AU2007240145A1

AU2007240145A1 - Light-Emitting Diode (LED) String Structure and a Protection Device

Info

Publication number: AU2007240145A1
Application number: AU2007240145A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Shu-Fa Shao
Original assignee: SHAO SHU FA
Current assignee: SHAO SHU FA
Priority date: 2007-12-05
Filing date: 2007-12-05
Publication date: 2009-06-25

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ORIGINAL TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Shu-Fa Shao Actual Inventor(s): Shu-Fa Shao Address for Service: A.P.T. Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys PO Box 222, Mitcham, SA 5062 Invention Title: Light-Emitting Diode (LED) String Structure and a Protection Device The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- Light-Emitting Diode (LED) STRING STRUCTURE AND A PROTECTION DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an LED (Light-Emitting Diode) string structure and a protection device, and more particularly to an LED string structure and a protection device which are designed as being easily connected in serial and having a large shear force, without being 10 easily concentrated with stress, against a conventional LED lamp string which is provided with shortcomings that it is troublesome to connect serially, is not convenient to use, and is easy to cause fractures at locations of the LED lamps when the LED lamp string is bended. Description of the Prior Art 15 A design of a serial connection of LED lamps is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, wherein two structures of an existing LED string are disclosed. FIG. 3 shows a simplified circuit diagram, wherein a pin of an LED lamp 13 is connected to a resistor 14, and then two pins are connected respectively with positive and negative conduction wires. As shown in 20 FIG. 1, its structure includes a soft substrate 16, conduction wires 18A, 2 18B, the LED lamps 13, resistor elements 14 (not shown in the drawing), and a soft vinyl 17 which encloses at an exterior. Two pins of the LED lamp 13 are all located at one side of the soft substrate 16, and the positive, negative conduction wires 18A, 18B are located respectively at 5 each side of the substrate 16, thereby facilitating a finishing work. In addition, one pin of the LED lamp 13 is directly welded on the conduction wire 18B at a same side with a soldering tin 15, and on the soft substrate 16, at a position corresponding to the other pin of the LED lamp 13, is provided with a hole (not shown in the drawing) to be corresponding to 10 the conduction wire 18A at the other side. When the soldering tin 15 is added, the conduction wire 18B will be connected with the conduction wire 18A at the other side through the hole, thereby accomplishing a parallel circuit for the LED lamp. After that, the soft vinyl 17 is poured in, and then an LED string structure as shown in the drawings will be 15 formed. On the other hand, FIG. 2 shows another structure constructed by a surface mounted technology (SMT). This kind of LED string is provided with a small volume. As shown in FIG. 2, each single LED lamp 13 is fitted with an electronic element 14 at its neighborhood, two conduction wires 18A, 18B are located at a bottom of a soft substrate 16, 20 and each LED lamp 13 is directly mounted on the soft substrate 16, with 3 two holes (not shown in the drawing) being used as positive and negative electrodes at the location of LED lamp 13 on the soft substrate 16, for connecting to the two conduction wires 18A, 18B, respectively. Accordingly, after the LED lamps 13 are mounted on the soft substrate 5 16, a loop will be formed by the LED lamps 13 and the two conduction wires 18A, 18B. Furthermore, as the volume is smaller, fewer soft vinyls 17 can be poured in. It is very common that a fracture will easily occur at a position of the LED lamp 13 when the LED string is bended in use, as shown in FIG. 6. 10 The reason is that as a distance Y from two ends or a bottom end of the soft vinyl 17 where the LED lamp 13 is located, to an outer periphery of the soft vinyl 17 of the LED string is the shortest (as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 13), meaning that other cross sectional area at the position of the soft vinyl 17 where no LED lamp 13 is located will be the largest, while 15 the cross sectional area at the position of the soft vinyl 17 where the LED lamp 13 is located, will be the smallest; therefore, stress will be mostly concentrated on the cross section of the soft vinyl 17 across the distance Y, and that cross section is also subjected to the largest force, when the LED string is bended. Accordingly, it is the why that the LED string is 20 usually fractured easily, when the LED string is in use. 4 On the other hand, in a serial connection method for a conventional LED string, a power input end is used to provide two designated power input terminals or wires, which allows consumers or on-site implementation persons to connect the power input end of the 5 conventional LED string to a power supply when serially connecting the LED string, thereby enabling the LED string to illuminate. When more than a second or a third LED string is to be connected serially, same amount of wirings should be connected from the power supply. Results of this serial connection will be that the more the LED strings are, the 10 longer the serial connection is, and the longer the wirings which are provided by the power supply to tail ends of the serially connected LED strings are, the larger the impedance is generated correspondingly. Accordingly, electric current will have to be increased by the power supply to cope with the power which is supplied to the LED strings at its 15 tail end. In addition, the more the serially connected LED strings are, the more the wirings are used, which results in that a user will be hard to implement by oneself, as too many wirings are exposed out, and thus requiring professionals to implement. Furthermore, a lot of time will be wasted to deal with the exposure of the wirings, which is not pretty and 20 difficult to implement. 