Mounting light emitting diodes
View Patent ↗A flexible circuit has a roll-molded thermoplastic resin base sheet with an integrally molded mounting structure located to receive a light emitting diode device in an illuminating position. The mounting structure is a pin receptacle constructed to receive a pin of the light emitting diode device. An electrically conductive portion is carried by the resin base and positioned for electric connection to conductors of the device. Another flexible circuit carries discrete integrated circuit chips and a field of fastener elements extending from a surface of a resin strip carrying conductive traces interconnecting the chips.
1. For a lighting installation, a flexible circuit comprising:
a roll-molded thermoplastic resin base sheet having an integrally molded mounting structure configured to receive a light emitting diode device, the mounting structure comprising device receptacles integrally molded with and protruding from the base sheet, the receptacles configured to receive pins of the light emitting diode device; and
an electrically conductive portion carried by the resin base sheet, the electrically conductive portion positioned for electric connection to conductors of the device.
2. The flexible circuit of claim 1 further comprising a heat management system associated with the resin base sheet and arranged to conduct heat from the base sheet of the device.
3. The flexible circuit of claim 2 wherein the heat management system comprises molded standoffs integral with the base sheet defining air passages for convective heat transfer.
4. The flexible circuit of claim 2 wherein the resin base sheet comprises additives that increase the thermal conductivity of the resin base sheet wherein the additives are chosen from the group consisting of titanium nitride, boron nitride, silica, aluminum oxide, and ceramic particles.
5. The flexible circuit of claim 2 wherein the heat management system comprises radiative structures comprising material with a high thermal conductivity in contact with the light emitting diode device.
6. The flexible circuit of claim 2 wherein the heat management system comprises a peltier junction with a hot-side of greater surface area than an associated cold side.
7. The flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein the device receptacle is a protrusion having pin-receiving passages extending to one of the conductors in the flexible circuit.
8. The flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein the pin receptacles have an adhesive coating.
9. The flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein the pin receptacles have a cross-sectional geometry that is different than an outer surface of the pins they are constructed to receive.
10. The flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive portions are encapsulated within the base sheet.
11. The flexible circuit of claim 1 further comprising a clamping connector that pierces the resin base sheet to electrically connect the flexible circuit to an electrical source and a ground.
12. The flexible circuit of claim 1 further comprising voids extending through resin base sheet to the electrically conductive portions wherein the voids are coated with an electrically conductive material.
13. The flexible circuit of claim 1 further comprising touch fastener elements attached to the resin basin sheet.
14. The flexible circuit of claim 13 wherein the touch fastener elements comprise male fastener elements with engageable heads.
15. The flexible circuit of claim 13 wherein the touch fastener elements comprise loop-material with surface features encapsulated by resin of the base sheet.
16. The flexible circuit of claim 1 wherein the flexible circuit is a longitudinally extending flexible circuit with multiple mounting structures.