Illumination – Light source and modifier – With ventilating – cooling or heat insulating means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-24
2001-10-23
Cariaso, Alan (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Light source and modifier
With ventilating, cooling or heat insulating means
C362S373000, C362S547000, C362S545000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305825
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle lighting device which employs a plurality of light-emitting diodes as light sources.
Vehicle lighting devices of this type are used, for example, in tail stop lamps of rear combination lamps or high mount stop lamps.
b) Description of the Prior Art
For example, vehicle lightning devices of this type include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,179 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,474.
The former discloses a vehicle lighting device comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (
19
) arranged in an array on one or a plurality of printed circuit boards (
18
). The latter discloses a vehicle lighting device comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (
12
) arranged in a matrix on one circuit board (
20
).
What are critical to vehicle lighting devices of this type are as follows. The items of importance are that the light-emitting diodes should be arranged in place relative to the circuit board, and that the leads of the light-emitting diodes and the conductive traces of the circuit board are reliably connected to each other via solder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle lighting device configured as set forth in (a) to (e) below. That is, (a) The vehicle lighting device has one or a plurality of light source units.(b) The light source unit comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes which is soldered to one circuit board. (c) The light-emitting diode comprises a main body of a light emitting portion and two leads extending from a bottom surface of the main body. (d) The circuit board is provided with a plurality of pairs of through-holes, two in a pair. (e) After having undergone an automated LED fabrication process and an automated soldering process in a production line of the light source unit, the light-emitting diode has the two leads penetrating the two through-holes. Under this condition, the leads of the light-emitting diode and conductive traces (not shown) of the circuit board are connected to each other via the solder.
In the aforementioned vehicle lighting device, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle lighting device in which light-emitting diodes are arranged in place relative to the circuit board, and the leads of the light-emitting diodes and the conductive traces of the circuit board are reliably connected to each other via solder.
The present invention is characterized by the following (a) to (d) in order to achieve the aforementioned object. That is,
(a) A light-emitting diode mount surface of the circuit board is provided with mount pads.
(b) On the circuit board, the mount pads are provided on both sides of a plurality of pairs of through-holes.
(c) When the two leads of LED are inserted into the two through-holes and the bottom surface of the main body is mounted to the mount pads on both sides, an air vent space is formed which is defined by the main body, the circuit board, and the mount pads on the both sides.
(d) The space is to allow air to come out smoothly of the through-holes when the solder has entered the through-holes.
The present invention is configured as described above, thereby allowing the following action and effects to be achieved.
That is, even when the main body of the light-emitting diode is mounted to the mount pads provided on the both sides of the circuit board, there is formed a space which is defined by the main body, the circuit board, and the mount pads on the both sides. This allows air in the through-holes to come out smoothly thereof via the space when solder has entered the through-holes in an automated soldering process. Accordingly, the present invention is free from the following problems.
Suppose the case where the main body of a light-emitting diode is mounted directly to the circuit board and solder has entered a through hole in an automated soldering process. In this case, the air trapped in the through hole is compressed to come out of the through hole while exerting force so as to detach the light-emitting diode from the circuit board and/or make holes in the soldered portion. Accordingly, such a case may occur where the light-emitting diode is disposed off the circuit board and/or holes are made in the solder between the lead of the light-emitting diode and the conductive trace of the circuit board.
The present invention is free from the aforementioned problems. Accordingly, the present invention can provide a vehicle lighting device in which the light-emitting diodes are arranged in place relative to the circuit board, and the leads of the light-emitting diodes and the conductive traces of the circuit board are reliably connected to each other via solder.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4733335 (1988-03-01), Serizawa
patent: 4951179 (1990-08-01), Machida
patent: 5528474 (1996-06-01), Roney et al.
patent: 5700080 (1997-12-01), Okuda
patent: 5785418 (1998-07-01), Hochstein
patent: 5857767 (1999-01-01), Hochstein
patent: 6099148 (2000-08-01), Northrup
Cariaso Alan
Foley & Lardner
Ichikoh Industries Ltd.
Sawhney Hargobind S.
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