Flexible LED Light Arrays

摘要

Flexible LED light arrays particularly suitable for use in clothing and other articles are disclosed. The light arrays are disposed on flexible printed circuit boards (PCBs). The flexible PCBs include substantially sinusoidal metal contact traces, along which the LEDs are attached at an angle preselected to minimize stresses in the expected directions of bending. The flexible PCBs may have control electronics provided on separate, attachable control boards, which may be either flexible or rigid. The flexible LED light arrays may also be arranged in master-slave configurations with a number of arrays, in which one master control array or board is attached to a number of slave arrays and handles external communication for the slave arrays.

主权项

1. A flexible light array, comprising:
a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) substrate, the flexible PCB substrate having a plurality of layers; a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed on the substrate; one or more vias extending through at least some of the plurality of layers of the flexible PCB; a passive component installed on the flexible PCB substrate on a side opposite the one or more vias, such that the passive component provides selective rigidity in a defined area, the passive component being mechanically connected to the flexible PCB substrate but serving no electrical purpose; wherein the one or more vias are placed within the defined area in which the passive component provides the selective rigidity.