Cuttable illuminated panel

• US 8,188,503 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Permlight Products Inc
• Original Assignee: Permlight Products Inc
• Inventors: Lynch, Manuel, Fraitag, Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): WOJCIECHOWICZ, EDWARD JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US11/014,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,721 Days
• Field of Search: 257/99, 405/50, 405/51, 405/64, 405/76, 362/184, 362/555
• US Class Current: 257/99
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

An illumination apparatus is provided having a panel including a plurality of circuit units on a dielectric surface. The circuit units include electrically conductive traces and at least one light emitting diode (LED). At least some of the circuit units have contacts for supplying power to the LED. The circuit units are preferably electrically interconnected so that power provided to one circuit unit also supplied power to at least a group of the circuit units. The apparatus with the circuit units may be cut or shaped to a predetermined or desired shape. Also provided are methods of manufacturing, assembling, and using the illumination apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an illumination apparatus, the method comprising:

providing a generally rigid substrate with a dielectric surface;

providing a plurality of circuit units on the dielectric surface, each of the circuit units comprising a positive trace, a negative trace, electrically conductive traces between the positive and negative traces, and at least one light emitting diode (LED), a first one and a second one of the circuit units each comprising a positive contact connected to the corresponding circuit unit positive trace, and a negative contact connected to the corresponding circuit unit negative trace, so as to supply power across the LED, the first positive trace being electrically connected to the positive traces of others of the plurality of circuit units, including the positive trace of the second circuit unit;

cutting the generally rigid substrate so that the positive trace of the first circuit unit is disconnected from the positive trace of the second circuit unit, but remains connected to the positive traces of others of the plurality of circuit units;

providing at least one power connector configured to receive power from a power supply, the power connector comprising positive and negative power connector contacts adapted to mate with the positive and negative circuit unit contacts of one of said circuit units; and

connecting the power connector to the first circuit unit so that the positive and negative power connector contacts mate with the corresponding positive and negative circuit unit contacts;

wherein power is supplied to the first circuit unit and at least one other circuit unit that is electrically connected to the first circuit unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the circuit units are provided on the dielectric surface by offset printing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the circuit units are cured below 150°

Fahrenheit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the power connector is connected to the circuit unit by at least one bolt or screw.

5. A method of making an illuminated channel letter, the method comprising:

providing a back panel comprising a generally rigid substrate with a dielectric surface and an opposing outer surface, and with a plurality of circuit units formed on the dielectric surface, each circuit unit having a conductive electrical trace formed on the substrate dielectric surface, the trace configured to conduct electrical power to at least one LED that is mounted on the generally rigid substrate, the generally rigid substrate having a unitary structure;

cutting the back panel to a desired alphanumeric shape, the circuit units being distributed in an alphanumerically-shaped array generally resembling the cut alphanumeric shape of the back panel and comprising sufficient numbers of LEDs arranged in the alphanumerically-shaped array so that light emitted from the LEDs of the circuit units generally resembles the desired alphanumeric shape of the back panel;

providing side walls shaped to correspond to the back panel alphanumeric shape as cut;

assembling the side walls and back panel to form a channel in the desired alphanumeric shape, the back panel being spaced from a front edge of the side walls, the dielectric surface defining a back of the channel, the outer surface defining an outer surface of the illuminated channel letter; and

providing electrical power to the circuit units.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the LEDs of a plurality of circuit units are illuminated when electrical power is provided to one of the circuit units.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein a plurality of the circuit units provided on the back panel are electrically interconnected in parallel.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein redundant electrical pathways electrically interconnect the circuit units.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of cutting the back panel comprises disrupting at least one of the redundant electrical pathways that interconnect circuit units, and wherein at least some of the circuit units remain electrically interconnected after the step of cutting.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of cutting the back panel comprises disrupting at least one of the electrical paths of a circuit unit so that electrical power is not conducted to the corresponding LED, and wherein electrical power is conducted to LEDs of other circuit units.

11. The method of claim 5, additionally comprising forming a translucent, light diffusing cover into the desired alphanumeric shape and connecting the cover to the side walls so as to enclose the channel.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of cutting the back panel is performed after the circuit units are formed on the back panel.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of cutting the back panel comprises removing a portion of the back panel having at least one circuit unit formed thereon.