Method for LED-module assembly

• US 8,101,434 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ruud Lighting Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Guillien, Wayne, Siebers, Scot, Kapellusch, Joel, Wilcox, Kurt S.
• Primary Examiner(s): REAMES, MATTHEW L
• Application Number:
  US12/473,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20090298376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 438/15, 438/26, 257/E21.499
• US Class Current: 438/15
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/005 Sealing arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A method for LED-module assembly comprising the steps of providing a base portion with a base inner surface and a cover with a cover inner surface which together define a module interior, the cover having at least one opening therethrough; putting a sealing member into the module interior; positioning an LED lens into the cover opening; aligning an LED emitter and the LED lens within the module interior; sealing the module interior by securing the base portion with respect to the cover. The LED emitter is powered for imaging of the LED module to test light-output characteristics. A specific type of the LED lens is selected and its type and orientation are verified. The step of vacuum testing checks for water-air/tightness of the sealing of LED-module interior. A central database provides assembly and testing parameters to automated tool(s) performing each particular step. Each LED module includes a unique machine-identifiable module-marking with which the data related to each individual LED module is associated and stored in the central database.

Claims

1. A method for LED-module assembly comprising the steps of:

providing a base portion with a base inner surface and a cover with a cover inner surface which together define a module interior, the cover having at least one opening therethrough and a plurality of screw holes;

putting a sealing member into the module interior;

positioning an LED lens into the cover opening;

aligning an LED emitter and the LED lens within the module interior;

sealing the module interior by inserting a screw into each but one of the screw holes to secure the base portion with respect to the cover;

vacuum testing for water-air/tightness of the sealing of LED-module interior;

powering the LED emitter; and

imaging the LED module to test light-output characteristics.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the cover includes a plurality of openings;

a specific type of the LED lens is placed into each opening; and

the aligning step includes a plurality of LED emitters on a mounting board, each emitter being aligned with a corresponding LED lens.

3. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:

selecting a specific type of the LED lens; and

verifying the LED-lens type and its orientation.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the steps of positioning and verifying of the lens are performed by a robot incorporating a vision system.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the LED lens includes a machine-identifiable lens-indicia; and

the verifying step is accomplished by the vision system reading the machine-identifiable lens-indicia.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of inserting screws is performed by an automated screwdriver capable of controlling the torque utilized during the insertion.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the cover further includes a power connection.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the power connection is in a form of a wireway opening; and

prior to the vacuum-testing, the sealing of the interior includes the step of sealing the wireway opening.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the vacuum-testing step utilizes the screw hole without a screw therein as an access point for vacuum testing.

10. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing a central database providing assembly and testing parameters.

11. The method of claim 10 being performed by an automated system receiving instructions from the central database for each particular step preformed by automated tool(s) from which the central database collects and stores data related to the lens, vacuum-testing parameters and light-output characteristics.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the LED module includes a unique machine-identifiable module-marking;

a set of the method steps is repeated multiple times to create a plurality of LED modules; and

the method further includes the step of reading the unique machine-identifiable module-marking;

whereby the data related to the lens, vacuum-testing parameters and light-output characteristics of each individual LED module is associated with the unique machine-identifiable module-marking.

13. The method of claim 1 further including the step of providing a central database providing assembly and testing parameters.

14. The method of claim 13 whereby the central database collects and stores data related to the LED lens and light-output characteristics.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the LED module includes a unique machine-identifiable module-marking;

the method is repeated multiple times to create a plurality of LED modules; and

the method further includes the step of reading the unique machine-identifiable module-marking,

whereby the data related to the lens and light-output characteristics of an individual LED module is associated with the unique machine-identifiable module-marking.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the base portion includes a heat sink.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the imaging of the LED module is utilized to test intensity, light distribution and color temperature of light from the LED emitter.

18. A method of LED-module assembly comprising the steps of:

providing a base portion with a base inner surface and a cover with a cover inner surface which together define a module interior, the cover having at least one opening therethrough;

placing the cover with its inner surface facing up providing LED-lens gravity retention within the cover opening prior to installing the base portion over the cover;

putting a sealing member over the cover inner surface;

positioning an LED lens into the cover opening;

aligning an LED emitter over the LED lens;

sealing the module interior by installing the base portion over the cover;

vacuum testing the sealing for water/air-tightness of the LED-module interior.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein:

the cover includes a plurality of screw holes; and

prior to the vacuum-testing step, the sealing of the interior includes the step of inserting a screw into each but one of the screw holes.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of inserting screws is performed by an automated screwdriver capable of controlling the torque utilized during the insertion.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the vacuum-testing step utilizes the screw hole without a screw therein as an access point for vacuum testing.

19. A method of LED-module assembly comprising the steps of:

providing a base portion with a base inner surface and a cover with a cover inner surface which together define a module interior, the cover having at least one opening therethrough and a plurality of screw holes;

putting a sealing member into the module interior;

positioning an LED lens into the cover opening;

aligning an LED emitter and the LED lens within the module interior;

sealing the module interior by securing the base portion with respect to the cover by inserting a screw into each but one of the screw holes; and

vacuum testing the sealing for water-air/tightness of the LED-module interior.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of inserting screws is performed by an automated screwdriver capable of controlling the torque utilized during the insertion.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the vacuum-testing step utilizes the screw hole without a screw therein as an access point for vacuum testing.