Printed film with mounted light emitting diodes encapsulated in light guide
AssigneeDura Operating, LLC
InventorRon G. Gipson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A printed film with mounted light emitting diodes encapsulated in a light guide includes a printed film assembly. The printed film assembly includes multiple light emitting diodes. A light guide is injection molded onto a first side of the body covering the light emitting diodes. A light transmissive polymeric material coating layer is applied by injection molding to a second side of the body opposite to the first side. An overmolded component has the printed film assembly embedded therein, with the coating layer exposed for visibility of light from the light emitting diodes when at least one of the light emitting diodes is energized.
Claims16
A printed film with mounted light emitting diodes encapsulated in a light guide, comprising:
- a printed film assembly, including:
- a body having multiple light emitting diodes;
- a light guide injection molded onto a first side of the body covering the light emitting diodes;
- a light transmissive polymeric material coating layer applied by injection molding to a second side of the body opposite to the first side;
- and
- an overmolded component having the printed film assembly embedded therein, with the coating layer exposed for visibility of light from the light emitting diodes when at least one of the light emitting diodes is energized,
- wherein the body includes a first end tab extending integrally from the body at a first end of the body, and an oppositely directed second end tab extending integrally from the body at a second end of the body and each of the first end tab and the second end tab are connected to the body by a frangible joint.
A printed film with mounted light emitting diodes encapsulated in a light guide, comprising:
- a printed film assembly, including:
- a body having electrical traces connected to multiple light emitting diodes, and oppositely directed first and second end tabs extending integrally from the body;
- a light guide injection molded onto a first side of the body covering the light emitting diodes, the light guide having multiple pins integrally connected to the light guide and extending in a direction away from the body;
- a light transmissive polymeric material coating layer applied by injection molding to a second side of the body opposite to the first side;
- a substantially non-light-transmissive overmolded component having the printed film assembly embedded therein after removal of the first and second end tabs;
- and
- a set of light transmissive number pairs positioned proximate to each of the light emitting diodes, with the coating layer exposed for visibility of the number pairs when at least one of the light emitting diodes is energized, and having at least one of the multiple pins extending at least partially into the overmolded component.
A method for encapsulating light emitting diodes with a printed film in a light guide, comprising the steps of:
- connecting multiple light emitting diodes to multiple electrical traces on a body;
- injection molding a light guide onto a first side of the body covering the light emitting diodes to create a printed film assembly;
- integrally connecting multiple pins to the light guide during the injection molding step each extending in a direction away from the body;
- applying a light transmissive polymeric material coating layer by injection molding to a second side of the body opposite to the first side;
- connecting a set of light transmissive number pairs to the multiple electrical traces on a body;
- and
- positioning the multiple light emitting diodes on the body each proximate to one of the number pairs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.