Large Scale LED Display

• US 20090146919A1
• Filed: 11/19/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advance Display Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advance Display Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Shankle, Matthew W., Cox, David F., Lee, James C., Kline, Daniel S., Sarcia, Sam R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,648,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/46
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/3026 Video wall, i.e. stackable semiconductor matrix display modules video wall control systems G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A large scale LED display has a number of display panels each having a cable and spacer support structure for a number of LED modules. Adjacent display panels are connected together by a number of seam links that snap onto one cable of one of the display panels and one cable of the adjacent display panel. The cables may include a number of seam link engagement members spaced along the length of the cable and onto which the seam links snap wherein each of the seam link engagement members locates an LED module on the support structure. The LED modules include top and bottom housing sections that snap together, wherein one of the housing sections includes a seat for an electrical connector. The seat locates the connector and a printed circuit assembly within the LED module.

Claims

1. A LED display comprising:

a plurality of LED display panels, each display panel including a plurality of LED modules mounted in a plurality of rows on a support structure including a plurality of parallel cables and spacers, an LED module being spaced from an adjacent LED module in a row by a spacer mounted on a pair of adjacent cables; and

a plurality of links, each link having a first end for snapping on a cable on the edge of one LED display panel and a second end for snapping on a cable on the edge of an adjacent LED display panel to connect the display panels together.

2. A LED display as recited in claim 1 wherein a cable on the edge of the display includes a plurality of link engagement members disposed along the length of the cable, each link engagement member being aligned with a row of LED modules, wherein the links snap onto a link engagement member.

3. A LED display as recited in claim 1 wherein the spacers in a row of LED modules of the display panels are aligned and a link connecting the display panels together is aligned with the spacers in the row of LED modules.

4. A LED display as recited in claim 3 wherein the number of links connecting two display panels together is less than the number of rows of LED modules in a display panel.

5. A LED display as recited in claim 1 wherein the links provide approximately the same spacing between an LED module in one display panel and an adjacent LED module in a connected display panel as the spacing provided by a spacer between a pair of adjacent LED modules in one display panel.

6. A LED display as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the links has a cross bar extending between the first and second ends that snap on a cable, wherein the width of the cross bar is less than the width of the first and second ends.

7. A LED display comprising:

a plurality of LED display panels, each display panel including at least one column of LED modules mounted on a pair of parallel cables; and

a plurality of links, each link having a first end for snapping on a cable of one LED display panel and having a second end for snapping on a cable of another LED display panel to connect the panels together.

8. A LED display as recited in claim 7 wherein each of the links has a cross bar extending between the first and second ends that snap on a cable, wherein the width of the cross bar is less than the width of the first and second ends.

9. A LED display comprising:

a plurality of LED display panels, each display panel including at least one column of LED modules mounted on a pair of parallel cables, at least one cable of the panel having a plurality of link engagement members disposed along the length of the cable; and

a plurality of links, each link having a first end for snapping on a link engagement member of a cable of one LED display panel and having a second end for snapping on a link engagement member of a cable of another panel.

10. A LED display as recited in claim 9 wherein each of the link engagement members is a substantially cylindrical member molded onto the cable.

11. A LED display as recited in claim 9 wherein a LED module is mounted on a cable adjacent to the link engagement member.

12. A LED display as recited in claim 9 wherein each of the link engagement members locates a mounting position for a LED module on the cable.

13. A LED display as recited in claim 9 wherein each of the links has a cross bar extending between the first and second ends that snap on a link engagement member, wherein the width of the cross bar is less than the width of the first and second ends.

14. A LED display comprising:

a plurality of LED display panels, each display panel including a plurality of LED modules mounted in a plurality of rows on a support structure including a plurality of parallel cables and spacers, an LED module being spaced from an adjacent LED module in a row by a spacer wherein the spacers in a row are aligned; and

a plurality of links, each link having a first end for snapping on a cable on the edge of one LED display panel and a second end for snapping on a cable on the edge of an adjacent LED display panel to connect the display panels together, wherein a link is aligned with the spacers in a row.

15. A LED display as recited in claim 14 wherein a cable on the edge of the display includes a plurality of link engagement members disposed along the length of the cable, each link engagement member being aligned with a row of LED modules, wherein the links snap onto a link engagement member.

16. A LED display as recited in claim 15 wherein the number of links connecting two display panels together is less than the number of rows of LED modules in a display panel.

17. A LED display as recited in claim 15 wherein the links provide approximately the same spacing between an LED module in one display panel and an adjacent LED module in a connected display panel as the spacing provided by a spacer between a pair of adjacent LED modules in one display panel.

18. A LED display as recited in claim 15 wherein each of the links has a cross bar extending between the first and second ends that snap on a cable, wherein the width of the cross bar is less than the width of the first and second ends.

19. An LED module comprising:

a circuit assembly having a plurality of LEDs mounted thereon;

an electrical connector for connecting a cable carrying power and/or control signals to the circuit assembly;

a first module housing section having a seat for locating the electrical connector within the LED module wherein the cable passes through the module;

a second module housing section having apertures through which the LEDs extend, the second housing section snapping onto the first housing section; and

a potting material encapsulating the circuit assembly and electrical connector within the LED module.