5 There is another kind of LED string with a female socket hole at one end, and a male connection terminal at the other end, such that the LED strings can be serially connected by mutually combining the male socket holes and the male connection terminals, thereby preventing the wirings 5 from being connected externally. However, as two ends of each LED string are provided respectively with the female socket hole and the male connection terminal, the implementation of serial connection will have to follow direction of the LED string; and as the male connection terminal at one end is exposed out, it will be easy to bend or fracture the LED string 10 from external force. On the other hand, a short-circuiting phenomenon occurs easily to the LED string, from being stained by moisture during the implementation, which is an obvious shortcoming in the current application. For the purposes of this specification the word "comprising" means 15 "including but not limited to", and the word "comprises" has a corresponding meaning. Also a reference within this specification to a document is not to be taken as an admission that the disclosure therein constitutes common general knowledge in Australia. 20 6 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the present invention is to provide an LED string structure, wherein connection male terminals are provided among a plurality of devices in which the LED strings are connected serially, so 5 as to facilitate assembling serially. Another object of the present invention is to provide an LED string protection device which is provided with an enhanced shear force at locations of LED lamps, and is provided with an effect that a fracture does not occur easily. 10 Yet object of the present invention is to provide an LED string protection device which is provided with hard protective sheets at areas for wiring the LED lamps, so as to protect strengths and shear forces at the locations of the LED lamps. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an LED 15 string protection device, wherein the LED strings can be connected with each other serially by male connection terminals, so as to simplify an implementation and increase beauty. Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide an LED string protection device, wherein a wiring area of LED lamps is formed 20 with a thickening part, so as to protect strengths and shear forces at the 7 locations of the LED lamps. To enable a further understanding of the said objectives and the technological methods of the invention herein, the brief description of the drawings below is followed by the detailed description of the preferred 5 embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodient of a conventional two-pin LED string. FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an embodient of a conventional LED 10 string produced by a surface mounted technology. FIG. 3 shows a simplified circuit diagram of a conventional LED string. FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of an embodient of an LED string which is connected serially. FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an embodient of an LED string which 15 is in use. FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of a shortcoming of a conventional LED string. FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of a conventional LED string in FIG. 6. 20 FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of an embodient of the present invention 8 which is added with a hard protective sheet. FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of a second embodient of the present invention which is added with a hard protective sheet. FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of a structure of a hard protective sheet 5 having an open holding space. FIG. 11 shows a schematic view of a structure of a hard protective sheet having a closed holding space. FIG. 12 shows a second schematic view of a conventional LED string. FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional view of a conventional LED string in FIG. 10 12. FIG. 14 shows a schematic view of an embodient of FIG. 9, which is added with a hard protective sheet, according to the present invention. FIG. 15 shows a cross-sectional view of an LED string in FIG. 14. FIG. 16 shows a schematic view of an embodient of the present 15 invention which is added with a circuit board as a hard protective sheet. FIG. 17 shows a cutaway view of FIG. 16. FIG. 18 shows a schematic view of an embodient of the present invention using a thickened soft vinyl as a hard protective rubber. FIG. 19 shows a cutaway view of FIG. 18. 20 FIG. 20 shows a schematic view of a second embodient of the present 9 invention using a thickened soft vinyl as a hard protective rubber. FIG. 21 shows a cutaway view of FIG. 20. FIG. 22 shows a perspective view of an LED string billboard. FIG. 23 shows a rear view of FIG. 22. 