Abstract:
An electronic module circuit for operating a light emitting diode vehicle lighting system. The electronic module circuit includes an adaptor for regulating a 12 volt vehicle power supply to operate the light emitting diode vehicle lighting system. The light emitting diodes include dual light emitting diodes in a single optic have concave and convex depressions for collimating the emitted light.

Description:
CLAIM FOR PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/498300 filed Aug. 28, 2003 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/499352 filed Sep. 3, 2003. Both of these provisional applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to vehicle lighting systems using light emitting diodes.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Electrical wiring for electrical accessories attached or linked to vehicles have different methods in connecting. One method of connection is simply locating desired wires of a vehicle electrical system and cutting, stripping and splicing. Another method simply connects an adaptor plug to the existing tail light plug or trailer hitch plug or other prefabricated connector located within the vehicle wiring system.  
         [0004]     Most automotive lighting is designed to cooperate with the customary 12 volt power supply. Recently, light emitting diodes LEDs have been introduced to the automotive market which required a lower voltage than 12 volts for proper operation. Resistors, transformers, regulators, capacitors and/or other electrical components are necessary to lower the voltage to properly operate the LEDs.  
         [0005]     Many such LEDs are manufactured as single unit. Today&#39;s LEDs have multiple colors also contained as a single unit. LEDs are also known to incorporate different optics which magnify and collimate the light transmission.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is an object of the invention to provide an electronic module circuit to facilitate the use of LEDs in a vehicle lighting system.  
         [0007]     It is another object of the invention to provide an adapter for connection of the electronic module circuit directly to a vehicle accessory tail light plug or trailer hitch plug.  
         [0008]     It is another object of the invention to provide an electronic module circuit for reducing the voltage of the vehicle power supply to properly operate an LED lighting system.  
         [0009]     Yet another object of the invention is to provide an optic of an LED which incorporates two single LEDs mounted on a substrate with one optic.  
         [0010]     These and other objects of the present invention will be readily apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. These objects of the present invention are not exhaustive and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the claimed invention.  
         [0011]     In summary, the invention involves an electronic module for the automotive industry. The electronic module includes electronic components to switch, regulate and control voltage and current at designed ratios. LED lighting accessories require regulated low voltage and current. The standard automotive 12 volt direct current system is exceedingly high for the conventional low voltage LED. The electronic components of the electronic module lower the standard 12 volt supply by transformer or the like and then manipulates the supply to different output channels. The output channels are extensions connected to the after market accessory LEDs mounted at designated positions on any type of vehicle. The LED aftermarket accessory lighting may operate with the vehicle lighting system or with a manually switched system. Preferably the electronic module incorporates wiring for the input and wiring with plugs for the output. Wires can be color coded to match the vehicle OEM electrical wiring system. The electronic module is able to interface with all automotive rear lighting systems and can be activated by the park or tail light voltage. The electronic module is preferably operable to flash with the directional system and activate with the brake light system. The electronic module is preferably is designed to operate with illuminated bed rails.  
         [0012]     The LEDs preferably include an aluminum heat sink substrate preferably shaped to a predetermined radius to mount in a predesigned aluminum cavity. A non-conductive coating is applied to one side of the substrate having copper run landings. A barrel shaped plastic material is mounted at the radius area to harness and support an acrylic optic. The acrylic optic is mounted on top of a lumiled bat wing surface mount LED. The acrylic optic includes a two hole aperature at the bottom of the optic to receive the dome heads of the lumiled LEDs.  
         [0013]     With these and other considerations in mind, as will become apparent hereinafter, the invention includes certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and detailed description thereof. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a vehicle having a trailer hitch plug with the electronic module connected thereto;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  shows another embodiment of the electronic module having an accessory wiring adaptor connected thereto;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a schematic of the electronic module electronic circuit;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the dual LED with the optic removed; and,  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the dual LED and single optic unit. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]      FIG. 1  show a vehicle  10 , in this instance a pickup truck having a trailer hitch plug  12  at the rear  14  thereof. Trailer hitch plugs  12  usually have four or seven prong connections. Connected to the trailer hitch plug  12  is the electronic module  16  and the electronic module  16  preferably includes a suitable adapter to connect with conventional trailer hitch plugs  12  either of the four or seven prong variety. It should be understood that  FIG. 1  is an example of merely one embodiment of the invention and that the electronic module circuit  16  may be hardwired into the vehicle wiring system or connected to a multiwire connector at some other location in the vehicle wiring system. However, it is contemplated by the invention that the trailer hitch plug  12  is commonly located on modem vehicles at the rear thereof and is therefore a convenient location for utilization of the invention. In other instances such as other auxiliary lighting schemes, different locations for connection may be preferably employed.  
