IP Library Granted Patent US 9,398,648
Granted Patent B2
US 9,398,648 · App. 13/277,468 · Granted Jul 19, 2016

Lighting device and illumination apparatus using same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,398,648
App. No.
13/277,468
Granted
Jul 19, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lighting device includes: a lighting unit which outputs a direct current; a smoothing unit having a capacitor which smoothes the direct current outputted from the lighting unit and supplies it; and a control unit for performing an intermittent control which alternately repeats a first time period in which the direct current is supplied to the smoothing unit and a second time period in which the direct current decreases to be smaller than that in the first time period. In the lighting device, a product of a frequency (Hz) and a capacitance (μF) of the capacitor is equal to or greater than 0.05 in which one cycle of the frequency corresponds to a sum of the first time period and the second time period.

Claims (21)

1. A lighting device comprising:

a lighting unit including a switching device and configured to output a direct current;

a smoothing unit having a capacitor configured to smooth the direct current outputted from the lighting unit and supply the smoothed direct current to a light source;

a signal processing unit configured to generate a PWM signal; and

a control unit adapted to control the switching device to alternately repeat a turning on and off of the switching device during a first time period while the PWM signal is a high level and to maintain an off state of the switching device during a second time period while the PWM signal is a low level,

wherein during the first time period, the smoothed direct current is increased and during the second time period, the smoothed direct current is decreased,

wherein a product of a frequency of the PWM signal and a capacitance of the capacitor is equal to or greater than 0.05 in order to set a ripple factor in the smoothed direct current to be 15% or less, wherein the ripple factor is defined as:

(( I max −I min )/ I rms )×100,

where I max is a maximum current value of the smoothed direct current, I min is a minimum current value of the smoothed direct current, and I rms is an effective current value of the smoothed direct current, and

wherein a unit of the frequency is hertz and a unit of capacitance is farad.

2. An illumination apparatus comprising:

a lighting unit including a switching device and configured to output a direct current;

a smoothing unit having a capacitor configured to smooth the direct current outputted from the lighting unit and supply the smoothed direct current to a light source;

a signal processing unit configured to generate a PWM signal; and

a control unit adapted to control the switching device to alternately repeat a turning on and off of the switching device during a first time period while the PWM signal is a high level and to maintain an off state of the switching device during a second time period while the PWM signal is a low level,

wherein during the first time period, the smoothed direct current is increased and during the second time period, the smoothed direct current is decreased,

wherein a product of a frequency of the PWM signal and a capacitance of the capacitor is equal to or greater than 0.05 in order to set a ripple factor in the smoothed direct current to be 15% or less, wherein the ripple factor is defined as:

(( I max −I min )/ I rms )×100,

where I max is a maximum current value of the smoothed direct current, I min is a minimum current value of the smoothed direct current, and I rms is an effective current value of the smoothed direct current,

wherein a unit of the frequency is hertz and a unit of capacitance is farad, and

wherein the light source is turned on by the smoothed direct current outputted from a lighting device.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUSLY FILED APPLICATION NUMBERS 13/384239, 13/498734, 14/116681 AND 14/301144 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034194 FRAME 0143. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056788/0362 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034194/0143 →
MERGER Recorded Feb 13, 2012
From: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO.,LTD.,
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 027697/0525 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2011
From: ESAKI, SANA; HIRAMATU, AKINORI
To: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 027093/0321 →