Lamp housing containing an integrated LED support structure

• US 20050052865A1
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: A Delaware Corporation, Guide Corporation (Vehicle Lighting Incorporated)
• Inventors: Siktberg, Fred D., Heiniger, Jerry D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,988,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/249.10
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/00 Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0999 Circuit printed on or in housing, e.g. housing as PCB; Circuit printed on the case of a component; PCB affixed to housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/202 using self-supporting metal foil pattern

Abstract

A lamp assembly with an integrated Light Emitting Diode support frame is described. An electrically conductive lead frame is formed onto a lamp housing, or onto the internal surface of a lamp housing. Surface mounted LED light sources and associated drive components are attached to the lead frame, and thus to the housing. A positive terminal and a negative terminal are formed from the lead frame on the inside to the outside of the housing, so that electricity may be transmitted from an external source to the LED light sources on the inside of the housing. The LED light sources are energized by the conductive lead frame formed into or onto the housing, thus eliminating the need for a separate printed circuit board with a conductive lead frame.

Claims

1. A lamp assembly comprising:

a. a housing having an interior surface and an exterior surface;

b. a conductive lead frame molded into the housing, the conductive lead frame comprising at least one positive connection pad, and at least one negative connection pad adjacent to the at least one positive connection pad at the interior surface of the housing and means to electrically communicate the at least one positive connection pad and the at least one negative connection pad to the exterior surface of the housing; and

c. at least one light emitting diode light source positioned inside the housing and electrically connected across the at least one negative connection pad and the at least one positive connection pad.

2. A lamp assembly of claim 1, further comprising LED drive components electrically connected across the at least one negative connection pad and the at least one positive connection pad.

3. A lamp assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lens attached to the housing.

4. A lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein the interior surface is formed into a reflector arranged to reflect light emitted from the at least one Light Emitting Diode out of the housing in a desired pattern.

5. A lamp assembly of claim 1, where the at least one Light Emitting Diode may be operable to emit light of any wavelength or combination of wavelengths.

6. A lamp assembly of claim 1, where the conductive lead frame comprises a positive lead line and a negative lead line electrically connected respectively to the at least one positive connection pad and the at least one negative connection pad.

7. A lamp assembly of claim 1, further comprising a positive terminal extending from the exterior of the housing and electrically connected to the positive lead line, and a negative terminal extending from the exterior surface of the housing and electrically connected to the negative lead line, where the positive terminal and the negative terminal can be connected to an external source of electricity.

8. A lamp assembly comprising:

a. a housing having an interior surface and an exterior surface;

b. a conductive lead frame formed on the interior surface of the housing, the conductive lead frame comprising at least one positive connection pad, and at least one negative connection pad adjacent to the at least one positive connection pad at the interior surface of the housing and means to electrically communicate the at least one positive connection pad and the at least one negative connection pad to the exterior surface of the housing; and

c. at least one Light Emitting Diode positioned inside the housing and electrically connected across the at least one negative connection pad and the at least one positive connection pad.

9. A lamp assembly of claim 8, further comprising a lens attached to the housing.

10. A lamp assembly of claim 8, wherein the interior surface is formed into a reflector arranged to reflect light emitted from the at least one Light Emitting Diode out of the housing in a desired pattern.

11. A lamp assembly of claim 8, where the at least one Light Emitting Diode bulb may be operable to emit light of any wavelength or combination of wavelengths.

12. A lamp assembly of claim 8, where the conductive lead frame comprises a positive lead line and a negative lead line electrically connected respectively to the at least one positive connection pad and the at least one negative connection pad.

13. A lamp assembly of claim 12, further comprising a positive terminal extending from the exterior of the housing and electrically connected to the positive lead line, and a negative terminal extending from the exterior surface of the housing and electrically connected to the negative lead line, where the positive terminal and the negative terminal can be connected to an external source of electricity.

14. A method for manufacturing a lamp assembly, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a housing having an interior surface and an exterior surface;

b. depositing a conductive lead frame onto the interior surface of the housing, the conductive lead frame comprising at least one positive connection pad and at least one negative connection pad;

c. providing an electrical connection between the at least one positive connection pad to the exterior surface of the housing;

d. providing an electrical connection between the at least one negative connection pad to the exterior surface of the housing; and

e. electrically attaching at least one Light Emitting Diode across said at least one positive connection pad and said at least one negative connection pad.

15. A method for manufacturing a lamp assembly, comprising the steps of:

a. molding a housing having an interior surface and an exterior surface with a conductive lead frame molded within the housing, said conductive lead frame comprising at least one positive connection pad extending to the interior surface of the housing and at least one negative connection pad extending to the interior surface of the housing;

b. molding an electrical connection from said at least one positive connection pad to the exterior surface of the housing;

c. molding an electrical connection from said at least one negative connection pad to the exterior surface of the housing; and

d. electrically connecting at least one Light Emitting Diode across said at least one positive connection pad and said at least one negative connection pad inside the housing.

16. An apparatus for energizing at least one Light Emitting Diode positioned within the housing of a lamp assembly, comprising:

a. a housing having an interior surface and an exterior surface;

b. a lead frame supported by said housing, said lead frame having a positive line and a negative line;

c. at least one Light Emitting Diode positioned inside the housing and electrically connected between said positive line and said negative line; and

d. means for electrically energizing the positive line and the negative line from the exterior of said housing so that said at least one Light Emitting Diode emits light.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said lead frame is molded into said housing.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, where said lead frame is deposited on the interior surface of said housing.