Flexible LED Light Strip for a Bicycle and Method for Making the Same

Abstract

An integrally-formed single-piece flexible light strip includes a substrate populated with at least one LED light circuit. A clear flexible plastic housing is molded around the LED light circuit to completely encapsulate the light circuit. A flexible electrical cable and contoured strain relief for the electrical cable are also integrally formed as part of the light strip to maintain complete environmental and physical protection and eliminate any non-flexible portions of the light strip such as when a connector is used. The light strip is manufactured in a cost efficient manner, and is impervious to moisture penetration and highly resistant to physical damage, thereby allowing the light strip to be used in a variety of applications and environments. The shape of the illustrated light strip is specially designed for attachment to the round tubing of a bicycle frame. The light strip includes an electrical circuit allowing a reduction in the number of wires between the strip and its associated external control and power.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing an encapsulated flexible LED light strip comprising the steps of:
 placing a flexible substrate including an LED light circuit having at least three spaced-apart LED lights into a cavity mold such that support tabs of the LED light circuit are located on ledges of the cavity mold to support the LED light circuit and fix the position of the LED light circuit in three dimensions within the cavity mold;   extending at least one flexible electrical cable from the LED light circuit and out of the cavity mold;   supplying a flexible plastic material into the cavity to mold a flexible housing about the LED light circuit for fully encapsulating the LED light circuit on all sides to form a seamless substantially voidless barrier with the at least one flexible electrical cable extending from the LED light circuit and out through the molded flexible housing; and   removing the molded flexible housing with the flexible substrate from the cavity mold.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing the at least one flexible electrical cable with an o-ring seal to seal the at least one flexible cable with the cavity mold. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of molding a contoured strain relief for the at least one wire with the flexible housing. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of molding at least one of a mounting tab and a mounting strap integral with the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of molding a groove having V-shaped cross-section in the flexible housing on a rear side of the flexible LED light strip and extending between ends of the flexible LED light strip. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of locating the LED lights at a front side of the flexible LED light strip. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of trimming sides of the encapsulated flexible LED light strip to remove the support tabs after removing the encapsulated flexible LED light strip from the cavity mold. 
     
     
         8 . A method of using an encapsulated flexible LED light strip comprising the steps of:
 obtaining an encapsulated flexible LED light strip according to  claim 1 ;   engaging the encapsulated flexible LED light strip with a tube of a bicycle frame with the tube located in the groove of the encapsulated flexible LED light strip; and   securing the encapsulated flexible LED light strip to the tube.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of securing the encapsulated flexible LED light strip to the tube includes securing a strap about the encapsulated flexible LED light strip and the tube. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the strap is integrally molded with the housing. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of securing the encapsulated flexible LED light strip to the tube includes placing double-sided adhesive tape between the groove of the encapsulated flexible LED light strip and the tube.