Electrical device having boardless electrical component mounting arrangement
First Claim
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1. A method of forming an electrical device, the method comprising:
- cutting a sheet of conductive material to form a circuit having at least two electrically conductive circuit elements, each having first and second opposite sides;
securing at least one electrical component to the first sides of the circuit elements;
positioning the circuit and electrical component in a first mold cavity having a first shape;
molding thermoplastic polymer material around the electrical component while it is in the first mold cavity to encapsulate the electrical component in a protective enclosure of polymer material and define an intermediate light assembly, the protective enclosure having a first portion in contact with the first sides of the conductive circuit elements around the electrical component, the protective enclosure having peripheral edge portions extending around at least a portion of the electrical component;
positioning the circuit element and electrical component in a second mold cavity having a second shape that is substantially different than the first shape;
molding thermoplastic polymer material over at least a portion of the protective enclosure while at least a substantial portion of the intermediate light assembly is disposed in the second mold cavity.
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Abstract
An electrical device such as an LED light assembly includes a conductive circuit and one or more electrical components connected to the circuit. The electrical components and the circuit are at least partially overmolded with a thermoplastic polymer material to encapsulate the components. The material utilized to cover the circuit and/or electrical components may also be utilized to form a housing or other structure of a finished part.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method of forming an electrical device, the method comprising:
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cutting a sheet of conductive material to form a circuit having at least two electrically conductive circuit elements, each having first and second opposite sides; securing at least one electrical component to the first sides of the circuit elements; positioning the circuit and electrical component in a first mold cavity having a first shape; molding thermoplastic polymer material around the electrical component while it is in the first mold cavity to encapsulate the electrical component in a protective enclosure of polymer material and define an intermediate light assembly, the protective enclosure having a first portion in contact with the first sides of the conductive circuit elements around the electrical component, the protective enclosure having peripheral edge portions extending around at least a portion of the electrical component; positioning the circuit element and electrical component in a second mold cavity having a second shape that is substantially different than the first shape; molding thermoplastic polymer material over at least a portion of the protective enclosure while at least a substantial portion of the intermediate light assembly is disposed in the second mold cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of forming an electrical device, the method comprising:
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forming a circuit having at least two electrically conductive circuit elements that are spaced apart to define gaps between the two electrically conductive circuit elements, and wherein the two electrically conductive circuit elements are initially interconnected by connecting portions that extend across the gaps and physically interconnect the two electrically conductive circuit elements, each electrically conductive circuit element having first and second opposite sides; securing at least one electrical component to the first sides of the circuit elements; forming an intermediate assembly by molding protective thermoplastic polymer material around the one electrical component to at least partially cover the one electrical component with the polymer material; allowing the protective thermoplastic polymer material to solidify; cutting the connecting portions such that the electrically conductive circuit elements are disconnected from one another; molding additional thermoplastic polymer material over at least a portion of the protective thermoplastic polymer material; and allowing the additional thermoplastic polymer material to solidify. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of forming an electrical device, the method including:
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mechanically cutting sheet metal to form first and second conductive circuit elements having first and second sides and defining gaps between the first and second circuit elements; securing a plurality of electrical components to the first and second conductive circuit elements; providing a mold cavity having a first cavity portion and a second cavity portion, and a passageway defining a shape and interconnecting the first and second cavity portions; molding first thermoplastic polymer material onto at least a portion of the first sides of the first and second conductive circuit elements by introducing molten thermoplastic polymer material into the first cavity portion; causing molten thermoplastic polymer material to flow through the passageway from the first cavity portion to the second cavity portion to thereby mold protective thermoplastic polymer material over at least a portion of the first sides of the first and second conductive circuit elements; permitting the thermoplastic polymer material in the mold cavity to solidify; and
wherein;the thermoplastic polymer material forms enclosures that extend at least partially over and around the electrical components and contact the first sides of the first and second conductive circuit elements, and wherein the enclosures are connected to the first thermoplastic polymer material by thermoplastic polymer material forming a connector having a shape corresponding to the shape of the passageway. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification