LED string light engine

• US 7,160,140 B1
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: Gelcore (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Mrakovich, Matthew, Brengartner, Ronald Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey; James R.
• Application Number:
  US11/180,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20070015396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 439417-420
• US Class Current: 439/417
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/002 making direct electrical contact, e.g. by piercing F21V21/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/002 Arrangements of cables or conductors inside a lighting device, e.g. means for guiding along parts of the housing or in a pivoting arm
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 27/02 Cable inlets
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/507 of means for protecting lighting devices from damage, e.g. housings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/87 Organic material, e.g. filled polymer composites; Thermo-conductive additives or coatings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/00 Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
• 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: H01R 12/675 with contacts having at least a slotted plate for penetration of cable insulation, e.g. insulation displacement contacts for round conductor flat cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/2433 one part of the base being movable to push the cable into the slot

Abstract

A string light engine includes a plurality of LEDs, a plurality of IDC connectors, and an insulated flexible conductor. Each IDC connector is in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of LEDs and is operatively mechanically connected to at least one of the plurality of LEDs. The IDC connectors attach to the conductor.

Claims

1. A string light engine comprising:

a flexible insulated electrical conductor;

a first support comprising a dielectric layer and circuitry;

a first IDC connector extending away from the first support and in electrical communication with the circuitry of the first support, the first IDC connector comprising a terminal that is inserted into the conductor to provide an electrical connection between the conductor and the circuitry of the first support;

a first LED mounted on the first support and in electrical communication with the circuitry of the first support; and

a first overmolded housing at least substantially surrounding the first support and a portion of the conductor adjacent the first support.

2. The light engine of claim 1, further comprising:

a second support comprising a dielectric layer and circuitry, the second support being spaced from the first support along a length of the conductor;

a second IDC connector extending away from the second support and in electrical communication with the circuitry of the second support, the second IDC connector comprising a terminal that is inserted into the conductor to provide an electrical connection between the conductor and the circuitry of the second support;

a second LED mounted on the second support and in electrical communication with the circuitry of the second support; and

a second overmolded housing at least substantially surrounding the second support and a portion of the conductor adjacent the second support.

3. The light engine of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first support and the second support comprises a printed circuit board.

4. The light engine of claim 2, wherein the circuitry of the first support is electrically different than the circuitry of the second support, and the first IDC connector and the second IDC connector have the same electrical configuration.

5. The light engine of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first housing and the second housing includes a strain relief member configured to limit any forces on the conductor that are external the housing to transfer to the portion of the conductor disposed within the housing.

6. The light engine of claim 2, further comprising a mounting element connected to at least one of the conductor, the first housing and the second housing.

7. The light engine of claim 2, wherein the first overmolded housing and the second overmolded housing are formed as an integral unit.

8. The light engine of claim 1, wherein the conductor includes a twist such that a first portion of the conductor that is spaced from the first support along the length of the conductor resides in a first plane and a second portion of the conductor where the terminal of the first IDC connector is inserted resides in a second plane that is generally perpendicular to the first plane.

9. The light engine of claim 8, wherein the first support resides in a plane that is generally parallel to the second plane.

10. The light engine of claim 1, wherein the first IDC connector is mechanically connected to the first support.

11. The light engine of claim 1, wherein the conductor includes a first conductor wire, a second conductor wire and a third conductor wire.

12. The light engine of claim 11, wherein the first IDC connector includes a first terminal that contacts the first conductor wire, a second terminal that contacts the second conductor wire, a third terminal that contacts the third conductor wire and a fourth terminal that contacts the third conductor wire.

13. The light engine of claim 12, further comprising an insulative barrier disposed between the third terminal and the fourth terminal.

14. The light engine of claim 1, wherein the first overmolded housing comprises a thermoplastic elastomer material.

15. A thin, low-profile string light engine comprising:

a plurality of LEDs;

a plurality of IDC connectors, each IDC connector being in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of LEDs and operatively mechanically connected to at least one of the plurality of LEDs;

an insulated flexible conductor including at least two wires, the IDC connectors including a terminal inserted into the conductor, the conductor including a first portion where the IDC connector is inserted into the conductor where the at least two wires reside generally in a first plane and a second portion spaced along a length of the conductor from the first portion, in the second portion the at least two wires reside in a second plane that is at an angle other than 180°

as compared to the first plane.

16. The light engine of claim 15, wherein the conductor includes a twist disposed between the first portion and the second portion.

17. The light engine of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of supports, each support being connected to at least one of the IDC connectors and at least one of the LEDs.

18. The light engine of claim 15, further comprising an overmolded housing at least partially encapsulating at least one of the plurality of LEDs, at least one of the plurality of IDC connectors and at least a portion of the flexible conductor.

19. The light engine of claim 18, wherein the overmolded housing comprises material having heat conductive properties that are greater than air.