5 FIG. 24 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention, which is implemented on a billboard. FIG. 25 shows a blow-up view at a part Y in FIG. 24. FIG. 26 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the present invention, which is implemented on a piece of clothes. 10 FIG. 27 shows a schematic view of a supporter of the present invention. FIG. 28 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a structure of the present invention. FIG. 29 shows a schematic view of another embodiment of a supporter of the present invention. 15 FIG. 30 shows a circuit diagram of an embodiment in FIG. 24. FIG. 31 shows another circuit diagram of an embodiment in FIG. 24. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An LED string structure of the present invention allows an LED string 1 to be connected with each other with a male connection terminal 20 2 to achieve effects of an easy implementation and beauty. In addition, 10 due to its flexibility, any shape can be created by freely bending the LED string 1, as shown in FIG. 5. Referring to FIG. 4, left and right ends of the LED string 1 are provided with a same amount of female power socket holes 12 as that of the male connection terminals 2; wherein, in 5 the drawing, four female socket holes 12, each of which being provided with a positive and a negative electrode, are disclosed. The male connection terminal 2 is provided with at least two-way pins 21 which can be inserted into the female socket holes 12 of the LED string 1, such that two LED strings 1 can be connected serially by the 10 two-way pins 21. Therefore, if a plurality of LED strings 1 need to be connected serially, these male connection terminals 2 can be used to transmit power. By this design, in connecting the LED string 1 serially, as both ends of the string are provided with the female socket holes 12 for connecting with the male connection terminals 2, there will be no 15 limitation to directionality as in the prior art, and any end can be used for connection freely. In addition, it is not easy to result in a short-circuiting phenomenon by being stained with moisture during implementation. Upon implementation, the female socket hole at an end of a first LED string is connected with a power facility to provide the power, and at the 20 female socket hole of a last LED string can be sheathed or covered with 11 other water-proof element, such as a tape. On the other hand, an LED string protection device of the present invention, which is implemented to the LED string structure 1, is provided with a structure which is basically the same as that of the prior art, and 5 includes the aforementioned soft substrate 16, conduction wires 18, LED lamps 13, and soft vinyl 17 which encloses at the exterior. In order to increase strength at a location of the LED lamp 13, a hard protective sheet is specifically installed at that location. Referring to FIG. 8, it shows a cross-sectional view of an LED string formed with a surface 10 mounted technology, wherein a hard protective sheet 40 is located below a protective pad 19 which holds the soft substrate 16, at the location of the LED lamp 13. This hard protective sheet 40 can exactly cover an area of the LED lamp 13, and therefore, even that when the LED string 1 is bended, it will not be bended at a range of the LED lamp 15 13, but over a region of the hard protective sheet 40, thereby preventing from a danger of fracture at the LED lamp 13, which serves as the bending location. Referring to FIG. 9, it shows a schematic of an embodient that the hard protective sheet 40 is located on the LED lamp 13, wherein the 20 hard protective sheet 40 is provided with a closed holding space 40A for 12 exposing the LED lamp 13, as shown in FIG. 11. Of course, the hard protective sheet 40 can be also designed to have an open holding space 40B, as shown in FIG. 10. Other element that is related to the LED lamp 13 includes a resistor 5 14. If the bending of the LED string 1 will reduce a cross-sectional area of a soft vinyl where the related element is located, then it should also be covered by an area of the hard protective sheet 40. Furthermore, referring to FIG. 14, it shows a schematic of an embodient of a two-pin LED string, wherein a hard protective sheet 41, 10 which is provided with a holding space, is located on a position of the LED lamp 13. As shown in FIG. 15, the holding space is in a shape of a concaved part 42, and the pins of the LED lamp 13 can be sheathed in at positions of the soft substrate 16 to be covered in a front and a rear, so as to strengthen the position of the soft vinyl 17 where the LED lamp 13 15 is located. Therefore, when the LED string is bended, that position will not be bended directly due to a protection by the hard protective sheet 41, thereby preventing from an ill condition of the prior art that the LED string is easily fractured at the location of the LED lamp 13. The hard protective sheet 41 is not limited to the concaved shape, 20 but can be also in a plate shape to be located at a periphery of the LED 13 lamp, as long as that it can protect the LED lamp from being bended easily. In installing the above hard protective sheets 40, 41, a procedure of emplacing the hard protective sheet followed by pouring the vinyl can be 5 included in an automatic operation process of the LED string, and can be controlled by an automatic procedure, without affecting its original manufacturing cost or increasing time of labor. The installation of the hard protective sheets 40, 41 can prevent from a dragging to compress the