Tabbed circuit board and method for manufacturing same

• US 7,377,787 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2007
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: iLight Technologies Incorporated (Luminii, LLC)
• Original Assignee: iLight Technologies Incorporated (Luminii, LLC)
• Inventors: Eriksson, Eric O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Khiem
• Application Number:
  US11/626,411
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 439/56, 439/58, 439/77, 362/95, 362/227, 362/800, 362/240, 362/249
• US Class Current: 439/56
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/046 Planar parts of folded PCBs making an angle relative to each other assembling printed circuits perpendicularly to each other H05K3/366
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/091 Locally and permanently deformed areas including dielectric material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09172 Notches between edge pads
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10446 Mounted on an edge soldering edge mounted components H05K3/3405; edge terminals H05K2201/1034
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A circuit board for receiving and operably connecting a plurality of electrical components generally comprises: a flexible substrate of a predetermined length and having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge; a conductive trace applied to the flexible substrate; and a plurality of integral tabs arrayed along the first lateral edge, one or more electrical components being operably connected to the conductive trace at a respective tab, and wherein each tab can be manipulated from a first position in which the tab is aligned with the remainder of the substrate to a second position in which the tab is oriented at an angle relative to the remainder of the substrate.

Claims

1. A circuit board for receiving and operably connecting a plurality of electrical components, comprising:

a flexible substrate of a predetermined length and having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge;

a conductive trace applied to said flexible substrate; and

a plurality of integral tabs arrayed along the first lateral edge, one or more electrical components being operably connected to said conductive trace at a respective tab;

wherein each said tab can be manipulated from a first position in which said tab is aligned with the remainder of said substrate to a second position in which said tab is oriented at an angle relative to the remainder of said substrate.

2. The circuit board as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrical components are light-emitting diodes.

3. The circuit board as recited in claim 1, wherein, in the second position, said tab is oriented substantially perpendicular to the remainder of said substrate.

4. An illumination device, comprising:

a plurality of light-emitting diodes;

a light-diffusing member for receiving light emitted from said light-emitting diodes; and

a tabbed circuit board for receiving said light-emitting diodes and including

a flexible substrate of a predetermined length and having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge,

a conductive trace applied to said flexible substrate, and

a plurality of integral tabs arrayed along the first lateral edge, one or more electrical components being operably connected to said conductive trace at a respective tab,

wherein each said tab can be manipulated from a first position in which said tab is aligned with the remainder of said substrate to a second position in which said tab is oriented at an angle relative to the remainder of said substrate.

5. The illumination device as recited in claim 4, and further comprising a housing that receives said light-emitting diodes and any accompanying electrical accessories.

6. The illumination device as recited in claim 5, in which said housing generally comprises a pair of side walls that define an open-ended channel, with said circuit board being received and housed in said open-ended channel.

7. The illumination device as recited in claim 6, in which internal surfaces of said side walls are constructed of or coated with a light-reflecting material.

8. The illumination device as recited in claim 6, wherein, in the second position, said tab is oriented substantially perpendicular to the remainder of said substrate.