US 8,299,711 B2Granted

Protection circuit of T8 LED lighting tube

AssigneeAzurelighting Technologies, Inc.

InventorBailey Chang

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A protection circuit is provided for a T8 LED lighting tube, including at least two power transmission connectors and at least two rectification circuits. The power transmission connectors are respectively mounted to opposite ends of the T8 LED tube and each has at least two contacts that are respectively engageable with tube retention connectors formed on opposite ends of a T8 fluorescent light fixture to receive an external AC power. Each rectification circuit is composed of at least one rectifier semiconductor and the two rectification circuits are respectively connected to the contacts of the two power transmission connectors. The rectification semiconductors of the two rectification circuits are connected to achieve a reverse flow prevention function, so that the rectification circuits can supply a DC power to a light source load contained inside the T8 LED tube without allowing an electrical current reversely flowing to a starter of the T8 fluorescent light fixture no matter what sequence and direction that contacts take for connection with the tube retention connectors of the T8 fluorescent light fixture, so as to isolate and disable the starter for protecting the light source load of the T8 LED tube.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A protection circuit of T8 LED (Light-Emitting Diode) lighting tube, comprising:

at least two power transmission connectors, which are respectively mounted to two ends of a T8 LED tube, each of the power transmission connectors comprising at least two contacts, which are respectively engageable with tube retention connectors formed on opposite ends of a T8 fluorescent light fixture to establish electrical connection with an external alternating current power source;
and
at least two rectification circuits, each of which comprises at least one rectifier semiconductor, the rectification circuits being respectively connected to the contacts of the power transmission connectors and also respectively connected to a positive power terminal and a negative power terminal of a light source load of the T8 LED tube that is connected to the power transmission connectors, the rectifier semiconductors of the rectification circuits being connected to each other to form a reverse flow prevention structure, whereby the rectification circuits selectively converts an alternating current power supplied from the external alternating current power source through the power transmission connectors into a direct current power supplied to the light source load, and isolates and disables a starter of the T8 fluorescent light fixture connected to the power transmission connectors.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/882,504Filed 15 Sep 2010
Published: US 2012/0062114 A115 Mar 2012
Granted: 30 Oct 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H05B 45/50
Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]: responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDs; responsive to LED…
F21K 9/27
Light sources comprising attachment means: retrofit light sources for lighting devices with two fittings for each light source, e.g. for…
F21Y 2115/10
Light-generating elements of semiconductor light sources: light-emitting diodes [LED]
Y02B 20/30
Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps: semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light…