Preferred embodiment to led light string

• US 6,830,358 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fiber Optic Designs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fiber Optic Designs Incorporated
• Inventors: Allen, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F
• Application Number:
  US10/243,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20030015968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 362/226, 362/249, 362/252, 362/555, 362/545, 362/800, 315/185.R
• US Class Current: 362/640
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/002 the fastening means engaging the encapsulation or the packaging of the semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0025 the fastening means engaging the conductors of the light source, i.e. providing simultaneous fastening of the light sources and their electric connections
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/04 with provision for changing light source, e.g. turret auxiliary devices for cleaning, placing, or removing incandescent lamps H01K3/32, fluorescent lamps H01J9/006
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An LED light string employs a plurality of LEDs wired in block series-parallel, where the one or more series blocks, each driven at the same input voltage as the source voltage (110 VAC or 220 VAC), are coupled in parallel. The LED light string interfaces to the source voltage using a common household plug; it may also include a corresponding common, household socket, coupled in electrical parallel, to enable multiple light strings to be connected to each other from end to end. In order to directly drive a network of diodes without current-limiting circuitry, the voltage of each series block of diodes must be matched to the input source voltage. This voltage matching requirement for direct AC drive places fundamental restrictions on the number of diodes on each diode series block, depending on the types of diodes used. For the voltage to be “matched,” in each series block, the peak input voltage must be less than or equal to the sum of the maximum diode voltages for each series block.

Claims

1. A light string comprising:

a predetermined number of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and sockets forming individual electrical components electrically coupled in series to form at least one series block, each electrical component defining individual alternating current average drive voltages, the series block having a first electrical component and a last electrical component, and

an alternating current electrical power supply having an average supply voltage,

wherein a summation of said individual alternating current average drive voltages is substantially equal to said average supply voltage.

2. The light string of claim 1, where said first electrical component is directly coupled intermediate a source end and a terminal end of a first set of wires and the last electrical component directly coupled intermediate the source end and the terminal end of a second set of wires, the light string being free from additional circuitry intermediate the first electrical component and the source end of the first set of wires, between each of the electrical components, and intermediate the last electrical component and the source end of the second set of wires, and

wherein a first connector is coupled to both the source end of the first set of wires and the source end of the second set of wires which connector facilitates a direct connection between the first electrical component and a first side of said alternating current electrical power supply, and the last electrical component and a second side of the alternating current electrical power supply.

3. The light string of claim 1, wherein said predetermined number of electrical components substantially equal to the supply voltage divided by an average of said individual alternating current drive voltages.

4. The light string of claim 1, wherein said individual alternating current drive voltages of said each electrical component is substantially the same.

5. The light string of claim 1, wherein said individual alternating current drive voltages of at least two of said electrical component is substantially different.

6. The light string of claim 1, wherein the supply voltage (V_rms) follows the following relationship in order to determine the predetermined number of LEDs:

$V_{r<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>m<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>s}\le <br><br>\underset{n}{\sum <br><br>}<br><br>V_{\mathrm{avg}}<br><br>\left(n,m\right)$

where m is a diode type and n is the predetermined number.

7. The light string pf claim 6, where, when, all N_m diodes in the m-th series block are of the same type, each with V_rms, then V_rms≦

N_m V_avg.

8. The light string of claim 1, in which each LED has a p-n junction defining a breakdown voltage above which voltage applied in reverse bias said p-n junction breaks down, and in which light string alternating current is less than the break down voltage.

9. The light string of claim 1, in which the first connector is polarized, and which light string further comprises a second polarized connector electrically connected to the terminal end of the second of the pair of wires, said second polarized connector being adapted to couple with a first polarized connector of another light string, thereby providing for coupling of multiple light strings in an end-to-end arrangement.

10. The light string of claim 9, in which at least one of said LEDs comprises a housing and a fiber-optic bundle removably mounted to the housing operative to diffuse light output of the LED through the fiber-optic bundle.

11. The light string of claim 1, in which the LEDs are offset from the wires and arranged relative to a wire axis.

12. The light string of claim 11, in which each LED is arranged parallel to the wires to create a straight arrangement.

13. The light string of claim 11, in which the LEDs in each series block are uniformly spaced apart.

14. The light string of claim 1, further comprising a lamp holder having a keyed offset, the lamp holder fixedly attached to each LED, and

a lamp base having a notch adapted to receive the keyed offset of the lamp holder, thereby mechanically orienting and aligning each LED by its polarity.

15. The light string of claim 14, wherein the lamp base further comprises a base keyed offset and a lamp assembly holder, the lamp assembly holder having a notch adapted to receive the base keyed offset.

16. The light string of claim 1, wherein the light string further comprises a plurality of series blocks.

17. The light string of claim 1, further comprising a lossy fiber optic rod, having a diameter of a corresponding LED lens, and a fiber housing, wherein the fiber housing adaptively receives the rod and LED lens into opposing ends, cooperatively, thereby creating an optical icicle feature.

18. A light string comprising:

a predetermined number of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and sockets forming individual electrical components electrically coupled in series to form at least one series block, each electrical component defining individual alternating current average voltages and peak voltages, the series block having a first electrical component and a last electrical component, and

an alternating current electrical supply having an average supply voltage and a peak supply voltage,

wherein a first summation of said individual alternating current average voltages is substantially equal to said average supply voltage and a second summation of said peak voltages is substantially equal to said peak supply voltage.

19. The light string of claim 18, wherein said individual alternating current drive voltages of said each electrical component is substantially the same.

20. The light string of claim 18, wherein said individual alternating current drive voltages of at least two of said electrical component is substantially different.

21. The light string of claim 18, wherein the average supply voltage (V_rms) follows the following relationship in order to determine the predetermined number of LEDs:

$V_{r<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>m<br><br>\text{\hspace{1em}<br><br>}<br><br>s}\le <br><br>\underset{n}{\sum <br><br>}<br><br>V_{\mathrm{avg}}<br><br>\left(n,m\right)$

where m is a diode type and n is the predetermined number.

22. The light string of claim 21, where, when, all N_m diodes in the m-th series block are of the same type, each with V_rms, then V_rms≦

N_m V_avg.

23. The light string of claim 22, wherein the peak supply voltage (V_peak) follows the following relationship in order to determine the predetermined number of LEDs:

$V_{\mathrm{peak}}\le <br><br>\underset{n}{\sum <br><br>}<br><br>V_{\max }<br><br>\left(n,m\right)$

where m is a diode type and n is the predetermined number.

24. The light string of claim 23, where, when, all N_m diodes in the m-th series block are of the same type, each with V_max, then V_peak≦

N_m V_max.