Electric series circuit

• US 5,886,423 A
• Filed: 09/10/1997
• Issued: 03/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Brenner, Stanley S., Gershen, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Paladini, Albert W.
• Application Number:
  US08/926,856
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 307/36, 307/130, 307/116, 315/122, 315/185 R, 315/121, 315/179, 315/185.5, 257/119, 327/425, 327/469
• US Class Current: 307/36
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/105 with a spare lamp in the circuit, and a possibility of shunting a failed lamp lamp changing devices H01R33/00, H01R43/00; incandescent lamps with a reserve body H01K
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/23 of two or more light sources connected in series

Abstract

An electric series circuit with plural loads such as light bulbs connected in series and plural solid state switching devices, with each switching device connected in parallel with one of the loads. Each switching device conducts current when the load that it is connected in parallel with does not conduct current because the load is burned out. The solid state switching means may be any device with a breakthrough voltage which is high enough that it does not conduct when all of the loads conduct current normally. When one of the loads is burned out, that load does not conduct current and the entire line voltage appears across the switching means in parallel with the burned out load. The switching means breaks down. Accordingly, the switching means conducts current and current flows to the remaining loads. Accordingly, the remaining light bulbs in a string of light bulbs continue to light. The burned out load may be immediately detected and replaced. The switching means may be a sidac. Alternatively, a combination of an SCR and a zener diode controlling the gate of the SCR are also disclosed as the switching means. A diac may replace the zener diode.

Claims

1. An electric circuit comprising:

a) plural loads connected in series; and

b) plural solid state switching means, each said switching means connected in parallel with one of said loads, and each said solid state switching means comprises a sidac;

c) wherein each said switching means conducts current when the load that it is connected in parallel with does not conduct current.

2. An electric circuit comprising:

a) plural loads connected in series; and

b) plural solid state switching means, each said switching means connected in parallel with one of said loads, and each of said solid state switching means comprises a device which is two directional, and has IV characteristics which are symmetrical, and include a breakthrough voltage where current conducts and a sudden decrease in voltage from the breakthrough voltage as current increases in forward and reverse directions;

c) wherein each said switching means conducts current when the load that it is connect in parallel with does not conduct current.

3. The electric circuit recited in claim 2, wherein each said solid state switching means comprises a sidac.

4. The electric circuit recited in claim 2, wherein each said solid state switching means comprises a sidac and a diode is connected in series with the sidac.

5. The electric circuit recited in claim 2, wherein said breakthrough voltage is reached when said load stops conducting current.

6. An electric circuit comprising:

a) plural loads connected in series;

b) plural solid state switching means, each said switching means connected in parallel with one of said loads, and each said solid state switching means has IV characteristics which include a breakthrough voltage where current conducts;

c) wherein each of said switching means conducts current when the load that it is connected in parallel with does not conduct current.

7. The electric circuit recited in claim 6, wherein said breakthrough voltage is reached when said load stops conducting current.

8. An electric circuit comprising:

a) plural loads connected in series; and

b) plural solid state switching means, each said switching means connected in parallel with one of said loads, and each of said solid state switching means comprises;

c) a silicon controlled rectifier connected across the load in parallel with the load;

d) an anode of said silicon controlled rectifier at a higher voltage than a cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier; and

e) a zener diode connected between a gate and said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier;

f) wherein each of said switching means conducts current when the load that it is connected in parallel with does not conduct current.

9. The electric circuit recited in claim 8, wherein a cathode of said zener diode is connected to said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier and an anode of said zener diode is operatively connected to said gate of said silicon controlled rectifier.

10. The electric circuit recited in claim 9, wherein the anode of said zener diode is connected to the gate of said silicon controlled rectifier via a resistor.

11. An electric circuit comprising:

a) plural loads connected in series;

b) plural solid state switching means, each said switching means connected in parallel with one of said loads, and each said solid state switching means comprises;

c) a silicon controlled rectifier connected across the load in parallel with the load;

d) an anode of said silicon controlled rectifier at a higher voltage than a cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier; and

e) a diac connected between a gate and said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier;

f) wherein each of said switching means conduct current when the load that it is connected in parallel with does not conduct current.

12. A method of powering plural low voltage loads connected in series even if one load stops conducting current comprising the steps of:

a) connecting solid state switching means in parallel with each said low voltage load, and each said switching means is a sidac; and

b) conducting current through one of said switching means to pass current to the remaining loads when a load in parallel with said switching means stops conduction current.

