Solid state alphanumeric indicator and lead frame

Claim 1

An alphanumeric character indicator comprising a rigid transparent body having upper and lower parallel spaced apart surfaces, an electrically conductive base member embedded in the body intermediate said surfaces and parallel thereto, said base member having a shape corresponding to said alphanumeric character and serving as a mechanical support and a common electrical connector, a plurality of light emitting dice mounted on said base member so that exitation of said dice produces a pattern corresponding to said character, each of said dice having first and second electrical terminals, said first terminals being electrically connected to said base member, said base member having a pair of conductive extensions extending therefrom and coplanar therewith, said extensions at a site remote from said base member each having a laterally extending portion, said laterally extending portions being oppositely directed from the center of said base member and at their respective lateral extremities having elongate elements that extend normal to said lower surface and project outwardly thereof to define terminal pins for establishing electrical connection to said base member and the first terminals of said dice, a first plurality of terminal pins in alignment with one said elongate element and a second plurality of terminal pins in alignment with the other said elongate element and arranged in a row parallel to said first plurality of terminal pins, said first and second plurality of terminal pins lying respectively in two parallel planes normal to said base member, said terminal pins having inner ends embedded in said body adjacent said base member, the inner ends of less than all of said terminal pins each having a laterally extending portion substantially coplanar with the plane of said base member, and conductor means embedded in said body and connecting said second electrical terminals to the inner ends of different ones of said terminal pins.