Method for manufacturing light emitting diode devices

Abstract
A plurality of LEDs are mounted on a substrate aggregation, a transparent layer is formed on the substrate aggregation. The transparent layer between adjacent divisions is removed to form an individual transparent layer and to form a groove around the individual transparent layer. The groove is filled with a reflector material to form a reflector layer. The reflector layer and the substrate are cut so as to form a reflector film on the outside wall of the individual transparent layer, thereby forming a plurality of LED devices.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing light emitting diode devices. Here, the light emitting diode (LED) device comprises an LED on a substrate, a transparent layer sealing the LED, and a reflection layer on the transparent layer.





FIGS. 6 and 7

are perspective views showing a conventional method for manufacturing LED devices.




Referring to

FIG. 6

, a plurality of LEDs


2


are securely mounted on a substrate aggregation


1


. Each of the LEDs


2


is disposed at a central position of each division for a completed LED device. Each of the LEDs is connected to a circuit on a substrate of the division by bonding wires


3


. A reflector aggregation


5


is prepared by the injection molding of a white resin such as liquid crystal polymer, PBT and PPS. The thickness of the reflector aggregation is larger than the height of the bonding wire


3


. An opening


6


is formed in the division.




The substrate aggregation


1


and the reflector aggregation


5


are adhered to each other. A transparent resin such as epoxy resin is injected in each opening


6


to form a transparent layer


4


. Because of the transparent resin, the transparent layer


4


can not be depicted in FIG.


7


. However the reference numeral


4


is written in the figure for the convenience of explanation. Thus, the LED


2


is sealed by the transparent layer


4


. After the solidifying of the transparent resin, the substrate aggregation


1


is cut by a dicing blade (not shown) along cutting lines


8


, so that a complete LED comprising a substrate


1




a


, LED


2


, a reflector frame


5




a


, and transparent layer


4


is produced.




In the above described method, it is difficult to coincide thermal expansion coefficients of the transparent resin for the transparent layer


4


and of the resin for the reflector aggregation


5


with each other, since a reflector agent is mixed in the reflector aggregation. As a result, there are troubles such as peel off of the LED, break off of the bonding wires, peel off of the reflector aggregation in heating processes.




Since the reflector aggregation is made by the injection molding, the reflector frame


5




a


can not be formed into a thin layer. Consequently, the LED device can not be made into a thin thickness.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing LED devices which resolves the above described troubles and may be made into a small size.




According to the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing light emitting diode devices comprising the steps of preparing a substrate aggregation having a plurality of divisions, mounting a plurality of LEDs on the substrate aggregation at the divisions, forming a transparent layer on the substrate aggregation, removing the transparent layer between adjacent divisions to form an individual transparent layer at each of the divisions and to form a groove around the individual transparent layer, filling the groove with a reflector material to form a reflector layer, cutting the reflector layer and the substrate so as to form a reflector film on the outside wall of the individual transparent layer, thereby forming a plurality of LED devices.




The divisions are arranged in matrix. The transparent layer and the reflector layer are made of same kind of resin.




In another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing light emitting diode devices comprising the steps of preparing a substrate aggregation having a plurality of divisions, mounting a plurality of LEDs on the substrate aggregation at the divisions, forming an individual transparent layer at each of the divisions by molding, filling a groove formed between adjacent individual transparent layer with a reflector material to form a reflector layer, cutting the reflector layer and the substrate so as to form a reflector film on an outside wall of the individual transparent layer, thereby forming a plurality of LED devices.




These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS





FIGS. 1 through 5

are perspective views showing steps of the manufacturing method of the present invention; and





FIGS. 6 and 7

are perspective views showing steps of the conventional manufacturing method.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to

FIG. 1

, a substrate aggregation


11


having a plurality of substrate divisions


11




a


in matrix is prepared by epoxy resin. A plurality of LEDs


12


are securely mounted on the substrate aggregation


11


. Each of the LEDs


12


is disposed at a central position of each substrate division


1




a


. Each of the LEDs is connected to a circuit on the substrate division


11




a


by bonding wires


13


.




The substrate aggregation


11


is disposed in a molding case (not shown). A transparent resin of epoxy resin is injected in the molding case to seal the LEDs


12


and the bonding wires


13


and solidified, thereby forming a transparent layer


15


on the substrate aggregation


11


as shown in FIG.


2


. The solidified sheet is removed from the molding case.




Referring to

FIG. 3

, the transparent layer


15


between adjacent divisions


11




a


is removed by a thick dicing blade


16


along cutting lines


17


of matrix to form a lattice groove


20


, thereby providing an individual transparent layer


18


at each division.




Next, a light reflecting resin of epoxy resin in which white pigment is mixed is injected in the lattice groove


20


to form a reflector layer


21


as shown in FIG.


4


. Since the substrate aggregation


11


, transparent layer


15


and reflector layer


21


are made of epoxy resin, these members are fixedly adhered to each other.




Referring to

FIG. 5

, adhered substrate aggregation


11


and reflector layer


21


are cut by a thin dicing blade


22


along a matrix cutting lines


23


to provide individual LED devices, remaining a reflector film


25


on the side wall of each LED device. Each LED device comprises a substrate


24


, LED


12


, transparent layer


18


, and reflector film


25


.




As another method for forming the individual transparent layers, a mold having a plurality of rectangular through-holes, each hole having the same shape as the individual transparent layer is securely mounted on the substrate aggregation, and epoxy resin is injected in each through-hole so as to seal the LED.




In accordance with the present invention, since the reflector layer is formed into a thin film by cutting, the LED device is made into a small size. The conventional reflector aggregation is adhered on the substrate aggregation. Such an adhesion process may cause positional deviation and leakage of adhesive, resulting in defective product. In the present invention, since there is no adhesion of the reflector aggregation, proper products can be manufactured.




While the invention has been described in conjunction with preferred specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A method for manufacturing light emitting diode devices comprising the steps of:preparing a substrate aggregation having a plurality of divisions; mounting a plurality of LEDs on the substrate aggregation at the divisions; forming a transparent layer on the substrate aggregation; removing the transparent layer between adjacent divisions to form an individual transparent layer at each of the divisions and to form a groove around the individual transparent layer; filling the groove with a reflector material to form a reflector layer; and cutting the reflector layer and the substrate so as to form a reflector film on the outside wall of the individual transparent layer, thereby forming a plurality of LED devices.
  • 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the divisions are arranged in matrix.
  • 3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the transparent layer and the reflector layer are made of same kind of resin.
  • 4. The method for manufacturing light emitting diode devices comprising the steps of:preparing a substrate aggregation having a plurality of divisions; mounting a plurality of LEDs on the substrate aggregation at the divisions; forming an individual transparent layer at each of the divisions by molding; filling a groove formed between adjacent individual transparent layer with a reflector material to form a reflector layer; and cutting the reflector layer and the substrate so as to form a reflector film on an outside wall of the individual transparent layer, thereby forming a plurality of LED devices.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
2001-177821 Jun 2001 JP
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number Name Date Kind
5989982 Yoshikazu et al. Nov 1999 A
6174751 Oka Jan 2003 B1
6235612 Wang et al. May 2003 B1