Indicating light

• US 4,812,814 A
• Filed: 07/21/1988
• Issued: 03/14/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Magnadyne Corporation
• Original Assignee: Magnadyne Corporation
• Inventors: Elliott, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US07/222,141
• Time in Patent Office: 236 Days
• Field of Search: 340/332, 340/52 F, 340/971, 340/973, 340/79, 340/525, 340/691, 340/693, 340/760, 340/762, 340/766, 340/782, 340/815.03, 340/815.15, 340/815.14, 340/815.2 , 340/815.16, 362/226, 362/293, 362/294, 362/800, 362/249, 362/812, 362/311, 362/326, 362/307, 362/362
• US Class Current: 340/332
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/14 lighting through the surface to be illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An indicating light for use in a vehicle or the like having a main housing with an LED unit mounted therein. The LED unit has at least a pair of LED lights. The contact of one of the LEDs is coupled to a contact extending out of the housing and the contact of the other LED is coupled to one lead of a resistor, the other lead being coupled to a spring clip contact having one leg mounted in the housing and the other leg extending out of the housing providing both a ground and a retaining member for the LED when mounted in a suitable aperture in the application. A lens closes off the upper portion of the housing and the light emitted from the LED unit is distributed uniformly and evenly across the entire surface of the lens without "hot spots" or areas of minimal lighting.

Claims

1. An indicating light comprising:

a main housing having a top and bottom portion with an internal cavity in the bottom portion with an opening along the bottom of said cavity;

an LED unit having a box with a plurality of spaced LEDs therein mounted in said cavity, each of said LEDs having a contact extending out through said opening and below said cavity, each of said LEDs being interconnected by an electrically conductive element, said element also extending out through said opening below said cavity;

an elongated metallic contact mounted in said housing and extending away from the bottom portion thereof electrically connected to the contact of one of said LEDs;

a generally U-shaped metallic contact mounted in said housing having one leg electrically connected to one lead of a resistor mounted in the bottom portion of said housing below said cavity and the other leg extending out of said housing providing a ground for said light, said resistor having a second lead electrically connected to the contact of the other of said LEDs; and

a lens mounted in the top portion of said housing closing off the upper open end of said cavity.

2. In the light of claim 1 wherein the interior of said cavity is coated with a white plastic material.

3. In the light of claim 1 wherein said box is a hardened opaque resin material.

4. In the light of claim 3 wherein said resin material is tinted green.

5. In the light of claim 1 wherein said lens is tinted yellow.

6. In the light of claim 1 wherein indicia is provided in said lens differently contrasted from the remainder of said lens.

7. In the light of claim 6 wherein said lens is tinted yellow and said indicia is white.

8. In the lens of claim 1 wherein said resistor has a value between 330 to 470 ohms.

9. In the lens of claim 8 wherein said resistor has a value of 390 ohms.

10. In the light of claim 1 wherein said conductive element is bent against the inside of the bottom portion of said housing below said opening.

11. In the light of claim 1 wherein two LED lights are provided.

12. In the light of claim 1 wherein said U-shaped metallic contact is a spring clip having resilient means for biasing said light in position when inserted into an opening in an application.

13. In the light of claim 1 including an end cover snap fitting onto the bottom portion of said housing closing off the same, said elongated contact extending through a slot in said end cover and away therefrom.

14. In the light of claim 1 wherein said lens is a diffuser lens.