19 wherein a ratio of the first length to the second length is between about 2.1:1 to about 3:1.

21. The heat sink of claim 12 wherein each first fin of the plurality of first fins has a substantially tapered shape in one or more of a widthwise and a lengthwise direction.

22. The heat sink of claim 12 wherein each second fin of the plurality of second fins has a substantially tapered shape in one or more of a widthwise and a lengthwise direction.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Apr 8, 2026
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: HGCI LLC
Reel/Frame 075365/0632 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 25, 2026
From: HGCI, INC.
To: HGCI LLC
Reel/Frame 075225/0389 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 26, 2024
From: CAI, DENGKE
To: HGCI, INC.
Reel/Frame 067232/0126 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2023
From: HGCI, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 065381/0668 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 63065485 · Aug 13, 2020
Provisional Application 63064890 · Aug 12, 2020
Related Publication 20220049825A1 · Feb 17, 2022