LED backlight system for cabinet sign

• US 10,223,944 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: GE Lighting Solutions LLC (Savant Systems, LLC)
• Inventors: Nall, Jeffrey Marc, Carpenter, Kevin, Saha, Koushik, Li, Chenyang, Brengartner, Jr., Ronald K., Wang, Xin, Stimac, Tomislav J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Shin H
• Application Number:
  US14/181,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20140254140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 362 971- 974, 362812, 36224902, 36224906, 36224909, 36231102, 362800, 40446, 40448
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/14 Adjustable mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/507 of means for protecting lighting devices from damage, e.g. housings
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0418 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A backlighting system for a cabinet sign may include a plurality of panels. Each panel includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) attached to the panel. The diode has a box sign depth factor of less than about 1.4. An integrated circuit may also be located on the panel. A wire physically connects adjacent panels.

Claims

1. A lighting system for illuminating a sign, the system comprising:

a plurality of electrically interconnected modules each module including a support comprised of an elongated printed circuit board having a major surface, circuitry on the support, and a plurality of light emitting diodes (“

LEDs”

) in a linear array on the major surface electrically connected to the circuitry;

one or more electrical conductors electrically connecting the plurality of modules; and

one or more flexible strips independent of the one or more electrical conductors, said strips mechanically connecting adjacent modules;

further comprising a clamping element receiving the one or more flexible strips for securing the lighting system to the frame of a sign.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical conductors and the one or more flexible strips have sufficient flexibility that one module can be folded over its adjacent module.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more flexible strips comprise a ribbon.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an overmolding covering at least a portion of the front surface of the support.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each module comprises a plurality of LEDs arranged in a one dimensional array.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each module comprises a plurality of LEDs arranged in a two dimensional array.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the LEDs are equally spaced apart.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising three or more modules and wherein the one or more flexible strips mechanically connect adjacent modules to be equidistant from one another.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrically interconnected modules form a lattice.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a clamping element receiving the one or more flexible strips for securing the lighting system to the frame of a sign.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the support comprises a double-sided printed circuit board (“

PCB”

).

12. A sign comprising a frame and the lighting system of claim 1 attached to the frame.

13. The sign of claim 12 wherein the plurality of modules are arranged in a row.

14. The sign of claim 12 wherein the plurality of modules are arranged in a column.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein said flexible strip is elongated and wherein a direction of elongation of said flexible strip is perpendicular to a direction of elongation of said printed circuit board.

16. A method of installation of a lighting system for illuminating a sign, the method comprising:

providing a sign box including at least four side walls and opposed front and back walls, at least one of said front and back wall being light transmissive;

forming a string of LED modules by mechanically connecting modules via one or more flexible strips, and securing at least two strips with-saidbetween opposed side walls of the sign;

electrically connecting a plurality of electrical interconnected modules via one or more electrical conductors, the plurality of electrical interconnected modules each including a support, circuitry electrically connected to the circuitry;

wherein said strips are disposed vertically and said LED modules on the support, at least one light emitting diode (“

LED”

) are suspended away from the walls of the sign box.

17. The method of claim 16 further including:

securing the lighting system to the frame of a sign via a clamping element.

18. The method of claim 16, further including:

arranging the plurality of electrical interconnected modules in a one dimensional array.

19. The method of claim 16, further including:

arranging the plurality of electrical interconnected modules in a two dimensional array.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said strips are disposed vertically and said LED modules are suspended away from the walls of the sign box.

21. A blacklighting system comprising:

a) a first plurality of light emitting modules, each module including;

a support,

circuitry on the support,

a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically connected to the circuitry and arranged in each module in a spaced relationship in a first array,

an overmolding covering the support;

b) wherein the first plurality of light emitting modules are arranged in spaced relationship to one another in a second array such that the relative spacing of the light emitting diodes between adjacent modules is substantially the same as the relative spacing of the light emitting diodes in a given module;

c) one or more insulated electrical conductors electrically connecting the first plurality of modules, said conductors being partially encompassed in the overmolding; and

d) one or more flexible strips mechanically connecting adjacent modules in the second array.

22. The backlighting system of claim 21 wherein the one or more flexible strips define the relative spacing between adjacent modules.

23. The backlighting system of claim 21 comprising:

a) a second plurality of light emitting modules, each module including;

a support,

circuitry on the support,

a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically connected to the circuitry and arranged in each module in a spaced relationship in a third array,

an overmolding covering the support;

b) wherein the second plurality of light emitting modules are arranged in a spaced relationship to one another in a fourth array such that the relative spacing of the light emitting diodes between adjacent modules is substantially the same as the relative spacing of the light emitting diodes in a given module;

c) one or more insulated electrical conductors electrically connecting the second plurality of modules; and

d) one or more flexible strips mechanically connecting adjacent modules in the fourth array.

