Abstract:
The present disclosure describes example magnetic LED lighting systems. A lighting apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure may include LEDs connected in series with a resistor. The LEDs are each coupled, directly or via thermal vias through a mounting element, to one or more magnets. The magnets may serve dual purposes: as a heat sink to dissipate heat and enable LEDs to be used, and as a mounting device to mount the lighting apparatus to a desirable location, such as on an automobile or an industrial machine. The dual-purpose magnets may eliminate the need for an additional heat sink element, thereby reducing weight and/or size of the lighting apparatus.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/138,766, which was filed on Mar. 26, 2015, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Lighting systems incorporating light-emitting diodes (“LEDs”) are increasingly popular. LEDs present certain advantages over conventional incandescent and fluorescent lights, including compactness, longevity, and durability. An LED emits light when the p-n junction comprising the diode is forward-biased, enabling a current to flow across the junction and emit light in the process. LEDs are available in a wide variety of colors, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and white. LEDs are being incorporated into products at an increasing rate. For example, some manufacturers make lightbulbs for conventional fixtures using LEDs. LEDs made from polymers (e.g., organic LEDs) are being incorporated into displays. LEDs come in many shapes and sizes, from small, low-output LEDS (such as those used as indicator lights) to larger, high-output LEDs (such as those used for illumination). 
         [0003]    Some LEDs (e.g., high output LEDs) may discharge a large amount of light but generate relatively more heat during operation. Such LEDs require an element for discharging generated heat, such as a heat sink, to prevent thermal destruction of or damage to the LED. Incorporating an extra element, such as an external heat sink, however, can add to the weight and/or size of the LED system. In some applications, this added weight and/or size can be undesirable. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The system of the present disclosure provides a mountable LED lighting apparatus that uses LEDs (e.g., relatively high-output LEDs) sufficient for illumination. The present disclosure provides such a lighting apparatus that allows a single element, such as a magnet, to provide mounting and heat-sink functions. Such a lighting apparatus may allow the use of one or more relatively high-output LEDs while maintaining effective heat dissipation and a desirable size and weight. 
         [0005]    The mountable LED lighting apparatus described in the present disclosure may allow high-output LEDs to be used in a variety of applications. For example, the lighting apparatus may be mounted on an industrial machine, such as a mill or lathe, to provide a bright working environment in small working spaces, obviating the need for separate lights or large lights that may interfere with the machinist. Alternatively, the lighting apparatus may be mounted on various parts of an automobile, such as the wheel wells, a truck bed, or the underside of the chassis, to provide bright, LED-generated light effects on or around the automobile. In each of these exemplary applications, a small form factor is desirable, so a lighting apparatus that combines the heat-sink and mounting functions into a single element, such as a magnet, is desirable. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The foregoing and other features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended potential points of novelty, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings. 
           [0007]    In the drawings: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example LED system; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of an example LED system; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a top view of an example LED system; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an alternate perspective view of an example LED system; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a side view of an example LED system; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an end view of an example LED system; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of another example LED system; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional, perspective view of another example LED system; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of yet another example LED system; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is an exploded, cross-sectional, perspective view of yet another example LED system; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is another exploded, cross-sectional perspective view of yet another example LED system; each arranged in accordance with at least an example of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and potential points of novelty are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the Figures, may be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated and make part of this disclosure. 
         [0020]    This disclosure is generally drawn to methods, systems, devices and/or apparatus related to light emitting diode (LED) lighting systems for various applications. Specifically, some of the disclosed methods, systems, devices and/or apparatus relate to magnetic LED lighting systems for motorcycles, automobiles and commercial vehicles, flashing indicator lights for law enforcement and emergency vehicles, and/or indicator lights for the automotive industry including marker lights, turn signals, stop, back-up and tail lights. In some examples, the LED lighting system of the present disclosure may be used to provide aesthetic lighting for an automobile (e.g., underbody lighting, side body lighting). In some examples, the LED lighting system may provide off-road lights if mounted in a wheel well, or may illuminate a truck bed if mounted in or around a truck bed. In some examples, the magnetic lighting systems may be used in industrial environments, providing light for lathes or milling machines, for example. 
         [0021]    With reference to  FIGS. 1-6 , an LED lighting apparatus may include positive wire  10 , negative wire  12 , LEDs  20 , positive terminal  21 , negative terminal  22 , resistor  23 , and resin/polymer encasing  24 , and/or magnets  25 . As shown, the LEDs and resistor may be coupled to each other in series via a conductive element  28  (e.g. wire, conductor). 
         [0022]    In some examples, the LED lighting system may include conductive elements  10 ,  12  (e.g., wires, wire leads, conductors) operatively coupling a power source to an LED unit. The wires may include a positive wire  10  and a negative wire  12 , and may have a protective insulation covering(s). The LED unit may include resistor(s)  23 , one or more LEDs  20 , and one or more magnets  25  (e.g., rare earth magnets, such as neodymium magnets). 
         [0023]    A resistor  23  may include a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The resistor(s) may be coupled to the LEDs  20  in series, for example. In an LED lighting system containing a plurality of LEDs  20 , the LEDs  20  and the resistor(s)  23  may be coupled in series, as shown in  FIGS. 1-6 . 
         [0024]    The LEDs  20  may include a plurality of LEDs  20  (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, or 10 LEDs) coupled in series, each including a positive terminal  21  and a negative terminal  22 . Wires  10 ,  12  may be coupled to a positive terminal  21  of the first LED  20  (of a plurality of LEDs  20 ) and the negative terminal of the resistor  23 . In some examples, the LEDs  20  may include surface mount (SMT) LEDs or 2-surface mount device (2SMD) gullwing LEDs, for example. In other examples, other known LEDs may be used. 
         [0025]    The magnet(s)  25  may be directly or indirectly coupled to the LED unit or LEDs  20 . In some examples, as in the example lighting apparatus in  FIGS. 1-6 , the magnets  25  may be glued, soldered, or otherwise affixed to the LEDs  20 . In some examples, each magnet  25  may be affixed to an LED  20 ; for example, if there are four LEDs  20  in the system, there may be four magnets  25 , one magnet  25  per LED  20 . In some examples, the magnets  25  are adhered to the LEDs  20  with one or more epoxy resins. The epoxy resins may be curable, for example, one or more thermosetting epoxy resins, heat-curable epoxy resins, UV-curable epoxy resins, and/or hardened epoxy resins. In some examples, each LED  20  has a neodymium magnet  25  adhered to the LED via a heat-cured epoxy adhesive. 
         [0026]    In some examples, such as illustrated in  FIGS. 7-11 , the LEDs  20  and the magnet(s)  25  may be affixed to a mounting element  26 , such as a circuit board or printed circuit board. In some examples, such as the examples illustrated in  FIGS. 7-11 , mounting element  26  may be present, but in other examples, such as the examples illustrated in  FIGS. 1-6 , a mounting element may not be present. Where a mounting element  26  is present, mounting element  26  may have one or more holes cut therethrough, enabling the LEDs  20  to contact the magnet(s)  25 , as seen in  FIG. 8 . In some examples, as shown in  FIG. 9-11 , LEDs  20  may be affixed to a first side of mounting element  26 , and one or more magnets  25  are affixed to a second side of mounting element  26  opposite the LEDs  20 . 
         [0027]    Mounting element  26  may include thermal vias or channels  27  therethrough. Thermal vias  27  enable a connection (e.g., thermal connection) to be formed from the LEDs  20  to the magnet(s)  25 . In some examples, thermal vias  27  provide a thermal coupling between LEDs  20  and magnet(s)  25 . In this manner, the thermal vias  27  may allow heat generated by the LEDs  20  to be transferred away from the LEDs to the magnet(s)  25 . The magnet(s)  25  may dissipate the heat from the LEDs  20 . The magnet(s)  25  may act as a heat sink, while simultaneously serving a role of coupling the lighting apparatus to a surface such as a vehicle surface. It will be readily apparent that multiple magnets  25  in  FIGS. 7-8  may be used, while some examples may use a single magnet  25  such as that shown in  FIG. 9-11 , depending on the mounting and size specifications of a user. 
         [0028]    Each magnet  25  may have a plurality of functions. The magnets  25  may provide for easy installation, moving, and removal of the lighting system of the present disclosure. Second, each magnet  25  may act as a heat sink for its respective attached LED  20  (or the attached LEDs  20  in the case of only one larger magnet  25 ), thereby preventing or reducing the likelihood of overheating and thermal destruction of the LEDs  20 . 
         [0029]    The connection area of the wires  10 ,  12 , the resistor(s)  23 , the LEDs  20 , and the magnets  25  may be cast in a rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible resin  24 . 
         [0030]    The wires  10 ,  12  may be coupled to the power source such that the power source may provide electricity through the wires  10 ,  12  and to the LED unit and the LEDs  20 . In some examples, a switch may be coupled to the wires  10 ,  12  such that electricity may be selectively provided to the LEDs  20  depending on the status of switch (e.g., on, off, high, low). 
         [0031]    In some examples, the lighting system may comprise a plurality of LEDs  20  connected in series with a resistor  23 . In an example embodiment, the lighting system includes four LEDs  20  connected in series with a resistor  23 . In some examples, the lighting system includes six LEDs  20  connected in series with a resistor  23 . In yet another example, the lighting system includes eight LEDs  20  connected in series with a resistor  23 . 
         [0032]    In some examples, the lighting system of the present disclosure comprises a wire lead, which includes a positive wire  10  and a negative wire  12 . The negative wire  12  may connect to the negative terminal of the resistor  23 , and the positive wire  10  may connect to the positive terminal  21  of the first LED  20 . The LEDs  20  may be arranged in series, with the positive terminal  21  of the second LED  20  connecting to the negative terminal  22  of the first LED  20 , and so on. The positive terminal of the resistor  23  connects to the negative terminal  22  of the last LED  20 . The wire lead may include one or more layers of protective insulation. 
         [0033]    In some examples, the lighting system in accordance with the present disclosure may be used in automotive applications. The supply voltage for a lighting system in an automotive may generally be a 12 V DC supply voltage. Any color or combination of colors may be used in such a lighting system. As a non-limiting example, a series of six LEDs can be amber or red colored and used for auxiliary brake or turn-signal lights. Alternately, a series of four, six, or eight LEDs may be used in any available color for accent lighting, ground-effect lighting, truck rail-bed lighting, off-road night-condition lighting, and the like. Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to LEDs in series of four, six, and eight; those having skill in the art will realize that many different numbers of lights may be used as the application dictates. 
         [0034]    In some examples, the lighting system in accordance with the present disclosure may be used in one or more industrial applications. The supply voltage for a lighting system in an automotive may generally be a 24 V DC supply voltage. Any color or combination of colors may be used in such a lighting system. As a non-limiting example, a series of eight LEDs can be used for high-output, temporary lighting. Alternately, series of four, six, or eight LEDs may be used in any available color similar purposes. Furthermore, the present disclosure is not limited to LEDs in series of four, six, and eight; those having skill in the art will realize that many different numbers of lights may be used as the application dictates. Exemplary industrial uses include high-output, temporary lighting for machines such as lathes, milling machines, drills, boring machines, presses, grinders, saws, shears, buffers, and like industrial or metalworking machines. 
         [0035]    In the case of commercial vehicle use (e.g., commercial semi-tractor trailer trucks, box trucks, delivery trucks, tow trucks, repair trucks), some example lighting systems may be desirable for use in marker lights, turn signal, stop light, tail light, and reverse lights. Because of the durability of the light strip and the waterproof construction, some example lighting systems may be installed in commercial service applications. 
         [0036]    For vehicle applications (e.g., motorcycles, automobiles), some examples disclosed herein may be installed on a vehicle as an aftermarket lighting system. Some examples may include lighting systems that are integrated into a vehicle&#39;s ignition system, brake system and directional turn signal systems, among others. 
         [0037]    While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following potential points of novelty.