LIGHTING STRIP

• US 20060221609A1
• Filed: 06/14/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Patrick H. Ryan Jr
• Original Assignee: Patrick H. Ryan Jr
• Inventors: Ryan, Patrick H. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/423,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20060221609A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/238
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/007 with provision for shipment or storage
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence

Abstract

The lighting strip has two elongated flexible conductors for carrying primary power to a plurality of modules. Each module has rectification diodes and a series lighting element. The series lighting element has at least one resistor and at least one light emitting diode (LED). The LED operates using the full-wave rectified power. The lighting strip may be provided in a spool which can be easily cut to the desired length. The number of light emitting diodes in a module, the spacing between components in a module, and the use of multiple lighting strips, can be selected to provide the desired illumination level or effect.

Claims

1. A lighting system, comprising:

first and second conductors,

a plurality of modules, each module comprising;

a third conductor,

a first diode connected between said first and third conductors, and having a first predetermined polarity with respect to said third conductor,

a second diode connected between said second and third conductors, and having said first predetermined polarity with respect to said third conductor, and

a fourth conductor;

a third diode connected between said first and fourth conductors and having a second predetermined polarity with respect to said fourth conductor, said second polarity being opposite said first polarity,

a fourth diode connected between said second and fourth conductors and having said second predetermined polarity with respect to said fourth conductor, and

a series lighting element comprising the series combination of at least one resistor and at least one light emitting diode, the series lighting element having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the third conductor and the second end being connected to the fourth conductor.

2. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the first and second conductors are elongated strip conductors.

3. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the third and fourth conductors are strip conductors.

4. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the third and fourth conductors is a heat-sinking conductor.

5. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein a said series lighting element comprises the series combination of a plurality of resistors and a plurality of light emitting diodes.

6. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein a said series lighting element comprises the series combination of a resistor and a plurality of light emitting diodes.

7. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein a said series lighting element comprises the series combination of a plurality of resistors and a light emitting diode.

8. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the first, second, third and fourth conductors are flexible conductors, and further comprising a flexible, insulated substrate, wherein the first and second conductors, and the plurality of modules, are mounted on the substrate.

9. A method for installing lighting between a desired first point and a desired second point, comprising:

(a) placing one end of a lighting strip near the desired first point, the lighting strip comprising first and second conductors and a plurality of modules, each module including rectification diodes connected to the first and second conductors and a series lighting element connected to the rectification diodes, a series lighting element including the series combination of at least one resistor and at least one light emitting diode;

(b) fastening said lighting strip near the desired first point;

(c) dispensing said lighting strip from the desired first point to the desired second point;

(c) cutting and fastening said lighting strip near the desired second point.

10. The method of claim 9 and further comprising connecting a source of electrical power to said first and second conductors.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of dispensing said lighting strip comprises unwinding said lighting strip from a spool of said lighting strip.

12. A lighting system, comprising:

first and second conductors,

a module of a first module type comprising;

a third conductor,

a first diode connected between said first and third conductors, and having a first predetermined polarity with respect to said third conductor,

a second diode connected between said second and third conductors, and having said first predetermined polarity with respect to said third conductor, and

a series lighting element comprising the series combination of at least one resistor and at least one light emitting diode, the series lighting element having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the third conductor; and

a module of a second module type comprising;

a fourth conductor;

a third diode connected between said first and fourth conductors and having a second predetermined polarity with respect to said fourth conductor, said second polarity being opposite said first polarity,

a fourth diode connected between said second and fourth conductors and having said second predetermined polarity with respect to said fourth conductor, and

a series lighting element comprising the series combination of at least one resistor and at least one light emitting diode, the series lighting element having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the fourth conductor;

and wherein at least one of;

the second end of the series lighting element of a module of the first module type is electrically connected to the first end of the series lighting element of a module of the second module type, or the second end of the series lighting element of a module of the second module type is electrically connected to the first end of the series lighting element of a module of the first module type.

13. The lighting system of claim 12 and further comprising a plurality of modules of alternating first and second module types, the second end of the series lighting element of a module of the first module type being electrically connected to the first end of the series lighting element of a module of the second module type, and the second end of the series lighting element of a module of the second module type being electrically connected to the first end of the series lighting element of a module of the first module type.

14. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein the first and second conductors are elongated strip conductors.

15. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein the third and fourth conductors are strip conductors.

16. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein at least one of the third and fourth conductors is a heat-sinking conductor.

17. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein a said series lighting element comprises the series combination of a plurality of resistors and a plurality of light emitting diodes.

18. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein a said series lighting element comprises the series combination of a resistor and a plurality of light emitting diodes.

19. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein a said series lighting element comprises the series combination of a plurality of resistors and a light emitting diode.

20. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein the first, second, third and fourth conductors are flexible conductors, and further comprising a flexible, insulated substrate, wherein the first and second conductors, the module of the first module type, and the module of the second module type are mounted on the substrate.

21. A method for installing lighting between a desired first point and a desired second point, comprising:

(a) placing one end of a lighting strip near the desired first point, the lighting strip comprising first and second conductors and a plurality of modules of first and second module types, each module including a rectification diode connected to the first and second conductors and shared with at least one other said module of a different module type and a series lighting element connected to the rectification diode, a series lighting element including the series combination of at least one resistor and at least one light emitting diode, each module further including;

(b) fastening said lighting strip near the desired first point;

(c) dispensing said lighting strip from the desired first point to the desired second point;

(c) cutting and fastening said lighting strip near the desired second point.

22. The method of claim 21 and further comprising connecting a source of electrical power to said first and second conductors.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of dispensing said lighting strip comprises unwinding said lighting strip from a spool of said lighting strip.