Flexible rod light and manufacturing method thereof

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to LED (Light Emitting Diode) means and more particularly to a flexible rod light device containing a string of LED lamps and manufacturing method thereof.

#2. Description of Related Art

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of flexible rod light according to the invention;

#FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the string of LED lamps and the inner layer with the jacket removed for clarity;

#FIG. 3 is a perspective view in part section of the assembled string of LED lamps and the inner layer according to the invention;

#Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a flexible rod light device in accordance with the invention. The light device comprises an inner layer 10, a string of LED lamps 20, a pair of main wires 30 and 31, and a jacket 40. Each of above components will now be described in detail below.

#The inner layer 10 is a flexible elongate transparent (or half-transparent) plastic material and comprises lengthwise grooves 12 and 14 on top and bottom respectively and a plurality of equally spaced apart dents 11 on the groove 12. Thus, a substantially H-shaped cross-section of the inner layer 10 is formed. The string of LED lamps 20 comprises a plurality of units each including a LED lamp 21, two substantially 90 degrees bent conductor sections 23 with the LED lamp 21 received in a U section of the conductor sections 23 and electrically connected thereto by connecting the terminals of the LED lamp 21 to one ends of the adjacent conductor sections 23 by soldering, and a resistor 22 interconnecting the other end of the conductor section 23 and the other end of the conductor section 23 of an adjacent unit by soldering. Thus, LED lamps 21 are series connected one by one. Further, straight portions of the conductor sections 23 and the LED lamp 21 of each unit are rested on the dent 11 and two wing portions of the conductor sections 23 are rested on the top groove 12. The pair of main wires 30 and 31 are parallel disposed in the inner layer 10 proximate the sides. A front most conductor section 230 is rested on the main wire 30 in a front side of the inner layer 10 by a tool. Likewise, a rearmost conductor section 231 is rested on the main wire 31 in a rear side of the inner layer 10 by a tool. As such, the main wires 30 and 31 interconnect a power source (not shown) and the string of LED lamps 20 to form an electric circuit. The jacket 40, having the same plastic material as the inner layer 10, is formed to wrap up the inner layer 10 and the string of LED lamps 20 by extrusion. The jacket 40 has flat top and bottom surfaces 41 and 42.

#A process of manufacturing the flexible rod light device of the invention comprises the steps of: