Light tube and power supply circuit

• US 8,382,327 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2010
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ilumisys Incorporated (Altair Engineering Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ilumisys Incorporated (Altair Engineering Incorporated)
• Inventors: Timmermans, Jos, Raymond, Jean C., Ivey, John
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US12/965,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20110156608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 315/146, 315/246, 315/185.R, 315/185.S, 315/312, 315/291, 315/307, 362/488, 362/240, 362/800, 362/543, 362/544, 362/545, 362/249.01, 362/249.02, 362/249.03
• US Class Current: 362/249.02
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/272 Details of end parts, i.e. the parts that connect the light source to a fitting; Arrangement of components within end parts F21K9/278 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/275 Details of bases or housings, i.e. the parts between the light-generating element and the end caps; Arrangement of components within bases or housings F21K9/278 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/278 Arrangement or mounting of circuit elements integrated in the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/60 Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/66 Details of globes or covers forming part of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/90 Methods of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/015 Devices for covering joints between adjacent lighting devices; End coverings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/008 of straight tubular light sources, e.g. straight fluorescent tubes, soffit lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/00 Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/009 the casing being inside the housing of the lighting device
• 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 23/023 Power supplies in a casing F21V23/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/13 the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L33/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 : Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/14 : using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 : Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3578 : Emulating the electrical or functional characteristics of discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 : Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 : Controlling the light source
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 : Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

The present invention provides a light tube for illumination by a power supply circuit including a bulb portion and a pair of end caps disposed at opposite ends of the bulb portion. A plurality of light emitting diodes are disposed inside the bulb portion and in electrical communication with the pair of end caps for illuminating in response to electrical current to be received from the power supply circuit.

Claims

1. A light device for illumination by a power supply circuit comprising:

a bulb portion,

a pair of end caps disposed at opposite ends of the bulb portion, the pair of end caps including a first end cap disposed at one end of the bulb portion, and a second end cap disposed at an end of bulb portion opposite the first end cap, wherein the bulb portion and the pair of end caps are dimensioned to be mounted in a flourescent light tube socket; and

a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed inside the bulb portion along one surface of a circuit board extending between the first end cap and the second end cap for illuminating in response to electrical current to be received from the power supply circuit;

wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is mounted with respect to surface of the circuit board to establish a radiation pattern of light emitted from the bulb portion; and

wherein the arrangement of the circuit board and the bulb portion is such that substantially the entire light output of the light device is emitted away from the one surface and is confined to an included angle by sidewalls extending to a height above the one surface on opposing sides of the plurality of light emitting diodes between the first end cap and the second end cap.

2. The light tube of claim 1 wherein each of the pair of end caps includes an electrical bi-pin connector.

3. The light device of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is a white light emitting diode.

4. The light device of claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit that modulates a frequency of light emitted from the plurality of light emitting diodes above a nominal variation of 120 to 100 Hz.

5. The light device of claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit that modulates a frequency of light emitted from the plurality of light emitting diodes to provide a visible on and off cycle.

6. The light device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first end cap and the second end cap includes an inductive receiver.

7. The light device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes is arranged substantially continuously between the opposite ends of the bulb portion.

8. In a replacement light tube for a flourescent light fixture having a light tube socket, the improvement comprising:

a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed along a length of a bulb portion between a first end cap and a second end cap mounted on opposite ends of the bulb portion, wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes is mounted on only one side of a circuit board in a light emitting direction;

an electrical circuit for illuminating in response to electrical current to be received from the flourescent light fixture; and

opaque side walls extending above the one side of the circuit board in the light emitting direction on opposing sides of the plurality of light emitting diodes between the first end cap and the second end cap to confine an entirety of light emitted from the replacement light tube to an included angle of less than about 180°

.

9. The improvement of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is a white light emitting diode.

10. The improvement of claim 8, further comprising:

a circuit that modulates a frequency of light emitted from the plurality of light emitting diodes above a nominal variation of 120 to 100 Hz.

11. The improvement of claim 8, further comprising:

a circuit that modulates a frequency of light emitted from the plurality of light emitting diodes to provide a visible on and off cycle.

12. The improvement of claim 8 wherein at least one of the first end cap and the second end cap includes an inductive receiver.

13. The improvement of claim 8 wherein the radiation pattern of light from each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is centered at a 90°

angle relative to the circuit board.

14. The improvement of claim 8 wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes is arranged substantially continuously along the length of the bulb portion.

15. The improvement of claim 8 wherein the electrical circuit includes at least a rectifier and a current-limiting circuit.

16. An LED lighting unit for replacing a conventional fluorescent tube between the opposed electrical receptacles of a conventional fluorescent lighting fixture comprising:

a rigid, substantially cylindrical structure having a first end and a second end opposite said first end, the cylindrical structure including a support structure and a bulb portion;

a first end cap disposed upon said first end of said cylindrical structure and a second end cap disposed upon said second end of said cylindrical structure;

a pair of parallel, fluorescent light fixture receptacle connectors extending from each said end cap and configured for installing within the opposed electrical receptacles of the lighting fixture; and

a plurality of LEDs disposed along a surface of said support structure in electrical contact with one another and with at least one pair of said pair of connectors extending from said end caps, whereby light is divergently emitted along the length of said lighting unit in an included angle of less than about 180°

;

wherein the combination of said support structure and said bulb portion is such that substantially the entire light output of said lighting unit device is emitted away from said surface and is confined to the included angle by sidewalls extending to a height above said surface on opposing sides of said plurality of LEDs between the first end and the second end.