13. A method of powering plural low voltage loads connected in series even if one load stops conducting current comprising the steps of:

a) connecting solid state switching means in parallel with each said low voltage load, and each said solid state switching means comprises a device which is two directional, and has IV characteristic which are symmetrical, and include a breakthrough voltage where current conducts and a sudden decrease in voltage from the breakthrough voltage as current increases in forward and reverse direction; and

b) conducting current through one of said switching means to pass current to the remaining loads when a load parallel with said switching means stops conducting current.

14. The method circuit recited in claim 13, wherein each said solid state switching means comprises a sidac.

15. The method recited in claim 13, wherein each said solid state switching means comprises a sidac and a diode is connected in series with said sidac.

16. The method recited in claim 13, wherein said breakthrough voltage is reached when said load stops conducting current.

17. A method of powering plural low voltage loads connected in series even if one load stops conducting current comprising the steps of:

a) connecting solid state switching means in parallel with each said low voltage load, and each said solid state switching means comprises

b) a silicon controlled rectifier connected across the load in parallel with the load;

c) an anode of said silicon controlled rectifier at a higher voltage than a cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier; and

d) a zener diode connected between a gate and said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier; and

e) conducting current through one of said switching means to pass current to the remaining loads when a load in parallel with said switching means stops conducting current.

18. The method recited in claim 17, wherein a cathode of said zener diode is connected to said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier and an anode of said zener diode is operatively connected to said gate of said silicon controlled rectifier.

19. A method of powering plural low voltage loads connected in series even if one load stops conducting current comprising the steps of:

a) connecting solid state switching means in parallel with each said low voltage load, and each said solid state switching means comprises;

b) a silicon controlled rectifier connected across the load in parallel with the load;

c) an anode of said silicon controlled rectifier at a higher voltage than a cathode of said silicon controlled rectifier; and

d) a diac connected between a gate and said anode of said silicon controlled rectifier; and

e) conducting current through one of said switching means to pass current to the remaining loads when a load in parallel with said switching means stops conducting current.

20. A method of powering plural low voltage loads connected in series even if one load stops conducting current comprising the steps of:

a) connecting solid state switching means in parallel with each said low voltage load, and each said solid state switching means has IV characteristics which include a breakthrough voltage where current conducts; and

b) conducting current through one of said switching means to pass current to the remaining loads when a load in parallel with said switching means stops conducting current.

21. The method recited in claim 20, wherein said breakthrough voltage is reached when said load stops conducting current.

22. A solid state switching circuit coupled in parallel with a low voltage load and across a two line source of AC power so that current flows through said switching circuit when current is not able to flow through said load comprising:

a) a silicon controlled rectifier having an anode terminal, a cathode terminal and a gate terminal;

b) first means for coupling said anode terminal to one side of a load and to one line of said source of AC power;

c) second means for coupling said cathode terminal to the second side of a load and to the second line of said source of AC power; and

d) a conduction control circuit connected between said gate terminal and said anode terminal.

23. A solid state switching circuit, as defined in claim 22, wherein said conduction control circuit comprises a zener diode.

24. A solid state switching circuit, as defined in claim 22, wherein said conduction control circuit comprises:

a) a zener diode; and

b) a diode.

25. A solid state switching circuit as defined in claim 22, further comprising:

a) a transient voltage surge suppressor coupled across said two lines of said source of AC power.

26. A solid state switching circuit, as defined in claim 22, wherein said conduction control circuit comprises:

a) a zener diode having an anode and a cathode;

b) a diode having a diode anode and a diode cathode;

c) said diode cathode coupled to said gate terminal;

d) said diode anode coupled to said anode terminal; and

e) said zener diode anode coupled to said diode anode.

27. A solid state switching circuit, as defined in claim 26, further comprising a resistor between said zener diode cathode and said anode terminal.

28. A solid state switching circuit, as defined in claim 27, further comprising a transient voltage surge suppressor coupled across said two lines of said source of AC power.

29. A system for maintaining current flow through a series connection of a plurality of low voltage loads when at least one of the low voltage loads are non-conducting comprising:

a) a plurality of solid state switching circuits, one for each of said plurality of low voltage loads, each of said solid state switching circuits coupled in parallel with one of said low voltage loads so that current flows through said switching circuit when current is not able to flow through an associated low voltage load;

b) a two conductor source of AC power;

c) each of said solid state switching circuits comprising a silicon controlled rectifier having an anode terminal, a cathode terminal and a gate terminal;

d) first means for coupling said anode terminal of each of said silicon controlled rectifiers to one side of an associated load and to one conductor of said source of AC power;

e) second means for coupling said cathode terminal of each of said silicon controlled rectifiers to the other side of an associated load and to the second conductor of said source of AC power; and

f) a conduction control circuit connected between each of said silicon controlled rectifier gate and anode terminals.

