Holder and heat sink for high performance light emitting diode warning light assembly

• US 7,131,757 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PowerArc, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Fire Products Company
• Inventors: Menke, W. Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rehm, Adam C.
• Application Number:
  US10/713,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20050117365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 362/35, 362/227, 362/237, 362240-241, 362/249, 362/294, 362/306, 362/433, 362/440, 362/542, 362544-547
• US Class Current: 362/542
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0064 with provision for maintenance, e.g. changing the light bulb swivel arrangements B60Q1/0425
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle

Abstract

A signal light supporting apparatus for emergency vehicle warning signal lights employing light emitting diodes provides a secure and removable mounting for one or more of the light emitting diodes and an optic of each light emitting diode to a support casing that functions as a heat sink.

Claims

1. A signal light supporting apparatus comprising:

a support casing having a pair of walls with a spacing between the walls;

a signal light optic positioned in the spacing between the pair of walls and engaging with both of the pair of walls;

a spring brace removably attached to at least one of the pair of walls and engaging with the signal light optic, the spring brace removably holding the signal light optic in engagement with both of the pair of walls;

the spring brace being removably attached to both of the pair of walls;

the signal light optic having a concavity with an interior volume; and

,

the spring brace having a projection that projects into the concavity interior volume.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the spring brace solely removably holding the signal light optic in engagement with both of the pair of walls.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the spring brace extending across the spacing between the pair of walls and extending across the signal light optic positioned in the spacing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

each of the pair of walls having a hole in the wall; and

,

the spring brace having opposite ends with each end engaging in a hole in one of the pair of walls.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the support casing being a heat sink.

5. A signal light supporting apparatus comprising:

a support casing having a pair of walls with a spacing between the walls;

a signal light optic positioned in the spacing between the pair of walls and engaging with both of the pair of walls;

a spring brace removably attached to at least one of the pair of walls and engaging with the signal light optic, the spring brace removably holding the signal light optic in engagement with both of the pair of walls;

each wall of the pair of walls having a forward edge with a notch in the forward edge; and

,

the signal light optic having an exterior surface with portions of the exterior surface extending into the notches in the pair of walls.

6. A signal light supporting apparatus comprising:

a support casing having a pair of walls with a spacing between the walls;

a signal light optic positioned in the spacing between the pair of walls and engaging with both of the pair of walls;

a spring brace removably attached to at least one of the pair of walls and engaging with the signal light optic, the spring brace removably holding the signal light optic in engagement with both of the pair of walls;

the signal light optic being one of a plurality of signal light optics that are each positioned in the spacing between the pair of walls and engage with both of the pair of walls; and

,

the spring brace being one of a plurality of spring braces that each are removably attached to at least one of the pair of walls and engage with one of the signal light optics to removably hold the signal light optic in engagement with the pair of walls.

7. A signal light supporting apparatus comprising:

a support casing having a pair of walls with a spacing between the walls;

a signal light optic positioned in the spacing between the pair of walls and engaging with both of the pair of walls;

a spring brace removably attached to at least one of the pair of walls and engaging with the signal light optic, the spring brace removably holding the signal light optic in engagement with both of the pair of walls;

the support casing having a rear wall;

the pair of walls being a pair of side walls that project outwardly from the rear wall; and

,

an electronic circuit member mounted on the rear wall adjacent the signal light optic.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

the electronic circuit member having a light emitting diode.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a post projecting outwardly from the rear wall; and

,

the electronic circuit member being mounted on the rear wall by engaging with the post.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

the post being one of a pair of posts that project outwardly from the rear wall; and

,

the electronic circuit member being mounted on the rear wall by engaging between the pair of posts.

12. A signal light supporting apparatus comprising:

a support casing having a rear wall with a plurality of pairs of posts projecting outwardly from the rear wall; and

,

a plurality of electronic circuit members, each electronic circuit member having a light, and each electronic circuit member being independently removably mounted on the rear wall by engaging between a pair of posts.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

the rear wall being a heat sink.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

each light being a light emitting diode.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

the plurality of electronic circuit members being electronically connected in series.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of optics with each light having an optic positioned adjacent the light.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

the support casing having a pair of side walls that project outwardly from the rear wall with a spacing between the pair of side walls;

the plurality of electronic circuit members being positioned in the spacing; and

,

the plurality of optics being positioned in the spacing with each optic engaging between the pair of side walls.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a plurality of notches in the pair of side walls; and

,

each optic of the plurality of optics engaging in a pair of notches.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a plurality of spring braces, each spring brace being removably attached to the pair of side walls in a position extending over an optic of the plurality of optics and thereby removably holding the optic in the spacing between the pair of side walls.