LED extrusion light engine and connector therefor

A method of manufacturing an LED channel letter, the method comprising:

• insulating a plurality of parallel flexible conductive elements to form a generally flat flexible electrically insulating conductor;
• mechanically securing a plurality of LEDs to spaced positions along the insulated conductive elements;
• during the mechanical securing, electrically contacting a plurality of leads of each LED to respective ones of the conductive elements to form a parallel interconnection of the plurality of LEDs;
• and
• fastening the generally flat flexible electrically insulating conductor in a channel letter housing with the generally flat flexible conductor positioned on-edge respective to a surface onto which the conductor is fastened.

A channel letter comprising:

• a substantially flat flexible cable including an electrically insulating sheath which contains positive and negative conductors electrically isolated from one another, the sheath providing a spacing between the positive and negative conductors;
• a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) devices spaced apart from one another on the cable, each of the LED devices having an LED including positive and negative leads mounted on a connector which mechanically secures the LED device to a portion of the flexible cable and electrically connects the positive and negative LED leads to the positive and negative conductors through positive and negative conductive piercing members which pierce the sheath to make electrical contact with the respective conductors;
• and
• a channel letter housing including a securing surface onto which the connectors of the LED devices are secured, the connectors being secured such that the substantially flat flexible cable is positioned on-edge with respect to the securing surface of the channel letter housing.

A channel letter including:

• a substantially planar support surface;
• a flexible conductor including:
• a first flexible conductive element arranged in a first parallel plane that is parallel to the substantially planar support surface,
• a second flexible conductive element arranged in a second parallel plane that is parallel to the substantially planar support surface, the second parallel plane being spaced from the first parallel plane by a spacing of the conductive elements, and
• an insulating sheath covering the first and second flexible conductive elements;
• and
• a plurality of light emitting diodes spaced along the conductor and secured to both the conductor and the support surface, the light emitting diodes receiving electrical power from the first and second flexible conductive elements.

A channel letter including:

• an electrical cable including:
• at least two flexible electrical conductors, and
• a flexible, electrically insulating covering surrounding the electrical conductors, the conductors arranged substantially parallel with a selected separation therebetween, the flexible covering including a plurality of dips separated by the selected separation;
• a plurality of LEDs, each LED having at least two electrical leads aligned with the dips, the at least two electrical leads electrically contacting the electrical conductors and mechanically piercing the insulating covering at the dips to mechanically secure the LED to the electrical cable;
• and
• a channel letter housing inside of which the electrical cable is disposed.