Integrally Formed LED Light Wire with Woven Conductive Base
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional LED light wires lack mechanical strength, provide inadequate environmental protection, and are costly and time-consuming to manufacture, with limitations in flexibility and lighting functionality.
Innovation Solution
An integrally formed LED light wire with a conductive base comprising woven or knitted bus elements and LED modules, encapsulated in a protective encapsulant with light scattering particles, allowing for flexible, durable, and efficient manufacturing with enhanced lighting capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional protective tube is used to house internal circuitry, then the light wire is protected from environmental hazards, but the protective tube provides little mechanical strength and allows water and dust penetration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) as the base substrate, LED modules mounted on it, and a transparent encapsulant material covering the entire assembly. This composite structure provides both environmental protection and mechanical strength, resolving the contradiction between protection and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) as the base structure and uses a transparent encapsulant film to protect the internal components. This flexible shell approach provides adequate mechanical protection while maintaining flexibility and environmental resistance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional sheet or hard lamination process is used to encapsulate light wire, then the light wire is protected, but the manufacturing process is labor intensive and decreases flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical sheet or hard lamination encapsulation process with a transparent encapsulant material that is applied and cured to form a protective layer. This substitution simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces labor intensity, and maintains flexibility of the light wire.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the encapsulant material through curing processes, transforming it from a liquid or soft state to a solid protective layer. This parameter change enables automatic manufacturing processes while maintaining flexibility and protection.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional sheet or hard lamination process is used to encapsulate light wire, then the light wire is protected, but the manufacturing process is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces time-consuming mechanical lamination processes with a curing-based encapsulation process that can be automated. The transparent encapsulant material is applied and then cured through UV exposure or other curing methods, significantly reducing manufacturing time and increasing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates the encapsulation process into the manufacturing flow by applying the transparent encapsulant material during assembly and curing it immediately. This preliminary action eliminates separate protection steps and accelerates the overall manufacturing process.
4Device complexity
If conventional light wire structure is used, then the design is simple, but the lighting functionality is limited and uniform lighting is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses individual LED modules mounted on the flexible printed circuit board, each emitting light in specific directions. The transparent encapsulant material distributes and diffuses the light uniformly across the entire light wire surface, achieving uniform lighting while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from point-source lighting to a distributed light-emitting surface by embedding LED modules in the flexible circuit board and using the transparent encapsulant to diffuse light in multiple dimensions. This creates uniform illumination across the entire wire surface.
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
The solution provides increased mechanical strength, improved electrical isolation, flexible design, and efficient manufacturing with reduced material costs, enabling uniform lighting and adaptive functionality.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of LEDs are encapsulated in an encapsulant having light scattering particles that provides for uniform lighting emission from all directions of the integrally formed LED light wire.
Data Source
AI summary
Integrally formed LED light wires are provided, comprising a conductive base comprising a support substrate, wherein the support substrate comprises a first plurality of wires, threads, or a combination thereof, wherein the plurality of wires, threads, or a combination thereof comprises at least one weft element arranged in a first direction and at least two warp elements, each arranged in a second direction such that the at least one weft element and each of the at least two warp elements form plural intersections therebetween, a first bus element and a second bus element, each adapted to distribute power from a power source, a third bus element adapted to distribute a control signal, wherein the first, second, and third bus elements are woven, stitched, or knitted into the support substrate; and a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) modules, each LED module comprising a microcontroller and at least one LED.