Damaged connection detection

• US 10,309,635 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2017
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo North America Incorporated (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo North America Incorporated (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Warner, Gavin, Hemon, Julien, Blandin, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US15/849,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20190186726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 362547
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/192 Details of lamp holders, terminals or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/002 Arrangements of cables or conductors inside a lighting device, e.g. means for guiding along parts of the housing or in a pivoting arm
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 25/02 coming into action when lighting device is disturbed, dismounted, or broken
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/508 of electrical circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2103/20 Direction indicator lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2103/35 Brake lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0268 for electrical inspection or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/066 Heatsink mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/1028 Thin metal strips as connectors or conductors

Abstract

A circuitry assembly including an electrical component, a peripheral circuitry that supports the electrical component, a support assembly affixed to the peripheral circuitry to evacuate heat excess generated by the electrical component and the peripheral circuitry, a main circuitry separated from the support assembly by a spacing, the main circuitry having a plurality of detection bands, and a plurality of ribbons electrically connecting the peripheral circuitry with the main circuitry and deformable between an undamaged state and a damaged state, wherein in the undamaged state the plurality of ribbons steps over the spacing and the plurality of detection bands and in the damaged state at least one ribbon of the plurality of ribbons contacts at least one detection band of the plurality of detection bands and generate a short circuit.

Claims

1. A circuitry assembly comprising:

an electrical component;

a peripheral circuitry that supports the electrical component;

a support assembly affixed to the peripheral circuitry to evacuate heat excess generated by the electrical component and the peripheral circuitry;

a main circuitry separated from the support assembly by a spacing, the main circuitry including;

a plurality of detection bands; and

a plurality of ribbons electrically connecting the peripheral circuitry with the main circuitry and deformable between an undamaged state and a damaged state, wherein

in the undamaged state the plurality of ribbons steps over the spacing and the plurality of detection bands and in the damaged state at least one ribbon of the plurality of ribbons contacts at least one detection band of the plurality of detection bands and generate a short circuit.

2. The circuitry assembly of claim 1, wherein the support assembly is made of a metallic alloy.

3. The circuitry assembly of claim 1, wherein each ribbon of the plurality of ribbons is a bare electrical conductor.

4. The circuitry assembly of claim 3, wherein the bare electrical conductor is made of a malleable material.

5. The circuitry assembly of claim 1, wherein each detection band of the plurality of detection bands has a shape that follows the spacing.

6. The circuitry assembly of claim 5, wherein each detection band has a semi-annular shape.

7. The circuitry assembly of claim 6, wherein each detection band is characterized by a curvilinear length between 20% and 200% of a length of each ribbon of the plurality of ribbons.

8. The circuitry assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical component is a light source.

9. A light assembly comprising:

a light source;

a peripheral circuitry that supports the light source;

a support assembly affixed to the light source;

a main circuitry separated from the support assembly by a spacing, the main circuitry including;

a plurality of detection bands; and

a plurality of ribbons electrically connecting the peripheral circuitry with the main circuitry and deformable between an undamaged state and a damaged state, wherein

in the undamaged state the plurality of ribbons steps over the spacing and the plurality of detection bands and in the damaged state at least one ribbon of the plurality of ribbons contacts at least one detection band of the plurality of detection bands and generate a short circuit.

10. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein each ribbon of the plurality of ribbons is a bare electrical conductor.

11. The light assembly of claim 10, wherein the bare electrical conductor is made of a malleable material.

12. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein each detection band of the plurality of detection bands has a shape that follows the spacing.

13. The light assembly of claim 12, wherein each detection band has a semi-annular shape.

14. The light assembly of claim 13, wherein each detection band is characterized by a curvilinear length between 20% and 200% of a length of each ribbon of the plurality of ribbons.

15. A lighting system for vehicle comprising:

a light source;

a peripheral circuitry that supports the light source;

a support assembly affixed to the light source;

a main circuitry separated from the support assembly by a spacing;

a power source coupled to the main circuitry to provide light functionality to the light source;

a plurality of detection bands;

a diagnostic tool operatively coupled to the plurality of detection bands; and

a plurality of ribbons electrically connecting the peripheral circuitry with the main circuitry and deformable between an undamaged state and a damaged state, wherein

in the undamaged state the plurality of ribbons steps over the spacing and the plurality of detection bands and in the damaged state at least one ribbon of the plurality of ribbons contacts at least one detection band of the plurality of detection bands and generate a short circuit detectable by the diagnostic tool.

16. The lighting system of claim 15, wherein each ribbon of the plurality of ribbons is a bare electrical conductor.

17. The lighting system of claim 16, wherein the bare electrical conductor is made of a malleable material.

18. The lighting system of claim 15, wherein each detection band of the plurality of detection bands has a shape that follows the spacing.

19. The lighting system of claim 18, wherein each detection band has a semi-annular shape.

20. The lighting system of claim 19, wherein each detection band is characterized by a curvilinear length between 20% and 200% of a length of each ribbon of the plurality of ribbons.