US 11,879,606 B2
Reinforced light strip for a lighting device
Gregory Herman, Elk Grove Village, IL (US); Jeremy Rubens, Pallatine, IL (US); Caitlyn Miklasz, Chicago, IL (US); and Bradley Padget, Huntley, IL (US)
Assigned to Robert Bosch Tool Corporation, Broadview, IL (US); and Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart (DE)
Filed by Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart (DE)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/550,837.
Prior Publication US 2023/0184398 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. F21S 4/24 (2016.01); F21S 4/20 (2016.01); F21V 21/32 (2006.01); F21S 4/22 (2016.01); F21Y 115/10 (2016.01); F21Y 103/10 (2016.01)
CPC F21S 4/24 (2016.01) [F21S 4/20 (2016.01); F21S 4/22 (2016.01); F21V 21/32 (2013.01); F21Y 2103/10 (2016.08); F21Y 2115/10 (2016.08)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A flexible light assembly comprising:
an assembly first end;
an assembly second end that is opposite the assembly first end;
an assembly centerline that extends between the assembly first end and the assembly second end;
an assembly thickness dimension;
an assembly width dimension that is measured in a direction perpendicular to the assembly thickness dimension;
an assembly length dimension that is measured in a direction parallel to the assembly centerline, the assembly length dimension being perpendicular to the assembly thickness dimension and the assembly width dimension, the assembly length dimension being at least ten times the assembly thickness dimension and the assembly width dimension;
a jacket, the jacket including
a jacket first end that coincides with the assembly first end,
a jacket second end that coincides with the assembly second end, and
an internal vacancy that is elongated in a direction parallel to the assembly centerline;
a substrate that is elongated in a direction parallel to the assembly centerline, the substrate being disposed in the internal vacancy, the substrate being formed of a first material, the first material being at least as flexible as the jacket, the substrate including
a substrate thickness dimension,
a substrate width dimension that is measured in a direction perpendicular to the substrate thickness dimension,
a substrate length dimension that is measured in a direction parallel to the assembly centerline, the substrate length dimension being perpendicular to the substrate thickness dimension and the substrate width dimension, the substrate length dimension being at least ten times the substrate thickness dimension and the substrate width dimension,
a substrate first surface that is parallel to the substrate length dimension and the substrate width dimension, and
a substrate second surface that is opposite the substrate first surface;
light emitters that are disposed on the substrate first surface, the light emitters being spaced apart in a direction parallel to the assembly centerline;
a reinforcing layer that is fixed to the substrate second surface and is formed of a second material, the second material having a greater tensile strength than the first material; and
a superstructure that encloses the flexible light assembly, the superstructure including a first hollow segment and a second hollow segment that is serially connected to the first hollow segment via a hinge pin that extends in parallel to the width of the substrate, the second hollow segment being rotatable relative to the first hollow segment about the hinge gin, the assembly first end being disposed in the first hollow segment and the assembly second end being disposed in the second hollow segment,
wherein
the flexible light assembly is sufficiently flexible to permit the assembly first end to deflect relative to the assembly second end about an axis perpendicular to the assembly centerline such that the assembly centerline can assume a radius of curvature in a range of 1.3 centimeters to 10.2 centimeters.