Flexible circuit board for LED lighting fixtures
First Claim
1. A flexible circuit comprising:
- a perforated upper laminate sheet formed of polymeric material;
a lower laminate sheet formed of polymeric material;
a plurality of metallic conductors laminated between the perforated upper laminate sheet and the lower laminate sheet, wherein metallic contacts of the conductors are exposed by perforations in the perforated upper laminate sheet;
wherein each metallic conductor comprises at least one of a metallic ribbon, a metallic tape, and/or a metallic wire;
wherein each metallic conductor provides two metallic contacts at opposing ends thereof, and each metallic conductor extends between adjacent perforations;
wherein each metallic conductor is clampingly retained between the upper and lower laminate sheets; and
a plurality of surface mount devices attached to the metallic contacts of two adjacent metallic conductors.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are disclosed for making a flexible laminated circuit board using a metal conductor onto which a SMD may be attached. Conductive metal strips may be laminated to form a flexible substrate and the metal strips may then be perforated for the placement of LED package leads. The LED packages may be attached to the conductive strips using solder or a conductive epoxy and the upper laminate layer may include perforations exposing portions of the metal strips for the attachment of the LED packages. Alternatively, strings of LED packages may be fabricated by attaching LED packages to conductive strips and these strings may be laminated between flexible sheets to form a laminated LED circuit. Plastic housings may aid in attaching the LED packages to the conductive strips. The plastic housings and/or the laminate sheets may be made of a reflective material.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A flexible circuit comprising:
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a perforated upper laminate sheet formed of polymeric material; a lower laminate sheet formed of polymeric material; a plurality of metallic conductors laminated between the perforated upper laminate sheet and the lower laminate sheet, wherein metallic contacts of the conductors are exposed by perforations in the perforated upper laminate sheet; wherein each metallic conductor comprises at least one of a metallic ribbon, a metallic tape, and/or a metallic wire; wherein each metallic conductor provides two metallic contacts at opposing ends thereof, and each metallic conductor extends between adjacent perforations; wherein each metallic conductor is clampingly retained between the upper and lower laminate sheets; and a plurality of surface mount devices attached to the metallic contacts of two adjacent metallic conductors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of fabricating a flexible circuit comprising:
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perforating an upper laminate sheet formed of polymeric material; laminating a metallic conductor strip between the upper laminate sheet and a lower laminate sheet to clampingly retain the metallic conductor strip between the upper and lower laminate sheets, the lower laminate sheet being formed of polymeric material, wherein the perforations of the upper laminate sheet expose portions of the conductor strip; perforating the exposed portions of the metallic conductor strip to form a plurality of metallic conductors, whereby each metallic conductor provides two metallic contacts at opposing ends thereof, and each metallic conductor extends between adjacent perforations in the upper laminate sheet; and attaching a plurality of LED packages across respective said perforated portions of the metallic conductor strip at said metallic contacts. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of fabricating a flexible circuit comprising:
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molding a plurality of plastic housings around a metallic conductor strip, wherein a portion of the conductor is exposed within the plastic housings; perforating the exposed portions of the metallic conductor strip to form a plurality of metallic conductors, whereby each metallic conductor provides two metallic contacts at opposing ends thereof, and each metallic conductor extends between adjacent plastic housings; forming a string of LED packages by attaching a plurality of LED packages across respective said perforated portions of the metallic conductor strip at said metallic contacts; and laminating the string of LED packages between a lower laminate sheet formed of polymeric material and a perforated upper laminate sheet formed of polymeric material, thereby clampingly retaining the metallic conductors between the upper and lower laminate sheets, whereby each metallic conductor extends between adjacent perforations in the upper laminate sheet and wherein perforations in the upper laminate sheet leave respective said LED packages exposed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification