Light emitting module

• US 7,088,904 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LED Lighting, Engineering & Design, Corp.
• Original Assignee: Patrick Henry Jr. Ryan
• Inventors: Ryan, Patrick Henry Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahll, Jerry T
• Application Number:
  US11/304,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20060093308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 237 Days
• Field of Search: 362/218
• US Class Current: 385/147
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/62 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls

Abstract

A light-emitting module structurally suspended between a pair of spaced apart electrical conducting wires wherein each of the wires has selected portions that are electrically insulated from the module. The light emitting module, in concert with the electrical conducting wires, provides structural support for the light emitter portion of the light emitting module via the connections to the insulated and non-insulated portions of the electrical conducting wires. A plurality of light emitting modules may be ganged together in series, parallel or series-parallel electrical configurations to produce chains of light emitting modules. The chains of light emitting modules produce selected or desired illumination depending on the quantity of light emitting modules being ganged together.

Claims

1. A light emitting module being operationally disposed between two electrical conducting wires wherein each electrical conducting wire has selected insulated portions disposed thereabout, comprising:

a) a first heat-sink bounded by a perimeter, said first heat-sink adjacently spaced to a second heat-sink bounded by a perimeter, each said heat-sink having a facing perimeter edge;

b) said first heat-sink being connectively suspended between the selected insulated portions of the two electrical conducting wires;

c) means for electrically connecting said first heat-sink to the first electrical conducting wire;

d) said second heat-sink being connectively suspended between the selected insulated portions of the two electrical conducting wires;

e) means for electrically connecting said second heat-sink to the second electrical conducting wire; and

f) a selected light emitter operationally connected between said first and said second heat-sinks.

2. The light-emitting module of claim 1, wherein said selected light emitter is a light emitting diode.

3. The light-emitting module of claim 1, wherein said selected light emitter comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically connected in parallel.

4. The light-emitting module of claim 1, wherein said first heat-sink is electrically conductive.

5. The light-emitting module of claim 1, wherein said second heat-sink is electrically conductive.

6. The light-emitting module of claim 1, wherein said first heat-sink is thermally conductive.

7. The light-emitting module of claim 1, wherein said second heat-sink is thermally conductive.

8. The light-emitting module of claim 1, wherein the connectivity of said first and said second heat-sinks to their respective wires being selected from a group consisting of crimping, soldering, spot welding, bonding and alloying.

9. The light-emitting module of claim 1, wherein said means for electrically connecting said first heat-sink to the first electrical conducting wire comprises:

a) an outwardly projecting tab extending from the perimeter of said first heat-sink;

b) a selected resistor having one end connected to said outwardly projecting tab; and

c) said selected resistor'"'"'s other end being operationally disposed to the first electrical conducting wire.

10. The light-emitting module of claim 1, wherein said second heat-sink is fabricated from material having a thermal gradient sufficient to conduct heat away from the light emitter.

11. The light-emitting module of claim 10, wherein said second heat-sink'"'"'s fabrication material is selected from a group consisting of copper, aluminum, gold and silver.

12. The light-emitting module of claim 1, further comprising:

g) a semi-circular elongated translucent tube, said semi-circular elongated translucent tube'"'"'s rounded body portion being hinged to a flat bottom portion;

h) said flat bottom portion being detachably secured to said rounded body portion; and

i) said semi-circular elongated translucent tube sized to receive said first and second heat-sinks insertable via said detachably secured flat bottom portion.

13. The light-emitting module of claim 1, further comprising:

g) an arcuate translucent cover having a bottom surface;

h) a plurality of cylindrical columns having one end of each column connected to said bottom surface; and

i) said arcuate translucent cover juxtaposition said first and second heat-sinks, the other end of each said cylindrical column connectively engaging said first and second heat-sinks.

14. The light-emitting module of claim 1, further comprising:

g) a vacuum formable opaque plane being juxtaposition a vacuum mold, said vacuum formable opaque plane having embedded therein a plurality of said first and second heat-sinks connected in a serpentine configuration;

h) a vacuum formable translucent plane juxtaposition said vacuum formable opaque plane;

i) said vacuum formable translucent and opaque planes being formed to the shape of said vacuum mold;

whereby said serpentine configuration of said first and second heat-sinks elongated into a substantially aligned array via the forming of said first and second heat-sinks to the shape of said vacuum mold.

15. A light emitting module being operationally disposed between two electrical conducting wires wherein each electrical conducting wire has selected insulated portions disposed thereabout, comprising:

a) a first substantially rectangular member adjacently spaced to a second substantially rectangular member, each said member having a facing edge;

b) said first substantially rectangular member having one short side connectively disposed about the selected insulated portion of the first electrical conducting wire;

c) means for electrically connecting said first substantially rectangular member to the first electrical conducting wire;

d) said second substantially rectangular member having a selected portion of one long side connectively disposed about the second electrical conducting wire; and

e) a selected light emitter operationally connected between said first and said second rectangular members.

16. The light-emitting module of claim 15, further comprising:

f) said first substantially rectangular member'"'"'s other short side connectively disposed about the selected insulated portion of the second electrical conducting wire;

g) a selected portion of the other long side of said second rectangular member connectively disposed about the selected insulated portions of the first electrical conducting wire; and

h) a selected portion of one long side of said second rectangular member connectively disposed about the selected insulated portion of the second electrical conducting wire.

17. The light-emitting module of claim 16, wherein said selected light emitter is a light emitting diode.

18. The light-emitting module of claim 16, wherein said selected light emitter comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically connected in parallel.

19. The light-emitting module of claim 16, wherein said first substantially rectangular member is electrically conductive.

20. The light-emitting module of claim 16, wherein said second substantially rectangular member is electrically conductive.

21. The light-emitting module of claim 16, wherein said first substantially rectangular member is thermally conductive.

22. The light-emitting module of claim 16, wherein said second substantially rectangular member is thermally conductive.

23. The light-emitting module of claim 16, wherein the connectivity of said first and said second substantially rectangular members to their respective wires being selected from a group consisting of crimping, soldering, spot welding, bonding and alloying.

24. The light-emitting module of claim 16, wherein said means for connecting comprises:

a) an outwardly projecting tab disposed along one long side of said first substantially rectangular member;

b) a selected resistor having one end connected to said outwardly projecting tab; and

c) said selected resistor'"'"'s other end being operationally disposed to one of the electrical conducting wires.

25. The light-emitting module of claim 24, wherein said outwardly projecting tab is rectangularly shaped.

26. The light-emitting module of claim 16, wherein said second substantially rectangular member is fabricated from material having a thermal gradient sufficient to conduct heat away from the light emitter.

27. The light-emitting module of claim 26, wherein said second substantially rectangular member'"'"'s fabrication material is selected from a group consisting of copper, aluminum, gold and silver.

28. A light emitting module being operationally disposed between two electrical conducting wires wherein each electrical conducting wire has selected insulated portions disposed thereabout, comprising:

a first substantially rectangular member adjacently spaced to a second substantially rectangular member, said first substantially rectangular member having one long side facing one of said second substantially rectangular member'"'"'s short sides;

b) said first rectangular member having one short side connectively disposed about the selected insulated portion of the first electrical conducting wire;

c) said first rectangular member having the other short side connectively disposed about the selected insulated portion of the second electrical conducting wire;

d) a first substantially rectangular tab having one short side connected to the other long side of said first rectangular member;

e) a resistor with one end connected to said first substantially rectangular tab'"'"'s other short side;

f) said resistor'"'"'s other end is connected to the first electrical conducting wire;

g) said second rectangular member having a selected portion of one long side connectively disposed about the second electrical conducting wire;

h) said second rectangular member having a selected portion of the other long side connectively disposed about the selected insulated portion of the first electrical conducting wire;

i) said second rectangular member having a selected portion of one long side connectively disposed about the selected insulated portion of the second electrical conducting wire;

said first and said second rectangular members having a light emitter connectively suspended therebetween;

the light emitter having an anode and cathode;

l) said anode being connectively disposed to the said first substantially rectangular member;

m) said cathode being connectively disposed to the said second substantially rectangular member;

n) a second outwardly projecting tab having one end connected to the other short side of said second rectangular member; and

o) said second outwardly projecting tab'"'"'s other end outwardly extending for receiving subsequent light emitting modules.