Mounting light emitting diodes

• US 20070025108A1
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velcro IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Velcro Industries BV (Chartwell Industries Ltd)
• Inventors: Clune, William, Kingsford, Howard, Clarner, Mark, Ferry, Kristel, Blackmon, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 7,556,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/294
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/465 having one or more cavities, e.g. for forming distinct products
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/729 Hook and loop-type fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0204 using means for thermal conduction connection in the thickness direction of the substrate H05K1/0207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0284 Details of three-dimensional rigid printed circuit boards H05K1/119 takes precedence; shaping of the substrate H05K3/0014
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0373 containing additives, e.g. fillers H05K1/036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/095 for polymer thick films, i.e. having a permanent organic polymeric binder
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/183 Components mounted in and supported by recessed areas of the printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0129 Thermoplastic polymer, e.g. auto-adhesive layer; Shaping of thermoplastic polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0209 Inorganic, non-metallic particles
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/066 Heatsink mounted on the surface of the printed circuit board [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09036 Recesses or grooves in insulating substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09045 Locally raised area or protrusion of insulating substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09118 Moulded substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2036 Permanent spacer or stand-off in a printed circuit or printed circuit assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/209 Auto-mechanical connection between a component and a PCB or between two PCBs
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0108 : Male die used for patterning, punching or transferring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0113 : Female die used for patterning or transferring, e.g. temporary substrate having recessed pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0143 : Using a roller; Specific shape thereof; Providing locally adhesive portions thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1189 : Pressing leads, bumps or a die through an insulating layer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1545 : Continuous processing, i.e. involving rolls moving a band-like or solid carrier along a continuous production path
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0014 : Shaping of the substrate, e.g. by moulding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0058 : Laminating printed circuit boards onto other substrates, e.g. metallic substrates H05K1/0281 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/107 : by filling grooves in the support with conductive material H05K3/045, H05K3/101, H05K3/1258 and H05K3/465 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/1258 : by using a substrate provided with a shape pattern, e.g. grooves, banks, resist pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/301 : by means of a mounting structure H05K3/325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/326 : the printed circuit having integral resilient or deformable parts, e.g. tabs or parts of flexible circuits H05K3/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode

Abstract

A flexible circuit has a roll-molded thermoplastic resin base sheet with an integrally molded mounting structure located to receive a light emitting diode device in an illuminating position. The mounting structure is a pin receptacle constructed to receive a pin of the light emitting diode device. An electrically conductive portion is carried by the resin base and positioned for electric connection to conductors of the device. Another flexible circuit carries discrete integrated circuit chips and a field of fastener elements extending from a surface of a resin strip carrying conductive traces interconnecting the chips.

Claims

1. For a lighting installation, a flexible circuit comprising:

a roll-molded thermoplastic resin base sheet having an integrally molded mounting structure located to receive a light emitting diode device in an illuminating position, the mounting structure comprising pin receptacles constructed to receive pins of the light emitting diode device; and

an electrically conductive portion carried by the resin base, the electrically conductive portion positioned for electric connection to conductors of the device.

2. The flexible circuit of claim 1 further comprising a heat management system associated with the resin base sheet and arranged to conduct heat from the base of the device.

3. The flexible circuit of claim 2 wherein the heat management system comprises molded standoffs integral with the base defining air passages for convective heat transfer.

4. The flexible circuit of claim 2 wherein the resin base sheet comprises additives that increase the thermal conductivity of the resin base sheet wherein the additives are chosen from the group consisting of titanium nitride, boron nitride, silica, aluminum oxide, and ceramic particles.

5. The flexible circuit of claim 2 wherein the heat management system comprises radiative structures comprising material with a high thermal conductivity in contact with the light emitting diode device.

6. The flexible circuit of claim 2 wherein the heat management system comprises a peltier junction with a hot-side of greater surface area than an associated cold side.

7. The flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein the mounting structure comprises device receptacles integrally molded with and extending from the base, the receptacles sized to receive and engage the diode devices.

8. The flexible circuit of claim 7 wherein the device receptacle is a protrusion having pin-receiving passages extending to one of the conductors in the flexible circuit.

9. The flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein the mounting structure is defined by a device receptacle integrally molded with and extending into the base, the receptacle sized to receive and engage the diode device.

