Modular LED strip lighting apparatus

• US 8,939,604 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2012
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arkalumen Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arkalumen Inc.
• Inventors: Briggs, Gerald Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Tan, Vibol
• Application Number:
  US13/423,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20120262076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 315/51, 315/159, 315/185.R, 315/192, 315/291, 315/312, 345/39, 345/46, 345/82, 345/102, 257/88, 257/98, 257/99, 257/E21.001, 362/231, 362/235, 362/249.02, 362/249.06, 362/249.14
• US Class Current: 362/231
• 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: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• 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: H01L 33/62 Arrangements for conducting electric current to or from the semiconductor body, e.g. lead-frames, wire-bonds or solder balls
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 having LEDs disposed in parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/05 Insulated conductive substrates, e.g. insulated metal substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09309 Core having two or more power planes; Capacitive laminate of two power planes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09972 Partitioned, e.g. portions of a PCB dedicated to different functions; Boundary lines therefore; Portions of a PCB being processed separately or differently
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]

Abstract

A LED based lighting apparatus is disclosed. The light engine used in the lighting apparatus may use a multi-layer metal core printed circuit board and have a plurality of LED groups that are independently controllable by a control unit. The power supply input and return paths connected to each LED group may be implemented on different layers to allow a compact footprint that may be used with traditional fluorescent encasements with relatively little modification.

Claims

1. A light engine comprising:

a printed circuit board having a first interconnection layer and a second interconnection layer;

a plurality of LED groups coupled in parallel in said first interconnection layer and coupled to a respective one of a plurality of return paths associated with said LED group in said second interconnection layer;

each of said LED groups comprising a plurality of LED sets coupled in parallel in said first interconnection layer;

wherein a first one of said LED groups is comprised of at least a subset of LEDs having a first colour temperature, and a second one of said LED groups is comprised of at least a subset of LEDs having a second colour temperature different from said first colour temperature;

wherein at least one of said LEDs having a first colour temperature from said first LED group and at least one of said LEDs having a second colour temperature from said second LED group are intertwined on said light engine.

2. The light engine of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of LED groups are coupled between a power supply input and a plurality of layer interconnection elements in said first interconnection layer;

said layer interconnection elements are coupled to said return path associated with said LED group; and

said return path is coupled to a power supply return.

3. The light engine of claim 2, wherein one of a plurality of switching elements is coupled between each of said return paths and said power supply return, said switching elements operable to selectively control a current through said LED group associated with said return path.

4. A lighting apparatus comprising:

the light engine of claim 1; and

a control unit coupled between said plurality of LED groups and a power source;

said control unit operable to selectively activate each of said LED groups to provide a light output.

5. The lighting apparatus of claim 4, said control unit comprising:

a controller coupled to a plurality of switching elements;

one of said plurality of switching elements coupled between each of said return paths and a power supply return, wherein said controller is operable to selectively activate each of said switching elements to allow a current to flow from a power supply input through said associated LED group to said power supply return.

6. The lighting apparatus of claim 5, said control unit implemented on a separate printed circuit board having a connector adapted to be physically connected to a first connector of said light engine.

7. A lighting apparatus comprising at least two light engines, each of said light engines comprising:

a printed circuit board having a first interconnection layer and a second interconnection layer;

a plurality of LED groups coupled in parallel in said first interconnection layer and coupled to a respective one of a plurality of return paths associated with said LED group in said second interconnection layer;

each of said LED groups comprising a plurality of LED sets coupled in parallel in said first interconnection layer;

wherein said light engines are adapted to be physically connected to maintain a connection path between each of said return paths.

8. The lighting apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a pass through board adapted to be coupled between one of said light engine and a power source, said pass through board adapted to couple each of said return paths together and provide a single input to a return terminal of said power source.

9. The lighting apparatus of claim 8, said pass through board having a connector adapted to be physically connected to a first connector of said light engine.

10. The lighting apparatus of claim 7, each of said light engines further comprising:

a first connector adapted to be physically connected to one of a control unit, pass through board, or light engine; and

a second connector adapted to be physically connected to another light engine;

wherein said at least two light engines are physically connected by connecting said first and second connectors.

