Patent ID: 7390115

Claim:
An LED blinker load assembly (LBLA) that allows a vehicle single or dual filament incandescent light bulb(s) to be directly replaced by a light bulb comprising a plurality of LEDs, wherein said LBLA functions in combination with a vehicle battery and a vehicle flasher unit ( 60 ) having a heater coil ( 62 ) that is connected in parallel with a normally-open pair of contacts ( 64 ), wherein the vehicle flasher unit ( 60 ) has an input that is connected to a source of 12-volts d-c and a variable output voltage that, when applied through the heater coil ( 62 ), is less than 12-volts d-c, and that when applied through the closed contacts ( 64 ), is 12-volts d-c, wherein said LBLA comprises: a) an LED load circuit ( 18 ) comprising a plurality of LEDs that are connected in a series/parallel combination, said LED load circuit ( 18 ) having an input that is applied the output voltage from the vehicle flasher unit ( 60 ) through a current limiting resister (R L ), and an output that is connected to circuit ground, b) an input circuit ( 12 ) that is comprised of a timer/drive circuit having means for receiving the output voltage from the vehicle flasher unit, and means for producing a timed drive signal and a power signal which are applied to an output circuit ( 14 ), wherein the timed drive signal: (1) has a sufficient drive capability to operate said output circuit ( 14 ), (2) is limited in the time the timed drive signal is applied to prevent said output circuit ( 14 ) from overheating, and (3) is active for a length of time to allow the heater coil ( 62 ) to heat and cause the contacts ( 64 ) to close, and (c) said output circuit ( 14 ) having means for receiving the timed drive signal and the power signal from said input circuit ( 12 ), and for providing a shunt load that is applied across said LED load circuit ( 18 ), wherein said output circuit ( 14 ) is designed to draw additional current through the heater coil ( 62 ) to cause the contacts ( 64 ) to close and to apply the full 12-volts d-c that emulates the current drawn by the incandescent bulb, which causes the vehicle flasher unit to operate in a normal manner.