Integrally formed linear light strip with light emitting diodes

摘要

An integral single piece extruded LED light strip and an associated process for producing such an LED light strip. The light strip includes first and second bus elements spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance. The light strip also includes at least one light emitting diode (LED) connected between the bus elements that is illuminated when the first bus element conducts electricity provided from a power source. An extruded plastic material completely encapsulates the first and second bus elements and the LED, thereby providing a barrier to protect the elements from damage and to make the light strip impervious to moisture. A process for manufacturing an integrally formed single piece light strip includes the steps of continuously feeding bus elements to an extruder; continuously feeding circuitry having at least one LED operatively mounted thereon to the extruder; and extruding a thermoplastic material at a temperature below that which would damage the circuitry or the LED to thereby encapsulate the bus elements, the circuitry and the LED and to operatively connect the circuitry to the bus elements.