Extruded LED Strip Manufacturing for Fluorescent Lamp Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of LED-based lighting fixtures as replacements for fluorescent lamps is complex and expensive, limiting their practical use due to the need for individual LED mounting and encapsulation in housing components.
Innovation Solution
A method involving continuous extrusion of thermoplastic-embedded LED functional strips, which are then divided into strips of desired lengths and equipped with connection adapters, allowing for simple and economical production of LED lighting fixtures that can be used directly in conventional fluorescent lamp sockets without further assembly, using a combination of transparent and opaque plastics for uniform illumination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If individual LEDs are mounted and encapsulated in housing components, then the lighting fixture can be produced with conventional methods, but the production becomes complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual LEDs and their encapsulation into a single continuous LED strip embedded in thermoplastic material. This merging of multiple components into one integrated structure eliminates the need for separate housing components and complex assembly operations, directly resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous LED strip serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides illumination, acts as a structural component, and eliminates the need for separate housing and mounting structures. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components required, simplifying both manufacture and reducing assembly complexity
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional LED function strips are used, then the lighting fixture can be produced, but the production cost increases due to complex assembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs continuous extrusion processing to produce the LED strip embedded in thermoplastic material without interruption. This continuous manufacturing process eliminates stop-start operations, reduces setup times, and increases production throughput, thereby improving productivity while maintaining cost-effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical assembly operations with a continuous extrusion molding process. Instead of manually or mechanically assembling individual LEDs and housing components, the entire structure is formed in one continuous operation, significantly improving production efficiency and reducing costs
3Adaptability or versatility
If LED strips are divided into segments of given length, then the lighting fixture can be adapted to different socket types, but the production process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the continuous LED strip into segments of predetermined lengths through controlled cutting at regular intervals. This segmentation allows the same continuous production process to yield products of various lengths, providing adaptability to different socket types without requiring separate production lines for each length, thus managing complexity while maintaining versatility
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the production of cost-effective, flexible LED lighting fixtures that can replace fluorescent lamps in various lengths and geometries, eliminating the need for complex assembly and housing, while ensuring uniform illumination and compatibility with existing sockets.
Implementation Method 1
an LED functional strip fitted with a plurality of light-emitting diodes is continuously molded in an extrusion device to form an LED strip in at least one thermoplastic
Implementation Method 2
at least one transparent-scattering front layer made of a second plastic. The transparent-scattering front layer acts as a scattering layer or compensating layer, so to speak, and ensures that the light source has a uniform emission characteristic
Data Source
AI summary
This is a method for manufacturing an LED-based lighting device (1), in particular as a replacement for a fluorescent lamp. In this process, an LED functional strip (3) equipped with several light-emitting diodes is continuously embedded in at least one thermoplastic material in an extrusion device to form an LED strip. The LED strip is then divided into several LED strips of predetermined length, and one or more connection adapters (7) are attached to one or both ends of each LED strip.