Lighting fixture for a light emitting diode, LED, lighting device

Abstract

A lighting fixture for a Light Emitting Diode, LED, lighting device, said fixture comprising an LED driver arranged to receive an Alternating Current, AC, mains voltage as input and provide an LED current to drive said LED lighting device; at least one socket comprising receiving means, arranged to receive and hold an LED lamp arranged to emit light, said socket further comprising a biased Double Pole Double Throw, DPDT, switch, comprising one set of input terminals and two sets of output terminals, wherein the output of said LED driver is connected to said input terminals of said biased DPDT switch, wherein a first of said two output terminals of said biased DPDT switch are short circuited, and wherein said biased DPDT switch is arranged to toggle between a short circuit position wherein said input terminals of said biased DPDT switch are connected to said first set of output terminals, and a connected position wherein said input terminals of said biased DPDT switch are connected to a second of said two output terminals, thereby connecting said LED driver to said LED lighting device; wherein said biased DPDT switch is further arranged to toggle from said short circuit position to said connected position upon insertion of said LED lighting device into said receiving means of said socket. A corresponding method of toggling a switch is also presented herein.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture for a Light Emitting Diode (LED); lighting device, said fixture comprising: an LED driver arranged to receive an Alternating Current (AC) mains voltage as input and to provide an LED current to drive said LED lighting device; at least one socket comprising receiving means, arranged to receive an LED lighting device arranged to emit light, said at least one socket further comprising a biased Double Pole Double Throw (DPDT) switch, comprising one set of input terminals and two sets of output terminals, wherein an output of said LED driver is connected to said input terminals of said biased DPDT switch, wherein a first of said two sets of output terminals of said biased DPDT switch are short circuited, and wherein said biased DPDT switch is arranged to toggle between: a short circuit position wherein said input terminals of said biased DPDT switch are connected to said first set of output terminals, and a connected position wherein said input terminals of said biased DPDT switch are connected to a second of said two sets of output terminals, thereby connecting said LED driver to said LED lighting device; wherein said biased DPDT switch is further arranged to toggle from said short circuit position to said connected position upon insertion of said LED lighting device into said receiving means of said socket.

2. The lighting fixture according to claim 1, wherein said LED driver is arranged to operate in a low power mode upon detecting a short circuit at its terminals.

3. The lighting fixture according to claim 1, wherein said biased DPDT switch is further arranged to toggle from said connected position to said short circuit position when said LED lighting device is removed from said receiving means of said socket.

4. The lighting fixture according to claim 1, wherein said biased DPDT switch is spring loaded.

5. The lighting fixture according to claim 1, wherein said receiving means is arranged to receive a dummy element, said dummy element being arranged to emulate an LED lighting device without emitting light.

6. The lighting fixture according to claim 5 comprising at least two sockets arranged to receive one LED lighting device per socket, such that said DPDT switch of at least one socket is in said short circuit position until each socket receives either said LED lighting device or said dummy element.

7. The lighting fixture according to claim 6, wherein said at least two sockets are connected in a parallel configuration such that said LED current from said LED driver is distributed between said at least two sockets.

8. A method of toggling a switch in a lighting fixture for a Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting device, said fixture comprising an LED driver arranged to receive an Alternating Current, AC, mains voltage as input and provide an LED current to drive said LED lighting device, and at least one socket comprising receiving means, arranged to receive an LED lighting device arranged to emit light, said socket further comprising a biased Double Pole Double Throw (DPDT) switch, comprising one set of input terminals and two sets of output terminals, wherein an output of said LED driver is connected to said input terminals of said biased DPDT switch, wherein a first of said two output terminals of said biased DPDT switch are short circuited, said method comprising the steps of: receiving, by said receiving means, said LED lighting device, and toggling, caused by said receiving of said LED lighting device, said biased DPDT switch- from a short circuit position wherein said input terminals of said biased DPDT switch are connected to said first set of output terminals, to a connected position wherein said input terminals of said biased DPDT switch are connected to a second of said two output terminals, thereby connecting said LED driver to said LED lighting device.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said LED driver operates in a low power mode upon detecting a short circuit at its terminals.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said biased DPDT switch toggles from said connected position to said short circuit position when said LED lighting device is removed from said receiving means of said socket.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said receiving means is arranged to receive a dummy element, said dummy element being arranged to emulate an LED lighting device without emitting light.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates a lighting fixture according to the prior art.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates a lighting fixture according to the prior art.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a lighting fixture according to the present disclosure.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a socket according to the present disclosure.

(5) FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a socket according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) In all the figures, the same reference numeral indicates the same component or a similar component that performs the same or an essentially similar function.

(7) FIG. 1 illustrates a lighting fixture 1 according to the prior art. The lighting fixture is suited to receive two LED lighting modules 6, in corresponding sockets 4, 5. In FIG. 1, an LED lighting module 6 has been inserted into the socket 4, whereas the other LED lighting module has not yet been inserted into the socket 5. The LED lighting modules receive electrical input power from a driver 3 which in turn receives input from an Alternating Current, AC, mains power supply 2.