         [0020]     Now referring to  FIG. 2 , another embodiment of the electronic module  16 ′ is shown separately. The electronic module  16 ′ includes a circuit containing housing  18  having a pigtail wiring harness  20  extending therefrom and ending in a plug  22 . The housing  18  preferably plugs into a trailer hitch plug  12  as previously described with reference to  FIG. 1 . Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the vehicle  10  is shown having lighted bed rails  24 . The present invention is ideally suited for use with auxiliary lighting such as the lighted bed rails  24  such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,400 which is hereby incorporated by reference. With either embodiment of the electronic module  16  or  16 ′, the bed rails  24  may be electronically connected to the electronic module  16  or  16 ′ simply by incorporating a cooperating connector (not shown) into the bed rails  24  which electronically connects directly to module  16  or connects to plug  22  of the wiring harness  20 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram for a preferred embodiment of the electronic circuit  26  of the electronic module  16 . The circuit  26  includes inputs for the left brake/directional light input  28 , parking lamp input  30  and right brake/directional light input  32 . A common ground  34  is also included at the inputs. In a vehicle lighting system having lighted bed rails  24 , illumination of the bed rails  24  is effected when the vehicle brake or directional signal is activated so that current flows to the electronic module  16  and enters the circuit  26 . Now for example, when the left brake/directional input  28  is activated, current flows to diode  36  which preferably is a one amp 100plv diode then flows to preferably a 12vdc one amp reed relay  38  and then preferably flows to a 50 vdc capacitor  40  and then preferably flows to a 6 vdc regulator  42  and out to the bed rail  24 . In this manner, the brake lamp output  44  will operate continuously while the directional signal output  46  will flash. The right brake/directional light input  32  operates in the same manner as the left. The parking lamp  30  input bypasses the diodes  36 .  
         [0022]     Using the above described electronic module  16 , the automotive 12 volt direct current is regulated to preferably controlled 3.6 volts direct current. It should be understood that the configuation of the electronic module  16  to connect to conventional four or seven prong trailer hitch plug is known to those skilled in the art and therefore has been omitted. Likewise, the output end of the electronic module  16  is similarly not shown since a variety of commercially available conventional plugs may be incorporated to serve this purpose.  
         [0023]     The above system may be used to light a unique LED optic to illuminate bed rails or other decorative and/or functional lighting. Now with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a dual LED single optic assembly  50  is shown having an aluminum heat sink substrate  52  of predetermined shape having a non-conductive coating  54  applied to one side thereof. The non-conductive coating  54  preferably has a thickness of about 25 thousandths of an inch and encompasses the complete surface area of one side of the substrate  52 . Copper landings  56  having a thickness of about 12 thousandths of an inch are bonded to the non-conductive coating  54 . A ring of plastic material  58  forms a cylinder or barrel on the substrate  52  and is mounted to the substrate  52  preferably by glue. The ring  58  includes slots  60  for providing connection to the acrylic optic  62 . A pair of preferably surface mount LUMILED® bat wing LEDs  64  are mounted on the substrate  52  within the ring  58  and are preferably by soldering to the copper landings  56  on the non-conductive coating  54 . The acrylic optic  62  incorporates a two hole aperature  66  for receiving the epoxy dome heads  68  of the lumiled LEDs  64 .  
         [0024]     The optic  62  preferably includes concave and convex impressions  70  and depressions to facilitate collimating illumination effects.  
         [0025]     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, uses and/or adaptations of the invention following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the present invention pertains and as maybe applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.