| abstract |
A compact light source includes an LED for supplying light and an optical element that receives and transmits the light. The LED is disposed in an insulation housing to insulate the LED, which has a surface that conducts the heat it generates. A heat sink is coupled to the LED adjacent the conductive surface, and a thermal compound is sandwiched in between the heat sink and conductive surface in order to channel and dissipate the heat generated by the LED without heating up any surrounding structures. In some embodiments, the optical element is part of a collimator coupled to the insulation housing and is a doublet or plano convex lens. |