(8) LED driver 3, commonly has a rated output current, for example 2 Amperes. According to the prior art, if the LEDs are being replaced or inserted when the driver 3 is still powered on, in a situation as shown in FIG. 1, the connected socket will be subject to the full current, i.e. 2 Amperes, from the LED driver 3. This can cause damage to the connected LED module 6.

(9) FIG. 2 illustrates a lighting fixture 7 according to the prior art. As shown by reference numeral 7, upon inserting two LED modules 8 in the sockets 4, 5, each of the LED modules 8 draws the same amount of current, i.e. 1 Ampere. It may be assumed that the illustrated LED modules 8 have a rated current of 1 Ampere each.

(10) FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a lighting fixture 10 according to the present disclosure. The embodiment in FIG. 3 is identical except for the sockets 11, 12, which are sockets according to the description of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the lighting fixture is arranged to support four LED lighting modules 6. According to the present example, the driver is arranged to provide a maximum current output of 2 Amperes, such that when operating, each LED lighting module 6 draws 0.5 Amperes each.

(11) Each socket 11 comprises two sets of output terminals, and one set of input terminals (not shown in figure). The skilled person understands that a set of terminals comprises a positive terminal and a negative terminal that is arranged to be connected to corresponding terminals of another circuit. When the LED lighting module 6 is not inserted into a socket, as shown in 12, the socket is in a short circuit position such that the input terminals are connected to a short circuit.

(12) Upon insertion of the LED lighting module 6, the lighting module 6 causes the toggling of an internal switch (not shown in figure), such that the input terminals are connected to the second set of terminals, thereby eliminating the short circuit. The LED driver 3, in an embodiment, is arranged to operate in a low power, hiccup, mode upon detecting a short circuit at its terminals. According to the present configuration, the LED driver 3 will see a short circuit at its output terminals unless and until an LED lighting module 6 is inserted in each one of the sockets.

(13) The result is that the LED driver 3 does not provide any output current unless and until all the sockets receive an LED lighting module 6. This avoids the situation that any LED lighting module 6 will not be subject to a high inrush current, thereby the chances of a failure are reduced. If the number of LED lighting modules 6 required is less the number of available sockets, a dummy element may be inserted into the remaining empty sockets. A dummy element is arranged to emulate the physical, and preferably electrical, characteristics of an LED lighting module 6. Such a dummy element primarily serves the purpose of toggling the switch from a short circuit position to a connected position. Additionally, the dummy element may also draw a current equivalent to the current drawn by a light emitting LED lighting module.

(14) FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a socket according to the present disclosure. The reference numeral 20 illustrates, in a side view and a top view, the socket according to the present disclosure. The socket comprises a receiving means arranged to receive and hold an LED lighting module. The receiving means may also comprise a latch or screw mechanism (not shown in figure) in order to hold the LED lighting module firmly in place.

(15) When an LED lighting module is not inserted, the biased Double Pole Double Throw, DPDT switch 21 is in a short circuit position 22 such that the input terminals 23, 24 are connected to the first set of output terminals, that are internally short circuited 25. It may be understood by the skilled person that the receiving means may also be arranged to receive a dummy element as explained in the present disclosure.

(16) FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a socket according to the present disclosure. Reference numeral 30 illustrates, in a side view and a top view, a socket according to the present disclosure, into which an LED lighting module 31 has been inserted. Upon insertion of the LED module 31, the biased DPDT switch 21 toggles into a connected position wherein the input terminals 23, 24 are connected to the second set of output terminals thereby connecting the LED driver to the LED lighting module 31.

(17) An element of the present disclosure is to use the soft start function of an electronic Light Emitting Diode, LED, driver, by short circuiting the output of the driver inside a ‘lever switch connector’ when no LED module is plugged in. When all LED modules are plugged in, the short circuit in the lever switch connectors are switched off and the driver starts up. In this way, there is no outrush current from the driver through the LEDs.

(18) Furthermore, it is not possible that a LED module receives too much current, the short circuit of the driver is only switched off when all the LED modules are plugged in.

(19) When compared to the known methods of limiting the outrush current, no special electronic circuits are required to implement the solution according to the present disclosure and there is also no need for a slide or additional contacts on the LED module. This helps in keeping the cost of the LED module low and also simplifies the LED module.

(20) According to the present disclosure, all socket must receive an LED module so that the LED driver does not see a short circuit at its output terminals. This may be problematic if, for example, only a fewer number of LED modules are required. In such a case, dummy modules may be inserted in to the socket such that it switches off the short circuit in the corresponding socket.

(21) Such a dummy terminal may be a physical copy of the LED module without comprising any further electrical contacts or components. Inserting such a dummy module into the socket results in creating an open circuit at the particular terminals. This may result in a higher than usual current flowing through the connected LED modules. In order to address this issue, the dummy load may comprise an electrical load equivalent to that of an LED module without any light emitting elements.

(22) Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article, “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. A computer program may be stored/distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope thereof.