Systems and methods for providing thermal fold-back to led lights
AssigneeTerraLUX, Inc.
InventorsAnthony Catalano, Anthony N. McDougle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In various embodiments, a module for providing thermal fold-back protection to an illumination device includes a housing, at least one temperature sensor, and thermal fold-back circuitry.
Claims20
A module for providing thermal fold-back protection to an illumination device comprising (i) one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), (ii) driver circuitry for converting power received from an external source into a form usable by the LEDs, and (iii) a base receivable into a mating receptacle for at least one of a halogen light bulb, a fluorescent light bulb, or an incandescent light bulb, the illumination device lacking circuitry for decreasing current flow to an LED based on a temperature of the LED, the module comprising:
- a housing comprising:
- a module receptacle for receiving the base of the illumination device, and
- a module base receivable into a mating receptacle for at least one of a halogen light bulb, a fluorescent light bulb, or an incandescent light bulb;
- at least one temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of at least one of the LEDs of the illumination device;
- and
- disposed within the housing, thermal fold-back circuitry configured for (i) electrical connection with the driver circuitry when the base of the illumination device is received within the module receptacle, and (ii) decreasing current flow to at least one of the LEDs of the illumination device based on the temperature sensed by the at least one temperature sensor.
A method of retrofitting an illumination device to provide thermal fold-back protection, the illumination device comprising (i) one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), (ii) driver circuitry for converting power received from an external source into a form usable by the LEDs, and (iii) a base receivable into a mating receptacle for at least one of a halogen light bulb, a fluorescent light bulb, or an incandescent light bulb, the illumination device lacking circuitry for decreasing current flow to an LED based on a temperature of the LED, the method comprising:
- providing a thermal fold-back module comprising (i) a housing comprising (a) a module receptacle for receiving the base of the illumination device, and (b) a module base receivable into a mating receptacle for at least one of a halogen light bulb, a fluorescent light bulb, or an incandescent light bulb, and (ii) disposed within the housing, thermal fold-back circuitry for decreasing current flow to at least one of the LEDs of the illumination device based on a temperature of at least one of the LEDs of the illumination device;
- receiving the base of the illumination device within the module receptacle, thereby electrically connecting the thermal fold-back circuitry and the driver circuitry;
- and
- disposing a temperature sensor proximate at least one of the LEDs of the illumination device.
A module for providing thermal fold-back protection to an illumination device comprising (i) one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), (ii) driver circuitry for converting power received from an external source into a form usable by the LEDs, and (iii) a plurality of wires for connecting the illumination device to a mains voltage, the illumination device lacking circuitry for decreasing current flow to an LED based on a temperature of the LED, the module comprising:
- a housing comprising:
- a module receptacle for receiving the plurality of wires of the illumination device, and
- a module base comprising a plurality of wires connectable to a mains voltage;
- at least one temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of at least one of the LEDs of the illumination device;
- and
- disposed within the housing, thermal fold-back circuitry configured for (i) electrical connection with the driver circuitry when the plurality of wires of the illumination device are received within the module receptacle, and (ii) decreasing current flow to at least one of the LEDs of the illumination device based on the temperature sensed by the at least one temperature sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.