WO2007005904A2 - Electronic gas flame bulb - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic gas f lame bulb with an integrated AC-to-DC power supply in a candle-like housing together with an LED controller f or f lickering a plurality of sets of LEDs to simulate a gas f lame and with a matched bulb.

Description

E UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

As Receiving Office For PCT

- Utility Patent Specification -

Prepared by:

RAYMOND G. AREAUX, (Reg. 33,643)

Carver, Darden, Koretzky, Tessier,

Finn, Blossman & Areaux, L. L. C.

1100 Poydras Street Energy Centre Suite 2700

New Orleans ,- LA 70163 (Telephone: 504/585-3803) (Facsimile: 504/585-3801)

(P/A Pile ID: 15070) [Filed: July 2, 2006]

[Attorney ' s Docket ID : 15070 ] Description CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of the priority of U . S . provisional patent application 60/696 , 153 , f iled July 1 , 2005 , said application being incorporated herein by reference . Technical Field

The invention described herein is related generally to electrical lighting apparatuses, and is related more specifically to electrical light bulbs which simulate the light and affects produced by an open flame gas lantern or other natural flame. Background of the Invention

There are a number of known lighting devices which are designed to simulate flames or candles. U.S. Patent No. 4,510,556, issued to Johnson on April 5, 1985, entitled "ELECTRONIC LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR SIMULATING A FLAME" discloses a "bulb assembly consisting of a plurality of vertically spaced apart electric lamps which are preferably enclosed in a suitable translucent bulb having a general shape of a natural flame" (Col 1, lines 49-52) in which each lamp in the bulb assembly is controlled by a different control signal (Col 1, lines 55- 57) and in which the control signals vary such that the "average proportion .of time during which the lamps are actuated increases toward the lowermost of the lamps" (Col. 1, lines 61-65) to achieve a result, in operation, where the "average illumination intensity increases toward the base of the assembly, just as the average illumination intensity increases toward the base of a natural flame where the combustion rate is greatest . . . . [and where] the lamps [are] off for periods of time . . . which on the average are of progressively increasing duration toward the top of the assembly . . . result [ing] in a flickering effect which is more pronounced toward the top of the assembly, just as the flickering of a natural flame is more pronounced toward the top of the flame where the gas . turbulence is greatest" (Col 1, line 65 through Col 2, line 10) . Johnson also discloses that the duty cycle for the upper lamp is, on average, "exactly half" (Col. 5, line 35- 27) , the duty cycle for the lower lamp is "on most of the time" (Col. 5, 37-38) and, the duty cycle for the middle lamp is "on most of the time, but not as much as the lower lamp" (Col. 5, lines 43-44) . U.S. Patent Application US 2001/0033488 Al published October 25, 2001, by Chliwnyj , et al . entitled "ELECTRONIC FLAME" teaches using "an arrangement of light sources, . . . preferably LEDs . . . on a light source platform . . . " (paragraph 0041) and, in particular, making "an arrangement of LEDs on a planar surface of a LED platform . . . [where] the top of the . . . diffuser . . . receives white light as a white light beam . . . from a white LED thereby providing a whiter region . at the top of the diffuser . . . [and such] light beam of [said] LED is selected or controlled to be narrower than the light beam" of the other LEDs on the platform (paragraph 0041) . "In one embodiment, an arrangement of the LEDs on a planar surface of a LED platform is made so that each of the [other] LEDs . . . has a different light beam angle then the white LEDs. Accordingly, a white LED has a narrower light beam angle, in part, for separating the white light from the light of other colors. In this embodiment the white LEDs and [other] LEDs may be on the same plane." (paragraph 0043) . It is an object, feature and purpose of the present invention to provide an improved electrical lighting apparatus for emulating the light produced by an open flame gas lantern. It is also an object, feature and purpose of the invention to provide a self-contained bulb with an AC-to-DC power source and electronics for controlling light sources for simulating a gas flame. It is a further object, feature and purpose of the invention to have a light bulb which facilitates easy retro-fit installation in any electric lighting apparatus wishing to emulate the look of an open flame gas light, including, without limitation, electric "gas style" lanterns, chandeliers, outdoor lighting, lamp post lighting, sconces, indoor lighting, lamps, ^■ fireplaces, electric candles, night lights, etc. It is a further object, feature and purpose of the invention to have a light bulb which simulates a variety of natural flames through use of interchangeable bulb heads . It is a further object, feature and purpose of the invention to have a light bulb which is aesthetically pleasing both when the light bulb is off as well as when the light bulb is on. Summary of the Invention