30. A system, as defined in claim 29, wherein each of said conduction control circuits comprises a zener diode.

31. A system, as defined in claim 29, wherein each of said conduction control circuits comprises:

a) a zener diode; and

b) a diode.

32. A system, as defined in claim 29, further comprising:

a) a transient voltage surge suppressor coupled across said two conductors of said source of AC power.

33. A system, as defined in claim 29, wherein each of said conduction control circuits comprises:

a) a zener diode having an anode and a cathode;

b) a diode having a diode anode and a diode cathode;

c) each of said diode cathodes coupled to an associated silicon controlled rectifier gate terminal;

d) each of said diode anodes coupled to an associated said silicon controlled rectifier anode terminal; and

e) each of said zener diode anodes coupled to an associated said diode anode.

34. A system, as defined in claim 33, further comprising:

a) a plurality of resistors, each coupled between an associated said zener diode cathode and an associated said anode terminal.

35. A system, as defined in claim 34, further comprising:

a) a transient voltage surge suppressor coupled across said two conductors of said source of AC power.

36. A solid state switching circuit coupled in parallel with a low voltage load so that current flows through said switch-circuit when current is not able to flow through said load comprising:

a) a silicon controlled rectifier having an anode terminal;

b) first means for coupling said anode terminal to one side of a load;

c) second means for coupling said cathode terminal to the second side of said load; and

d) a conduction control circuit connected between said gate terminal and said anode terminal.

37. A solid state switching circuit, as defined in claim 36, wherein said conduction control circuit comprises a zener diode.

38. A solid state switching circuit, as defined in claim 36, wherein said conduction control circuit comprises:

a) a zener diode; and

b) a diode.

39. A solid state switching circuit, as defined in claim 36, wherein said conduction control circuit comprises:

a) a zener diode having an anode and a cathode;

b) a diode having a diode anode and a diode cathode;

c) said diode cathode coupled to said gate terminal;

d) said diode anode coupled to said anode terminal; and

e) said zener diode anode coupled to said diode anode.

40. A solid state switching circuit, as defined in claim 39, further comprising:

a) a resistor between said zener diode cathode and said anode terminal.

41. A system for maintaining current flow through a series connection of a plurality of low voltage loads when at least one of the low voltage loads are non-conducting comprising:

a) a plurality of solid state switching circuits, one for each of said plurality of low voltage loads, each of said solid state switching circuits coupled in parallel with one of said low voltage loads so that current flows through said switching circuit when current is not able to flow through an associated low voltage load;

b) each of said solid state switching circuits having an input terminal and an output terminal;

c) means to connect said output terminals of said solid state switching circuits to said input terminals of adjacent solid state switching circuits to place said solid state switching circuits in an open ended chain;

d) each of said solid state switching circuits comprising a silicon controlled rectifier having an anode terminal, a cathode terminal and a gate terminal;

e) first means for coupling said anode terminal of each of said silicon controlled rectifiers to one side of an associated load;

f) second means for coupling said cathode terminal of each of said silicon controlled rectifiers to the other side of an associated load; and

g) a plurality of conduction control circuits, one for each of said solid state switching circuits, each connected between said silicon controlled rectifier gate and anode terminals.

42. A system, as defined in claim 41, wherein each of said conduction control circuits comprises a zener diode.

43. A system, as defined in claim 41, wherein each of said conduction control circuits comprises:

a) a zener diode; and

b) a diode.

44. A system, as defined in claim 41, wherein each of said conduction control circuits, comprises:

a) a zener diode having an anode and a cathode;

b) a diode having a diode anode and a diode cathode;

c) each of said diode cathodes coupled to an associated silicon controlled rectifier gate terminal;

d) each of said diode anodes coupled to an associated said silicon controlled rectifier anode terminal; and

e) each of said zener diode anodes coupled to an associated said diode anode.

45. A system, as defined in claim 44, further comprising:

a) a plurality of resistors, each coupled between an associated said zener diode cathode and an associated said anode terminal.

46. A system, as defined in claim 41 wherein:

a) said input terminal of a first of said solid state switching circuits is coupled to one conductor of a source of AC power; and

b) said output terminal of the last of said solid state switching circuits in said chain is coupled to the other conductor of said source of AC power.

47. A system, as defined in claim 46, further comprising a transient voltage surge suppressor coupled between said two conductors of said source of AC power.