Patents by Inventor Thomas Stecher

Thomas Stecher has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8434906
    Abstract: Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mehmet Arik, Stanton Weaver, Thomas Stecher, Charles Seeley, Glenn Kuenzler, Charles Wolfe, Jr., Yogen Utturkar, Rajdeep Sharma, Satish Prabhakaran, Tunc Icoz
  • Publication number: 20110204790
    Abstract: Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system is configured to provide an air flow, such as a unidirectional air flow, through the housing structure in order to cool the light source. The driver electronics are configured to provide power to each of the light source and the thermal management system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mehmet Arik, Stanton Weaver, Thomas Stecher, Charles Seeley, Glenn Kuenzler, Charles Wolfe, JR., Yogen Utturkar, Rajdeep Sharma, Satish Prabhakaran, Tunc Icoz
  • Patent number: 7820428
    Abstract: A field deployable optical assembly for use in testing a light-responsive sample is disclosed. The assembly includes a microfluidic device, a first optical package, and a second optical package. The first optical package includes a light emitting diode (LED), a first optical device, and a first light-path control, the first optical package configured to guide and focus light from the LED onto the sample. The microfluidic device includes a tethered control substance. In response to a substance within the sample being associated with, and attaching to, the tethered control, the sample emits light. The second optical package includes a photo sensor, a second optical device, and a second light-path control, the second optical package configured to guide and focus the light emitted from the sample onto the photo sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Tysoe, Eugene Barash, Thomas Stecher
  • Publication number: 20080003664
    Abstract: A field deployable optical assembly for use in testing a light-responsive sample is disclosed. The assembly includes a microfluidic device, a first optical package, and a second optical package. The first optical package includes a light emitting diode (LED), a first optical device, and a first light-path control, the first optical package configured to guide and focus light from the LED onto the sample. The microfluidic device includes a tethered control substance. In response to a substance within the sample being associated with, and attaching to, the tethered control, the sample emits light. The second optical package includes a photo sensor, a second optical device, and a second light-path control, the second optical package configured to guide and focus the light emitted from the sample onto the photo sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven Tysoe, Eugene Barash, Thomas Stecher
  • Publication number: 20070258229
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus (10) comprises a light engine (12) producing ultra violet radiation. An enclosure (14) surrounds a radiation generating area of the light engine (12) to encompass the radiation. At least one wall (28) of the enclosure (14) is substantially reflective of the ultraviolet radiation. The enclosure (14) includes a replaceable top portion (30) which includes a phosphor portion (32). The phosphor portion (32) is spaced from the radiation generating area of the light engine (12) by a height of the enclosure (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Publication date: November 8, 2007
    Inventors: Stanton Weaver, Thomas Stecher, Anant Setlur, Alok Srivastava, Holly Comanzo, Charles Becker, Thomas Soules, Chen-Lun Hsing, Rebecca Bompiedi
  • Publication number: 20070165402
    Abstract: A light emitting apparatus (8) includes one or more light emitting chips (10) that are disposed on a printed circuit board (12) and emit light predominantly in a wavelength range between about 400 nanometers and about 470 nanometers. The printed circuit board includes: (i) an electrically insulating board (14); (ii) electrically conductive printed circuitry (20); and (iii) an electrically insulating solder mask (22) having vias (24) through which the one or more light emitting chips electrically contact the printed circuitry. The solder mask (22) has a reflectance of greater than 60% at least between about 400 nanometers and about 470 nanometers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Inventors: Stanton Weaver, Thomas Stecher
  • Publication number: 20070120135
    Abstract: An LED device including an LED chip and a lens positioned apart from the chip and coated with a uniform thickness layer of fluorescent phosphor for converting at least some of the radiation emitted by the chip into visible light. Positioning the phosphor layer away from the LED improves the efficiency of the device and produces more consistent color rendition. The surface area of the lens is preferably at least ten times the surface area of the LED chip. For increased efficiency, the reflector and submount can also be coated with phosphor to further reduce internal absorption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2003
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas Soules, Stanton Weaver, Chen-Lun Chen, Mathew Sommers, Boris Kolodin, Anan Setlur, Thomas Stecher
  • Publication number: 20060292722
    Abstract: A flexible interconnect structure allows for rapid dissipation of heat generated from an electrical device that includes light-emitting elements, such as light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) and/or laser diodes. The flexible interconnect structure comprises: (1) at least one flexible dielectric film on which circuit traces and, optionally, electrical circuit components are formed and at least a portion of which is removed through its thickness; and (2) at least a heat sink attached to one surface of the flexible dielectric film opposite to the surface on which circuit traces are formed. The flexible interconnect structure can include a plurality of such flexible dielectric films, each supporting circuit traces and/or circuit components, and each being attached to another by an electrically insulating layer. Electrical devices or light sources having complex shapes are formed from such flexible interconnect structures and light-emitting elements attached to the heat sinks so to be in thermal contact therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Charles Becker, Stanton Weaver, Thomas Stecher
  • Publication number: 20060091778
    Abstract: There is provided a blue-green illumination system, including a semiconductor light emitter, and a luminescent material, wherein the system has an emission with CIE color coordinates located within an area of a of a pentagon on a CIE chromaticity diagram, whose corners have the following CIE color coordinates: i) x=0.0137 and y=0.4831; ii) x=0.2240 and y=0.3890; iii) x=0.2800 and y=0.4500; iv) x=0.2879 and y=0.5196; and v) x=0.0108 and y=0.7220. The luminescent material includes two or more phosphors. The illumination system may be used as the green light of a traffic light or an automotive display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2004
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Anant Setlur, Emil Radkov, Alok Srivastava, Stanton Weaver, Thomas Stecher, Holly Comanzo
  • Publication number: 20060012991
    Abstract: A light emitting apparatus (8) includes one or more light emitting chips (10) that are disposed on a printed circuit board (12) and emit light predominantly in a wavelength range between about 400 nanometers and about 470 nanometers. The printed circuit board includes: (i) an electrically insulating board (14); (ii) electrically conductive printed circuitry (20); and (iii) an electrically insulating solder mask (22) having vias (24) through which the one or more light emitting chips electrically contact the printed circuitry. The solder mask (22) has a reflectance of greater than 60% at least between about 400 nanometers and about 470 nanometers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2004
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventors: Stanton Weaver, Thomas Stecher