Patent Application
20050030754
U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,648 (Savage) allegedly cites a “circuit component such as an electrical unit is mounted to a circuit board, by providing a mounting body to support the unit on the board; providing conductive means including contact structure with spring fingers to receive a nit terminal, the conductive means including auxiliary terminal means to project outwardly of the body via a body slot, the contact structure and auxiliary terminal means defining a bridge portion with tab means in the body slot to anchor the body. The light unit may extend at either end of the body.” See Abstract.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,960 (Wittes) allegedly cites an “indicator light, preferably a LED, is mounted in a insulating housing secured by a pair of legs with relatively broad feet which are soldered to conductive pads on the surface of a printed circuit board. Preferably, the printed circuit board uses ‘surface mount’ technology. The leads of the LED are spot welded to the legs to make electrical connections between the LED and the circuit board. The structure elevates the LED above the board surface, and/or allows mounting the LED close to the edge of the circuit board, and/or allows the light from the LED to be directed parallel to the board surface. A particularly advantageous use of the structure is one in which printed circuit boards are arranged in an array with the boards parallel to one another and the LED mounting structures near the end of each board so as to provide maximum visibility of the LEDs from many angles so as to quickly indicate equipment functional status to an operator or trouble-shooter. In the manufacturing method, the leg structures are stamped and formed along the edge of a pre-plated and selectively solder-coated strip, with prongs being formed on each leg. The prongs then are pushed into recesses in a plastic body. The LED is inserted and the leads are spot welded to the legs. Then, the assembly is broken off of the strip along a previously formed break-line.” See Abstract.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,733 (Ohkohdo) allegedly cites a “light emitting diode mounting structure for a light emitting diode having four leads has two metal plates fixed to wire on a housing. The leads engage the metal plates in electrical contact therewith and are supported by the metal plates, a surface part of which reflects light from the light emitting diode. See Abstract.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,583,542 (Nagano) allegedly cites a “device for mounting a light source according to the present invention is composed of an electric lamp unit (21) having a baseless electric lamp (7) and a base member (8) and a mounting unit (9) having a cavity for receiving the base member of the electric lamp unit (21). The base member (8) is composed of a cylindrical body having a cavity for receiving a lower part of the baseless electric lamp (7) and supporting a pair of lead wires (7a, 7b) led out of the baseless electric lamp (7) on its outer surface. The mounting unit (9) includes a pair of conductive contact members (10a, 10b) on an inner surface of the cavity, which are connected at their lower ends to connection terminals (12a, 12b) on a printed circuit board (12). The electric lamp unit (21) is fitted into the mounting unit (9) in a removable fashion.” See Abstract.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,206 (Fuller) allegedly cites “a spring battery retainer that is used to secure a small ‘coin’ or ‘button’ battery to a printed circuit (PC) card or the like. Use of the spring battery retainer provides for positive location of the battery, inexpensive electrical contacts for the battery terminals and positive spring compression that is necessary to insure hard contact with the cathode and the anode terminals of the battery. The battery is easily installed and removed by slightly lifting one end of the battery retainer and sliding the battery in or out. A bend in the spring battery retainer provides sufficient hold-down pressure so that the battery makes reliable contact with an electrical pad located on a PC board. The spring battery retainer is inserted into the PC card and then soldered to it in much the same way as a standard electrical component such as a resistor. The dimensions of the spring battery retainer can be varied so that coin or button batteries of various sizes can be securely fastened to a PC card.” See Abstract.
Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a system for mounting an LED. The system can comprise a mounting device and a first bracket coupleable to a surface of the mounting device. The first bracket can be releasably and/or clampably attachable to a first electrically substantially conductive lead of an LED. The first electrically substantially conductive lead can extend substantially in a radial plane of the LED.
A wide variety of potential embodiments will be more readily understood through the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
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System 1000 can further comprise a first bracket 1200, which can be fixedly attachable to mounting device 1100. In an exemplary embodiment, first bracket 1200 can be attachable to mounting device 1100 via any type of attachment and/or attachment means, such as for example, soldering, surface mount soldering, hand soldering, hot bar soldering, integral manufacture, a threaded fastening system, rivets, hook and loop fastening, electrically conductive tape, glue, electrically conductive epoxy, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, resistance welding, and/or any welding technology, etc. First bracket 1200 can electrically couple an electrically substantially conductive lead 1400 comprised in a Light Emitting Diode (LED) 1600 to mounting device 1100. In certain embodiments, first bracket 1200 can releasably clamp and/or grip lead 1400. In other embodiments, bracket 1200 can be releasably and clampably closable to grip lead 1400. Certain operative embodiments of bracket 1200 can be rotateably closeable. Releasably attaching LED 1600 to mounting device 1100 can allow LED 1600 to be coupled to an electrical circuit and/or voltage source without the risk of damage to LED 1600 during a soldering process. Releasably attaching LED 1600 to mounting device 1100 can also allow for a spent LED 1600 to be replaced.
In certain exemplary embodiments LED 1600 can be supplied for various power supply requirements such as five watts, three watts, and/or one watt, etc. LED 1600 can be adaptable for use in a wide variety of lighting applications, such as for example, traffic signaling devices, outdoor signs, swimming pools, emergency lights, illumination of dark areas, toys, holiday lights, motorized vehicles, airport lights, airplanes, helicopters, air traffic control devices, incandescent light replacement, fluorescent light replacement, halogen light replacement, speakers having flashing colored lights, and/or industrial control applications, etc.
