LED accessory for vehicle

A lighted accessory for a motor vehicle includes a machined aluminum body. The body includes a front wall that has a plurality of openings through it and a cavity behind it. A plurality of lenses are potted in place within the openings. LED lights are installed on the aluminum body in alignment with the lenses. Additional potting compound is applied to cover the LEDs and substantially fill the cavity. A faulty LED board may be replaced by removing a portion of the potting compound and the faulty LED board, replacing the faulty LED board with an operable one, and refilling the removed portion of the potting compound with additional potting compound.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to provisional application Ser. No. 62/073,825 filed Oct. 31, 2014, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to lighted accessories for motor vehicles. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved LED accessory for a motor vehicle, and a method for assembling the improved LED accessory.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Lighted accessories for vehicles, such as cars and trucks, have become popular in recent years. This is especially true with respect to aftermarket products that permit a vehicle owner to personalize his or her vehicle. These lighted accessories may take the form of light bars that include a single, or multiple rows of lights. The light bars may be installed at various locations to provide a decorative affect. Additionally, these lighted accessories may be used as replacements for original equipment lighting, such as headlights, fog lights, tail lights, and turn signals. Even more recently, it has become possible to use light emitting diodes (LEDs) within these lighted accessories.

To date, the LED lighted vehicle accessories have suffered from some common disadvantages. For example, the accessories have tended to be rather bulky, especially in a front-to-back dimension, which can limit the places where such accessories can be installed. For example, published United States patent application U.S. 2014/0078762 A1 shows a light fixture with a curved frame. As can be seen in the drawings of U.S. 2014/0078762 A1, the overall depth of the product from front to back is significant. Additionally, current LED lighted vehicle accessories have faced durability issues, often times relating to water, dust, or other contaminants fouling the electronics. Many of the devices emit a humming or buzzing noise as a result of vibration within the device. The devices can also be difficult or impossible to repair in case one or more of the circuit boards goes bad.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved LED lighted vehicle accessory.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lighted vehicle accessory that uses LEDs, and has a reduced depth from front to rear.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an LED lighted vehicle accessory that has improved durability.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an LED lighted vehicle accessory that better protects the electronic components from water damage.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an LED lighted vehicle accessory that can be repaired conveniently by replacing one or more circuit boards.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved LED lighted vehicle accessory that emits little or no humming noise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment the present invention is directed to a lighted accessory for a vehicle. The accessory includes an aluminum body that has a front wall and a cavity behind the front wall. The front wall has a plurality of openings. A plurality of lenses are provided within the plurality of openings. A potting adhesive forms a water tight seal between the lenses and the front wall. A circuit board is provided within the cavity and includes a plurality of light emitting diodes in alignment with the plurality of lenses. A second layer of potting adhesive covers the circuit board and substantially fills the cavity. A back cover is secured to the body spaced apart from the front wall and covering the second layer of potting adhesive. An attachment assembly is secured to the body. The attachment assembly is adapted to attach the body to a vehicle. A wire harness is connected to the circuit board and adapted to attach to an electrical system of a vehicle. The aluminum body may be formed from anodized aluminum.

According to another embodiment, the present invention is a method of assembling a lighted vehicle accessory. A solid block of aluminum is machined to form an accessory body having a front wall, a cavity behind the front wall, an opening through the front wall, and a lens receptacle on a rear surface of the front wall surrounding the opening. A lens is placed in the lens receptacle in alignment with the opening, and a first layer of potting compound is applied around the lens in the lens receptacle to secure the lens in place and to form a watertight seal between the lens and the body. The first layer of potting compound is allowed to at least partially cure. A circuit board that includes a light emitting diode (LED) is secured to the rear surface of the front wall with the LED in alignment with the lens. The cavity is substantially filled with a second layer of potting compound to completely cover the circuit board within the cavity. The second layer of potting compound is allowed to at least partially cure. A rear cover is attached to the body to at least partially cover the at least partially cured second layer of potting compound.

According to another embodiment, the present invention is a method of repairing a lighted vehicle accessory that includes a plurality of circuit boards when one of the circuit boards is faulty. First, a determination is made that that at least one of its LED lights is non-functioning. A circuit board within the accessory that corresponds with the non-functioning LED light is identified. A cutting device is used to cut a portion of a layer of potting compound covering the identified circuit board and the cut portion of the layer of potting compound is peeled away to expose the identified circuit board. The identified circuit board is replaced with a replacement circuit board. The replacement circuit board is covered with a new layer of potting compound. The rear cover is reattached to the accessory after allowing the new layer of potting compound to at least partially cure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a front view of a vehicle12that includes several lighted accessories10. As can be seen, the lighted accessory10may take the form of an elongated bar mounted on the roof of the vehicle, an elongated bar mounted at vehicle grill, a light bar provided on the bumper, or as fog lights. Those skilled in the art will be aware of numerous possible locations and configurations for lighted vehicle accessories. According to the present invention, the lighted accessory10is an LED lighted accessory of improved construction. The lighted accessories10may be connected to the vehicle's electrical system. Typically, a user will be able to control illumination of the lighted accessories10through the existing lighting controls of the vehicle12.

FIG. 2shows an LED lighted accessory10according to one embodiment of the present invention. The lighted accessory10includes a rectangular body14. The front face16of the body14is visible inFIG. 2. The front face16of the body14includes a plurality of openings18. In the embodiment ofFIG. 2there are six total openings18provided in two rows of three openings. Within each of the openings18a lens20is mounted, and through which light from a light source will shine. The accessory10also includes a wire harness22that is adapted to be connected into the vehicle's electrical system to provide power to the lights. The lighted accessory10also includes mounting holes24to provide for mounting the lighted accessory10to the vehicle12.

