Lightweight LED Panel With Fluted Rigid Substrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing lightweight LED light fixtures face challenges in maintaining longevity and reliability due to solder failures between LED terminals and flexible circuitry, making repairs labor-intensive and costly, especially when LEDs are grouped in strings or mounted on flexible substrates.
Innovation Solution
A rigid, lightweight LED light panel design featuring a rectangular or geometric shape with flutes that house LED strips, allowing for easy access and replacement of failed units, eliminating the need for protective coatings and simplifying the repair process by using a removable frame to protect electrical connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If flexible circuit boards are used to reduce weight, then the fixture becomes lighter and more portable, but solder failures between LED terminals and flexible circuitry occur more frequently and repairs become labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the LED array into modular segments where each LED or small group of LEDs is mounted on its own rigid substrate with individual solder joints. This segmentation isolates potential failure points, allowing replacement of only the defective module rather than the entire panel, thus maintaining reliability while keeping the overall fixture lightweight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inexpensive, easily replaceable LED modules with simple rigid circuit board connections. When solder joints fail, entire modules can be quickly swapped out without complex repair procedures, effectively treating LED components as disposable units that simplify maintenance and reduce labor costs.
2Weight of moving object
If flexible circuit boards with laminated plastics and cloth are used, then the fixture is lighter, but repairs to solder points become very challenging and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the LED panel into discrete, accessibly-mounted modules on rigid substrates. Each module can be independently removed and replaced, eliminating the need to work within complex laminated structures during repair. This segmentation transforms repair from a challenging multi-step process into a simple module swap operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire panel flexible with laminated materials, the patent inverts the approach by using rigid substrates for LED mounting while making the overall panel structure lightweight through intelligent material selection and structural design. The rigid LED modules are mounted on a lightweight framework rather than embedding them in flexible laminated layers.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If clear plastic protective covers are added to protect LEDs from dust and impact, then LED protection is improved, but the fixture complexity and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the protective cover function with the structural framework of the panel. The lightweight rigid substrate itself serves as both the mounting surface for LEDs and the protective element, eliminating the need for separate clear plastic covers. This merging reduces component count and simplifies manufacturing while maintaining protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the rigid substrate to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as the electrical circuit board for mounting LEDs, provides structural support for the panel, and acts as the protective barrier against dust and impact. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated protective covers, reducing overall fixture complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An LED light fixture having a rectangular or other geometric shape plastic or other rigid material panel with at least one row of flutes. Each flute has an equally sized cross-section, forming a channel extending a length of the rigid panel. A plurality of LED strips are configured to be inserted into a corresponding one of the channels. The LED strips have a common edge at one end forming electrical connections to individual LEDs on each strip. The common edge may be contained within an enclosure. A frame surrounds the rigid panel and the enclosure. The fixture may include one or more additional pluralities of LED strips received by additional channels of the rigid panel.