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  Jacketed led assemblies and light strings containing sameUSPTO Application #: 20060139920Title: Jacketed led assemblies and light strings containing same Abstract: A jacketed light emitting diode assembly is provided, which includes a light emitting diode including a set of positive and negative contacts, and a lens body containing a semiconductor chip and end portions of the contacts. An electrical wire set of first and second electrical wires are connected to the positive contact and the negative contact, respectively. A light transmissive cover receives the lens body, and has an opening through which at least one of the contact set and the electrical wire set passes. An integrally molded plastic jacket at the opening of the light transmissive cover provides a seal at the opening against moisture and airborne contaminants. A waterproof light string including one or more of the jacketed light emitting diode assemblies is also provided, as are related methods. (end of abstract)
Agent: Berenato, White & Stavish Suite 240 - Bethesda, MD, US Inventor: David Allen USPTO Applicaton #: 20060139920 - Class: 362249000 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060139920. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/755,463 filed Jan. 13, 2004, now abandoned, which is hereby incorporate by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of Invention [0003] The present invention relates to light emitting diode assemblies, light strings comprising a plurality of light emitting diode assemblies, and related methods. [0004] 2. Description of Related Art [0005] Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are increasingly employed as a basic lighting source in a variety of forms, including decorative lighting, for reasons among the following. First, as part of an assembly, LEDs have a very long lifespan, compared with common incandescent and fluorescent sources. For example, a typical LED lifespan is at least 100,000 hours. Second, LEDs have several favorable physical properties, including ruggedness, cool operation, and ability to operate under wide temperature variations. Third, LEDs are currently available in all primary and several secondary colors, as well as in a "white" form employing a blue source and phosphors. Fourth, with newer doping techniques, LEDs are becoming increasingly efficient, and colored LED sources currently available may consume an order of magnitude less power than incandescent bulbs of equivalent light output. Moreover, with expanding applications and resulting larger volume demand, as well as with new manufacturing techniques, LEDs are increasingly cost effective. [0006] Conventional LEDs are typically constructed using steel or coated steal contacts or frames. LED contacts are also available in copper or copper-alloys, although these materials generally are considered undesirable because of their higher cost and incompatibility with some automated LED manufacturing equipment and certain types of LED die material. [0007] LED-containing holiday and decorative light sets, such as used for decorative purposes such as for Christmas lighting, typically use copper-alloy contacts to transfer electricity from the lead wires to the LED lamps. Although manufacturers take efforts to seal the contacts and connections against moisture and airborne contaminants, it is difficult if not impossible to achieve completely and consistently a moisture and contaminant seal. [0008] LED-based light strings also present other drawbacks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,147 entitled LED LIGHT STRING SYSTEM to Lanzisera ("Lanzisera") and U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,999 entitled STRING OF LIGHTS SPECIFICATION to Leake ("Leake") describe different forms of LED-based light strings. In both Lanzisera and Leake, exemplary light strings are described employing purely parallel wiring of discrete LED lamps using a step-down transformer and rectifier power conversion scheme. These and all other LED light string descriptions found in the prior art convert input electrical power, usually assumed to be the common U.S. household power of 110 VAC to a low voltage, nearly DC input. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] It is an object of this invention to provide an LED assembly capable of addressing one or more of the above-mentioned drawbacks. [0010] It is another object of this invention to provide an LED assembly possessing a complete and permanent barrier, especially for the metal contacts and associated electrical connections, against moisture and corrosive contaminants. [0011] It is still another object of this invention to provide an LED assembly having improved durability and longevity. [0012] It is another object of the invention to provide a light string comprising a series of LED assemblies of the invention. [0013] It is still another object of the invention to provide a method for manufacturing the assemblies and light-strings of this invention. [0014] To achieve one or more of the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention as embodied and broadly described in this document, according to a first aspect of this invention there is provided a jacketed light emitting diode assembly, comprising a light emitting diode, an electrical wire set, a light transmissive cover, and an integrally molded plastic jacket. The light emitting diode comprises a contact set comprising a positive contact and a negative contact, each of the contacts having a first end portion and a second end portion, and a lens body containing a semiconductor chip and the first end portions of the positive and negative contacts. The electrical wire set comprises a first electrical wire and a second electrical wire electrically connected to the second end portions of the positive contact and the negative contact, respectively. The light transmissive cover has a cavity receiving the lens body, and an opening having at least one of the contact set and the electrical wire set passing therethrough. The integrally molded plastic jacket is positioned at the opening of the light transmissive cover to provide a seal at the opening against moisture and airborne contaminants. [0015] According to a second aspect of the invention a method is provided for making a jacketed light emitting diode assembly. The method comprises providing a light emitting diode comprising a positive contact and a negative contact of a contact set, each of the contacts having a first end portion and a second end portion, and a lens body containing a semiconductor chip and the first end portions of the positive and negative contacts. A first electrical wire and a second electrical wire of an electrical wire set are electrically connected to the second end portions of the positive contact and the negative contact, respectively. The light emitting diode is inserted through an opening and into a cavity of a light transmissive cover, so that the contact set and/or the electrical wire set passes through the opening. A plastic jacket is molded integrally at the opening of the light transmissive cover to provide a seal at the opening against moisture and airborne contaminants. [0016] A third aspect of the invention provides a light string comprising a plurality of light emitting diode assemblies connected to one another, the light emitting diode assemblies comprising a plurality of jacketed light emitting diode assemblies, comprising a light emitting diode, an electrical wire set, a light transmissive cover, and an integrally molded plastic jacket. The contact set comprises a positive contact and a negative contact, each of the contacts having a first end portion and a second end portion, and a lens body containing a semiconductor chip and the first end portions of the positive and negative contacts. The electrical wire set comprises a first electrical wire and a second electrical wire electrically connected to the second end portions of the positive contact and the negative contact, respectively. The light transmissive cover has a cavity with an opening, the cavity receiving the lens body, the opening having the contact set and/or the electrical wire set passing therethrough. The integrally molded plastic jacket, which is at the opening of the light transmissive cover, provides a seal at the opening against moisture and airborne contaminants along a length of the light string. [0017] In accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for moisture sealing a light-emitting diode elements of a light string. The method comprises providing a light string comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes, the plurality of light emitting diodes comprising a positive contact and a negative contact of a contact set, each of the contacts having a first end portion and a second end portion, and a lens body containing a semiconductor chip and the first end portions of the positive and negative contacts. First and second electrical wires of an electrical wire set are electrically connected to the second end portions of the positive contact and the negative contact, respectively. The light emitting diode is inserted through an opening and into a cavity of a light transmissive cover, the opening having at least one of the contact set and the electrical wire set passing therethrough. A plastic jacket is molded integrally at the opening of the light transmissive cover to provide a seal at the opening against moisture and airborne contaminants. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification. The drawings, together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the certain preferred embodiments and methods given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In such drawings: [0019] FIGS. 1A and 1B show two example block diagrams of the light string in its embodiment preferred primarily, with one diagram for a 110 VAC common household input electrical source (e.g., 60 Hz) and one diagram for a 220 VAC common household (e.g., 50 Hz) input electrical source. [0020] FIG. 2A shows a schematic diagrams of an embodiment of this invention in which the diodes of the 50 LEDs (series) blocks 102 of FIG. 1 are connected in the same direction. [0021] FIG. 2B Shows a schematic diagrams of an embodiment of this invention in which the diodes of the 50 LEDs (series) blocks 102 of FIG. 1 are connected in the reverse direction. Continue reading... Full patent description for Jacketed led assemblies and light strings containing same Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Jacketed led assemblies and light strings containing same patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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