Multi-wire Light String with Bent Exposed Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light strings with thin power cables and small wire diameters face issues with solder joint failure and short circuits due to the close spacing of metal wires, making it difficult to mount large LED devices effectively without insulation protection, which increases labor and material costs.
Innovation Solution
A multi-wire light string structure with insulating portions forming a gap between wires, allowing exposed sections to be bent and deviated from their axes, enabling large LED devices to be soldered without direct contact with additional wires, thus preventing short circuits and improving durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the wire diameter is made small to achieve a thin power cable, then the cable thickness is reduced, but the distance between adjacent metal wires becomes very small making it difficult to solder large LED devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by bending the exposed wire sections out of the original plane containing all wire axes. This allows the wire ends to be positioned in a different spatial dimension, increasing the effective distance between them while maintaining the thin cable structure. The bending creates a three-dimensional arrangement that resolves the conflict between thin cable diameter and sufficient soldering space.
2Ease of manufacture
If the metal wires are propped up outward to increase distance for soldering, then the soldering space is improved, but the wires move inward when pulled creating shear force on solder joints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-bending the exposed wire sections to their final positions before soldering. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the LED is soldered, the wires are already in the correct spatial arrangement. The bending is performed in advance so that the wires are not forced into position during assembly, which would create stress on the solder joints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses curvature by bending the wire sections into curved paths rather than keeping them straight. This curvature allows the wires to achieve the necessary spatial separation for soldering large LED devices while maintaining a compact overall structure. The bent wires follow curved trajectories that position them appropriately in three-dimensional space without requiring excessive outward propulsion.
3Reliability
If insulation protection is added to LED pads or electrodes, then short circuit protection is improved, but labor cost and material cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by removing the need for additional insulation protection on LED pads. Instead of adding insulation layers to protect against short circuits, the invention extracts the harmful factor (short circuit risk) by spatially separating the wire ends from the LED mounting area through bending. This eliminates the requirement for extra insulation materials and the associated manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The bent wire sections act as an intermediary spatial arrangement that prevents direct contact between the additional wires and LED pads. By positioning the wire ends in a different spatial plane through bending, the structure creates a natural insulation effect without requiring additional insulating materials. The spatial configuration itself serves as the protective mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-wire light string structure comprises two insulating parts, plural wires and a LED device. The two insulating parts are arranged with a gap. Each wire includes two ends embedded in the two insulating parts and an exposed section in the gap. The ends of the wires are located on a hypothetical plane, two ends of each wire are located on a hypothetical axis, and at least one exposed section is bent to deviate from the corresponding hypothetical axis. The LED device includes a light emitting side and a mounting side. The LED device is located on an upper side of the hypothetical plane, and the mounting side is soldered to at least two of the exposed sections.