WO2008117900A1

WO2008117900A1 - Led module assembly for signboard and method for manufacturing signboard using the same

Info

Publication number: WO2008117900A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/001483
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joung-Woong Cho; Hyo-Sik Jeon
Original assignee: Joung-Woong Cho; Hyo-Sik Jeon
Priority date: 2007-03-27
Filing date: 2007-03-27
Publication date: 2008-10-02

Abstract

A LED module assembly for signboard comprising: a LED circuit board (100) in the form of strip having a PCB board on which a plurality of LEDs is mounted, the LED circuit board formed with a plurality of connecting holes; and a base plate (10) made of synthetic resins and having a plurality of connecting protrusions fitted into the connecting holes.

Description

LED MODULE ASSEMBLY FOR SIGNBOARD AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SIGNBOARD USING THE SAME

Technical Field

[I] The present invention relates to a LED module assembly, more particularly to a LED module assembly for a signboard using a LED circuit board which makes the manufacture of a signboard easier by simplifying an assembly of a LED circuit board.

[2] Also, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a signboard using such a LED module assembly. [3]

Background Art [4] In general, a signboard is illuminated using various lighting means to increase the effect of advertisement. Typical lamps such as a fluorescent lamp and a neon lamp are used as the lighting means. Recently, a lighting means using a LED is widely used.

Since a LED has advantages of a long lifespan and a high efficiency, its usage is broadened to lighting and display devices. [5] Also, the LED is used to a lighting means for the signboard. FIG. 1 shows a LED lighting module for the signboard of surface mount devices type. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional LED lighting module comprises a plurality of holders 1, and a LED circuit board 100 in the form of strip mounted in the holders 1. [6] The LED circuit board 100 has a plurality of LED devices 101 surface-mounted on the printed circuit board, resistances and wires. Electrodes 102 are provided on the ends of the LED circuit board 100 for the supply of current, which are electrically connected to the adjacent LED module by a connector 2. [7] The holder 1 has side walls of a U-shaped section and a receiving groove Ib into which the LED circuit board 100 is fitted is formed on the side walls. [8] The receiving groove Ib has a slanted surface Ia at the top for receiving the LED circuit board 100 smoothly. Accordingly, when the LED circuit board 100 is pushed into the holder 1 from the above, the side walls are elastically deformed so that both edge of the LED circuit board rest in the receiving groove Ib. [9] The holder 1 is provided with a two-sided tape 3 on the lower surface so that the holder 1 may be attached to the inner side of the sign board. [10] The sign board may be manufactured using the conventional LED module assembly as follows.

[I I] First, the holder 1 is cut according to the draft of advertisement. The two-sided tape 3 is attached to the lower side of the holder 1. The LED circuit boards 100 are mounted on the holder 1. The circuit boards 100 are electrically connected each other by the connector 2. Then, assembled LED module is attached to the panel of signboard by the two-sided tape 3 while the LED module is aligned according to the draft of advertisement. The holder 1 is fixed after a lighting test, and then outer wires are connected.

[12] As set forth above, the manufacturing processes of cutting the holder 1, fitting it into the LED circuit board 100, and attachment of holder to the frame of signboard possess 30% out of the whole processes, which lengthens the work time and lowers manufacturing efficiency. Accordingly, it is needed that a simple assembly means is provided to install the LED circuit board 100 on the frame of the signboard in short time with ease.

[13]

Disclosure of Invention

[14] The present invention is designed to solve the above problems of the prior art. It is an object of the invention to provide a LED module assembly for signboard which enables the LED circuit board in the form of strip to be assembled to the frame of the signboard very quickly and easily so as to shorten manufacturing time and increase manufacturing efficiency.

[15] Another object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing signboard

[16] In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a LED module assembly for signboard comprising: a LED circuit board (100) in the form of strip having a PCB board on which a plurality of LEDs is mounted, the LED circuit board formed with a plurality of connecting holes; and a base plate made of synthetic resins and having a plurality of connecting protrusions fitted into the connecting holes.

[17] Preferably, the base plate comprises a horizontal strip and a vertical strip for connecting the LED circuit board.

[18] More preferably, the base plate comprises outer strips on the outer, and inner strips inside the outer strip to be connected with the outer strip.

[19] The inner strip are aligned in parallel to be spaced from each other so that openings are formed between the inner strips.

[20] The inner strips comprises strips which intersect each other.

