LED chip-based lighting products and methods of building

1. A method of building a light-emitting diode (LED) chip-based lighting product, comprising:

mounting a plurality of unpackaged LED chips directly on conductors formed on a first surface of a two-sided panel that includes a second surface counterfacing the first surface;

integrating the panel with support structure to form the lighting product such that at least part of the second surface forms an external surface of the lighting product; and

coupling a diffuser with the support structure, with a distance from the diffuser to the surface of the LED chips being at least twice an average spacing between adjacent ones of the LED chips.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling power conversion electronics with the conductors.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein coupling the power conversion electronics includes providing means for regulating power to the conductors.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying one or more materials to one or more of the LED chips after the step of directly mounting the chips.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein applying the one or more materials comprises applying one or more phosphors to the one or more of the LED chips.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein applying the one or more materials comprises applying one or more protective materials to the one or more of the LED chips.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming electrical connections among the conductors and a top side of one or more of the LED chips.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein forming the electrical connections comprises attaching a cover plate having at least one conductor patterned thereon, to the one or more LED chips, such that the one or more LED chips make electrical contact with the conductor on the cover plate, and light emitted from the one or more LED chips passes through the cover plate.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein attaching the cover plate comprises attaching the cover plate with the conductor on the cover plate being transparent, such that light emitted from the one or more LED chips passes through the conductor on the cover plate.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mounting one or more reflectors on the panel to reflect light from the LED chips.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein integrating the panel with support structure comprises forming the panel to create the support structure.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein integrating the panel with support structure comprises attaching the panel to a frame.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein mounting the plurality of unpackaged LED chips comprises mounting the LED chips in attachment sites that are stochastically arranged on the first surface such that no lines, grids or other regular patterns are evident in the attachment sites.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein directly mounting comprises forming a direct thermal interface for one or more of the LED chips to ambient air.

15. A method of building a light-emitting diode (LED) based lighting product, comprising:

mounting a plurality of LEDs directly on conductors formed on a first surface of a two-sided panel that includes a second surface counterfacing the first surface;

integrating the panel with support structure to form the lighting product such that at least part of the second surface forms an external surface of the lighting product; and

coupling a diffuser with the support structure such that a distance from the diffuser to the surface of the LEDs is at least twice an average spacing between adjacent ones of the LEDs.

16. A method of building a light-emitting diode (LED) chip-based lighting product, comprising:

mounting a plurality of unpackaged LED chips directly on one or more first conductors formed on a first surface of a two-sided panel that includes a second surface counterfacing the first surface, the first surface of the panel also having one or more second conductors formed thereon, wherein mounting the cover plate comprises (a) mounting the cover plate having third conductors formed thereon, and (b) forming electrical connections between top sides of one or more of the LED chips and the second conductors, by connecting the top sides of the LED chips with the third conductors and connecting the second conductors with the third conductors; and

mounting a cover plate to the LED chips such that light emitted from the LED chips passes through the cover plate.

17. A method of building a light-emitting diode (LED) chip-based lighting product, comprising:

mounting a plurality of unpackaged LED chips directly on one or more first conductors formed on a first surface of a two-sided panel that includes a second surface counterfacing the first surface, the first surface of the panel also having one or more second conductors formed thereon;

mounting a cover plate to the LED chips such that light emitted from the LED chips passes through the cover plate; and

positioning one or more reflectors between the first surface and the cover plate such that a portion of light emitted by the LED chips is reflected by the one or more reflectors through the cover plate.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein positioning the one or more reflectors comprises positioning one or more reflectors formed of one of metal-coated plastic and micromachined silicon.

19. A method of building a light-emitting diode (LED) chip-based lighting product, comprising:

mounting a plurality of unpackaged LED chips directly on conductors formed on a first surface of a two-sided panel that includes a second surface counterfacing the first surface, each of the LED chips being between 0.25 mm 2 and 4 mm 2 in area, the unpackaged LED chips dissipating power of 6 to 10 Watts per square foot of area of the panel; and

integrating the panel with support structure to form the lighting product such that at least part of the second surface forms an external surface of the lighting product.