The purpose of the invention is to electronically emulate the light produced by an open flame gas lantern. The invention uses control circuitry to control the flicker rate of surface mounted LEDs. The LEDs (six or more) are stacked in tiers, with the LEDs in each tier associated with a different flicker control signal. The color and shape of the light is defined by the LED style and flame head (bulb) material. The apparatus is powered by a proprietary or comparable AC to DC converter designed to provide surge and overload protection, rectification, filtering and regulation. This power module enables packaging in a self contained, standard size candle opera socket bulb. Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows an exploded view of the simulated gas flame bulb with the power supply and LED controller shown inside the cylindrical tube case in schematic with a translucent tulip-shaped bulb head. Figure 2 shows six alternate bulb heads, to wit: tulip, batwing, badge, woodpecker, torpedo and trident. Figure 3A is a front view of the assembled (rather than exploded, as in Figure 1) invention. Figure 3B shows the front view tulip-shaped bulb head with LEDs mounted on the concave inner surface of the bulb head with dotted lines (associated with each LED) depicting the dispersion pattern for the light emitted by the LED. Figure 3C is a side view of the invention. Figure 4 is a schematic for the LED controller showing three flicker control signals from a microcontroller, each flicker control signal used to turn on or off two on-board LEDs . Figure 5 is a more detailed schematic for the LED controller as well as the AC-to-DC on-board power supply. Figure S shows the general packaging of the LED controller and AC-to-DC on-board power supply in the candle light tube and flame head and the associated placement of the LEDs in relation thereto. Figure 7 is a timing chart for the three sets of LEDs. Figure 8 shows a cross section of an alternative bulb design where the amber/yellow color to be simulated is provided by colored materials (rather than colored LEDs) integral to the bulb for use with all white LEDs. Figure 9 is to-scale drawing of the preferred bulb head, in cross section, showing select relative distances. Figure 1OA is also a to-scale drawing of the entire device in cross-section with identifying numerals. Figure 1OB is identical to Figure 1OA but without any numerals. Description of the Exemplary Embodiment The complete unit 100 (figure 1) consist of a Power Coupler 101 with a screw base 104 suitable for installation in a standard lighting outlet, and an AC-to-DC converter/regulator 300, an LED Controller Board 400 which contains the timing and control circuits for the flickering effect, light producing elements (LEDs) 200, and a Flame Head (bulb) 500 designed to diffuse, color and pattern the light, with the AC-to-DC regulator 300 and LED controller mounted on a printed circuit board 103 housed in a tube 102 with the power coupler 101 and screw base 104 on one end of the tube 102 and the seat 115 for the flame bulb 500 on the other end, all as shown by reference to Figures 6, 1OA and 1OB. The LEDs 200 are electrically coupled to, and supported by, said printed circuit board 103 such that, ' when the unit is assembled, the LEDs 200 protrude from the top end (the end opposite the screw base 104) of the tube- case 102 and received inside the bulb head 500. The flame head 500 is typically shaped in a form that may be described as a "torpedo" as best seen in Figures 9, 1OA and 1OB. The purpose of the invention is to electronically emulate the light produced by an open flame gas lantern. The invention uses a .microcontroller 250 and supporting electronic circuitry as best seen in Figures 4 and 5, to control the flicker rate of surface mounted LEDs (as more fully described below) . The LEDs (six or more) are stacked in three tiers, a low tier 201, a mid tier 202 and a top tier 203, to form an LED lighting system 206 with the LEDs in each tier associated with a different flicker control signal. The color and shape of the light is defined by the LED style and flame head (bulb) material . The apparatus' is powered by an AC to DC converter 300 designed to provide surge and overload protection, rectification, filtering and regulation. This power module enables packaging in a self contained, standard size candle opera socket bulb (also referred to as a cylindrical tube case) 102. Flame Head (Bulb) The flame head (bulb) 500 is designed to pattern, diffuse and color the light from the LEDs. The flame head may be composed of silicon, glass, plastic or other materials. The flame head is designed to be detachable and interchangeable. The flame head is detachable to allow installation in applications which require a candle cover (the candle cover will not slip on over the larger flame heads) . The flame head is interchangeable to satisfy the need to emulate different types of gas flames. In the preferred embodiment of the bulb 500, the bulb is torpedo shaped 501 (as best seen in Figures 9, 1OA and ■ 10B) and the coloring is provided by the materials used to ^' construct the bulb (rather than by colored LEDs) . In this embodiment, the LEDs 200 are all white LEDs with leads 202 long enough to allow for a stacked tiered arrangement and insertion in the bulb 500 as best seen in Figures 6, 1OA and 1OB. Stacked LEDs have a slight advantage in choking down on the neck size 503 of the bulb head 500 (see Figure 6) . The colored bulb 501 is created from two components, a torpedo-shaped outer shell 505 (as best seen in Figure 9, which is drawn to scale) with an inner diffusion cavity 50S for receiving and housing an inner bullet 504. The outer shell is translucent and made of PVC or other like materials (such as polycarbonate, flame retarded PET, etc.) . The color of the outer shell 505 is neutral when the LEDs 200 are off (such as a white or pearl color) and is opaque enough to diffuse the light from the LEDs 200. A controlled amount of a white colorant (for example, titanium oxide) is used in making the PVC bulb to define its diffusion. The inner bullet 54 is in the shape of a bullet with a hollow interior 507 (as best seen in the scaled drawing in Figure 9) for receiving and housing the LED lighting system 206, such housing thereof being shown in Figures 6, 1OA and 1OB. The inner bullet 54 is- also translucent and made of PVC or other alternatives plastics (such as polycarbonate, flame retarded PET, flame retarded polystyrene, flame retarded polypropylene, flame retarded acrylic, etc.). The inner bullet 504 is tinted with both yellow and pink coloring agents (generally, two parts yellow to one part pink) in order to achieve coloring which the desired lighting affect when the LEDs 200 are turned on. Importantly, the desired diffusion affect is enhanced and best achieved in operation by a spatial arrangement of the inner bullet 504 in relation to the inner diffusion cavity 506 to create a diffusion gap 508 therebetween (as best seen in scaled Figure 9) . In a bulb head 501 where ^■ the total length of the bulb head 501 is approximately 2.96 inches 550 and has the other dimensions and shapes shown in the scaled drawing of Figure 9, there is a diffusion gap 508 of about 0.12 inches 552 between the wall of the inner ^' diffusion cavity 506 and the vertical mid-point of , inner bullet 504, which diffusion gap 508 narrows to about 0.08 inches 551 near the apex 509 of inner bullet and which diffusion gap 508, moving in the other direction (toward the inner bullet base 510) gradually tapers to closing near bullet base 510. In said size bulb head 501, the LED lighting system 206 is^" mounted above the printed circuit board 103 in about a 21mm to 26mm range. LED Controller 400 The purpose of the LED Controller 400 is to cause the LEDs 200 to simulate the flickering of a GAS (natural gas or propane) light. The LED controller is comprised of a microcontroller 250 (such as by SGS Thompson 724082-000Q) to generate three LED flicker control signals, 261, 262 and 263 for each LED electronic switch, 251, 252 and 253, respectively, corresponding to low tier LEDs 201, mid-tier LEDs 202 and mid-tier LEDs 203, respectively, said LED flicker control signals having the respective duty cycles and durations 281, 282 and 283 as shown in Figure 7 and as further described below. LED Top tier 203 The timing output for the LED flicker control signal 263 is about 140ms 283 in duration having a duty cycle of 50%. LED Mid tier 202 The timing output for the LED flicker control signal 262 is about 290ms 282 in duration having a duty cycle of about 76 . 2% . LED Low tier 201 The timing output for the LED flicker control signal 261 is about 370ms 281 having a duty cycle of about 81.1%. POWER MODULE 300 The AC to DC converter 300 is comprised of the components shown in Figure 5 in the dashed outline 300 and includes surge and overload protection, rectification, filtering and regulation.

