# US 7,407,304 B2 · Illumination device with arms that open after passing through a hole > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,407,304 B2 - Document ID: US7407304B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/966,323 - Filed: 2004-10-15 - Published: 2005-05-12 - Granted: 2008-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2003-11-06 - Inventors: Antonio Tasson; Ronny Liao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7407304B2 ## CPC - B60Q 1/2607: {comprising at least two indicating lamps} - F21K 9/65: specially adapted for changing the characteristics or the distribution of the light, e.g. by adjustment of parts - F21S 43/14: Light emitting diodes [LED] - F21S 43/15: Strips of light sources - F21V 21/30: Pivoted housings or frames - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - F21K: NON-ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES USING LUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING CHARGES OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL; LIGHT SOURCES USING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES AS LIGHT-GENERATING ELEMENTS; LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract An illumination device including at least one arm supporting one or more light emitting devices, such arm pivoting from a closed configuration for passing through a hole to an open configuration for function. In a preferred embodiment, the illumination device includes three or five arms, light emitting diodes (LEDs) as the light emitting devices and, springs for automatically pivoting the arms to the open configuration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An illumination device for installation in a housing though an aperture in the housing, said device comprising: a body; at least two rigid arms pivotally attached to said body and moveable between a closed configuration for installation through the aperture and an outwardly open configuration for function within the housing; a means for biasing the arms toward the open configuration; a plurality of light emitting devices supported on each of the arms; a socket associated with the body, said socket for connecting the device to a power source; and a circuit board mounted in the base, the circuit board being connected with the socket and the light emitting devices and including circuitry configured for adapting power from the power source to allow at least one of the intensity, duration, frequency and timing of illumination of the light-emitting devices to be varied to create random or pre-determined lighting patterns; wherein said arms are movable to the closed configuration to permit said device to pass through the aperture, and once through, said biasing means causes said at least two arms to move to the open configuration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said light emitting devices on each arm which in said open configuration are spread out and form a distinct light pattern. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the power source is electrical. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the light emitting device is optical. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said arms are sized to allow installation and deployment within a tail or brake light housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising: an additional circuit board mounted on each of the at least two arms and supporting a plurality of light emitting devices, and a means of transmitting power from the socket to the LEDs via the additional circuit boards. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein in the open configuration the arms extend outwardly from the body and are spaced radially about the body. ### Claim 8 An illumination device for installation in a housing though an aperture in the housing, said device comprising: a support body including a mating socket configured to connect the illumination device to an electrical power source; and a plurality of elongate arm sub-assemblies each including a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted on a circuit board electrically connected with the socket to receive electrical power to operate the light emitting diodes; and tensioning devices connecting first ends of the elongate arm sub-assemblies to the support body, the tensioning devices biasing the elongate arm sub-assemblies into an open operational configuration in which second ends of the elongate arm sub-assemblies opposite the first ends are extended away from the support body, the open operational configuration not fitting through the aperture in the housing, the elongate arm sub-assemblies being movable against the bias into a closed installation configuration in which the second ends of the elongate arm sub-assemblies are brought into proximity to each other to fit through the aperture in the housing for installation in said housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The illumination device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the tensioning devices comprise a set of springs. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The illumination device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the mating socket has a standard shape which mates with a standard automotive wire harness. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The illumination device as set forth in claim 8, further comprising: additional light emitting devices housed or supported by the support body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The illumination device as set forth in claim 8, wherein the plurality of elongate arm sub-assemblies have at least one of (i) different widths and (ii) different lengths. ### Claim 13 An illumination device for installation in a housing though an aperture in the housing, said device comprising: a body; a plurality of rigid arms pivotally attached to said body and on which are mounted a plurality of light emitting devices (LEDs), the rigid arms being moveable between a closed configuration which presents a reduced cross-section for installation through the aperture and an open, operational configuration which presents an expanded cross-section within the housing; a means for biasing the arms toward the open configuration; a socket associated with the body, said socket being configured for connecting the device to a power source; and a means of transmitting power from the socket to the plurality of LEDs, the power transmitting means including a circuit board mounted to each arm and supporting the LEDs mounted on that arm, the circuit boards being connected with the socket, the power transmitting means further including components configured for adapting the power source to the required operating characteristics of the LEDs to allow at least one of the intensity, duration, frequency, and timing of illumination of the plurality of LEDs to be varied to create random or pre-determined lighting patterns; wherein said arms are movable to the closed configuration to permit said device to pass through the aperture, and once through, said biasing means causes said arms to move from the closed configuration to the open configuration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the device is sized in the closed configuration to pass through a standard mounting hole of an automotive tail light assembly housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein said LEDs are positioned on said arm to ensure that the amount of heat to be dissipated from a specific area of the device does not exceed a pre-determined threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of rigid arms comprises: at least three arms each pivotally attached to said body and moveable between the closed configuration for installation through the aperture and the open configuration within the housing in which the arms extend radially. ### Claim 17 An illumination device, said device comprising: a body with a generally cylindrical cross-section; at least two rigid arms attached to an upper end of said body, each having at least one light emitting device; a pivot for each arm to permit each arm to pivot upward from said body from a closed configuration in which the arms are generally parallel and have a cross-section equal to or less than the cross-section of the base to precede the base through an aperture in a housing for installation to an open configuration extending outward from the base for function; a means to bias said at least two arms to said open configuration; a socket formed on a lower end of said body configured for connecting the device to an electrical source providing control and power to the light emitting device; a means of transmitting power to each of the light emitting devices; said arms being movable to the closed configuration against a biasing force of the biasing means configured to permit said device to pass through a hole, and once through, said biasing means is configured for causing said arms to move to the open, outward extending configuration. ### Claim 18 An illumination device for installation in a housing though an aperture in the housing, said device comprising: a generally circular body including a socket configured to connect the illumination device to an electrical power source; and a plurality of biased rigid arms supporting light emitting devices, the light emitting devices being electrically connected with the socket to receive operative electrical power therefrom, the biased rigid arms being biased into an open operational configuration in which the biased rigid arms are positioned extended away from the generally circular body and do not fit through the aperture in the housing, the biased rigid arms being movable by force against the bias into a closed installation configuration in which the biased rigid arms precede the base and fit into the aperture to enter the housing for installation, the biased rigid arms automatically returning to the open operational configuration once the biased rigid arms pass through the aperture and the force against the bias is removed. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The illumination device as set forth in claim 18, wherein the light emitting devices comprise light emitting diodes. ### Claim 20 An illumination device for installation in a housing though an aperture in the housing, said device comprising: a plurality of elongate arm sub-assemblies each including a plurality of light emitting diodes; and a support body including a mating socket configured to accept standard automotive electrical power and a printed circuit board configured to adapt the standard automotive electrical power to operative power distributed via wires to the plurality of light emitting diodes on the elongate arm sub-assemblies; and tensioning devices connecting first ends of the elongate arm sub-assemblies to the support body, the tensioning devices biasing the elongate arm sub-assemblies into an operational configuration in which second ends of the elongate arm sub-assemblies opposite the first ends are extended away from the support body, the elongate arm sub-assemblies in the operational configuration not fitting through the aperture in the housing, the elongate arm sub-assemblies being movable against the bias into a closed installation configuration in which the second ends of the elongate arm sub-assemblies are brought together to fit through the aperture in the housing for installation in said housing. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The illumination device as set forth in claim 20, wherein the printed circuit board is configured to perform at least one adaptation of the standard automotive electrical power to operative power selected from the group consisting of: (i) regulating electrical voltage, (ii) limiting electrical current, and (iii) implementing a pulse width modulation adaptation. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The illumination device as set forth in claim 20, wherein the illumination device is configured to function as at least one of an automotive brake signal, an automotive turn signal, and an automotive taillight.