11. The lighting apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a control unit coupled between said plurality of LED groups and a power source;

said control unit operable to selectively activate each of said LED groups to provide a light output.

12. The lighting apparatus of claim 11, wherein said control unit is operable to selectively activate said LED groups on said at least two light engines.

13. The lighting apparatus of claim 7, wherein a first one of said LED groups is comprised of at least a subset of LEDs having a first colour temperature, and a second one of said LED groups is comprised of at least a subset of LEDs having a second colour temperature different from said first colour temperature.

14. A lighting apparatus comprising a light engine comprising:

a printed circuit board having a first interconnection layer and a second interconnection layer;

a plurality of LED groups coupled in parallel in said first interconnection layer and coupled to a respective one of a plurality of return paths associated with said LED group in said second interconnection layer;

each of said LED groups comprising a plurality of LED sets coupled in parallel in said first interconnection layer;

wherein a first one of said LED groups is comprised of at least a subset of LEDs having a first colour temperature, and a second one of said LED groups is comprised of at least a subset of LEDs having a second colour temperature different from said first colour temperature, wherein at least one of said LEDs having a first colour temperature from said first LED group and at least one of said LEDs having a second colour temperature from said second LED group are mounted so that the light emitted from said LEDs overlaps before reaching an optics section of said lighting apparatus.

15. A light engine comprising:

a printed circuit board having a first interconnection layer and a second interconnection layer;

a plurality of LED groups coupled in parallel to a return path in said first interconnection layer, each of said LED groups comprising a plurality of LED sets coupled in parallel in said first interconnection layer; and

a plurality of power supply inputs in said second interconnection layer, each of said power supply inputs coupled to a respective one of said LED groups;

wherein a first one of said LED groups is comprised of at least a subset of LEDs having a first colour temperature, and a second one of said LED groups is comprised of at least a subset of LEDs having a second colour temperature different from said first colour temperature;

wherein at least one of said LEDs having a first colour temperature from said first LED group and at least one of said LEDs having a second colour temperature from said second LED group are intertwined on said light engine.

16. The light engine of claim 15, wherein each of said plurality of LED groups are coupled between a return path and a plurality of layer interconnection elements in said first interconnection layer;

said layer interconnection elements are coupled to a respective one of said power supply inputs associated with said LED group; and

each of said power supply inputs are coupled to a power supply output.

17. A lighting apparatus comprising:

the light engine of claim 15; and

a control unit coupled between said plurality of LED groups and a power source;

said control unit operable to selectively activate each of said LED groups to provide a light output.

18. The lighting apparatus of claim 17, said control unit comprising:

a controller coupled to a plurality of switching elements;

one of said plurality of switching elements coupled between each of said power supply inputs and a power supply output, wherein said controller is operable to selectively activate each of said switching elements to allow a current to flow from said power supply output through said associated LED group to a power supply return.

19. A light engine comprising:

a printed circuit board having a first interconnection layer and a second interconnection layer;

a plurality of LED groups coupled in parallel between a power supply input and a plurality of layer interconnection elements in said first interconnection layer;

each of said plurality of LED groups comprising a return path coupled to said plurality of layer interconnection elements associated with said LED group in said second interconnection layer and a power supply return; and

a plurality of LED sets coupled in parallel in said first interconnection layer, each of said LED sets comprising a plurality of LEDs coupled in series in said first interconnection layer between said power supply input and one of said layer interconnection elements.

20. A lighting apparatus comprising a light engine comprising:

a printed circuit board having a first interconnection layer and a second interconnection layer;

a plurality of LED groups coupled in parallel to a return path in said first interconnection layer, each of said LED groups comprising a plurality of LED sets coupled in parallel in said first interconnection layer; and

a plurality of power supply inputs in said second interconnection layer, each of said power supply inputs coupled to a respective one of said LED groups;

wherein a first one of said LED groups is comprised of at least a subset of LEDs having a first colour temperature, and a second one of said LED groups is comprised of at least a subset of LEDs having a second colour temperature different from said first colour temperature, wherein at least one of said LEDs having a first colour temperature from said first LED group and at least one of said LEDs having a second colour temperature from said second LED group are mounted so that the light emitted from said LEDs overlaps before reaching an optics section of said lighting apparatus.