Importance

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Abstract

A heat dissipater (30) of a metallic or metal material is disposed in parallel relationship to a circuit board (12). The assembly is characterized by the circuit board 12 presenting a hole (32) therethrough and surrounding each of a plurality of LEDs (20, 22 or 24). A heat sink (28) integral with each LED (20, 22 or 24) is disposed in thermal contact with the heat dissipater (30) for conveying heat from the LEDs (20, 22 and 24) to the heat dissipater (30). In other words, each LED (20, 22 or 24) extends through the hole (32) in the circuit board (12) with the light emitting portion or lens (34) extending from one of the surfaces (14 or 16) of the circuit board (12) and the heat sink (28) extending from the other one of the surfaces (14 or 16) of the circuit board (12). A thermal coupling agent (36 or 38) is disposed between the heat sink (28) and the heat dissipater (30) for providing a full thermal path between the heat sink (28) and the heat dissipater (30). In FIG. 3, the first surface (14) of the circuit board (12), with the electrical leads (26) soldered or adhesively attached to the traces (18) thereon, faces the heat dissipater (30). The circuit board (12) is spaced from the heat dissipater (30) and, in FIG. 3, the traces (18) face the heat dissipater. A step in the fabrication of the present invention is the disposing of a thermally insulating cap (40) around the heat sink (28) while disposing the LED (24) on the circuit board (12) to protect the LED from damage during soldering.

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First Claim