SURGE PROTECTION FOR LIGHT-EMITTING DIODES

• US 20160150606A1
• Filed: 11/20/2015
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schreder SA
• Original Assignee: Schreder SA
• Inventors: Borlez, Yves
• Granted Patent: US 10,117,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/382 with galvanic isolation between input and output
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/50 responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDs; responsive to LED life; Protective circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

Described herein is a surge protection device for protecting luminaires from high surge voltages. The surge protection device comprises shunt impedance elements positioned in connections between a driver and a light-emitting diode module to direct current generated by differential mode surges and/or common mode surges to ground so that light-emitting diode elements in the light-emitting diode module are not destroyed. Series impedance elements may also be provided between the driver and the shunt impedance elements.

Claims

1. A surge protection device configured to protect a luminaire including a metal frame, at least one light-emitting diode module comprising a circuit board and at least one driver configured to transform mains voltage for said at least one light-emitting diode module, each driver and each light-emitting diode module being mounted on the frame with an electrical connection between a driver and its associated light-emitting diode module, the surge protection device comprising at least one shunt impedance element located between the electrical connection between each driver and its associated light-emitting diode module and the frame, each shunt impedance element comprising at least one of:

a capacitor, a resistor and a semiconductor-based component.

2. A surge protection device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one shunt impedance element is mounted on said circuit board of said at least one light-emitting module.

3. A surge protection device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one shunt impedance element is located in a connection box between the driver and the light-emitting diode module.

4. A surge protection device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one shunt impedance element comprises a capacitor.

5. A surge protection device according to claim 4, wherein each capacitor comprises one of:

an X-capacitor or Y-capacitor having predetermined electrical safety characteristics.

6. A surge protection device according to claim 5, wherein each capacitor has a capacitance value between 10 nF and 1000 nF.

7. A surge protection device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one shunt impedance element comprises a resistor.

8. A surge protection device according to claim 7, wherein said resistor comprises a resistance value between 1MΩ

and 10MΩ

.

9. A surge protection device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one shunt impedance element comprises a semiconductor-based component having a trigger voltage which is lower than an insulation voltage between the light-emitting diode module and the frame.

10. A surge protection device according to claim 9, wherein the semiconductor-based component comprises a Zener diode.

11. A surge protection device according to claim 9, wherein the semiconductor-based component comprises a semiconductor transient suppressor.

12. A surge protection device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one series impedance element positioned between said at least one driver and said at least one shunt impedance element.

13. A surge protection device according to claim 12, wherein said at least one series impedance element comprises an inductor.

14. A surge protection device according to claim 12, wherein said at least one series impedance element comprises a common mode filter.

15. A surge protection device according to claim 14, wherein the common mode filter comprises two coupled inductors.