Lamp housing containing an integrated LED support structure

• US 6,988,819 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: Guide Corporation (Vehicle Lighting Incorporated)
• Inventors: Siktberg, Fred D., Heiniger, Jerry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US10/656,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20050052865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 362/545, 362/311, 362/226, 362/800, 362/240, 313/512
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/00 Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0999 Circuit printed on or in housing, e.g. housing as PCB; Circuit printed on the case of a component; PCB affixed to housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/202 using self-supporting metal foil pattern

Abstract

A lamp assembly with an integrated Light Emitting Diode support frame is described. An electrically conductive lead frame is encapsulated in between the interior and exterior surfaces of a lamp housing. Surface mounted LED light sources and associated drive components are attached to the lead frame, and thus to the housing. A positive terminal and a negative terminal are formed from the lead frame on the inside to the outside of the housing, so that electricity may be transmitted from an external source to the LED light sources on the inside of the housing. The LED light sources are energized by the conductive lead frame formed into or onto the housing, thus eliminating the need for a separate printed circuit board with a conductive lead frame.

Claims

1. A lamp assembly comprising:

a. a housing having an interior surface and an exterior surface;

b. a conductive lead frame insert molded so that the conductive lead frame is encapsulated in between the interior surface and the exterior surface of the housing, the conductive lead frame having at least one positive connection pad, located at the interior surface of the housing, at least one negative connection pad located substantially adjacent to the at least one positive connection pad at the interior surface of the housing, and a means to electrically communicate the at least one positive connection pad and the at least one negative connection pad to the exterior surface of the housing so that electricity can pass through the lead frame and the at least one positive connection pad and at least one negative connection pad; and

c. at least one light emitting diode light source positioned inside the housing and electrically connected across the at least one negative connection pad and the at least one positive connection pad.

2. The lamp assembly of claim 1, further comprising LED drive components electrically connected across the at least one negative connection pad and the at least one positive connection pad.

3. The lamp assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lens attached to the housing.

4. The lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein the interior surface is formed into a reflector arranged to reflect light emitted from the at least one light emitting diode light source out of the housing in a desired pattern.

5. The lamp assembly of claim 1, where the at least one light emitting diode light source may be operable to emit light of any wavelength.

6. The lamp assembly of claim 1, where the conductive lead frame comprises a positive lead line and a negative lead line electrically connected respectively to the at least one positive connection pad and the at least one negative connection pad.

7. The lamp assembly of claim 6, wherein the means for electrically communicate the at least one positive connection pad and at least one negative connection pad comprises a positive terminal extending from the exterior of the housing and electrically connected to the positive lead line, and a negative terminal extending from the exterior surface of the housing and electrically connected to the negative lead line, where the positive terminal and the negative terminal can be connected to an external source of electricity.

12. The lamp assembly of claim 1, wherein the light emitting diode light source may be operable to emit light of any combination of wavelengths.

8. A method for manufacturing a lamp assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a conductive lead frame, the conductive lead frame comprising at least one positive connection pad and at least one negative connection pad;

b. inserting the conductive lead frame into a molding cavity;

c. molding a housing with an interior surface and an exterior surface around the lead frame in the molding cavity by injecting a plastic resin into the molding cavity, so that the conductive lead frame is encapsulated by the housing and the at least one positive connection pad and at least one negative connection pad extend to the interior surface of the housing;

d. removing the housing with the lead frame molded therein from the molding cavity; and

e. electrically connecting at least one light emitting diode to the lead frame across said at least one positive connection pad and said at least one negative connection pad inside the housing.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the provided lead frame further comprises a plurality of terminal holes, at least one positive lead line, and at least one negative lead line electrically connected to one another and the at least one positive connection pad and at least one negative connection pad.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the provided lead frame further comprises a plurality of tie bars that hold the lead frame together.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of removing the tie bars from the lead frame.