Light emitting device adapted for ac drive

Abstract

A light emitting device comprising a first common electrode (11; 21), a structured conducting layer (12; 22), forming a set of electrode pads (14; 24a, 24b) electrically isolated from each other, a dielectric layer (13; 23), interposed between the first common electrode layer (11; 21) and the structured conducting layer (12; 22), a second common electrode (15; 30), and a plurality of light emitting elements (16; 20a, 20b), each light emitting element being electrically connected between one of the electrode pads (14; 24a, 24b) and the second common electrode (15; 30), so as to be connected in series with a capacitor (18; 31) comprising one of the electrode pads (14; 24a, 24b), the dielectric layer (13; 23), and the first common electrode (11; 21). When an alternating voltage is applied between the first and second common electrodes, the light emitting elements will be powered through a capacitive coupling, also providing current limitation. During operation of the light emitting device, a shorts circuit failure in one light emitting element will affect only light emitting elements connected to the same capacitor. Further, the short circuit current will be limited by this capacitor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.