Claims

Claims

What is claimed is: 1. A simulated gas flame bulb comprising: a. an electrical screw base; b. a candle-like tube case coupled at a first end thereof to the electrical screw base; c . an AG-to-DC converter with an AC tap and a DC tap housed in said tube case with said AC tap electrically coupled to said electrical screw base; d. an LED controller housed in said tube base and coupled to said DC tap, said LED controller containing means for varying the flicker rate of three sets of LEDs, with a first flicker rate connection, a second flicker rate connection and a third flicker rate connection; e. a first set of LEDs electrically coupled to said first flicker rate connection; f. a second set of LEDs electrically coupled to said second flicker rate connection; g. a third set of LEDs electrically coupled to said third flicker rate connection; 2. The simulated gas flame bulb of Claim 1 wherein said first set of LEDs, said second set of LEDs and said third set of LEDs are stacked at different heights. 3. The simulated gas flame bulb of Claim 1 wherein said third set of LEDs are mounted higher than said second set of LEDs which second set of LEDs are mounted higher than said first set of LEDs. 4. The simulated gas^' flame bulb of Claim 1 further comprising: a. a decorative bulb coupled to a second end of said tube case, wherein said bulb has an inner cavity; b. a hollow bullet-shaped housing mounted in said inner cavity in a manner to create a diffusion g^aP/ wherein said hollow bullet-shaped housing receives said first set of LEDs, said second set of LEDs and said third set of LEDs