Abstract:
An automotive center high mount stop lamp (“CHMSL”) comprising a housing, a LED array circuit board having at least one LED, a lens/reflector, and a cover. The housing comprises a base and a trapping panel which are joined by a living hinge which allows the trapping panel to be folded over the base. In the folded position the trapping panel serves to secure the LED array circuit board in position without the need for additional means to retain the LED array circuit board. The lens/reflector and cover, respectively, are then fixably attached to the housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to automotive lighting. More specifically, the present invention relates to an assembly for an automotive center high mount stop lamp (“CHMSL”). 
     Automotive stop or brake lighting is an important safety feature of vehicles. Such lighting on a vehicle provides notice and warning to surrounding vehicles, especially to drivers located behind the particular vehicle, that the vehicle is slowing or coming to a stop. In fact, the functionality of vehicular stop lamps is so important that such lighting must meet strict government requirements regarding the placement, brightness, and photometrics for such lamps. 
     For a long period of time, automobiles were generally equipped with only two (2) stop lamps. Usually, such lamps were located on or near the left and right rear corners of a vehicle. More recently, the use of CHMSLs, stop lamps located in the center of the rear of a vehicle and at a height generally higher than the corner-located stop lamps, has also become required and regulated by government agencies. 
     A variety of CHMSL assemblies are known in the art. Some CHMSL assemblies utilize conventional light bulbs and reflectors to achieve the required brightness and photometrics. More recently, the use of an array of light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) in CHMSL assemblies has also become known. LEDs provide the advantages of reduced size and increased functional longevity. Such advantages are extremely important in the design of automobile lighting. Generally, in such a LED CHMSL assembly, an array of LEDs is mounted to an electrical circuit board and the circuit board is attached to a housing of the assembly. Several methods are known in the art for mounting the LED circuit board to a housing. For example, mechanical attachment means such as screws can be used to mount the circuit board to a housing. However, the use of mechanical attachment means increases the number of parts in the CHMSL assembly, which in turn results in higher costs to manufacture the assembly. Additionally, the use of sonic stake welding to mount the LED circuit board to a housing is also known. However, sonic stake welding requires an additional assembly operation that can be time consuming and expensive. Additionally, both mechanical means and sonic stake welding have the disadvantage of allowing the circuit board to become loose after use of the vehicle through vibrations during vehicle travel. Finally, current mounting methods can result in assemblies in which the circuitry of the LED arrays are visible even after the part has been fully assembled. Such a result is not aesthetically pleasing or desired. 
     Thus, a need exists for a LED CHMSL assembly that may be manufactured and assembled in a manner that securely attaches a LED circuit board within such assembly without the need of, additional parts or additional assembly operations, and that effectively conceals the electrical circuitry of the LED array. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention presents a solution to the above problems by providing CHMSL assemblies which do not require additional parts or additional assembly operations. More specifically, the present invention provides for a CHMSL assembly utilizing a trapping panel to secure a LED array circuit board in place within the assembly. This trapping panel also serves to conceal the electrical circuitry of the LED array circuit board. 
     The CHMSL assembly of the present invention comprises a housing, a LED array circuit board, a lens/reflector, and a cover. The housing comprises a base and trapping panel foldably connected to each other by a living hinge. The housing is configured such that when the LED array circuit board is placed upon the base, the living hinge allows the trapping panel to be folded over the LED array circuit board. In this folded position the trapping panel secures the LED array circuit board in position, and the LEDs of the LED array circuit board project through apertures in the trapping panel. Once the LED array circuit board is secured, the lens/reflector is mounted on the housing using one of a number of various means of attachment known in the art. Some embodiments may utilize mounting tabs and mounting clips which frictionally interfere with the housing to attach the lens/reflector. Finally, a cover is attached over the top of the assembly. 
     In various embodiments of the present invention, the housing may be comprised of a single molded piece of polypropylene. Additionally, the trapping panel may comprise various means for retaining the living hinge in the folded position including the use of panel locking clips which frictionally interfere with the base. The present invention may also utilize a lens/reflector comprising a reflective hood and a substantially translucent lens portion. Like the housing, the components of the lens/reflector may be molded as a single piece. The reflective hood may be coated with a reflective material to improve its reflectivity. Current safety regulations require the light exiting the CHMSL to be red in color. The present invention may utilize red LEDs or a red lens portion in the lens/reflector to comply with these regulations. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, detailed description and claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a LED CHMSL assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the LED CHMSL assembly of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the LED CHMSL assembly of FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally comprises a CHMSL assembly that includes a trapped LED array circuit board within a housing containing a living hinge. 
