Light emitting diode illumination apparatus and heat dissipating method therefor

Abstract

A light emitting diode (LED) illumination apparatus including an illumination module, a heat dissipating unit and a loop heat pipe (LHP) device is provided. The illumination module includes a base and many LEDs. The LEDs are disposed on the base. The LHP device contains working fluid and includes an evaporator, a condenser, a first transmitting pipe and a second transmitting pipe. The evaporator is associated with the base and has an outlet, an inlet and a chamber. The condenser is conformably associated with the heat dissipating unit. The condenser has an inlet and an outlet, wherein at least one part of the condenser stretches in a curved pipe shape along a surface of the heat dissipating unit. The first transmitting pipe communicates the evaporator outlet to the condenser inlet. The second transmitting pipe communicates the condenser outlet to the evaporator inlet.

1 . A heat dissipating method for a light emitting diode (LED) illumination apparatus, comprising: 
 using a loop heat pipe (LHP) device to associate an illumination module of said LED illumination apparatus with a heat dissipating unit of said LED illumination apparatus, wherein said LHP device contains working fluid therein and has a condenser and an evaporator, said condenser communicates with said evaporator, said illumination module has a base with a plurality of LEDs thereon, said evaporator is associated with said base, said condenser is conformably associated with said heat dissipating unit, and at least one part of said condenser stretches in a curved pipe shape along a surface of said heat dissipating unit in order to utilize said surface of heat dissipating unit for dissipating heat; and    transmitting the heat generated from said LEDs to said heat dissipating unit via said LHP device.    
   
   
       2 . The heat dissipating method according to  claim 1 , wherein the state of said working fluid in said evaporator is converted from the liquid state into the vapor state by means of absorbing said heat generated from said LEDs, said working fluid at the vapor state in said evaporator is transmitted to said condenser, the heat of said working fluid at the vapor state in said condenser is dissipated via said heat dissipating unit to convert the state of said working fluid from the vapor state into the liquid state, and said working fluid at the liquid state in said condenser is then transmitted back to said evaporator.  
   
   
       3 . The heat dissipating method according to  claim 2 , wherein transmitting said working fluid from said evaporator to said condenser and transmitting said working fluid from said condenser back to said evaporator are accomplished by the capillarity effect of a porous member mounted in said evaporator.  
   
   
       4 . The heat dissipating method according to  claim 1 , wherein said heat generated from said LEDs is conducted to said evaporator via said base.  
   
   
       5 . The heat dissipating method according to  claim 4 , wherein said base is also associated with said heat dissipating unit, and said heat generated from said LEDs is also conducted from said base to said heat dissipating unit directly.  
   
   
       6 . The heat dissipating method according to  claim 1 , further comprising using an electric fan disposed beside said condenser and/or said heat dissipating unit to help dissipate said heat away.  
   
   
       7 . The heat dissipating method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of associating said LHP device with said illumination module comprises adhering at least one part of said condenser to a surface of said heat dissipating unit with an adhesive or welding at least one part of said condenser on a surface of said heat dissipating unit.  
   
   
       8 . The heat dissipating method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of associating said LHP device with said illumination module comprises using a connector to connect at least one part of said condenser and a surface of said heat dissipating unit, said connector has a recess, and said part of said condenser is pressed into said recess.  
   
   
       9 . An LED illumination apparatus, comprising: 
 an illumination module, comprising: 
 a base; and  
 a plurality of LEDs, disposed on said base;  
   a heat dissipating unit; and    an LHP device, containing working fluid therein, said LHP device comprising: 
 an evaporator, associated with said base, said evaporator having an outlet, an inlet, a chamber and a porous member disposed in said chamber;  
 a condenser, conformably associated with said heat dissipating unit, said condenser having an inlet and an outlet, wherein at least one part of said condenser stretches in a curved pipe shape along a surface of said heat dissipating unit in order to utilize said surface of heat dissipating unit for dissipating heat;  
 a first transmitting pipe, wherein one terminal of said first transmitting pipe communicates with said outlet of said evaporator, and the other terminal of said first transmitting pipe communicates with said inlet of said condenser; and  
 a second transmitting pipe, wherein one terminal of said second transmitting pipe communicates with said outlet of said condenser, and the other terminal of said second transmitting pipe communicates with said inlet of said evaporator.  
   
   
   
       10 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said heat dissipating unit is a housing of said illumination module.  
   
   
       11 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein at least parts of said condenser stretch in a curved pipe shape along the interior surface and/or the exterior surface of said housing.  
   
   
       12 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein at least parts of said condenser stretch in a zigzag shape along said interior surface and/or said exterior surface of said housing.  
   
   
       13 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said heat dissipating unit is a cooling plate or a lampshade.  
   
   
       14 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said base is also associated with said heat dissipating unit.  
   
   
       15 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said porous member has a hollow space therein, said working fluid at the liquid state is enveloped in said hollow space by said porous member, and said porous member is suitable for being permeated with said working fluid.  
   
   
       16 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said working fluid is selected from a group consisting of water, acetone, ammonia and refrigerant.  
   
   
       17 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said condenser comprises at least one capillary pipe.  
   
   
       18 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said condenser is integrated with said heat dissipating unit for forming a unity member.  
   
   
       19 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said base comprises: 
 a circuit board, wherein said LEDs are disposed on said circuit board; and    a conducting unit, associated between said circuit board and said evaporator.    
   
   
       20 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein said conducting unit is a flat heat pipe or made of ceramic material, polymeric material or metal.  
   
   
       21 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said base has a containing room in which said evaporator is wedged.  
   
   
       22 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said base comprises: 
 a circuit board, wherein said LEDs are disposed on said circuit board;    a clamping block, clamping said evaporator; and    a conducting unit, associated between said circuit board and said clamping block.    
   
   
       23 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said clamping block has a containing room in which said evaporator is wedged or a recess in which said evaporator is wedged.  
   
   
       24 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said base is a circuit board.  
   
   
       25 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein at least one part of said condenser is adhered to a surface of said heat dissipating unit with an adhesive or welded on the surface of said heat dissipating unit.  
   
   
       26 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising at least one connector connected between at least one part of said condenser and a surface of said heat dissipating unit, wherein said connector has a recess, and said part of said condenser is disposed in said recess.  
   
   
       27 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising an electric fan disposed beside said heat dissipating unit and/or said condenser.  
   
   
       28 . The LED illumination apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the inside diameters of said condenser, said first transmitting pipe and said second transmitting pipe are all less than 4 mm, and the total length of said condenser, said first transmitting pipe and said second transmitting pipe is longer than 600 mm.