[21] Preferably, the invention further comprises fastening portions formed on the part of the outer strips or the inner strips.

[22] More preferably, the connecting protrusions comprise outer connecting protrusions along the frame of the base plate; and inner connecting protrusions positioned inside the outer connecting protrusions, and wherein the inner connecting protrusions are aligned in a row spaced from each other. [23] Also, the present invention further comprises a multi-connector collecting first wires connecting the LED circuit board. [24] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a signboard, comprising the following steps of: [25] (a) providing a LED circuit board (100) in the form of strip having a PCB board on which a plurality of LEDs is mounted, the LED circuit board formed with a plurality of connecting holes, and a base plate 10 made of synthetic resins and having a plurality of connecting protrusions fitted into the connecting holes; [26] (b) aligning base plates according to the draft of advertisement;

[27] (c) connecting the LED circuit boards to the base plate by inserting the connecting protrusions into the connecting holes;

[28] (d) electrically connecting the LED circuit boards;

[29] (e) installing the base plate onto the base plate.

[30] Preferably, the base plate comprises horizontal strips and vertical strips, and wherein the LED circuit boards are connected to the horizontal and vertical strips in the step

(C). [31] More preferably, the base plate comprises outer strips (11) on the outer, and inner strips (12) inside the outer strip to be connected with the outer strip, and wherein the

LED circuit boards are connected to the outer strips and inner strips in the step (c). [32] Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. [33]

Brief Description of the Drawings [34] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which. [35] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the conventional LED lighting module; [36] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing a LED module assembly for signboard according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; [37] FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing the assembly state of a LED module assembly for signboard according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; [38] FIG. 4 is a sectional view schematically showing the assembly state of a LED module assembly for signboard according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[39] FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a multi-connector adopted on a base plate of a

LED module assembly for signboard according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[40] FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing another example of a multi-connector adopted on a base plate of a LED module assembly for signboard according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[41] FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the manufacturing process of signboard according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[42] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a part of a LED module assembly for signboard according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

[43] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing a LED module assembly for signboard according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[44]

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[45] FIGs. 2 and 3 show a configuration of a LED module assembly for signboard according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[46] Referring to the drawings, a LED module assembly for signboard of the present invention comprises a LED circuit board 100 in the form of strip having LED devices (see 101 in FIG. 1) emitting light, and a base plate 10 on which the LED circuit board 100 is mounted.

[47] The LED circuit board 100 has a printed circuit board extending lengthwise on which a plurality of LED devices 101 are surface-mounted, resistance and wires. Electric terminals 102 are provided on both ends of the LED circuit board 100 for supply of current. The electric terminals 102 have electric pins inserted into a connector 2. The configuration of the LED circuit board is well known, which is omitted.

[48] The base plate 10 is made of synthetic resins and having a thickness of 1 ~ 2mm. Alternatively, the base plate 10 may be made of metal such as aluminum and steel alloy.

[49] Preferably, the base plate 10 comprises horizontal strips for mounting the LED circuit board 100 horizontally, and vertical strips for mounting the LED circuit board 100 vertically.

[50] More preferably, the base plate 10 comprises outer strips 11 at the outer of the base plate 10, and inner strips 12 connected with the outer strips 11 to be spaced from each other at predetermined interval. In the present embodiment, the outer strips 11 would be the horizontal strips, and the inner strips 12 would be the vertical strips. Therefore, openings 13 are formed between the inner strips 12.

[51] The width and length of the opening 13 is appropriately determined according to the intensity of light from the LED devices 101 of the LED circuit board to prevent partially blacking of light for uniform light.

[52] Although the outer strips 11 and the inner strips 12 are briefly illustrated, they may be variously formed not limited to that. For example, the inner strips 12 comprise traverse strips as well as parallel strips.

[53] Also, fastening portions 14 for engagement of fastening member such as bolts are provided on the part of the outer strips 11 or the inner strips 12, and a fastening hole 15 is formed on the fastening portion 14.

[54] According to the present invention, a plurality of connecting protrusions 20 is formed on the upper surface of the base plate 20 for connecting the LED circuit board 100. The connecting protrusions 20 are inserted into connecting holes (see 103 of FIG. 1) formed on the LED circuit board 100 to fit there. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the connecting protrusion 20 has a spherical surface 20a formed at the end, and a neck 20b at the lower portion of the spherical surface 20a.

