Lighting device circuit with series-connected solid state light emitters and current regulator

• US 7,852,009 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2007
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Myers, Peter J., Coleman, Thomas G., Van De Ven, Antony Paul, Negley, Gerald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Tuyet Thi
• Application Number:
  US11/626,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20070171145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 315/185.S, 315/200.A, 315312-325, 362800-803, 362/806, 362/812
• US Class Current: 315/185.00S
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 having LEDs disposed in parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

A circuit for a lighting device comprises a sub-circuit which comprises a series current regulator and a group of solid state light emitters. The current regulator and the solid state light emitters are arranged in series. In some embodiments, the circuit further comprises a fan electrically connected in series in the sub-circuit. In some embodiments, the circuit further comprises a second sub-circuit which comprises a second series current regulator and a second group of solid state light emitters, the first sub-circuit and the second sub-circuit being arranged in parallel. In some embodiments, an anode of the series current regulator is electrically connected to a cathode of one of the solid state light emitters. Also, methods of lighting wherein a sum of voltage drops across light emitters and a current regulator is in the range of from 1.2 to 1.6 times the line voltage.

Claims

1. A circuit for a lighting device, said circuit comprising:

at least a first sub-circuit and at least one fan,

said first sub-circuit comprising at least a first series current regulator and a first group of solid state light emitters,

said first group of solid state light emitters comprising a plurality of first group solid state light emitters,

said first series current regulator and said plurality of first group solid state light emitters arranged in series,

said fan electrically connected in series in at least said first sub-circuit.

2. A circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein said circuit further comprises at least one rectifier.

3. A circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein said circuit further comprises at least one capacitor.

4. A circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein said first sub-circuit comprises at least 40 solid state light emitters.

5. A circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein said first sub-circuit comprises fewer than 10 solid state light emitters.

6. A circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein said first sub-circuit comprises fewer than 5 solid state light emitters.

7. A circuit as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least a second sub-circuit, said second sub-circuit comprising at least a second series current regulator and a second group of solid state light emitters,

said second group of solid state light emitters comprising a plurality of second group solid state light emitters,

said second series current regulator and said plurality of second group solid state light emitters arranged in series,

said first sub-circuit and said second sub-circuit arranged in parallel relative to each other.

8. A circuit as recited in claim 7, wherein said fan is electrically connected in series to at least said first sub-circuit and said second sub-circuit.

9. A circuit as recited in claim 1, wherein an anode of said first series current regulator is electrically connected to a cathode of one of said first group solid state light emitters.

10. A circuit as recited in claim 9, wherein all of said first group solid state light emitters are upstream of said first series current regulator.

11. A method of lighting, comprising:

supplying current of a first voltage to a circuit, said circuit comprising;

at least a first sub-circuit, said first sub-circuit comprising at least a first series current regulator and a first group of solid state light emitters, and

at least a first fan, said first fan electrically connected in series in at least said first sub-circuit,

said first group of solid state light emitters comprising a plurality of first group solid state light emitters,

said first series current regulator and said plurality of first group solid state light emitters arranged in series,

wherein a sum of voltage drops across said plurality of first group solid state light emitters and said first series current regulator is in the range of from 1.2 to 1.6 times said first voltage.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said first voltage is in the range of from about 90 volts to about 140 volts.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said first voltage is about 110 volts.

14. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said first voltage is about 220 volts.

15. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said first voltage is about 240 volts.

16. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said first voltage is about 277 volts.

17. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said circuit further comprises at least one rectifier.

18. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said circuit further comprises at least one capacitor.

19. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said first sub-circuit comprises at least 40 solid state light emitters.

20. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said first sub-circuit comprises fewer than 10 solid state light emitters.

21. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said first sub-circuit comprises fewer than 5 solid state light emitters.

22. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said circuit further comprises at least a second sub-circuit, said second sub-circuit comprising at least a second series current regulator and a second group of solid state light emitters,

said second group of solid state light emitters comprising a plurality of second group solid state light emitters,

said second series current regulator and said plurality of second group solid state light emitters arranged in series,

said first sub-circuit and said second sub-circuit arranged in parallel relative to each other.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein said first fan is electrically connected in series to at least said first sub-circuit and said second sub-circuit.

24. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein an anode of said first series current regulator is electrically connected to a cathode of one of said first group solid state light emitters.

25. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein all of said first group solid state light emitters are upstream of said first series current regulator.