# US 2014/0197738 A1 · Light Socket for Series LED Lighting

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- Number: US 2014/0197738 A1
- Document ID: US20140197738A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/739,149
- Filed: 2013-01-11
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-11
- Inventors: Thomas Perazella
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197738A1

## CPC

- H05B 45/54: in a series array of LEDs
- H05B 45/44: with an active control inside an LED matrix
- H05B 47/23: of two or more light sources connected in series
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

Electrical and mechanical connection for a series connected LED lamp to an appropriate electrical circuit. The circuit contains additional series connected light producing elements. To enable continuous operation of all the other light producing elements in the series circuit, the socket contains a device to bypass the series current to the remaining circuit elements in the case of a defective lamp or connection. Operation of the bypass device is controlled within the socket with operational parameters controlled either from within the socket or in conjunction with an external element in the lamp. The operation of the bypass circuit is latching, once operating the bypass will continue to operate until reset preventing unwanted flicker in the case of intermittent connections. The method of resetting the bypass circuit may be either manual or automatic. The socket bypass may contain a time delay to allow internal bypass circuits included within the lamp to operate before the socket bypass activates.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A light socket for Series LED Lighting comprising:
electrical and mechanical connection for a series connected LED lamp to an appropriate electrical circuit;
additional series connected light producing elements;
a bypass to the remaining circuit elements in the case of a defective lamp or connection;
operation of the bypass device is controlled within the socket with operational parameters controlled either from within the socket or in conjunction with an external element in the lamp;
the operation of the bypass circuit is latching, once operating the bypass will continue to operate until reset preventing unwanted flicker in the case of intermittent connections; and
the bypass circuit is reset either manually or automatically.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the socket bypass further comprises a time delay to allow internal bypass circuits included within the lamp to operate before the socket bypass activates.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, further comprising
a reset circuit; and
a method of manually or automatically resetting the bypass function.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, further comprising
two or more electrical connections for passage of the main LED current plus any other contacts as needed for additional functions including bypass initiation level and reset.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The device of claim 2, further comprising
an internal lamp bypass function to shunt string current in case of a defective lamp or connection.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The device of claim 5, further comprising
a latching configuration of the internal lamp bypass circuits wherein once the internal lamp bypass circuit is initiated the internal lamp bypass circuit will remain on until reset.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The device of claim 6, wherein the bypass function has a manual or automatic function, to set the initiation point allowing for proper operation with lamps containing different numbers of LEDs that might be used with the socket.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7, wherein the bypass function has a time delay to allow any in lamp bypass circuits that may be present to activate first.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising
automatically resetting the socket bypass circuit during the process of re-lamping thus eliminating the need to manually reset the socket for operation with the new lamp is taught;
indicating to the socket the normal forward operating voltage of the lamp allowing an automatic setting of the proper trip point by the socket bypass circuit is taught; and
allowing either manual or automatic determination of the trip information value during manufacturing that will later be sent to the socket; and
the normal operating parameters of the lamp are set in the lamp during the manufacturing process and then transfer to the socket bypass circuit.

### Claim 10

A light socket for Series LED Lighting comprising:
a string of two or more lamps/sockets containing one or more LEDs;
a constant current power supply with both a negative and positive output providing input to a first lamp/socket containing one or more LEDs and a bypass circuit;
the output of each socket serves as input to any remaining sockets in a series fashion before it is returned in a loop system to the power supply;
a latching bypass circuit;
a trigger circuit;
a trigger reference;
a reset circuit; and
the lamp voltage in each socket interacts with the latching bypass circuit and the trigger circuit creating a bypass with a trigger reference and a bypass circuit reset.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The device of claim 10, further comprising
a Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR).

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, further comprising
the SCR in combination with a basic trigger circuit; and
wherein a variable element is connected between the gate and cathode of the SCR, or between the anode and gate of the SCR.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, wherein the variable element is a potentiometer but could also be a stepped switch with fixed resistors.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, further comprising an internal adjustable trigger.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The device of claim 14, further comprising a precision delay trigger.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The device of claim 15, further comprising in combination
an external trigger reference, wherein if an external element in the lamp is used as a reference, it can be automatically trimmed for proper operation during the lamp manufacturing process by either electrical or optical means.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, further comprising in combination
a manual reset which is just a momentary contact, normally open push button switch.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, further comprising in combination
a wiping contact on the lamp base that temporarily bypasses current from the latching device during insertion but travels past the contacts when the lamp is fully inserted removing the bypass around the SCR and allowing normal operation.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, further comprising in combination
a spring loaded pressure contact that closes after contact is made with the lamp but before it is fully seated; and
upon full seating, the pressure on the spring contact is released allowing it to open the circuit for normal operation