Claims
- 1. A lighting system comprising:
a plurality of lighting modules adapted to be mounted on a surface of a heat conductive member, each module comprising: a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs); a plurality of electrically conductive contacts, each of the LEDs electrically communicating with at least one of the contacts in a manner so that the LEDs are configured in a series array between opposing first and second edges of the module; and a dielectric layer having a first side and a second side, the contacts being connected to the first side; wherein each of the modules further includes an adhesive layer adapted to fasten the module to a surface of a heat conductive member such that heat from the module is drawn into the heat conductive member through the adhesive.
- 2. A lighting system as in claim 1, wherein a module body comprises the contacts and dielectric layer, and a pair of flexible adhesive members extending from first and second edges of the module body for fastening the module body to a surface.
- 3. A lighting system as in claim 2, wherein the flexible adhesive members comprise a thermally conductive tape.
- 4. A lighting system as in claim 2, wherein the flexible adhesive members comprise a thermally conductive adhesive so that heat from the module is drawn into the heat conductive member through the flexible adhesive members.
- 5. A lighting system as in claim 1 additionally comprising a thermally conductive tape layer in thermal communication with the second side of the dielectric layer, the thermally conductive tape layer being adapted to secure the module to the surface of the heat conductive member.
- 6. A lighting system as in claim 5, wherein each module comprises a main body layer disposed between the tape layer and the dielectric layer.
- 7. A lighting system as in claim 5, wherein the tape layer comprises the adhesive layer.
- 8. A lighting system as in claim 7, wherein the tape layer comprises a thin metallic layer.
- 9. A lighting system as in claim 8, wherein the thin metallic layer comprises aluminum.
- 10. A lighting system as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of modules are electrically interconnected so that their series arrays of LEDs are arranged in an electrically parallel fashion.
- 11. A lighting system as in claim 10 additionally comprising a dispenser, wherein a plurality of interconnected modules are arranged within the dispenser.
- 12. A lighting system as in claim 11, wherein the dispenser comprises a roller, and the plurality of interconnected modules are wound about the roller in a manner so that the interconnected modules can be unwound from the roller.
- 13. A lighting system as in claim 11, wherein the plurality of interconnected modules are formed into a serpentine stack within the dispenser in a manner so that successive ones of the interconnected modules can be removed from the dispenser.
- 14. A lighting system as in claim 1, wherein a first electrically conductive power trace and a second electrically conductive power trace are disposed on the first side of the dielectric layer, a first one of the contacts is electrically connected to the first trace, and a second one of the contacts is electrically connected to the second trace, the first contact being electrically connected to a positive lead of the series array of LEDs, and the second contact being electrically connected to a negative lead of the series array of LEDs.
- 15. A light system as in claim 14, wherein the first and second power traces are elongate and arranged generally parallelly parallel to the series array of LEDs.
- 16. A lighting system as in claim 15, wherein flexible conductors are attached to generally opposing ends of each of the elongate first and second power traces of each module so that the first and second power traces of each module are electrically connected to the first and second power traces, respectively, of each other module.
- 17. A lighting system as in claim 14, wherein a plurality of modules are electrically interconnected in a manner so that the first and second power traces of a first module are connected to the first and second power traces of a second module.
- 18. A lighting system as in claim 17, wherein the first and second modules are connected by a first wire extending between the first traces of the modules and a second wire extending between the second traces of the modules.
- 19. A lighting system as in claim 17, wherein a connector is disposed on each of the first and second modules in electrical communication with the first and second traces of the respective module, and a pair of wires have a wire connector on each end of the pair of wires, the wire connectors being adapted to matingly engage the module connectors.
- 20. A lighting system as in claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer comprises Thermagon® epoxy.
- 21. A lighting system comprising:
a plurality of lighting modules adapted to be mounted on a surface of a heat conductive member, each module comprising:
a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs); a plurality of electrically conductive contacts, each of the LEDs electrically communicating with at least one of the contacts in a manner so that the LEDs are configured in a series array on the module; and a dielectric layer supporting the contacts; wherein the modules are electrically interconnected so that the series array of each module is electrically parallel to the series array of others of the modules; and wherein the interconnected modules are arranged in a dispenser such that a selected portion of the interconnected modules may be successively dispensed from the dispenser and removed therefrom.
- 22. A lighting system as in claim 21, wherein each of the modules comprises an adhesive layer adapted to fasten the module to a surface of a heat conductive member such that heat from the module is drawn into the heat conductive member through the adhesive.
- 23. A lighting system as in claim 21, wherein the dispenser comprises a coil, and the interconnected modules are wound about the coil.
- 24. A lighting system as in claim 21, wherein the dispenser comprises a container, and the interconnected modules are arranged to overlap each other within the container so as to form a serpentine stack of modules within the container.
- 25. A lighting system as in claim 21, wherein the dielectric layer comprises Thermagon® epoxy.
- 26. A method of mounting a plurality of lighting modules on a heat conducting surface so that heat from the modules is drawn into the heat conductive surface, comprising:
providing a plurality of lighting modules that are successively electrically interconnected with one another, each module comprising;
a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs); a plurality of electrically conductive contacts, each of the LEDs electrically communicating with at least one of the contacts in a manner so that the LEDs are configured in a series array; and a dielectric layer having a first side and a second side, the contacts being connected to the first side; wherein the series array of each module is connected in an electrically parallel fashion with the series arrays of the other modules; providing a dispenser, the dispenser configured to contain the plurality of interconnected modules; drawing successive modules from the dispenser; and successively mounting the modules to the heat conductive surface using a thermally conductive tape.
- 27. The method of claim 26, wherein each of the modules includes an adhesive layer, and additionally comprising engaging the adhesive layer of each module with the heat conductive surface so that heat from the module is drawn into the heat conductive surface through the adhesive.
- 28. The method of claim 26, wherein each module comprises a thermally conductive tape layer, and the tape layer comprises a pair of flexible tape members that extend from opposing edges of the module, and additionally comprising engaging the flexible tape members with the heat conductive surface.
- 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the thermally conductive tape layer comprises a thin, flexible aluminum layer.
- 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the thermally conductive tape layer comprises a thermally conductive adhesive layer.
- 31. A method of manufacturing a lighting system, comprising
providing a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) modules, each LED module having a plurality of LEDs arranged in a serial array; applying a tape layer to one side of each LED module so that the tape extends outwardly beyond opposing edges of the module; forming a linear chain of LED modules by electrically connecting adjacent modules using flexible conductors; and compactly packaging the linear chain of modules by winding the modules in a coil or folding the modules in a serpentine pattern.
- 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the tape comprises a layer of adhesive.
- 33. The method of claim 31, wherein the tape comprises a heat conductive material.
- 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the tape comprises a thin, flexible metallic layer.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 60/301,951, which was filed on Jun. 29, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60301951 |
Jun 2001 |
US |