Thermal insulating and impact resistant indicator light apparatus

• US 6,069,447 A
• Filed: 07/14/1998
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Appleton Electric LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: EGS Electrical Group LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Mina, Nabil L., Vilanilam, Santosh
• Primary Examiner(s): Shingleton, Michael B
• Application Number:
  US09/115,461
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 315/56, 315/71, 315/58, 315/324, 362/800, 362/29, 439/375
• US Class Current: 315/56
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/043 actuated by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 25/12 Flameproof or explosion-proof arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/04 Provision of filling media
• 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: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A housing sealed to a glass jewel forming a chamber in which is placed light emitting diodes mounted to a printed circuit board with other electrical components. The chamber is filled with a silicon elastomer which thermally insulates the glass jewel and enhances its impact resistance.

Claims

1. An indicator light apparatus comprising a combination:

a housing having an interior cavity;

a glass dome connected in sealing engagement to said housing and forming another interior cavity wherein said housing interior cavity and said glass dome interior cavity form a chamber;

an inner frame mounted within said chamber;

an LED light source supported by said inner frame mounted within said chamber; and

a clear elastomer having good thermal conducting properties and being generally soft and flexible for filling said chamber for dissipating heat from said LED light source and for enhancing impact resistance of said glass dome.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said glass dome is a glass jewel.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

said clear elastomer is a silicon elastomer.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said glass dome is a glass jewel; and

said clear elastomer is a silicon elastomer.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 including:

a circuit board and electrical components mounted to said inner frame.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 including:

means connected to said LED light source for providing electrical power to said LED light source.