LED backlighting system for cabinet sign

• US 20080244944A1
• Filed: 04/09/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• 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: Lumination LLC
• Inventors: Stimac, Tomislav J., Nall, Jeffrey Marc, Carpenter, Kevin, Saha, Koushik, Brengartner, Ronald K., Li, Chenyang (Kevin), Wang, Xin (Bill)
• Granted Patent: US 9,564,070 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 40/544
• 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. Backlighting system for a cabinet sign comprising

(a) A plurality of panels each panel including

(i) a plurality of light emitting diodes (“

LEDs”

) attached to the panel, each LED having a box sign depth factor of less than about 1.4 and

(ii) an integrated circuit

(b) wherein a wire physically connects adjacent panels.

2. The backlighting system of claim 1 wherein each panel comprises a printed wiring board.

3. The backlighting system of claim 2 wherein the printed wiring board comprises at least one of a printed circuit board, a metal clad printed circuit board, and a flex circuit.

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

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising an over mold attached to a panel the over mold to be located between the LED and a front surface of the sign.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein a top surface of the over mold constructed from a transparent weather resilient material.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the LEDs arranged in a two dimensional orientation.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising each LED having a protective element aligned to protect the diode of each LED from physical contact.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the wire having sufficient flexibility that the plurality of panels capable of being rolled into a convenient shape for packaging.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the wire having sufficient flexibility that the adjacent panels of the plurality of panels capable of being stacked one on top of another.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein a brightness of light emitted from the LEDs on a panel comprises up to about 1500 nits measured at the outside surface of a sign face of a cabinet sign.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein each panel includes a plug-n-play connector.

13. A cabinet sign comprising a backlighting system, the system including

(a) A plurality of panels each panel including

(i) a plurality of light emitting diodes (“

LEDs”

) attached to the panel, each LED having a box sign depth factor of less than about 1.4 and

(ii) an integrated circuit

(b) wherein a wire physically connects vertically adjacent panels and the panels arranged in columns and rows.

14. The cabinet sign of claim 13 wherein the columns having a series/parallel connection between adjacent panels of each column.

15. The cabinet sign of claim 13 having one power source per section of surface area of a sign face, the section comprising from at least about fourteen (14) square feet (ft²) of sign face to no more than about twenty (20) square feet (ft²) of sign face.

17. The cabinet sign of claim 13 further comprising one or more rails, wherein the panels supported on the rails.

18. The cabinet sign of claim 13 wherein the sign comprising a first signage surface and a second signage surface and a first set of the plurality of panels aligned to illuminate the first signage surface and a second set of the plurality of panels aligned to illuminate the second signage surface.

19. The cabinet sign of claim 13 wherein each column interconnected with a second column.

20. The cabinet sign of claim 13 wherein each panel including at least one insulation displacement connector.

21. The cabinet sign of claim 13 wherein the spacing between adjacent planes is adjustable.

22. The cabinet sign of claim 17 wherein the rails constructed from a material suitable for use as a heat-sink.

23. The cabinet sign of claim 13 further comprising an over mold covering all of the panels.

24. The cabinet sign of claim 13 wherein a first column of panels overlaps a second column of panels.

25. The cabinet sign of claim 24 wherein each LED of the first column and the second column exposed to a sign surface of the cabinet sign.

16. The cabinet sign 13 wherein one or more of the columns of panels supported only by the wire.

26. A backlighting system comprising:

a) a first plurality of light emitting modules, each module including a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in each module in a spaced relationship in a first array; and

b) wherein the plurality of light emitting modules are arranged in relation to one another in a second array.

27. The backlighting system of claim 26 wherein the second array comprises arranging the first plurality of modules relative to one another in a common plane and adjacent to each other 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.

28. The backlighting system of claim 26 comprising:

a) a second plurality of light emitting modules, each module including a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in each module in spaced relationship in a first array; and

b) wherein the plurality of light emitting modules are arranged in relation to one another in a second array.

29. The backlighting system of claim 26 wherein the light emitting diodes are arranged in a module in a linear array.

30. The backlighting system of claim 26 wherein the light emitting diodes are arranged in a module in a two-dimensional array.

31. The backlighting system of claim 27 wherein the plurality of modules are arranged adjacent one another in a series of columns and rows.

32. The backlighting system of claim 27 wherein vertically adjacent modules are electrically connected by wires.

33. The backlighting system of claim 32 wherein the wires define the relative spacing of the light emitting diodes between adjacent modules.

34. The system of claim 26 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.

35. The backlighting system of claim 28 wherein the second array comprises arranging the second plurality of modules relative to one another in a common plane and adjacent to each other 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.

36. The backlighting system of claim 29 wherein the second plurality of modules is arranged in spatial relationship to the first plurality of modules.

37. The backlighting system of claim 28 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.

38. The backlighting system of claim 28 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.

39. A cabinet sign comprising the backlighting system of claim 26.

40. The cabinet sign of claim 39 wherein the light emitting diodes have a box sign depth factor of about 1.4 or less.

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

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

a printed wiring board;

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

an overmold attached to the printed wiring board on the first surface;

a protective element located on top of each LED to protect the diode of each LED from physical contact; and

an interconnectivity component that facilitates an electrical connection between the module and one or more disparate modules.

42. The module of claim 41, wherein the interconnectivity element is one of a male connector and a female connector connected to a module through a wire.

43. The module of claim 41, wherein the module comprises a parallelogram having a central aperture.

44. The module of claim 41, wherein the module further comprises an element bisecting the central aperture.

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

a plurality of interconnected modules configured in a first array, each module electrically coupled to at least one other module; and

a plurality of light emitting diodes located on the surface of each module, each diode located a predetermined distance from each other.

47. The backlighting system of claim 45, 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.