US 4,675,575 A · Light-emitting diode assemblies and systems therefore

Abstract

A light string system is provided having a plurality of mono-color or bi-color light-emitting diodes electrically connected thereto. Each light-emitting diode has a generally elongated, hollow envelope mounted thereover, and the envelope is substantially filled with light-conducting optical spheres or even fragments. The envelope may be additionally filled with light-conducting epoxy, light-conducting liquid or light-conducting gas and sealed for improved light transmission and dispersion characteristics. The light-emitting diodes may include an improved base with light-emitting diode leads disposed approximately perpendicular to the axis of the envelope for bulb stability and for enabling the bulb to stand upright on the branches. Both the envelope and the optical spheres include light-conducting glass or plastic material. The spheres may be either hollow or spherical and may be of a uniform or a mixed size. Additionally, the balls may be large for stacking in single file within the envelope or centrifuged to the sides of the envelope with the center devoid of spheres. The light-emitting diodes may be adapted for use as Christmas tree strings and various AC and DC control circuits are provided for driving the light-emitting diodes, for blinking effects, for alternating between two colors, for alternating between three colors, for improving the length of the string and uniformity of intensity of illumination and the like. In a preferred embodiment of the Christmas tree string of lights, a master trunk line and a plurality of limb lines are provided. The limb lines plug into or connect to predetermined locations along the master trunk line for ease of assembly, replacement and the like. This string uses a series--parallel configuration wherein the upper and lower portion of the master trunk line and the individual light-emitting diodes within each limb line are connected in series while the limb line sets are connected in parallel with each other for enabling more lights to be illuminated with less power, for increasing the uniformity of illumination along the length of the string, and for minimizing light outage due to bulb burnout.

Claims188

Dependent claims

A miniature light bulb apparatus for strings of Christmas tree lights, Christmas decorations, ornamental light strings, decorative lights and the like comprising:

a light-emitting diode;
an envelope means operably disposed about at least a portion of said light-emitting diode;
and
light-conducting spherical means operably disposed within said envelope means for transmitting, dispersing, and difussing the light emitted from said light-emitting diode.

1 more element

An improved string of Christmas tree lights having a plurality of electrical conducting means and a power source for supplying electrical current thereto, the improvement comprising:

a plurality of light-emitting diodes electrically connected along said electrical conducting means for receiving electrical current therefrom and adapted to be placed in various arrangements about a Christmas tree for display purposes;
a plurality of light-conducting envelopes, each of said envelopes being substantially hollow and having a longitudinal axis therethrough, each of said envelopes having at least a partially opened end for operatively receiving at least a portion of said light-emitting diode therein and a closed end;
and
a plurality of light-conducting optical spheres operably disposed within said hollow interior of said envelopes for improved light diffusion and transmission characteristics.

1 more element

A string of Christmas tree lights comprising:

a master trunk line adapted to be disposed substantially vertically along the height of the Christmas tree for conducting electrical current supplied thereto, said master trunk line having at least an upper nad lower master trunk line portion electrically connected in series with one another;
trunk line fastening means for selectively connecting said upper and lower portions in electrical series with one another;
a plurality of limb light sets adapted to be operably disposed substantially horizontally along the branches of the tree, said plurality of limb light sets being divisible into upper and lower groups of individual light limb sets, the individual light limb sets within a given group being electrically connected in parallel with one another;
a plurality of light-emitting bulbs operably disposed at predetermined intervals along the length of each of said sets for decorative purposes;
and
selectively operable limb line fastening means for mechanically and electrically connecting and unconnecting each of said individual limb light sets of said upper and lower groups of light limb sets to corresponding ones of said upper and lower groups, respectively, of said master trunk line for supplying current thereto;
said plurality of light bulbs includes at least one of light-emitting diodes and miniature incandescent bulbs;
a plurality of light-conducting envelopes each including a hollow interior portion, at least a partially opened end, and an opposite closed end, each of said envelopes including at least one of light-conducting glass and light-conducting plastic material;
and
a plurality of light-conducting spherical balls operatively disposed within the hollow interior of said envelopes and sealed therein for improved light transmission and diffusion characteristics.