[55] Accordingly, when the connecting protrusion 20 is inserted into the connecting hole

103 of the LED circuit board 100, the spherical surface 20a passes over the hole so that the LED circuit board 100 is fixed in the neck 20b. Preferably, when the LED circuit board 100 is connected to the connecting protrusion 20 of the base plate 10, there is a gap between the LED circuit board 100 and the base plate 10 for cooling and protecting the board from the external impact.

[56] The present invention may comprise a plurality of LED circuit boards 100 according to the draft of the advertisement or the size of the signboard in order to obtain desired intensity of light. The electric terminals 102 of the LED circuit board 100 are connected with each other by first wires 110, preferably by means of the connector 2.

[57] The first wires 110 connecting the LED circuit boards 100 are connected with a multi-connector 200. The multi-connector 200 is for collecting a plurality of first wires 110 and connecting them to a second wire 210, which is illustrated in FIG. 5.

[58] Referring to FIG. 5, the multi-connector comprises a first terminal 220 to be connected with the first wires 110a and 110b, a second terminal 250 to be connected with the second wires 210a and 210b, and conductive lines 230 and 240 for connecting the first terminal 220 and the second terminal 250, and a case 201 encloses all the elements.

[59] Also, the first terminal 220 comprises a bracket 221 and a joint bolt 222 for engaging the first wires 110 and 119b, and the second terminal 250 comprises a bracket 251 and a joint bolt 252 for engaging the second wires 210a and 210b. With the above configuration, for example, the first wires 110 having a diameter of 1 ~ 2 mm are collected to thereby connect to the second wires 210 having a diameter larger than 5 mm. The second wires 210 are connected to external wires or a power resource. [60] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the terminals may be configured to one-stop push type as shown in FIG. 6. The terminal 260 of FIG. 6 includes pressing member 263 elastically installed on the outer of the case 261. The pressing member 263 is formed with a pressing pin 264 on the lower portion which extends to the inside of the case 261 passing through a through hole 262.

[61] Also, a connection conductive member 265 and an elastic conductive member 266 are provided in the case 261. The elastic member 266 elastically presses against the connection conductive member 265. Since the gap between the connection conductive member 265 and the elastic conductive member 266 become narrow toward the inside from the outside, it is easy to insert wires.

[62] The inserted wire is clamped by the connection conductive member 265 and the elastic conductive member 266 to thereby complete connection at once. On the contrary, in order to disconnect the wire, the pressing member 263 is pressed outside of the case 261 so that the pressing pin 264 presses on the elastic conductive member 266. Then the gap between the connection conductive member 265 and the elastic conductive member 266 is enlarged, which makes it easy to disconnect the wire.

[63] Now the method of manufacturing signboard using the LED module assembly is described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 7.

[64] The method of the present invention comprises a step of manufacturing a LED module assembly in the factory and a step of installing the LED module assembly on the signboard in the work place.

[65] Referring to FIG. 7, first the base plates 10 are aligned according to the draft of the advertisement (step SlO). For example, the whole base plate 10 as shown in FIG. 3 may be used, or alternatively a part of the base plate 10 in FIG. 8 may be used.

[66] Then, the connecting protrusions 20 of the base plate 20 are inserted into the connecting holes 103 of the LED circuit board 100 as many as required (step S20).

[67] According to the present invention, the above processes may be conducted in reverse.

That is, all the LED circuit boards 100 are connected to the base plate 10 in FIG. 3, and then it may be cut to pieces as desired according to the draft of the advertisement.

[68] Subsequently, electric terminals 102 of the LED circuit board 100 are electrically connected by the connector 2 or the first wire 110 to complete a LED module assembly (step S30). If necessary, the first wires 110 are collected into the second wire 210 by the multi-connector 200. After that, power is supplied to turn on the LED for the test.

[69] Assembled LED module assembly may be installed to the signboard in the work place. That is, a fastener (not shown) such as bolts is inserted into the fastening hole 15 of the fastening portion 14 in the base plate 10 to be screwed to the frame of the signboard so that the LED module assembly is fixed (step S40).

[70] Alternatively, any portion of the base plate 10 other than the fastening portion may be fixed by the bolts. [71] After the LED module assembly is installed in the frame of the signboard, a front frame (not shown) is installed to complete the manufacture of signboard. [72] FIG. 9 shows a LED module assembly for signboard of another embodiment of the present invention. Here the same number as the above denotes the same element. [73] A LED module assembly for signboard comprises a LED circuit board 100 in the form of strip provided with LED devices (see 101 of FIG. 1), and a base plate 30 supporting the LED circuit board 100. [74] The base plate 30 of the present embodiment is a flat plate made of synthetic resins or metal such as aluminum and steel alloy having a thickness of 1 ~2 mm without openings. [75] Also, the base plate 30 has connecting portions 14' at the edge on which a connecting hole 15' for fasteners is formed. [76] According to the present embodiment, a plurality of connecting protrusion 31 and 32 for connecting LED circuit boards 100 is formed on the base plate. The connecting protrusions 31 and 32 are configured to insert into the connecting holes (see 103 of

FIG. 1) formed on the LED circuit board 100, which is the same as the above. [77] The connecting protrusion comprises outer connecting protrusions 31 along the frame of the base plate 30, and inner connecting protrusions 32 positioned inside the outer connecting protrusions 31. [78] The connecting protrusions 31 and 32 are aligned in a row suitable for assembling the LED circuit boards 100 in the form of strip. Preferably, the inner connecting protrusions 32 are aligned parallel to each other. More preferably, the connecting protrusions are positioned not to generate black cell in the image of advertisement to have a uniform intensity of light. [79] The method for manufacturing signboard according to the present embodiment is the same the previous embodiment, and then will be omitted. [80]

Industrial Applicability [81] Since the LED module assembly of the present invention is manufactured by easily assembling the LED circuit boards by means of the connecting protrusions formed on the base plate, assembly of the module is very simple and convenient. [82] Also, the LED module assembly of the invention is fixed to the frame of the signboard by fasteners. So, it is not required to use two-sided tapes or adhesives of the prior art. [83] Furthermore, the base plate of the LED module assembly may be cut to appropriate size according to the draft of the advertisement, which can be applied to various kinds of advertisement.

Claims

[1] A LED module assembly for signboard comprising: a LED circuit board (100) in the form of strip having a PCB board on which a plurality of LEDs is mounted, the LED circuit board formed with a plurality of connecting holes; and a base plate (10) made of synthetic resins and having a plurality of connecting protrusions fitted into the connecting holes.

[2] The LED module assembly for signboard according to claim 1, wherein the base plate comprises a horizontal strip and a vertical strip for connecting the LED circuit board.

[3] The LED module assembly for signboard according to claim 2, wherein the base plate comprises outer strips (11) on the outer, and inner strips (12) inside the outer strip to be connected with the outer strip.

[4] The LED module assembly for signboard according to claim 3, wherein the inner strip are aligned in parallel to be spaced from each other so that openings are formed between the inner strips..

[5] The LED module assembly for signboard according to claim 3, wherein the inner strips comprises strips which intersect each other.

[6] The LED module assembly for signboard according to claim 3, further comprising fastening portions formed on the part of the outer strips or the inner strips.

[7] The LED module assembly for signboard according to claim 1, wherein the connecting protrusions comprise outer connecting protrusions along the frame of the base plate; and inner connecting protrusions positioned inside the outer connecting protrusions, and wherein the inner connecting protrusions are aligned in a row spaced from each other.

[8] The LED module assembly for signboard according to claim 1, further comprising a multi-connector collecting first wires connecting the LED circuit board.

[9] A method for manufacturing a signboard, comprising the following steps of:

(a) providing a LED circuit board (100) in the form of strip having a PCB board on which a plurality of LEDs is mounted, the LED circuit board formed with a plurality of connecting holes, and a base plate 10 made of synthetic resins and having a plurality of connecting protrusions fitted into the connecting holes;

(b) aligning base plates according to the draft of advertisement;

(c) connecting the LED circuit boards to the base plate by inserting the connecting protrusions into the connecting holes;

(d) electrically connecting the LED circuit boards;

(e) installing the base plate onto the base plate.

[10] The method for manufacturing a signboard according to the claim 9, wherein the base plate comprises horizontal strips and vertical strips, and wherein the LED circuit boards are connected to the horizontal and vertical strips in the step (c).

[11] The method for manufacturing a signboard according to the claim 9, wherein the base plate comprises outer strips (11) on the outer, and inner strips (12) inside the outer strip to be connected with the outer strip, and wherein the LED circuit boards are connected to the outer strips and inner strips in the step (c).

[12] The method for manufacturing a signboard according to the claim 9, wherein the base plate is provided with a multi-connector collecting first wires connecting the LED circuit board.