Solid state lighting apparatus

• US 20080265801A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elemedia Tech Of America, LLC
• Original Assignee: American Bright Lighting, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, George, Young, Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 7,859,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/297
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/00 Lighting devices intended for fixed installation F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• 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: H05B 45/3574 Emulating the electrical or functional characteristics of incandescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3578 Emulating the electrical or functional characteristics of discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

A lighting apparatus includes a solid state lamp including one or more solid state lighting elements, and a power circuit including a current limiting device electrically connected to the lamp. The current limiting device configured to impose a maximum threshold on the current delivered to the lamp, wherein the current limiting device functions as essentially a constant current source. The lighting apparatus includes a housing for the power circuit and lamp, as a module unit.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus, comprising:

a solid state lamp including one or more solid state lighting elements; and

a power circuit including a current limiting device electrically connected to the lamp, the current limiting device configured to impose a maximum threshold on the current delivered to the lamp, wherein the current limiting device functions as essentially a constant current source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the power circuit further comprises a power converter electrically connected to the current limiting device, wherein the power converter is configured for converting AC power to DC power for the current limiting device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the power converter comprises a bridge rectifier for converting AC power to DC power for the current limiting device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a lighting element comprises an LED.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the bridge rectifier converts an AC signal into a sine-waved DC signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the power circuit is configured to deliver DC power to the lamp such that the lamp operates at less than 100% duty cycle from an AC line frequency.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the power circuit is configured to deliver DC power to the lamp such that the lamp operates at about 50% duty cycle from an AC line frequency.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the power circuit is configured to deliver DC power to the lamp such that the lamp operates at about 50% duty cycle from an 120 VAC line frequency.

9. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the one or more LEDs are connected in series to offset 75% of the line voltage, wherein a 50% duty cycle for the LEDs is achieved from an AC line frequency.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a housing for the lamp and the power circuit, wherein the lamp and the power circuit form a modular unit with the housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a circuit board including electrical traces such that the lamp and the power circuit are attached to the circuit board, and electrically connected via the circuit board.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a circuit board including electrical traces such that the lamp and the power circuit are attached to the circuit board, and electrically connected via the circuit board;

a housing for the circuit board including the lamp and the power circuit, wherein the housing and circuit board carrying the power circuit and the lamp, form a modular unit.

13. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the lamp comprises multiple LEDs chained as a single string circuit.

14. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the lamp comprises multiple LED string circuits chained in parallel, the apparatus comprising a current limiting device per LED string circuit, connected to the power circuit.

15. A lighting assembly, comprising:

multiple solid state lighting apparatus units;

each lighting apparatus unit comprising;

a solid state lamp including one or more solid state lighting elements; and

a power circuit including a current limiting device electrically connected to the lamp, the current limiting device configured to impose a maximum threshold on the current delivered to the lamp.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein each power circuit further comprises a power converter electrically connected to the current limiting device, wherein the power converter is configured for converting AC power to DC power for the current limiting device.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein each power converter comprises a bridge rectifier for converting AC power to DC power for the current limiting device.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein a lighting element comprises an LED.

19. The assembly of claim 17 wherein a bridge rectifier converts an AC signal into a sine-waved DC signal.

20. The assembly of claim 17 wherein a power circuit is configured to deliver DC power to the lamp such that the corresponding lamp operates at less than 100% duty cycle from an AC line frequency.

21. The assembly of claim 17 wherein a power circuit is configured to deliver DC power to the lamp such that the corresponding lamp operates at about 50% duty cycle from an AC line frequency.

22. The assembly of claim 17 wherein a power circuit is configured to deliver DC power to the lamp such that the corresponding lamp operates at about 50% duty cycle from an 120 VAC line frequency.

23. The assembly of claim 21 wherein the one or more LEDs are connected in series to offset 75% of the line voltage, wherein a 50% duty cycle for the LEDs is achieved from an AC line frequency.

24. The assembly of claim 15 further comprising a housing for the lamps and the power circuits, wherein the lamps and the power circuits form a modular unit with the housing.

25. The assembly of claim 15 wherein each lighting apparatus unit further comprising a circuit board including electrical traces such that a corresponding lamp and the corresponding power circuit are attached to the circuit board, and electrically connected via the circuit board.

26. A lighting assembly, comprising:

one or more solid state lighting apparatus units;

each lighting apparatus unit comprising;

a solid state lamp including one or more solid state lighting elements;

a power circuit including a current limiting device electrically connected to the lamp, the current limiting device configured to impose a maximum threshold on the current delivered to the lamp, wherein the current limiting device functions as essentially a constant current source;

bridge rectifier for converting AC power to DC power for the current limiting device;

a circuit board including electrical traces such that the lamp and the power circuit are attached to the circuit board, and electrically connected via the circuit board; and

a housing for one or more solid state lighting apparatus units, forming a modular unit.

27. The assembly of claim 26 wherein the modular unit has a form factor to fit into an existing lighting environment using existing power lines.

28. The assembly of claim 26 wherein the housing is essentially transparent.