     Referring specifically to FIG. 1, there is shown an exploded perspective view of a CHMSL assembly  10  of the present invention. CHMSL assembly  10  comprises a LED array circuit board  20 , a housing  30 , a lens/reflector  40 , and a cover  42 . LED array circuit board  20  comprises a typical circuit board which, for example, may be designed with conductive circuitry, usually copper, and electronic components deposited on a supporting substrate and which may be produced by methods commonly known to those skilled in the art. LED array circuit board  20  also comprises a plurality of LEDs  50  arranged in a linear fashion on the top surface of the supporting substrate and electrically connected to conductive contact points deposited in the supporting substrate of circuit board  20 . This electrical connection is made by soldering or otherwise bonding each LED  50  to LED array circuit board  20  by methods known to those skilled in the art. LEDs  50  of the present invention may be either colorless crystal LEDs or red LEDs. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other colors of LEDs  50  could also be used in the present invention. While six LEDs  50  are shown in FIG. 1, the number of LEDs  50  may vary from at least one LED  50  to any number of a plurality of LEDs  50  to attain the desired brightness and photometrics. LED array circuit board  20  also comprises an electrical connector  60 . Electrical connector  60  provides means for electrically connecting LED array circuit board  20  to vehicle power supplier  62  in order to supply power to LEDs  50 . 
     Housing  30  is molded from a material that is sufficiently rigid to house LED array circuit board  20 , but also flexible and bendable at certain thicknesses. Several different materials with these properties are known and may be used, such as, for example, polypropylene. Housing  30  comprises base  70 , trapping panel  80 , and living hinge  90  which may be integrally formed as a single molded part. Trapping panel  80  is connected to base  70  by living hinge  90  which is thin enough to allow itself to flex and bend to allow trapping panel  80  and base  70  to contact each other when living hinge  90  is folded. Trapping panel  80  and base  70  are molded to be thicker and more rigid than living hinge  90 . 
     Trapping panel  80  comprises at least one locking aperture  100 , with two such locking apertures  100  shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG.  1 . Trapping panel  80  further comprises one or more LED apertures  110  as shown in FIG.  1 . The number of LED apertures  110  may vary to accommodate a LED  50  of LED array circuit board  20  in each LED aperture  110 . In this case, LED apertures  110  also are substantially the same size and shape as LEDs  50  to allow the insertion a of LEDs  50  into LED apertures  110 . Alternatively, the configuration of LED apertures  110  may be such that each LED aperture  110  accommodates multiple LEDs  50 . 
     As depicted in FIG. 1, base  70  is molded with recessed chamber  130  to accommodate electrical circuitry projecting from the bottom side of LED array circuit board  20 . Recessed chamber  130  also contains a small access portal (not shown) which allows electrical connector  60  to exit housing  30  and to be connected to vehicle power supplier  62 . Base  70  is mounted on a support surface (not shown) of the vehicle at the rear of the passenger compartment and adjacent to the rear window of the vehicle with flat plate  140  extending from housing. Base  70  may be mounted to the support surface by any conventional means including the use of adhesives, conventional screws, or any threaded, friction, or interference type fastener. Housing  30  also contains retaining slots  150  near each end of base  70 . These retaining slots  150  are aligned with-locking apertures  100  and adapted to accept mounting tabs  200  from lens/reflector  40 , as further described below. Housing  30  further comprises mounting grooves  120  which are adapted to accept mounting clips  190  from lens/reflector  40 , as further described below. 
     Lens/reflector  40  comprises flat portion  160  which rests on trapping panel  80  when assembly is completed as described below. Lens/reflector  40  further comprises reflective hood  170  and lens portion  180  which is substantially translucent. Reflective hood  170  is fixably secured to lens portion  180  in any one of a variety of manners well known to those skilled in the art. Alternatively, reflective hood  170  and lens portion  180  may be integrally formed as a single molded piece. When integrally formed, lens/reflector  40  comprises a single molded piece of plastic or other suitable material. Along with lens portion  180 , reflective hood  170  forms a chamber around LEDs  50 . Reflective hood  170  prevents light from LEDs  50  from exiting CHMSL assembly  10  from any direction except through lens portion  180  and serves to reflect light towards lens portion  180 . The interior surface of reflective hood  170  may be coated with any of a number of reflective materials known in the art to increase the amount of light reflected back out through lens portion  180 . 
     When lens/reflector  40  is mounted on housing  30 , lens portion  180  faces the rear of the vehicle so that light exiting CHMSL assembly  10  is visible to other vehicles traveling behind the vehicle. For the purposes of the present invention, lens portion  180  may be either crystal or red in color. However, it should be noted that the light exiting CHMSL assembly  10  must be red in color to meet current safety requirements. Therefore, for example, if crystal LEDs  50  are used, then lens portion  180  must be red in color. Lens/reflector  40  further comprises mounting clips  190  and mounting tabs  200  to allow for its attachment to housing  30 . Mounting tabs  200  are positioned longitudinally at each end of lens/reflector  40  such that they align with retaining slots  150  and locking apertures  100  (when trapping panel  80  is positioned as described below) in housing  30 . Mounting clips  190  are positioned on the edge of lens/reflector  40  below lens portion  180 , such that mounting clips  190  align with mounting grooves  120 . Any other suitable mechanical or frictional retaining means known in the art may be used to attach lens/reflector  40  to housing  30 . 
     In assembly, LED array circuit board  20  is placed in the approximate center of base  70  such that electrical connector  60  and any electrical circuitry projecting from the bottom side of LED array circuit board  20  is seated into recessed chamber  130 . This accommodation by recessed chamber  130  allows LED array circuit board  20  to lay flat within base  70 . Trapping panel  80  is then folded, at living hinge  90 , over LED array circuit board  20  such that LEDs  50  project through LED apertures  110 . Trapping panel  80  shields all portions of LED array circuit board  20  from view except for LEDs  50 . This improves the aesthetic appearance of CHMSL assembly  10  by covering the electrical circuitry and is desirable to automobile manufacturers and consumers. 
     Lens/reflector  40  is then positioned over housing  30  with lens portion  180  of lens/reflector  40  facing the rear of the vehicle. In an exemplary embodiment, mounting tabs  200  are then aligned with locking apertures  100  and retaining slots  150 . As mounting tabs  200  are lowered through locking apertures  100  and locked into retaining slots  150 , mounting clips  190  frictionally engage mounting groove  120  securely locking lens/reflector  40  into place over housing  30 . Finally, cover  42 , is positioned on top of the assembly and secured to housing  30  and lens/reflector  40  in any one of a variety of manners known in the art, for example, by the use of locking clips, adhesives or screws. It should be noted that cover  42  is secured in such a manner that allows cover  42  to be removable from housing  30  and lens/reflector  40 , in the the event that maintenance becomes necessary. Cover  42  is positioned such that opening  44  is in front of lens portion  180 , allowing light emitted from LEDs  50  to shine through cover  42 . Once assembled, CHMSL assembly  10  may be secured in place in the vehicle and electrical connector  60  may be suitably connected to vehicle power supplier  62 . FIG. 2 shows a front elevation view of CHMSL assembly  10  fully assembled (vehicle not shown). FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of CHMSL assembly  10  of the present invention taken along line A—A of FIG.  2 . 
     The exemplary embodiment of CHMSL assembly  10  of the present invention may be assembled manually, without the need of any additional mechanical means or welding processes. This lowers the costs of assembly and manufacture. Even embodiments of the present invention which use other suitable retaining means that may require some tool use for locking trapping panel  80  into position and for securing lens/reflector  40  in position lower the costs of assembly and manufacture because LED array circuit board  20  is physically held in place by trapping panel  80 . All embodiments of the current invention eliminate the need for sonic welding or additional fasteners to hold LED array circuit board  20  in place. Additionally, as noted above, the present invention provides CHMSL assembly  10  with LEDs  50  and trapping panel  80  which effectively conceal the electrical circuitry of LED array circuit board  20  improving the appearance of CHMSL assembly  10 . Thus, the present invention provides CHMSL assembly  10  which effectively holds LED array circuit board  10  in the correct position, which contains fewer parts, is less complex and less-expensive to manufacture, is easier to assemble, and is more aesthetically desirable than other CHMSL assemblies known in the art. 
     Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to a certain exemplary version thereof, other versions are possible, such as embodiments utilizing different attaching or retaining means. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the exemplary versions contained herein, and the claims should be given the broadest possible interpretation to protect the novel features of the present invention.