Miniature LED lightbulb mounting device

Abstract

The instant invention relates to a miniature light emitting diode and accompanying mounting tab device. The instant invention seeks to provide a solution to light fixture designers by making a readily available and tightly compact light emitting diode mounting device. The instant invention provides for a mounting tab with a heat dissipating element to allow the use of high powered light emitting diodes that are small and compact.

Claims

1. A miniature lightbulb and mounting tab comprising: an elongate P-shaped mounting tab having a body with a top end and a long end, wherein said top end is configured for attachment to a surface; said mounting tab body being composed of a thermal conducting material; said long end having an anode pad and a cathode pad fitted securely against said mounting tab body, wherein said anode pad and said cathode pad are separated by a dielectric substrate so as to not be touching and said dielectric substrate forms a space between said anode pad and said cathode pad and said mounting tab; said anode pad having an anode wire protruding therefrom; said cathode pad having a tapered splice hole; said mounting tab body having a dielectric film that is secured to the bottom side of said anode pad and said cathode pad, wherein said dielectric film covers the entirety of said anode pad from underneath and partially covers said cathode pad from underneath; and at least one miniature light emitting diode having an LED bulb and a thermal conducting element, wherein said thermal conduct element is configured to be mounted on the top side of said anode pad and said cathode pad and said mounting tab long end.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said light emitting diode is configured to emit two-hundred-and-twenty (220) lumens of light.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said mounting tab comprises copper.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said anode wire is housed in a dielectric housing.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said dielectric housing comprises shrink wrap tubing.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising at least one anode to cathode pad configured for placement between said anode pad and said cathode pad.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said anode pad, said cathode pad, and said anode to cathode pad are covered by said dielectric film on said bottom side such that said anode pad and said anode to cathode pad are completely covered and said cathode pad and said mounting tab body are partially covered.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein at least two miniature light emitting diodes are mounted to said mounting tab.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1A shows a front perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

(2) FIG. 1B shows a side perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1A.

(3) FIG. 1C shows a side perspective view of an embodiment of the invention as mounted to a solid substrate.

(4) FIG. 1D shows an embodiment of the invention in serial connection.

(5) FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention.

(6) FIG. 2B shows an exploded, inverted perspective of a second embodiment of the invention.

(7) FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention.

(8) FIG. 3B shows an exploded perspective view of the third embodiment of the invention.

(9) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention.

(10) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(11) While the presently disclosed inventive concept(s) is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the inventive concept(s) to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the inventive concept(s) as defined in the claims.

(12) FIG. 1A shows a front perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1A depicts the miniature light emitting diode 101 having a bulb 101a and a heat pad 112. The bulb 101a is preferably configured to emit 220 lumens. The light emitting diode 101 may be a Luxeon® Rebel LXML-PWN1-0120 of the dimensions 3 mm×4.5 mm×2 mm. The light emitting diode 101 is connected to the mounting tab body 102. The mounting tab body 102 is made from a conductive material, such as copper, to allow for transfer of heat from the LED to the structure. Preferably, the mounting tab body 102 is a 4 mm×7 mm rectangle cut from 26 awg sheet of copper. The mounting tab body 102 has a predrilled hole 103 at one end, opposite the side of the light emitting diode 101 attachment. The predrilled hole 103 is preferably 1.9 mm in diameter. The heat pad of the light emitting diode 101 is soldered onto the mounting tab body 102, opposite the end of the predrilled hole 103. The light emitting diode 101 has an anode wire 104 and a cathode wire 105. Preferably, the anode wire 104 and the cathode wire 105 are 22-2 wire.

(13) The anode wire 104 and cathode wire 105 are connected to the light emitting diode 101 through an anode pad and cathode pad. Connection of the anode wire 104 and cathode wire 105 to the light emitting diode 101 is completed by soldering techniques at the anode pad and cathode pad. A spacer 106 is shown to provide space beneath the light emitting diode 101 to allow for the wiring connection to the light emitting diode 101. The anode wire 104 and cathode wire 105 and the anode pad and cathode pad of the light emitting diode 101 are covered by the dielectric housing 107. The dielectric housing 107 can be shrink wrap tubing.

(14) FIG. 1B shows the first embodiment from a side perspective. FIG. 1B depicts a predrilled hole 103 fitted with a screw 108 and a washer 109 on the bottom. FIG. 1C depicts first embodiment as it is mounted to a solid substrate. FIG. 1C depicts the screw 108 being fitted through the predrilled hole 103. The washer 109 separates the mounting tab body 102 from the solid substrate. Alternatively, an epoxy can be used to attach the mounting tab body to a substrate.

(15) FIG. 1D shows the first embodiment as serially connected to multiple devices of the same embodiment. Depicted is a completed device 111 of the first embodiment as connected to another completed device 111 and as connected to another completed device 111 and so on. The first completed device 111a is connected to the second completed device 111b by connecting the anode wire 104 of the first device 111a to the cathode wire 105 of the second device 111b, and so on. The completed devices 111 are configured to connect to a power source 110 at either end of the series of connections.

