Reinforced light strip for a lighting device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11879606-B2
Application number	US-202117550837-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2021
Priority date	Dec 14, 2021
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

A flexible light assembly includes an elongated light transmissible jacket, the jacket including an internal vacancy. The assembly includes a substrate disposed in the internal vacancy. The substrate supports light emitters on a first surface thereof, and includes a reinforcing layer that is fixed to a surface the substrate opposite the first surface. The jacket may also include reinforcing fibers. The flexible light assembly is sufficiently flexible to permit bending such that the flexible light assembly can assume a radius of curvature in a range of 1.3 centimeters to 10.2 centimeters.

First claim

We claim:

1. A flexible light assembly comprising:
an assembly first end;
an assembly second end that is opposite the assembly first end;
an assembly centerline that extends between the assembly first end and the assembly second end;
an assembly thickness dimension;
an assembly width dimension that is measured in a direction perpendicular to the assembly thickness dimension;
an assembly length dimension that is measured in a direction parallel to the assembly centerline, the assembly length dimension being perpendicular to the assembly thickness dimension and the assembly width dimension, the assembly length dimension being at least ten times the assembly thickness dimension and the assembly width dimension;
a jacket, the jacket including
a jacket first end that coincides with the assembly first end,
a jacket second end that coincides with the assembly second end, and
an internal vacancy that is elongated in a direction parallel to the assembly centerline;

a substrate that is elongated in a direction parallel to the assembly centerline, the substrate being disposed in the internal vacancy, the substrate being formed of a first material, the first material being at least as flexible as the jacket, the substrate including
a substrate thickness dimension,
a substrate width dimension that is measured in a direction perpendicular to the substrate thickness dimension,
a substrate length dimension that is measured in a direction parallel to the assembly centerline, the substrate length dimension being perpendicular to the substrate thickness dimension and the substrate width dimension, the substrate length dimension being at least ten times the substrate thickness dimension and the substrate width dimension,
a substrate first surface that is parallel to the substrate length dimension and the substrate width dimension, and
a substrate second surface that is opposite the substrate first surface;

light emitters that are disposed on the substrate first surface, the light emitters being spaced apart in a direction parallel to the assembly centerline;
a reinforcing layer that is fixed to the substrate second surface and is formed of a second material, the second material having a greater tensile strength than the first material; and
a superstructure that encloses the flexible light assembly, the superstructure including a first hollow segment and a second hollow segment that is serially connected to the first hollow segment via a hinge pin that extends in parallel to the width of the substrate, the second hollow segment being rotatable relative to the first hollow segment about the hinge gin, the assembly first end being disposed in the first hollow segment and the assembly second end being disposed in the second hollow segment,
wherein
the flexible light assembly is sufficiently flexible to permit the assembly first end to deflect relative to the assembly second end about an axis perpendicular to the assembly centerline such that the assembly centerline can assume a radius of curvature in a range of 1.3 centimeters to 10.2 centimeters.

2. The flexible light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the jacket is formed of a third material that includes embedded reinforcing fibers.

3. The flexible light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the jacket provides a waterproof enclosure for the substrate, the light emitters and the reinforcing layer.

4. The flexible light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the jacket is formed of a third material that is light transmissive.

5. The flexible light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the jacket includes light transmissive portions.

6. The flexible light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the jacket is opaque in a direction perpendicular to the first and second surfaces and is light transmissive in a direction parallel to the first and second surfaces.

7. The flexible light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the jacket is opaque in a direction parallel to the first and second surfaces and is light transmissive in a direction perpendicular to the first and second surfaces.

8. The flexible light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing layer is fixed to the second surface via an adhesive.

9. The flexible light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is electrically conductive and is configured to provide an electrical connection between each light emitter and a power supply.

10. The flexible light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexible light assembly is sufficiently flexible to permit the assembly first end to deflect relative to the assembly second end about an axis perpendicular to the assembly centerline such that the assembly centerline can assume a radius of curvature of 5.1 centimeters.

11. The flexible light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the assembly second end terminates in a spotlight.

12. The flexible light assembly of claim 11 , wherein the spotlight and the light emitters are powered by a common power supply via the substrate.

13. The flexible light assembly of claim 1 , wherein the segments are light transmissible.

14. The flexible light assembly of claim 1 , wherein each segment includes an opening that permits transmission of light therethrough.

15. A flexible light assembly comprising:
a light strip that includes an elongate substrate, and light emitters supported on a first surface of the substrate and powered by a power supply via the substrate,
a reinforcing layer that is fixed to a second surface of the substrate, the reinforcing layer having a greater tensile strength than that of the substrate,
a jacket that provides a waterproof enclosure for the light strip and the reinforcing layer, at least a portion of the light strip being one of translucent or transparent, and
a superstructure that encloses the flexible light assembly, the superstructure including a first hollow segment and a second hollow segment that is serially connected to the first hollow segment via a hinge pin that extends in parallel to the width of the substrate, the second hollow segment being rotatable relative to the first hollow segment about the hinge pin, the assembly first end being disposed in the first hollow segment and the assembly second end being disposed in the second hollow segment,
wherein
the flexible light assembly is sufficiently flexible to permit a first end of the jacket to deflect relative to a second end of the jacket about an axis that is parallel to the first surface of the substrate such that the flexible light assembly can assume a radius of curvature in a range of 1.3 centimeters to 10.2 centimeters.

16. The flexible light assembly of claim 15 , wherein the jacket is formed of a fiber-reinforced silicone.

17. The flexible light assembly of claim 15 , wherein one end of the flexible light assembly includes a hook.

18. The flexible light assembly of claim 15 , wherein one end of the flexible light assembly includes a light source.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert
• Bosch Tool Corp

Inventors

• Herman Gregory
• Rubens Jeremy
• Miklasz Caitlyn
• Padget Bradley

Classifications

• F21S4/24 Primary

  of ribbon or tape form, e.g. LED tapes · CPC title

• F21S4/20

  with light sources held by or within elongate supports · CPC title

• F21S4/22

  flexible or deformable, e.g. into a curved shape · CPC title

• F21V21/32

  Flexible tubes · CPC title

• F21Y2103/10

  comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements · CPC title