24. The backlighting system of claim 23 wherein the fourth array is arranged in spaced relationship to the second array such that the relative spacing of the light emitting diodes between adjacent modules from the first plurality and second plurality is substantially the same as the relative spacing of the light emitting diodes in a given module.

25. The backlighting system of claim 23 wherein the second array and the fourth array are arranged relative to one another in a common plane.

26. The backlighting system of claim 23 wherein the first plurality of light emitting modules is electrically connected to the second plurality of light emitting modules, and further comprising a power supply to electrically energize the first and second plurality of light emitting modules.

27. The backlighting system of claim 23 wherein the light emitting diodes are arranged in a module in a linear array.

28. The backlighting system of claim 21 wherein the light emitting diodes are arranged in a module in a two-dimensional array.

29. The backlighting system of claim 24 wherein the first plurality and second plurality of modules are arranged adjacent one another in one of a series of columns and rows.

30. The system of claim 21 wherein adjacent modules are electrically connected by wires, the wire having sufficient flexibility that the adjacent modules of the plurality of modules are capable of being folded over on top of one another.

31. The backlighting system of claim 23 wherein the second plurality of modules is arranged relative to the first plurality of modules such that the light emitting diodes of the second plurality of modules are arranged intermediate the light emitting diodes of the first plurality of modules.

32. The backlighting system of claim 23 wherein the second plurality of modules is arranged relative to the first plurality of modules such that the light emitting diodes of the second plurality of modules are arranged to direct light in a direction opposite of the light emitting diodes of the first plurality of modules.

33. A cabinet sign comprising the backlighting system of claim 23.

34. The cabinet sign of claim 33 wherein the light emitting diodes have a box sign depth factor of about 1.4 or less.

37. The module of claim 34 wherein said wiring board includes a second surface opposite the first surface, said second surface including a plurality of LED'"'"'s.

35. A module for use in backlighting a cabinet sign, comprising:

a printed wiring board having a direction of elongation;

a plurality of LEDs mounted onto a first surface of the wiring board in a linear array, wherein the LEDs are equally spaced apart;

an overmold surrounding the printed wiring board; and

one or more interconnectivity components that facilitate an electrical connection between the module and one or more disparate modules;

wherein the overmold further encompasses at least a portion of the interconnectivity components.

36. The module of claim 35, wherein the interconnectivity element is one of a male connector and a female connector connected to a module through a wire.

38. A backlighting system for use in a cabinet sign, comprising:

a plurality of interconnected modules configured in a first array, each module comprised of an elongated printed circuit board having front and back major surfaces, each module electrically coupled to at least one other module and each module mechanically fastened to at least one other module via a flexible strip; and

a plurality of light emitting diodes located on both front and back major surfaces of each printed circuit board, each diode located a predetermined distance from each other.

39. The cabinet sign of claim 38 wherein the light emitting diodes have a box sign depth factor in the range from about 1.25 to about 0.5.

40. The backlighting system of claim 38, further including a second array of modules interconnected to the first array, wherein each module is interconnected to another module via a male connector from one module and a female connector from the other module.

41. A lighting system for illuminating a sign, the system comprising:

a plurality of electrically interconnected modules each module including a support, circuitry on a front surface and a back surface of the support, at least one light emitting diode (“

LED”

) electrically connected to the circuitry, one each of the front surface and the back surface;

one or more insulated electrical conductors electrically connecting the plurality of modules, and

one or more flexible strips mechanically connecting adjacent modules, the one or more flexible strips being distinct from the one or more insulated electrical conductors.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein each of the electrically interconnected modules further includes one or more electrical connectors and one or more mechanical connectors, the one or more electrical conductors electrically connecting the plurality of modules via the one or more electrical connectors, and the one or more flexible strips mechanically connecting adjacent modules via the one or more mechanical connectors.

43. A cabinet sign comprising:

a cabinet having side wails and opposed front and back walls, at least one of said front and back wails being light transmissive;

an array of light emitting modules, each module comprising a support, circuitry on the support, and at least one light emitting diode (“

LED”

) electrically connected to the circuitry;

the array including a plurality of modules interconnected by one or more electrical connectors, and one or more flexible mechanical connectors;

the array having a first end engaging a side wall of the cabinet and a second end engaging an opposed side wall of the cabinet.

44. The sign of claim 43 further comprising a clamping element for securing the flexible mechanical connecting to the side wall of the sign.

45. The sign of claim 43 wherein each module comprises a plurality of LEDs arranged in a two dimensional array.

46. The sign of claim 43 wherein the one or more electrical conductors are separate from the one or more flexible mechanical connectors.

47. The sign of claim 43 including at least two arrays.