10. The flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein the pin receptacles have an adhesive coating.

11. The flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein the pin receptacles have a cross-sectional geometry that is different than an outer surface of the pins they are constructed to receive.

12. The flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive portions are encapsulated within the base.

13. The flexible circuit of claim 1 further comprising a clamping connector that pierces the resin base sheet to electrically connect the flexible circuit to an electrical source and a ground.

14. The flexible circuit of claim 1 further comprising voids extending through resin base sheet to the electrically conductive portions wherein the voids are coated with an electrically conductive material.

15. The flexible circuit of claim 1 further comprising touch fastener elements attached to the resin basin sheet.

16. The flexible circuit of claim 15 wherein the touch fastener elements comprise male fastener elements with engageable heads.

17. The flexible circuit of claim 15 wherein the touch fastener elements comprise loop-material with surface features encapsulated by resin of the base sheet.

18. The flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein the flexible circuit is a longitudinally extending flexible circuit with multiple mounting structures.

19. A lighting assembly comprising:

light-emitting device diode module including a diode chip disposed on and in heat-transfer relationship to a central heat sink; and

a mounting including a combination of a thermoplastic flexible circuit and a heat-conducting system, the flexible circuit having electrical conductors electrically connected to conductive pins of the device and the heat-conducting system in heat-transfer relationship with a heat sink of the device, the heat-conducting system arranged to conduct heat to a heat-dispersion location situated beyond the thermoplastic flexible circuit.

20. The lighting assembly of claim 19 wherein the lighting assembly is elongated and comprises multiple spaced-apart diode modules, the flexible circuit extending along the length of the assembly and the modules having mounting pins inserted into the body of the flexible circuit, the modules in electrical contact with conductors of the circuit.

21. The lighting assembly of claim 19 wherein the heat conducting system comprises at least one heat-transfer plate extending from face-to-face contact with the heat sink to a heat-dispersive location situated laterally beyond the diode module.

22. The lighting assembly of claim 21 wherein the heat conducting system has an upstanding heat-transfer flange situated beyond and alongside the light-emitting diode module.

23. The lighting assembly of claim 19 wherein the heat conducting system comprises a pair of oppositely directed “

L”

cross-section metal channels.

24. The lighting assembly of claim 19 wherein the heat conducting system comprises a thermal conductor of solid material defining an internal fluid-tight cavity containing a heat-transfer substance positioned to enhance heat-transfer from the heat sink.

25. The lighting assembly of claim 24 wherein the heat transfer substance comprises material chosen from the group consisting of a heat transfer liquid, heat transfer wax, and Glauber'"'"'s salt.

26. A method of manufacturing a flexible circuit for a lighting device, the method comprising:

introducing moldable resin into a gap adjacent a rotating mold roll such that the resin forms a continuous strip-form base and mounting structures, the mounting structures supported by the base and molded to receive a light emitting diode device in an illuminating position;

attaching an electrically conductive portion to the base, the electrically conductive portion positioned for electric connection to conductors of the device; and

providing a heat management system supported by the resin base sheet, the heat management system arranged to conduct heat from the device.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the receptacles extend outward from a generally planar surface of the base.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the receptacles comprise cavities defined in the base.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising adding conductive material to the receptacles.

30. The method of claim 26 further comprising attaching a series of light emitting diode devices to the strip-form base.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein attaching the series of lights comprises, after striping the solidified resin from the mold roll, placing light emitting diodes having pins into the receptacles.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein placing the light emitting diodes comprises inserting the pins into holes defined in the receptacles such that the pins contact the conductors.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein placing the light emitting diodes comprises preheating the pins to a temperature above the melting point of the resin and inserting the pins into the resin layer such that the pins contact the conductors.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein attaching the series of lights comprises heating the resin layer before introducing the resin layer and associated molded stems into a lamination nip a flexible strip of lights.

35. The method of claim 26 further comprising forming a field of molded stems.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein forming the field of molded stems comprises:

introducing moldable resin into a gap adjacent to a rotating mold roll, such that the resin fills an field of fixed cavities defined in the mold roll to form the field of molded stems;

forming engageable heads on the molded stems;

solidifying the resin; and

then

stripping the solidified resin from the peripheral surface of the mold roll by pulling the projections from their respective cavities.