7 more elements

A miniature light bulb apparatus for use in a string of Christmas tree lights or the like comprising:

a light-emitting device including a light-emitting portion, a base portion opposite the light-emitting portion, and at least first and second electrodes extending from the base portion of the light emitting device;
generally elongated envelope means having a hollow interior with a longitudinal axis therethrough and an aperture at one end thereof, said light-emitting device being operably disposed at least partially through said aperture and within said hollow interior of said envelope means for transmitting said emitted light therethrough, said longitudinal axis through the central portion of the hollow interior of said envelope means being coincident with the axis of said light-emitting device;
means for encapsulating the base of the light-emitting device and sealing the aperture at the end of said envelope means;
base means operably secured to said encapsulating means for balance and decorative purposes;
said base means including a decorative base portion operatively secured to said encapsulating means and extending at least partially along said longitudinal axis;
and
the electrical conductor means including at least first and second wires operatively extending through said base means for electrical connection to said first and second electrodes, respectively, and generally oriented substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

4 more elements

A Christmas tree light string system comprising:

a master trunk line electrical connector means adapted to be operatively disposed substantially vertically down the trunk of said Christmas tree;
said master trunk line electrical connector means including an upper trunk line circuit electrically connected in series with a lower trunk line circuit;
upper and lower groups of modular limb line electrical connector means associated with said upper and lower master trunk line circuits, respectively, and adapted to be operatively disposed substantially horizontally along the limbs of said Christmas tree;
said plurality of modular limb line electrical connector means including individual modular light limb sets;
a plurality of light-emitting diodes operably disposed along the length of said light limb sets and electrically connected thereto in a series path at predetermined selected intervals therealong;
a source of electrical power;
means for removably electrically connecting said upper and lower trunk line portions to said source of electrical power for illuminating said light-emitting diodes;
and
means for selectively removably connecting and unconnecting individual ones of said sets of light limbs within each of said upper and lower groups of modular limb lines to said upper and lower trunk line circuits, respectively, such that said individual sets of light limbs are electrically connected in parallel with one another within each of said groups for ease of replacement and substitution of individual light limb sets;
said upper and lower master trunk line including first and second electrical conductors and first and third electrical conductors, respectively, said first electrical conductor being common to said upper and lower master trunk line each of said upper and lower master trunk line portions including first and second terminals;
said means for electrically connecting said upper and lower trunk line to said source of electrical power including first and second electrical power inputs, respectively;
said second electrical conductor of said upper trunk line having one terminal electrically connected to said first electrical power input and said third electrical conductor of said lower trunk line circuit having one terminal electrically connected to said second electrical power input for supplying electrical power to said upper and lower main trunk line portions;
said modular sets of light limbs being separable into upper and lower groups of modular light limb sets, each set of light limbs having first and second terminals and said plurality of selectively spaced light-emitting diodes therebetween, each of said upper and lower groups of light limbs including a first set, at least one intermediate set, and a last set, said sets electrically connected in parallel with one another within each of said upper and lower groups;
said second electrical conductor of said upper trunk line circuit being selectively removably connected and unconnected to one terminal of each of said upper group of modular light limb sets;
said third electrical conductor of said lower trunk line circuit being selectively removably connected and unconnected to one terminal of each of said lower group of light limb sets;
the opposite terminal of each of said upper and lower groups of light limbs being electrically connected to said first common electrical conductor;
and
said upper and lower master trunk line of said master trunk line upper and lower groups being electrically connected in series with each other, all sets of light limbs within each of said upper and lower groups of light limb sets being electrically connected in parallel with one another, and said individual light-emitting diodes within each set of light limbs within each of said upper and lower groups of light limb sets being serially connected to one another within each of said sets.

15 more elements

The miniature Christmas tree light system comprising:

a main trunk line having upper and lower trunk line portions serially connected to one another by a selectively removable connector means;
a plurality of sets of limb lines each having a plurality of limb line twisted wire pair segments therein, said limb line segments being serially connected to one another within each of said sets and said limb line sets being divided into upper and lower groups with the limb lines of said upper group being electrically connected in parallel with one another and the limb lines of said lower group being electrically connected in parallel with one another so that only one limb line set goes out in the event of a burned out bulb or the like;
means for operatively removeably connecting and unconnecting the main trunk line to an electrical power source;
light-emitting diodes operatively disposed at predetermined selected positions along said limb segments with each limb segment terminating in a light-emitting diode;
means for mechanically and electrically connecting each set of limb lines of said upper group to a corresponding connection on said upper trunk line and each set of limb lines of said lower group to said lower trunk line, respectively, alternate ones of said LED's being connected in opposite polarity to the surrounding ones within each limb segment such that application of power to the main trunk line alternately illuminates every other light in said limb light.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Light-emitting diode assemblies and systems therefore

Life of this patent

Light-emitting diode assemblies and systems therefore

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims188