Reeled L.E.D. assembly

• US 6,505,956 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lektron Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lektron Industrial Supply, Inc.
• Inventors: Hannah, Kevin W., Priddy, G. Robert, Slayden, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUSAR, STEPHEN F
• Application Number:
  US09/748,536
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 313/500, 313/511, 362/238, 362/249, 362/800, 362/252, 362/812, 340/815.45
• US Class Current: 362/249.04
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/007 with provision for shipment or storage
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/36 Assembling printed circuits with other printed circuits H05K7/142 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/812 Signs

Abstract

A reeled L.E.D. lighting system has a plurality of rigid circuit boards, each circuit board having a plurality of light emitting diodes dispersed on one face thereof, the diodes being electrically connected between positive and negative terminals of their respective circuit board, the circuit boards being electrically connected in parallel with each other and structurally connected in series with each other by a plurality of pairs of flexible conductors connecting the positive and negative terminals of the circuit boards, the structural series connection providing a chain of the circuit boards and conductors, the chain being spirally wound about a spool of a reel for every dispersion into and attachment to a light housing.

Claims

1. A lighting system comprising a plurality of rigid circuit boards, each of said circuit boards having a plurality of light emitting diodes dispersed on one face thereof, said diodes being electrically connected between first and second terminals on their respective circuit board, said circuit boards being electrically connected in parallel with each other and structurally connected in series with each other by a plurality of pairs of flexible conductors connecting said first and second terminals of said circuit boards, said structural series connection providing a flexible chain of said circuit boards and conductors.

2. A lighting system according claim 1 further comprising a plurality of channel clips, one engaged with each of said circuit boards.

3. A lighting system according to claim 2 further comprising a plurality of segments of double-backed adhesive, one adhered to each of said channel clips.

4. A lighting system according to claim 1, each said circuit board having at least one resistor electrically connected in series with said light emitting diodes of its respective circuit board, said at least one resistor being sized to limit current through its said diodes to a predetermined value.

5. A system according to claim 1, said light emitting diodes being dispersed on their respective circuit boards in a geometric pattern predetermined to disperse light over a predetermined geometric area.

6. A system according to claim 5, said light emitting diodes of each of said circuit boards being dispersed in said geometric pattern.

7. A system according to claim 6, said light emitting diodes of each said circuit board aligned in a direction of a length of said chain being dispersed at equal intervals.

8. A system according to claim 7, said pairs of conductors being of equal length.

9. A system according to claim 8, said conductor length being predetermined to space all said diodes of said plurality of circuit boards aligned in a direction of a length of said chain at equal intervals.

10. A system according to claim 6, said light emitting diodes of each said circuit board aligned in a direction transverse to a length of said chain being dispersed at equal intervals.

11. A system according to claim 5, said geometric pattern being a square.

12. A system according to claim 11, said conductors being of a length predetermined to disperse said light emitting diodes at equal intervals along a length of said chain.

13. A system according to claim 1, said chain being spirally wound about a spool of a reel.

14. A lighting system comprising a plurality of rigid circuit boards, each of said circuit boards having a plurality of light emitting diodes dispersed on one face thereof, said diodes being electrically connected between first and second terminals on their respective circuit board, said circuit boards being electrically connected in parallel with each other and structurally connected in series with each other by a plurality of pairs of flexible conductors connecting said first and second terminals of said circuit boards, said structural series connection providing a flexible chain of said circuit boards and conductors and a plurality of channel clips, one engaged with each of said circuit boards, each of said clips having a tab extending from an edge thereof parallel to a direction of said chain.