FIG. 3shows another embodiment of a lighted accessory110according to the present invention. The lighted accessory110ofFIG. 3is an elongated bar that includes a single row of lights. The lighted accessory110ofFIG. 3also includes a body114preferably made from aluminum. The body114includes a front face116including a row of openings118. Each of the openings118is provided with a lens120through which light from the LEDs shines. While not visible inFIG. 3, the lighted accessory110ofFIG. 3also includes a wire harness for connection to the vehicle's electrical system. Each end of the lighted accessory110ofFIG. 3includes mounting hardware126, which is used to mount the light bar110to the vehicle, for example to mount the light bar110to a vehicle grill.

FIG. 4shows a cross sectional view of the body114of the lighted accessory110fromFIG. 3. The body114is preferably made from a single piece of anodized aluminum that has been machined into a desired configuration using a CNC machine. A cavity136is machined into the body114to form the top and bottom walls130, the front wall128, and the side walls134. The body114includes a front wall128and rearwardly extending top and bottom walls130. One of the openings118through the front wall128is shown inFIG. 4. The overall thickness of the body114from the front face116to the back face of the walls130is preferably no more than one and one-half inches, and may be as small as three quarters of an inch. A recessed area is machined into the front wall128to form a lens receptacle132. The body114may be formed as a generally straight flat prismatic shape, or may be curved to match a contour of the vehicle or space on the vehicle where it is intended to be mounted.

FIG. 5shows the lighted accessory body114ofFIG. 4at an early stage of the assembly process wherein a lens138has been inserted into the lens receptacle132in alignment with the opening118. As shown inFIG. 5, the opening118is machined at a right angle to the front face116. This standard orientation for the opening118causes the lens138to be oriented normally with respect to the front face116, and to generally direct the light at a right angle to the front face116. As an alternative (not shown) the opening118may be machined at an oblique angle relative to the front face116in order to direct the light in a direction other than simply a right angle from the face116. A potting adhesive140is applied around the periphery of the lens138within the lens receptacle132in order to secure the lens138in place, and to form a watertight seal to prevent any water or other contaminants from entering the lighted accessory through the opening118. The potting adhesive140may be a high elongation epoxy that is self-leveling, for example a potting compound sold under the trade name Tough Seal 21. Preferably the potting adhesive will be one that has strong adhesive properties with respect to aluminum.

After the potting adhesive140has been allowed to dry, a circuit board142is installed on the body114. The circuit board142includes a light emitting diode (LED)144that is in alignment with the lens138. In practice the circuit board142may include more than one LED in alignment with more than one lens138. The circuit board142may be secured to the body114with mechanical fasteners145, for example threaded screws. Preferably the circuit board142will include the LEDs as surface mount devices in a solid state design. Those of ordinary skill in the art will be aware of numerous LED types that may be advantageously incorporated into the present invention.

As seen inFIG. 7, after the circuit board142is installed a second layer of potting compound146is applied within the cavity136in order to substantially fill the cavity136. The layer of potting compound146completely covers and protects the circuit board142. The potting compound146completely protects the circuit board and lens from water and dust. Additionally, the potting compound146provides support and cushioning that will damp vibrations which can cause humming, and will protect the circuit board from impact stresses. The second layer of potting compound146may be the same or a different high elongation epoxy than is used in the potting adhesive140that secures the lens138in place. For example, the second layer of potting compound146may be a longer working time potting compound sold under the brand name Tough Seal 22.

After the second layer of potting compound146is allowed to cure, a rear cover148may be secured to the body114by applying mechanical fasteners150, which may be for example bolts or screws, to secure the rear cover148to the side walls134. Mounting hardware126(seeFIG. 3) may then be attached to the body114such that the lighted accessory110can be mounted to a vehicle.

The resulting lighted accessory110has significant advantages over existing designs. For example, the accessory110is low profile such that the overall dimension between the front face116and the back plate148may be no more than one and a half inches, and may be as little as three fourths of an inch. The fully potted rear cavity assures that the accessory110is well suited to withstand the rigors of outdoor use as it protects the circuit board142and LEDs144from water and from mechanical stresses. The potting compound146will absorb and damp the vibrations that can cause humming. The high density aluminum body114acts as an efficient heat sink to maintain the circuit boards142and LEDs144within an acceptable temperature range. The circuit boards142may include thermal control chips to regulate operation of the LEDs144in order to extend the life of the components.

If one of the circuit boards142should fail, it is possible to repair the lighted accessory110. This can be accomplished by removing the back cover148. The potting compound146that covers the non-functional circuit board142may be removed, for example by using a razor blade or other sharp instrument to slice out a portion of the potting compound146directly above the faulty circuit board142. With a portion of the potting compound146removed, the circuit board142can be unscrewed from the body114and removed, and a new properly functioning circuit board142may be installed in its place. Additional potting compound may then be applied to fill in the gap within the potting compound146and again completely seal the new circuit board142. After the new portion of potting compound has been allowed to completely cure, the back cover148may again be screwed into place, and the lighted accessory110may be reinstalled on the vehicle.

FIGS. 9aandbare a flow chart illustrating a process for assembling a lighted-vehicle accessory according to one embodiment of the present invention.