Compact converter plug for LED light strings
First Claim
1. A converter plug for an LED light string that plugs into a household alternating current socket that converts alternating current household power to a low voltage direct current output comprising:
- an enclosure that is watertight and has a shape and size similar to a wall plug;
plug blades that have a watertight seal with said enclosure;
a printed circuit board having converter circuitry mounted on at least one surface of said printed circuit board, said printed circuit board mounted in said enclosure, said converter circuitry comprising;
a rectifier that rectifies a source of alternating current from a household socket to produce a rectified alternating current signal at an output of said rectifier;
a low pass filter, connected to said output of said rectifier, that filters said rectified alternating current signal to provide a filtered, rectified, alternating current signal;
a high speed switching transistor that modulates said filtered, rectified, alternating signal to produce a modulated, rectified signal having a selected modulation frequency;
a first coil, in a transformer, coupled to said modulated, rectified signal that induces voltage changes in a second transformer coil to produce a second induced voltage and induces voltage changes in a third transformer coil to produce a third induced voltage;
a voltage detection circuit connected to said third transformer coil that produces a monitoring signal, without an optical coupler, from said third induced voltage on said third transformer coil that is proportional to said second induced voltage on said second transformer coil;
a controller that controls said selected modulation frequency of said modulated, rectified signal in response to said monitoring signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a compact converter plug that can be used with LED lighting strings. The converter plug has a size and shape that is comparable to a standard wall plug and is capable of plugging into a standard wall socket. The converter plug is waterproof and can be easily assembled. A unique converter circuit is utilized that is compact and highly efficient. Monitoring is performed by a transformer coil that generates a monitoring signal. The converter is controlled by controlling the modulation frequency of a direct current signal using a controller.
178 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A converter plug for an LED light string that plugs into a household alternating current socket that converts alternating current household power to a low voltage direct current output comprising:
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an enclosure that is watertight and has a shape and size similar to a wall plug; plug blades that have a watertight seal with said enclosure; a printed circuit board having converter circuitry mounted on at least one surface of said printed circuit board, said printed circuit board mounted in said enclosure, said converter circuitry comprising; a rectifier that rectifies a source of alternating current from a household socket to produce a rectified alternating current signal at an output of said rectifier; a low pass filter, connected to said output of said rectifier, that filters said rectified alternating current signal to provide a filtered, rectified, alternating current signal; a high speed switching transistor that modulates said filtered, rectified, alternating signal to produce a modulated, rectified signal having a selected modulation frequency; a first coil, in a transformer, coupled to said modulated, rectified signal that induces voltage changes in a second transformer coil to produce a second induced voltage and induces voltage changes in a third transformer coil to produce a third induced voltage; a voltage detection circuit connected to said third transformer coil that produces a monitoring signal, without an optical coupler, from said third induced voltage on said third transformer coil that is proportional to said second induced voltage on said second transformer coil; a controller that controls said selected modulation frequency of said modulated, rectified signal in response to said monitoring signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A converter plug for use with an LED light string comprising:
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plug blades that fit in an alternating current wall socket; a housing having an end portion that is molded around said plug blades that provides a watertight seal between said housing and said plug blades; a printed circuit board having converter circuitry mounted thereon, said printed circuit board having pins that provide direct current power from said printed circuit board; an end cap that attaches to said housing so that a watertight seal is created between said end cap and said housing; a connector molded to said end cap having sockets that are electrically connected to said pins on said printed circuit board, said connector having a watertight coupling for coupling said converter plug to said LED light string; a rectifier that rectifies a source of alternating current from a household socket to produce a rectified alternating current signal at an output of said rectifier; a low pass filter, connected to said output of said rectifier, that filters said rectified alternating current signal to provide a filtered, rectified signal; a high speed switching transistor that modulates said filtered, rectified signal to produce a modulated, rectified signal having a selected modulation frequency; a first coil, in a transformer, coupled to said modulated, rectified signal that induces voltage changes in a second transformer coil to produce a second induced voltage and induces voltage changes in a third transformer coil to produce a third induced voltage; a voltage detection circuit connected to said third transformer coil that produces a monitoring signal, without an optical coupler, from said third induced voltage on said third transformer coil that is proportional to said second induced voltage on said second transformer coil; a controller that controls said selected modulation frequency of said modulated direct current signal in response to said monitoring signal. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A converter circuit for use in a converter plug for producing a direct current output for an LED light string comprising:
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a rectifier that rectifies a source of alternating current from a household socket to produce a rectified alternating current signal at an output of said rectifier; a low pass filter, connected to said output of said rectifier, that filters said rectified alternating current signal to provide a filtered, rectified, alternating signal; a filter absorber that protects said converter circuit from voltage spikes; a high speed switching transistor that modulates said filtered, rectified, alternating signal to produce a modulated, rectified signal having a selected modulation frequency; a first coil, in a transformer, coupled to said modulated, rectified signal that induces voltage changes in a second transformer coil to produce a second induced voltage and induces voltage changes in a third transformer coil to produce a third induced voltage; a voltage detection circuit connected to said third transformer coil that produces a monitoring signal, without an optical coupler, from said third induced voltage on said third transformer coil that is proportional to said second induced voltage on said second transformer coil; a controller that controls said modulation frequency of said modulated direct current signal in response to said monitoring signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification