Cuttable illuminated panel

Abstract

An illumination apparatus is provided having a panel including a plurality of circuit units on a dielectric surface. The circuit units include electrically conductive traces and at least one light emitting diode (LED). At least some of the circuit units have contacts for supplying power to the LED. The circuit units are preferably electrically interconnected so that power provided to one circuit unit also supplied power to at least a group of the circuit units. The apparatus with the circuit units may be cut or shaped to a predetermined or desired shape. Also provided are methods of manufacturing, assembling, and using the illumination apparatus.

1 . An illumination apparatus, comprising:
 a substrate having a dielectric surface;   a plurality of circuit units on the dielectric surface, said circuit units comprised of electrically conductive traces and at least one light emitting diode (LED), at least some of the circuit units having contacts for supplying power to the LED; and   at least one power connector configured to receive power from a power supply, the power connector having power connector contacts adapted to mate with the circuit unit contacts of one of said circuit units;   wherein each of the circuit units is electrically interconnected with other circuit units such that one of said power connectors supplies power to at least a group of said plurality of circuit units.   
     
     
         2 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit units are arranged in a repeating pattern, and at least some of the circuit units are identical in circuit structure. 
     
     
         3 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a first group of circuit units are electrically connected to one another and a second group of circuit units are electrically connected to one another, and the first and second groups are not electrically connected to one another. 
     
     
         4 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each power connector supplies electrical power to at least two circuit units. 
     
     
         5 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of circuit units to power connectors is at least two circuit units per power connector. 
     
     
         6 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is metallic. 
     
     
         7 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the metallic substrate comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         8 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive traces comprise silver ink. 
     
     
         9 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each circuit unit comprises a plurality of LEDs. 
     
     
         10 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of LEDs are configured in series. 
     
     
         11 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of LEDs are configured in parallel. 
     
     
         12 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power connector is configured to be removably attached to the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the power connector has two holes configured to accommodate placement of flexible conductors therein. 
     
     
         14 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a foam sheet. 
     
     
         15 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is laminar. 
     
     
         16 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit units are electrically connected to each other in parallel. 
     
     
         17 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising redundant electrical connections between the plurality of circuit units. 
     
     
         18 . The illumination apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the redundant electrical connections are electrical traces. 
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacturing an illumination apparatus, the method comprising:
 providing a substrate with a dielectric surface;   providing a plurality of circuit units on the dielectric surface, each of the circuit units comprising electrically conductive traces and at least one light emitting diode (LED), at least some of the circuit units comprising contacts for supplying power to the LED;   providing at least one power connector configured to receive power from a power supply, the power connector comprising power connector contacts adapted to mate with the circuit unit contacts of one of said circuit units; and   connecting a power connector to a circuit unit so that the power connector contacts mate with the circuit unit contacts.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the circuit units are provided on the dielectric surface by offset printing. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the circuit units are cured below 150° Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising cutting the substrate following provision of the circuit units. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the power connector is connected to the circuit unit by at least one bolt or screw. 
     
     
         24 . A method of making an illuminated channel letter, the method comprising:
 providing a back comprising a substrate with a dielectric surface and with at least one circuit unit, the circuit unit having an electrical path configured to conduct electrical power to at least one LED;   forming the back to a desired shape;   providing sides corresponding to the back shape;   providing electrical power to the circuit unit.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein a plurality of LEDs are illuminated when electrical power is provided to the circuit unit. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the back comprises a plurality of circuit units that are electrically interconnected in parallel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein redundant electrical pathways electrically interconnect the circuit units. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein forming comprises disrupting at least one of the redundant electrical pathways that interconnect circuit units, and wherein at least some of the circuit units remain electrically interconnected after forming. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein forming comprises disrupting at least one of the electrical paths of a circuit unit so that electrical power is not conducted to the corresponding LED, and wherein electrical power is conducted to LEDs of other circuit units.