L.E.D Lighting unit with transparent carrier panel

• US 6,270,236 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Paterial GmbH
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Brussog, Ingo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Negron, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US09/449,323
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 362/800, 362/487, 362/540, 362/541, 362/543, 362/544, 362/545, 362/249, 362/23, 362/28, 362/29, 362/587, 362/555, 362/559, 362/227, 362/311, 428/901
• US Class Current: 362/235
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2109/00 Light sources with light-generating elements disposed on transparent or translucent supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0274 Optical details, e.g. printed circuits comprising integral optical means H05K1/0269 takes precedence; coupling light guides with opto-electronic components G02B6/42
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0306 Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0108 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0326 Inorganic, non-metallic conductor, e.g. indium-tin oxide [ITO]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/901 Printed circuit

Abstract

A lighting unit includes a transparent carrier panel provided with electrically conductive structures, in particular a structured ITO layer on one side. Surface mount LEDs having terminals on both sides of a light emitting side are mounted on the carrier panel in such a way that the terminals are in contact with the conductive structures. The light emitting side faces the carrier panel.

Claims

1. A lighting unit, comprising:

a transparent carrier panel;

electrically conductive structures provided on a first side of the carrier panel;

surface mounted light emitting diodes (LEDs), each having a light emitting side and including terminals on two opposite ends of the light emitting diode, the LEDs being mounted on the carrier panel so that the terminals of the surface mounted LEDs are in contact with the conductive structures, the light emitting side of each of the LEDs facing the carrier panel.

2. The lighting unit according to claim 1, wherein the carrier panel includes optical structures on a side facing away from the LEDs, the optical structures for one of scattering and bundling light.

3. The lighting unit according to claim 1, wherein the conductive structures are made of a structured indium-tin oxide (ITO) layer.

4. The lighting unit according to claim 3, wherein the ITO layer is structured by creating separation grooves using a laser.

5. The lighting unit according to claim 1, wherein the terminals of the LEDs are connected to the conductive structures on the carrier panel via a conductive adhesive.

6. The lighting unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

additional electrically conducting contact areas applied to the conductive structures in areas of contact with the terminals of the LEDs.

7. The lighting unit according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting side of each of the LEDs is attached to the carrier panel by a transparent adhesive.

8. The lighting unit according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive structures are made of a resistor material, electrically conductive current leads being applied to the resistor material, the resistor material forming current limiting resistors for the LEDs between the current leads and the terminals of the LEDs.