LED lamp and the related element due to natural contraction in cold 10 temperature and swelling in hot temperature, under a long time of usage of the vinyl, thereby truly reducing a failure rate. The hard protective design of the present invention can be also arranged according to structural requirement for a shining control of the LED lamp. As shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, the LED lamp 13 and a 15 related electronic element 31 can be installed on a hard circuit board 30 and then are welded on the substrate 16, so as to enlarge a free bending space Z of each LED lamp 13, without decreasing a free bending space W (as shown in FIG. 2) of the prior art wherein a resistor 14 is located between the LED lamps 13; thereby allowing the hard circuit board 30 to 20 be provided with a protection effect of the hard protective sheet. As the 14 larger the free bending space is, the more convenience an arc and a bending degree of the LED string will be; thus the LED string can more develop into a variation of original convenience in arranging a pattern. The hard circuit board 30 can be wrapped with a beautifying plastic 5 material according to requirement, thereby achieving another effect of beauty and having an effect of enhancing hardness. In the hard protective sheet design of the present invention, a part of the soft vinyl 17 where the LED lamp is located can be thickened; that is, a thicken part 171 is formed above the position of the LED lamp 13 of the 10 LED string, as shown in FIG. 18 and an associated cross-sectional view (FIG. 19); or, a thicken part 172 is formed integrally on a part of the lower soft substrate 16 where the LED lamp 13 is located, as shown in FIG. 20 and an associated cross-sectional view (FIG. 21). On the other hand, another kind of LED string device which 15 connects serially the LED lamps to achieve a certain effect by their illumination is shown in FIG. 22, wherein a billboard 50 is provided with a device which connects the LED lamps serially. The installation method is to provide holes 51 on a pre-determined pattern, install LED lamps 54 on a front of the billboard 50, and connect the LED lamps 54 with a wire 20 52 at a back of the billboard 50 (as shown in FIG. 23); whereas, 15 electricity is provided with a set of battery 53. This approach is rather troublesome and not water-proofed. By the spirit of the present invention, a wire 61 can be connected serially with a plurality of LED lamps 63, an end of the wire 61 is a stop 5 end, and the other end is provided with a power connection element 66. As shown in FIG. 24 and FIG. 25, a user can print or draw a necessary pattern on a billboard 50, arrange an LED line lamp 60 into a profile according to the pattern, and then fix by thumb pins, a tape, or glue. The power connection element 66 is, whereas, transfixed out of the 10 billboard 50, and is connected to a battery or an adapter for use. Accordingly, the user can arrange the line lamp of the present invention according to the designed pattern easily and safely, without asking for a professional to implement. In this embodiment, the arrangement follows a profile of a letter, but the arrangement of filling a letter can be 15 also made. To prevent from causing an unexpected damage when a welding position of the LED lamp 63 and a bare wire 62 is bended upon bending the LED lamp 63 for shaping, that position is provided with a supporter for showing light of the LED lamp 63. As shown in FIG. 27 and FIG. 28, 20 an embodiment of the supporter is a thermal shrinkable sleeve 64A 16 which is provided with a hole 65. When the LED lamp 63 is sheathed in, the hole 65 can exactly show the light of the LED lamp 63. After the thermal shrinkable sleeve 64A is positioned, it is heated by a blower or a similar heater, and will be shrunk to tightly wrap the position of the LED 5 lamp 63, which can increase intensity at that area, and is also provided with the water-proof effect. In other words, if the LED lamp 63 is just at the bending position, it will be protected by the supporter, and the bending will be carried out at an end of the supporter. In addition to the thermal shrinkable sleeve 64A, a Scotch tape 64B 10 can be also used as the supporter. As shown in FIG. 29, the LED lamp 63 is added by the Scotch tape 64B to show the light of the LED lamp 63 and also to increase hardness of the LED lamp area. As the LED string is provided with the supporters to tightly wrap the LED lamps and their bare wire junctions, under a water-proof feature, it 15 can be sewn on clothes to be washed together, as shown in FIG. 26, and can be energized with a battery. Therefore, the LED string can be sewn on a coat to prevent from a mountaineering accident or other accidents, and can be also carried personally while climbing a mountain, such that one an accident occurs, it can be used as a rescue signal at 20 any time; in addition, its illumination can be configured as a timed 17 flashing mode, of course. Referring to FIG. 30, it shows a simple circuit diagram of this LED string, wherein a wire is connected serially with a plurality of LED lamps to illuminate after being energized. If the LED lamps are to have a 5 timed flashing effect, then a control circuit 67 can be added, as shown in FIG. 31. Certainly, different wire diameters, LED lamps, and adapters can be selected depending on a design of place, range, and vista. It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described 10 herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 18

