Light emitting power supply circuit

• US 5,323,305 A
• Filed: 10/07/1991
• Issued: 06/21/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daichi Co., Ltd., Nihon BEAM Electronics Company Limited, Takaaki Ikeda
• Original Assignee: Daichi Co., Ltd., Nihon BEAM Electronics Company Limited, Takaaki Ikeda
• Inventors: Ikeda, Takaaki, Suga, Toshihiko, Kuroiwa, Akihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US07/768,847
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 363/17, 363/21, 363/56, 363/98, 363/132, 363/136, 315/291, 315/241 R, 315/246, 315/219, 315/169.3
• US Class Current: 363/98
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 44/00 Circuit arrangements for operating electroluminescent light sources for operating light emitting diodes H05B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

A series coupled component partially includes a) a load circuit including an inductor and an EL or EL array having capacitive load characteristic, b) a load circuit including an inductor, a bipolar capacitor, and a diode circuit adapted to supply bidirectional current flows across an LED or LD, or c) a load circuit including an inductor, an EL or EL array having capacitive load characteristic, and the diode circuit. An inverter has coupling output terminals coupled to one end or both ends of the load circuit whereby an AC power inverted from a DC power source is supplied to the load circuit to operate at least one member of the EL, EL array, LED and LD. The inverter has a pair of positive and negative switches each comprising a zero-crossing switch mechanism adapted to automatically close its channel when the current becomes zero, the pair of positive and negative switches each being provided with a bypass channel having a reverse current bypass diode for bypassing the zero-crossing switch mechanism. Then every half cycle phase of the alternating current flow toward the load circuit is latched at a secondary zero-crossing phase point which is determined by circuit constants. This arrangement improves the efficacy of operating EL and similar elements, prevents heat release, and enables to operate such loads as EL having a large surface area with a compact operating device.

Claims

1. A light emitting power supply circuit having a series-coupled component, said component comprising:

an input power source;

a load circuit;

an inverter circuit including output terminals coupled to at least one end of said load circuit, and further including a positive switch device and a negative switch device, said positive and negative switch devices each having a zero-crossing switching mechanism for automatically closing a channel thereof when a current supplied thereto from said input power source becomes zero, said positive and negative switch devices each being provided with a bypass channel having a reverse current bypass diode for bypassing the zero-crossing switching mechanism;

wherein said input power source supplies current to said positive and negative switch devices in an alternating manner and each half cycle phase of the alternating current is latched by one of the reverse current bypass diodes at a secondary zero-crossing phase point of the alternating current, said secondary zero-crossing phase point being determined by circuit constants of the power supply circuit.

2. The light emitting power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein said load circuit includes an inductor and an electroluminescent element or EL array having capacitive load characteristics.

3. The light emitting power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein said load circuit includes an inductor, a bipolar capacitor, and a diode circuit for supplying bidirectional current to a light emitting diode or a laser diode.

4. The light emitting power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein said load circuit includes an inductor, an electroluminescent device or EL array having capacitive load characteristics, and a diode circuit.

5. The light emitting power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein said zero-crossing switching mechanism of each of said positive and negative switch devices comprises a track element.

6. The light emitting power supply circuit according to claim 1, wherein said input power source is a single pulse oscillator means.

7. The light emitting power supply circuit according to claim 6, further including positive and negative pulse selectors for generating said alternating current which is applied to said zero-crossing switching mechanisms of said positive and negative switch devices.