LIGHTING ASSEMBLY

• US 20120176035A1
• Filed: 09/23/2010
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Alloway, Michael J., Tungjunyatham, Justin
• Application Number:
  US13/497,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20120176035A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/77
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 having LEDs disposed in parallel lines

Abstract

Lighting assemblies having an electrical cable, light emitting diodes, and control circuits. The lighting assemblies are useful, for example in vehicles (e.g., automobile, trucks, etc.), as well as task lighting accent lighting, merchandise display lighting, and back lighting applications.

Claims

1. A flexible lighting assembly comprising:

a flexible cable having a length and comprising electrical conductors to provide electrical circuit paths;

a first electrical group comprising;

at least one of a first electrical resistor or a first diode, a first light emitting diode, and a control circuit electrically connected sequentially in series; and

a second electrical group comprising;

a first light emitting diode and a control circuit electrically connected sequentially in series;

wherein the first and second electrical groups are electrically connected in parallel to electrical connectors of the flexible cable, and wherein when the light assembly is energized, the first light emitting diode of the first electrical group and the first light emitting diode of the second electrical group draw the same level of power.

2. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical group further comprises a second light emitting diode electrically connected sequentially in series between the first light emitting diode and the control circuit of the first electrical group, wherein the second electrical group further comprises a second light emitting diode electrically connected sequentially in series between the first light emitting diode and the control circuit of the second electrical group, and wherein when the light assembly is energized, the light emitting diodes draw the same level of power.

3. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical group further comprises a second light emitting diode and a third light emitting diode electrically connected in said order sequentially in series between the first light emitting diode and the control circuit of the first electrical group, wherein the second electrical group further comprises a second light emitting diode and a third light emitting diode electrically connected in said order electrically connected sequentially in series between the first light emitting diode and the control circuit of the second electrical group, and wherein when the light assembly is energized, the light emitting diodes draw the same level of power.

4. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical group further comprises a second light emitting diode, a third light emitting diode, and a fourth light emitting diode electrically connected in said order sequentially in series between the first light emitting diode and the control circuit of the first electrical group, wherein the second electrical group further comprises a second light emitting diode, a third light emitting diode, and a fourth light emitting diode electrically connected in said order electrically connected sequentially in series between the first light emitting diode and the control circuit of the second electrical group, and wherein when the light assembly is energized, the light emitting diodes draw the same level of power.

5. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first electrical group further comprises a second light emitting diode, a third light emitting diode, a fourth light emitting diode, a fifth light emitting diode electrically connected in said order sequentially in series between the first light emitting diode and the control circuit of the first electrical group, wherein the second electrical group further comprises a second light emitting diode, a third light emitting diode, a fourth light emitting diode, and a fifth light emitting diode electrically connected in said order electrically connected sequentially in series between the first light emitting diode and the control circuit of the second electrical group, and wherein when the light assembly is energized, the light emitting diodes draw the same level of power.

6. The lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting diodes each have a power usage rating up to 2 watts, 1.5 watts, 1.25 watts, 1.1 watts, or 1 watt.

11. The lighting assembly according to claim 1 having at least 2 light emitting diodes per length of at least 300 cm.

12. The lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control circuits include a temperature monitoring function.

13. A plurality of lighting assemblies according to claim 1 linearly connected electrically in series.

14. A vehicle comprising the flexible lighting assembly according to claim 1.

17. The lighting assembly according to claim 1, which is task lighting.

18. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one control circuit comprises an LED current regulator, a trim potentiometer, and a resistor to set the thermal monitor threshold where the output current starts to be reduced with increasing temperature.

19. The light assembly according to claim 18, wherein the at least one control circuit further comprises an associated sense resistor for current level selection.

20. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit of the first electrical group regulates the current to the light emitting diode preceding it and provides power to any subsequent light emitting diode electrically connected thereto.

21. The light assembly according to claim 20, wherein the control circuit of the first electrical group comprises an associated sense resistor for current level selection.

22. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the control circuits comprises a circuit board that is electrically connected to the flexible cable via at least one electrical connection protrusion in the form of a solder bump made of a first metal composition having a first melting point, having an exposed outer surface, and being present on the circuit board, and a second metal composition having a second melting point, lower than the first melting point, being disposed around the remaining exposed outer surface of the protrusion, wherein there is a distinct line of demarcation between the protrusion and the second metal composition.

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

15. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the flexible lighting assembly is a brake center light.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15, which is an automobile or a truck.