Light assembly having a control circuit in a base

Abstract

A light assembly that includes a cover, a housing coupled to the cover, and a lamp base coupled to the cover. The light assembly also includes a first circuit board disposed within the housing. The first circuit board has a plurality of light sources thereon. A heat sink is thermally coupled to the light sources and is disposed within the housing. The heat sink includes openings therethrough. Each of the outer edges is in contact with the housing. The light assembly also includes an elongated control circuit board assembly electrically coupled to the light sources of the first circuit board and the lamp base. The control circuit board extends through the openings. The control circuit board has a plurality of electrical components thereon for controlling the light sources.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A light assembly comprising:
 an electrically conductive base defining a volume between a bottom portion and a side wall, said side wall comprising threads; 
 a housing coupled to the base; 
 a cover coupled to the housing; 
 a plurality of light sources coupled to and within the housing, said light sources generating light; and 
 a control circuit disposed on a first circuit board electrically coupled to the light sources for driving the light sources, said first circuit board housed entirely within the volume defined within the base and adjacent to the threads, said circuit board comprising a first electrical contact disposed on an edge thereof; 
 said electrically conductive base comprising a second electrical contact disposed on the side wall forming a groove for receiving the first electrical contact with an interference fit. 
 
     
     
       2. A light assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the control circuit is encapsulated within the base. 
     
     
       3. A light assembly as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a second circuit board disposed within the housing therein, said second circuit board having the plurality of light sources thereon, said first circuit board electrically coupled to the second circuit board. 
     
     
       4. A light assembly as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a heat sink thermally coupled to the plurality of light sources. 
     
     
       5. A light assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the plurality of light sources are disposed in a ring around a longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       6. A light assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the plurality of light sources are solid state light sources. 
     
     
       7. A light assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first circuit board is received within a pair of grooves formed within the electrically conductive base, wherein said pair of grooves are electrically coupled to an outside of the base, said pair of grooves coupling to a pair of edge contacts disposed on the first circuit board. 
     
     
       8. A light assembly as recited in  claim 7  wherein the first circuit board is electrically coupled to a bottom contact of the base, wherein the pair of grooves have an opposite polarity to the bottom contact. 
     
     
       9. A light assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the control circuit comprises a light source driver circuit. 
     
     
       10. A light assembly comprising:
 a cover;   a housing coupled to the cover;   a lamp base coupled to the cover, said lamp base being formed of thermally conductive polymer and metal contacts;   a first circuit board disposed within the housing, said first circuit board having a plurality of light sources thereon;   a heat sink thermally coupled to the light sources, said heat sink thermally coupled to the housing, said housing conducting heat away from the light sources;   said lamp base dissipating heat from the light sources; and   a control circuit electrically coupled to the light sources of the first circuit board and disposed within the housing, said control circuit having a plurality of electrical components thereon for controlling the light sources.    
     
     
       11. A light assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein the first circuit board communicates heat to the housing.  
     
     
       12. A light assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of heat sink fins in thermal communication with the housing.  
     
     
       13. A light assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein the housing is thermally coupled to the lamp base.  
     
     
       14. A light assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein the control circuit is thermally coupled to a plurality of spaced-apart layers of the heat sink.