Linear Lighting with Distributed Onboard Power Conversion and Filtering

• US 20170367158A1
• Filed: 08/11/2017
• Published: 12/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elemental LED, Inc. (Elemental Led LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elemental LED, Inc. (Elemental Led LLC)
• Inventors: Petersen, Russell, Gensler, Steven W., Stellmacher, Rick
• Granted Patent: US 10,028,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/22 flexible or deformable, e.g. into a curved shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 having LEDs disposed in parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0393 Flexible materials H05K1/038 takes precedence; specific organic compositions are classified in H05K1/0313 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0145 Polyester, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET], polyethylene naphthalate [PEN]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/1006 Non-printed filter
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10522 Adjacent components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

A strip of linear lighting with distributed power conversion is disclosed. The linear lighting includes a flexible PCB. The flexible PCB is divided into repeating blocks, which are arranged electrically in parallel with one another between power and ground. Each repeating block includes power conversion and conditioning circuits. A plurality of LED light engines are connected to the outputs of the power conversion and conditioning circuits, electrically in series with one another. The power conversion and conditioning circuits typically include at least a full-bridge rectifier, and a filter may be connected to each of the LED light engines. A pair of conductors run the length of the PCB adjacent to it and are connected to each of the repeating blocks. A flexible, transparent covering surrounds the PCB and pair of conductors.

Claims

1. A flexible strip of linear lighting, comprising:

a narrow, elongate, flexible printed circuit board (PCB) physically and electrically arranged in a plurality of repeating blocks, each of the one or more repeating blocks being arranged electrically in parallel with one another between power and ground, and each of the plurality of repeating blocks including

electrical connections to receive alternating current (AC) power,

a power conversion and conditioning circuit mounted on the PCB and connected to the electrical connections that converts the AC power to direct current (DC) power,

a plurality of LED light engines electrically connected to the power conversion and conditioning circuit to receive the DC power, and

a filter separately connected to each of the plurality of LED light engines, each of the filters comprising at least a capacitive load; and

a pair of conductors traversing the length of the flexible PCB to provide the power and the ground for each of the plurality of repeating blocks, the pair of conductors being connected to the AC electrical connections for each of the plurality of repeating blocks.

2. The strip of linear lighting of claim 1, wherein the power conversion and conditioning circuit comprises a full-bridge rectifier.

3. The strip of linear lighting of claim 2, wherein the power conversion and conditioning circuit further comprises a constant current controller.

4. The strip of linear lighting of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board comprises Mylar.

5. The strip of linear lighting of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of repeating blocks also includes one or more ballast resistors.

6. The strip of linear lighting of claim 1, wherein the pair of conductors is separate from and adjacent to the PCB.

7. The strip of linear lighting of claim 6, further comprising a transparent, electrically insulative covering around the printed circuit board and the pair of conductors.

8. The strip of linear lighting of claim 7, wherein the covering is flexible.

9. The strip of linear lighting of claim 1, wherein each of the filters is connected in parallel with each of the plurality of LED light engines.

10. The strip of linear lighting of claim 8, wherein each filter further comprises a resistive load connected in parallel with the capacitor.

11. The strip of linear lighting of claim 1, wherein the AC power is high-voltage AC power.

12. The strip of linear lighting of claim 1, wherein the AC power is low-voltage AC power.

13. A flexible strip of linear lighting, comprising:

a narrow, elongate, flexible printed circuit board (PCB) physically and electrically arranged in a plurality of repeating blocks, each of the plurality of repeating blocks being arranged electrically in parallel with one another between power and ground, and each of the plurality of repeating blocks including

electrical connections to receive alternating current (AC) power,

a power conversion and conditioning circuit mounted on the PCB and connected to the AC electrical connections that converts the AC power to direct current (DC) power, the power conversion and conditioning circuit including at least a full-bridge rectifier,

a plurality of LED light engines electrically connected to the power conversion and conditioning circuit to receive the DC power and arranged at a regular pitch along the flexible PCB, and

a filter connected in parallel to each of the plurality of LED light engines, each of the filters comprising at least a capacitive load;

a flexible, transparent covering or casing surrounding the flexible PCB; and

a pair of conductors traversing the length of the flexible PCB separate from and adjacent to the flexible PCB within the covering or casing to provide the power and the ground for each of the plurality of repeating blocks, the pair of conductors being connected to the AC electrical connections for each of the plurality of repeating blocks.

14. The strip of linear lighting of claim 13, wherein each filter further comprises a resistive load in parallel with the capacitive load.

15. The strip of linear lighting of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of repeating blocks is identical.

16. The strip of linear lighting of claim 13, wherein the AC power is high-voltage AC power and the DC power is low-voltage DC power.

17. A flexible strip of linear lighting, comprising:

a narrow, elongate, flexible printed circuit board (PCB) physically and electrically arranged in a plurality of repeating blocks, each of the one or more repeating blocks being arranged electrically in parallel with one another between power and ground, and each of the plurality of repeating blocks including

electrical connections to receive alternating current (AC) power,

a power conversion and conditioning circuit mounted on the PCB and connected to the electrical connections, the power conversion and conditioning circuit including a full-wave rectifier and a first-stage capacitive filter connected to the full-wave rectifier to receive a rectified output of the full-wave rectifier,

a plurality of LED light engines electrically connected to the power conversion and conditioning circuit to receive the DC power, and

a second-stage capacitive filter connected to each of each of the plurality of LED light engines, each of the second-stage filters comprising at least a capacitive load; and

a pair of conductors traversing the length of the flexible PCB to provide the power and the ground for each of the plurality of repeating blocks, the pair of conductors being connected to the AC electrical connections for each of the plurality of repeating blocks.

18. The strip of linear lighting of claim 17, wherein the first-stage capacitive filter comprises a capacitive multiplier.

19. The strip of linear lighting of claim 18, wherein the capacitive multiplier comprises a transistor and a capacitor arranged such that the base of the transistor is connected to the repeating block through the capacitor.

20. The strip of linear lighting of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of repeating blocks includes one or both of a constant current controller or a ballast resistance.