20. An LED module as recited in claim 19 wherein the electrical connector has solderless pins in electrical contact with the circuit assembly.

21. An LED module as recited in claim 20 wherein the circuit assembly includes a circuit board with apertures through which the solderless pins extend wherein the circuit board rests on an upper surface of the seat for the connector.

22. An LED module as recited in claim 19 wherein the seat for the connector has a plurality of spaced walls and the circuit assembly includes a circuit board that rests on an upper surface of the walls.

23. An LED module as recited in claim 22 wherein the periphery of the seat defined by the spaced walls is less than the periphery of the circuit board.

24. An LED module as recited in claim 22 wherein the spaced walls are corner walls.

25. An LED module as recited in claim 24 wherein the seat includes four corner walls.

26. An LED module as recited in claim 22 wherein the electrical connector has a body from which electrical pins extend to electrically connect the cable to the circuit assembly and wherein the walls of the seat extend at least slightly above the body of the connector.

27. An LED module as recited in claim 26 wherein the electrical pins are solderless pins.

28. An LED module as recited in claim 19 wherein the cable is a ribbon cable and the seat has a pair of apertures therein for locating a portion of the ribbon cable within the LED module.

29. An LED module as recited in claim 28 wherein the first module housing section includes a pair of arms extending underneath the ribbon cable to provide strain relief.

30. An LED module as recited in claim 19 wherein the second housing section includes a conically shaped seal around each aperture through which the LEDs extend.

31. An LED module as recited in claim 30 wherein the conically shaped seal is an integral part of the second housing section.

32. An LED module as recited in claim 19 wherein the current assembly includes a circuit board;

the circuit board rests on an upper surface of the seat for the connector; and

the second housing section includes a plurality of members extending downwardly from the interior of the second housing section, the members abutting a surface of the circuit board opposite the surface resting on the seat.

33. An LED module as recited in claim 19 wherein the second housing section includes a plurality of fins extending outwardly from the housing adjacent the LEDs.

34. An LED module as recited in claim 33 wherein, the LED module includes at least two columns of LEDs and the second housing section includes at least one fin extending between the two columns of LEDs.

35. An LED module as recited in claim 34 wherein the second housing section includes at least one fin extending above the LEDs.

36. An LED module comprising:

a circuit assembly having a plurality of LEDs mounted thereon;

an electrical connector for connecting a cable carrying power and/or control signals to the circuit assembly;

a first module housing section having a seat defined by at least two spaced walls wherein the seat locates the electrical connector within the LED module and the seat having an upper surface upon which the circuit assembly rests;

a second module housing section having apertures through which the LEDs extend, the second housing section being joined to the first housing section; and

a potting material encapsulating the circuit assembly and electrical connector within the LED module.

37. An LED module as recited in claim 36 wherein the walls of the seat locate the corners of the connector.

38. An LED module as recited in claim 36 wherein the electrical connector has solderless pins in electrical contact with the circuit assembly.

39. An LED module as recited in claim 36 wherein the periphery of the seat defined by the spaced walls is less than the periphery of the circuit board.

40. An LED module as recited in claim 36 wherein the spaced walls are corner walls.

41. An LED module as recited in claim 36 wherein the seat includes four corner walls.

42. An LED module as recited in claim 36 wherein the electrical connector has a body from which electrical pins extend to electrically connect the cable to the circuit assembly and wherein the walls of the seat extend at least slightly above the body of the connector.

43. An LED module as recited in claim 42 wherein the electrical pins are solderless pins.

44. An LED module as recited in claim 36 wherein the cable is a ribbon cable and the seat has a pair of apertures therein for locating a portion of the ribbon cable within the LED module.

45. An LED module as recited in claim 44 wherein the first module housing section includes a pair of arms extending underneath the ribbon cable to provide strain relief.

46. An LED module as recited in claim 36 wherein the second housing section includes a conically shaped seal around each aperture through which the LEDs extend.

47. An LED module as recited in claim 46 wherein the conically shaped seal is an integral part of the second housing section.

48. An LED module as recited in claim 36 wherein the second housing section includes a plurality of fins extending outwardly from the housing adjacent the LEDs.

49. An LED module as recited in claim 48 wherein, the LED module includes at least two columns of LEDs and the second housing section includes at least one fin extending between the two columns of LEDs.

50. An LED module as recited in claim 49 wherein the second housing section includes at least one fin extending above the LEDs.

51. An LED module as recited in claim 36 wherein the second housing section includes a plurality of members extending downwardly from the interior of the second housing section, the members abutting a surface of the circuit assembly opposite the surface resting on the seat.

52. An LED module as recited in claim 36 wherein the first and second housing sections snap together.

53. An LED module as recited in claim 36 wherein the second housing section has a plurality of apertures formed in a side wall of the housing and the first housing section includes a plurality of hooks, each hook snapping into an aperture of the second housing section.