(16) A second and third embodiment of the invention, described below, have many of the same characteristics of the first embodiment described above. A nonexclusive list of potential differences in the embodiments are described in detail below.

(17) FIG. 2A shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2A depicts the miniature light emitting diode 101 as it is connected to the mounting tab body 201. The mounting tab body 201 is generally in a P-shape, with a top end 209 having a pre drilled hole 202 that can be used for mounting. The elongate end 210 of the mounting body is fitted with an anode pad 203 and a cathode pad 204 so as to complete a general rectangular shape. Using soldering paste and soldering techniques, the heat pad of the light emitting diode 101 is connected to mounting tab body 201. Placement of the light emitting diode 101 is such that it is partially located on the anode pad 203, the cathode pad 204, and the elongate end 210 of the mounting tab body 201.

(18) The anode pad 203 and the cathode pad 204 are separated from each other and from the mounting tab body 201 by a dielectric substrate 206. The dielectric substrate 206 is preferably heat resistant. On the underneath side of the mounting tab body and anode pad and cathode pad is placed a dielectric film 205. The dielectric film 205 is placed such that it covers completely the anode pad on the underneath side and partially covers the cathode pad and mounting tab body on the underneath side. The dielectric film 205 is secured using soldering techniques.

(19) The anode pad 203 has an anode wire 207 that protrudes from it. The anode wire 207 is covered in shrink wrap tubing. The cathode pad is configured such that it has a tapered splice hole 208 for receiving an anode wire 207 of a separate completed device.

(20) FIG. 2B shows an inverted and exploded view of the second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2B shows the dielectric film 205 that is secured to the bottom side of the mounting tab 201. The dielectric film 205 can be a heat shrink film. The dielectric film 205 is configured to cover the anode pad 203 completely and the cathode pad 204 and mounting tab body 201 partially. Further depicted is the light emitting diode 101. The dielectric substrate 206 is configured such that the anode pad 204, the cathode pad 205, and the mounting tab body 201 do not come in direct contact with one another.

(21) FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3A shows the miniature light emitting diode 101. This embodiment is configured such that two or more miniature light emitting diodes 101 can be placed on the elongate mounting tab body 301. The mounting tab body, being generally in a P-shape, has a pre drilled hole 302 at the top end for mounting.

(22) FIG. 3A depicts an anode pad 303 and a cathode pad 305. Placed between the anode pad 303 and the cathode pad 305 is an anode to cathode pad 304. The anode pad 303, anode to cathode pad 304 and cathode pad 305 are all separated through the use of a dielectric substrate 307. The dielectric substrate 307 is configured such that no pad or the mounting tab comes into direct contact with one another. The dielectric substrate 307 is preferably heat resistant.

(23) Secured to the bottom side of the elongate mounting tab body is an elongate dielectric film 306, such as a heat shrink film. The elongate dielectric film 306 covers completely the anode pad 303, the anode to cathode pad 304, and partially covers the cathode pad 305. The anode pad 303 has an anode wire 308. The cathode pad 305 has a tapered splice hole 309 for receiving an anode wire 308. The depicted embodiment is configured such that the completed device may connected serially. The tapered splice hole 309 of one device may receive the anode wire 308 of another device, and so on.

(24) FIG. 3B shows an exploded view of a third embodiment. FIG. 3B depicts the dielectric substrate 307 that is used to separate the cathode pad 305, the anode to cathode pad 304, the anode pad 303 and the mountain tab body 301. Placement of the miniature light emitting diode 101 is such that the first light emitting diode is partially on the anode pad and partially on the anode to cathode pad. The second light emitting diode is placed such that it is partially on the anode to cathode pad and partially on the cathode pad. All parts are secured together using soldering techniques.

(25) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 shows a light emitting diode package 401. The light emitting diode package 401 has two electrical leads 403. The two electrical leads 403 are connected to the mounting tab body 402 through the use of a thermal conducting dielectric epoxy 405. The thermal conducting dielectric epoxy is preferably Arctic Silver® thermal conducting dielectric epoxy. The mounting tab body 402 has a predrilled hole 406 for mounting, opposite the thermal conducting dielectric epoxy 405.

(26) FIG. 5 shows perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5 depicts the mounting tab body 502 being at one end, opposite the light emitting diode 501, configured for attachment 520 to a surface substrate. Attachment of this configuration may be achieved through spot welding techniques, use of an epoxy, or other clips or clasps. It would be readily understood to a person having ordinary skill in the art that this configuration, where the mounting tab body is configured for attachment not using a pre-drilled hole, may be readily adopted to all other embodiments disclosed herein.

(27) While certain preferred embodiments are shown in the figures and described in this disclosure, it is to be distinctly understood that the presently disclosed inventive concept(s) is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the following claims.