The LED can define a radius about the z-axis as illustrated in
Lead 1400 and/or lead 1500 can be connectable to a slug 1700. As used herein, the term “slug” means a base assembly connectable and/or integral to LED 1600. Slug 1700 can be manufactured of a thermally substantially conductive material such as aluminum, tin, brass, bronze, and/or copper, which can improve heat dissipation from the LED 1600. Slug 1700 can be manufactured from an electrically substantially conductive material. In certain embodiments, slug 1700 can be positioned in contact with a surface of mounting device 1100. In certain embodiments, slug 1700 can be placed adjacent to, in contact with, or in a spaced relationship to mounting device 1100. When in a spaced relationship to the mounting device 1100, the defined space between slug 1700 and the surface of the mounting device 1100 can be filled with a thermally substantially conductive adhesive. Filling the space with a thermally substantially conductive adhesive can enhance the life of LED 1600 by enhancing the dissipation of heat from LED 1600.
Bracket 1200 can electrically couple and/or releasably attach lead 1400 to mounting device 1100. Likewise, in certain exemplary embodiments, bracket 1300 can electrically couple and/or releasably attach lead 1500 to mounting device 1100. Attaching bracket 1200 to lead 1400 and bracket 1300 to lead 1500 can releasably attach LED 1600 to mounting device 1100. In certain embodiments, bracket 1200 and bracket 1300 can be electrically substantially conductive and electrically connectable to a power source. Bracket 1200 and bracket 1300 can be adaptable to couple power to LED 1600 through lead 1400 and lead 1500. The power source can be further connectable to an electrical resistance, which can be adaptable to limit current flow through LED 1600. Limiting current flow through LED 1600 can reduce heat generated by LED 1600 and can consequently increase the life of LED 1600.
In other embodiments, mounting device 1100 can comprise and/or be connected to a heat dissipator 1800 and/or means for dissipating heat. In certain embodiments, heat dissipator 1800 can be a metallic core sandwiched in mounting device 1100. In other embodiments, heat dissipater 1800 can be a plate attached to mounting device 1100. In other embodiments mounting device 1100 can comprise a cold plate utilizing water for cooling, a thermally conductive metal plate, a heat exchanger comprising fins, a Peltier cooler, and/or a cooling fan. Heat dissipator 1800 can extend the life of an LED by lowering the operating temperature of the LED.
Certain exemplary embodiments can comprise bracket 5200 that springably or snapably closes in a manner adaptable to restrain lead 5400. Bracket 5200 can be adaptable to restrain lead 5400 from movement in a direction approximately parallel to the x-axis as illustrated in
At activity 7200, a first bracket can be fixedly attached to the mounting device. The first bracket can be fixedly attached using one of a plurality of fastening technologies. The first bracket can be any one of a plurality of possible bracket designs adaptable to releasably attach the first conductive lead of the LED to the mounting device.
At activity 7300, the LED is releasably attached to the first bracket. In certain operative embodiments, the LED is electrically coupled to the mounting device when releasably attached to the first bracket. The LED can be clampably attached, snapably attached, and/or springably attached, etc. In other embodiments, the LED can be releasably attached wherein the first bracket is rotateably closeable.
At activity 7400, a first LED can be removed from a releasable attachment. In certain operative embodiments, the first LED can be removed due to a failure of the LED. In alternative operative embodiments, the first LED can be removed due to a desire to change the properties of the device comprising the LED. The releasable attachment can enhance the ease of changing the LED.
At activity 7500, a second LED can be installed to the releasable attachment. In certain operative embodiments, the second LED can have approximately similar properties to the first LED. In alternative operative embodiments, the second LED can have at least one property substantially different from the first LED. Installing the second LED with at least one property substantially different from the first LED can facilitate a change in luminescence from a device comprising the LED in intensity and/or color.
At activity 8200, an LED mounting device comprising a bracket can be installed in the apparatus. The bracket can be fixedly attachable to the LED mounting device. The bracket can be further adaptable to releasably attach the LED to the mounting device. The LED mounting device can be further adaptable to supply electric power to the LED. In certain exemplary embodiments, electrical power can be transmitted through the bracket and a first electrically substantially conductive lead comprised in the LED.
At activity 8300, the LED can be releasably attached to the bracket. The bracket can provide a means of substantially fixing the LED to a position on the mounted device. The bracket can further provide a means of enhanced heat dissipation from the LED.
Still other embodiments will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from reading the above-recited detailed description and drawings of certain exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that numerous variations, modifications, and additional embodiments are possible, and accordingly, all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, regardless of the content of any portion (e.g., title, field, background, summary, abstract, drawing figure, etc.) of this application, unless clearly specified to the contrary, there is no requirement for the inclusion in any claim of the application of any particular described or illustrated activity or element, any particular sequence of such activities, or any particular interrelationship of such elements. Moreover, any activity can be repeated, any activity can be performed by multiple entities, and/or any element can be duplicated. Further, any activity or element can be excluded, the sequence of activities can vary, and/or the interrelationship of elements can vary. Accordingly, the descriptions and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. Moreover, when any number or range is described herein, unless clearly stated otherwise, that number or range is approximate. When any range is described herein, unless clearly stated otherwise, that range includes all values therein and all subranges therein. Any information in any material (e.g., a United States patent, United States patent application, book, article, etc.) that has been incorporated by reference herein, is only incorporated by reference to the extent that no conflict exists between such information and the other statements and drawings set forth herein. In the event of such conflict, including a conflict that would render a claim invalid, then any such conflicting information in such incorporated by reference material is specifically not incorporated by reference herein.
This application claims priority to, and incorporates by reference herein in its entirety, pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/493,311 (Attorney Docket No. 2003P11954US), filed 7 Aug. 2003.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60493311 | Aug 2003 | US |