Claims

1. An LED (Light-Emitting Diode) string structure comprising an LED string, left and right ends of which are all provided with female socket holes; a male connection terminal, at least having 5 two-way pins to be fitted into the female socket holes of the LED string; two LED strings being connected serially by connecting the male connection terminals, and to connect serially a plurality of LED strings, the male connection terminals being used for transmitting power. 10

2. The LED string structure according to claim 1, wherein the female socket hole at an end of a first LED string is connected to a power facility for providing the power, and the female socket hole of a last LED string is covered with a sheath or other water-proof element. 15

3. An LED string protection device, being a protection structure at a common area connecting each LED lamp position and an electronic element, to increase hardness at that location, thereby preventing from causing damage when the LED string and the connecting area are bended. 20

4. The LED string protection device according to claim 3, wherein 19 the protection device is an external hard material, or a thickening part which is integrally formed with the LED string.

5. An LED string protection device, being a single LED string constituted by conduction wires, LED lamps, a soft substrate, and 5 soft vinyl enclosing at an exterior, with the LED lamps being located on the soft substrate, wherein a hard protective sheet is located at each LED lamp having a smallest cross section of the soft vinyl, thereby preventing the LED string from being damaged by bending. 10

6. The LED string protection device according to claim 5, wherein the hard protective sheet is located below the soft substrate where the LED lamp is located, as needed.

7. The LED string protection device according to claim 5, wherein the hard protective sheet is provided with a holding space for 15 exposing the LED lamp when needed, and is located at a same location as that of the LED lamp on the soft substrate.

8. An LED string protection device comprising a soft substrate, conduction wires, LED lamps, and soft vinyl which encloses at an exterior, wherein two ends of a LED string are connected serially 20 with male connection terminals to connect the LED strings 20 serially, the LED lamps are located at side ends of a soft substrate, and a hard protection sheet is located at a smallest cross section of soft vinyl.

9. The LED string protection device according to claim 8, wherein 5 the hard protection sheet is provided with a holding space to protect the LED lamp inside the holding space.

10. The LED string protection device according to claim 8, wherein the hard protection sheet is in a plate shape and is located at two-pin of the LED lamp, or at the other side of the LED lamp. 10

11. The LED string protection device according to claim 8, wherein an electronic element related to the LED lamp is covered by the hard protection sheet, if the electronic element decreases a cross sectional area of the soft vinyl.

12. An LED string protection device, being a single LED string 15 constituted by conduction wires, LED lamps, a soft substrate, and soft vinyl which encloses at an exterior, wherein the LED lamp and a related electronic element are located on a hard circuit board and are welded on the soft substrate, allowing the hard circuit board to be located on the soft substrate to form a hard 20 protection sheet for preventing from damage at a location of the 21 LED lamp when the LED string is bended.

13. An LED string protection device, being a single LED string constituted by conduction wires, LED lamps, resistors, a soft substrate for emplacing the LED lamps and the resistors, and soft 5 vinyl which encloses at an exterior, wherein the soft vinyl, which is located at the soft substrate, above or below the LED lamp, is formed with a thickening part.

14. An LED string structure and a protection device comprising a plurality of LED lamps serially connected at pre-determined 10 positions on a wire, with an end of the wire being a power connection element which is energized by a battery or an adapter, wherein each location of the LED lamp is provided with a supporter to enclose an area of the LED lamp and a bare wire, and to show light of the LED lamp, such that a user is able to 15 create an illumination shape freely with the line lamp, and the connection area of the LED lamp and the bare wire is prevented from damaged by bending, under an enclosure of the supporter.

15. The LED string structure and the protection device according to claim 14, wherein the supporter is a thermal shrinkable sleeve; 20 and a location of the LED lamp is provided with a hole. 22

16. The LED string structure and the protection device according to claim 14, wherein the supporter is a Scotch tape. 23