WO2009000324A1

WO2009000324A1 - Circuit for driving a lighting unit and lighting means comprising a circuit such as this

Info

Publication number: WO2009000324A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/056364
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harald Dellian
Original assignee: Osram Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
Priority date: 2007-06-26
Filing date: 2007-06-26
Publication date: 2008-12-31

Abstract

A circuit for driving at least one lighting unit is specified, comprising an orientation switch on the basis of which at least two states of the at least one lighting unit can be switched. A lighting means having a circuit such as this is also proposed.

Description

description

Circuit for controlling a lighting unit and lighting means comprising such a circuit

The invention relates to a circuit for controlling a lighting unit and a lighting means comprising such a circuit.

In light applications, especially using light emitting diodes, different colors or effects are often desired. For this purpose, a manually operable switch for selecting the color or the desired effect is used in the lighting unit.

It is disadvantageous that frequently the manually operable switch does not match the design of the light application or causes additional effort in terms of the sealing of a housing. In particular, it is disadvantageous that e.g. in children's lighting applications, such manual switch solutions require additional testing criteria in the approval of lighting applications. Thus, if the manual switch is destroyed, the access to the interior of the light application could possibly be exposed, thus exposing a user to a hazard.

The object of the invention is to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide an application which is particularly safe and enables a change of luminous states efficiently.

This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. Further developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

To achieve the object, a circuit for controlling at least one lighting unit is provided comprising a Orientation switch based on the at least two states of the at least one lighting unit can be switched.

Thus, the orientation switch allows a change in the lighting conditions of the at least one

Light unit. This can e.g. be achieved by the orientation and / or position of the

Orientation switch is / are changed. Thus, the orientation switch has a mechanism that makes it possible, depending on the position of the

Orientation switch different switching states bring about.

For example, by means of this circuit, a tilting light can be realized, which, depending on the positioning in the socket, e.g. in different colors lights.

The circuit thus allows the use of bulbs without external switch. Thus, a closed illuminant (e.g., projecting tipping light) can be provided without allowing an externally accessible switch to cause a potential hazard to a user.

A further development is that the

Orientation switch has at least two switching states by means of which the states of the at least one lighting unit can be switched.

In particular, the orientation switch may also have a plurality of switching states, wherein each switching state requires a state of the at least one lighting unit.

In this case, a state of the at least one lighting unit can also be assigned to a plurality of switching states of the orientation switch. Another development is that the lighting unit comprises at least one lamp and / or at least one light-emitting diode.

In principle, the lighting unit may comprise at least one light-generating means of different types or of the same type, wherein preferably the light-generating means is electrically controllable.

An additional development is that the at least one lighting unit has at least one color. In this case, a luminous element of the at least one lighting unit can also be designed in multiple colors.

For example, multi-colored lamps and / or multicolor LEDs can be used. These are individual luminous elements, which themselves have several luminous states. Accordingly, it is also possible that a lighting unit with only one lighting element, e.g. a multi-colored light-emitting diode is provided, whose luminous states can be varied via the switching states of the orientation switch.

In addition, it is an alternative that light elements of different colors are combined and thus color mixtures of the individual colors of the light elements are generated. In this case, a first color mixture of a plurality of different light-emitting diodes can correspond to a first switching state, wherein a second color mixture is produced, for example, using individual light-emitting diodes of the first color mixture in conjunction with further light-emitting diodes.

Furthermore, it is possible to interconnect several light elements of the same (or similar) color, thus, for example, a higher brightness, saturation or even a certain reliability.

An additional embodiment is that a control unit is provided by means of which color gradients and / or brightness gradients of the at least one lighting unit can be switched.

Different color gradients and / or different brightness gradients can depend on the position and / or orientation of the orientation switch.

One possibility is one with a certain orientation, i. Dimmer functionality associated with a particular switching state of the orientation switch. Thus, over a predetermined period of time (e.g., over two hours), the circuit could gradually reduce the brightness of the lighting unit completely (or to a predetermined value). According to another switching state, the lighting unit with a constant

The brightness may light up or the dimmer functionality may be restarted (possibly with a changed time constant).

Also, it is a training that depends on the

Orientation of the orientation switch, the at least two states of the at least one lighting unit can be switched.

Another development is that the orientation switch a tilt switch, a

Position switch or a mercury switch is.

In particular, it is advantageous that the position or a change in position can be detected by means of the orientation switch. Orientation switch or inclination switch can preferably be designed as a mercury switch. Orientation switches known from alarm technology can be used here. Another principle for an orientation switch works by means of a metal ball: A contact is closed via the movable metal ball, if the inclination (or position) of the orientation switch changes.

The object described above is also achieved by means of a luminous means comprising the described circuit.

It is a development that the lamp has a compact design. In particular, the lighting means may comprise a pluggable housing, e.g. have a socket. Furthermore, the light source can be provided for application in a power socket.

When the circuit is used in a lighting device, it can thus be used compactly, e.g. Depending on the position and / or orientation of the orientation switch to provide a corresponding visual feedback (different color, different color gradients, flashing, differently lit symbols).

In this case, the light source is advantageously inserted into a corresponding socket. In particular, the lighting means may be implemented as a plug with a display area, e.g. comparable to one

Orientation light or a nightlight fits compactly into a power outlet.

Another development consists in that the illuminant has a (nearly completely) closed housing. Embodiments of the invention are illustrated and explained below with reference to the drawings.

Show it:

Fig.l a night light that lights up depending on its position in different colors and / or brightness;

2 shows a circuit for controlling at least one lighting unit based on at least one orientation switch;

3 shows a block diagram comprising a luminous means with an orientation switch, a control unit and a plurality of light units.

Fig.l shows a night light 101 (also: "orientation light"), which can be connected via a firmly connected plug 103 to a power outlet. The night light 101 comprises an orientation switch and at least one lighting unit such that when the plug 103 is connected to the power socket, a translucent surface 102 can be illuminated.

By changing the orientation and / or position of the night light 101, for example, the light-transmissive surface 102 in different colors (depending on the orientation and / or position of the night light 101) shine.

In particular, the night light 101 does not have an externally accessible manual switch, but the night light 101 is a sealed housing.

2 shows a circuit for controlling a

Lighting unit based on an orientation switch 201. The lighting unit here comprises a component 202 with a red LED 206, with a blue LED 204 and with a green LED 205 and a component 203 with a red LED 209, with a blue LED 207 and with a green LED 208.

Furthermore, current sources 210, 211 and 212 are provided, each having an input "1", a voltage input "3" and a current input "4" and an output "4". The output of the current source 210 is connected to a series circuit of the red LEDs 209 and 206, the output of the current source 211 is connected to a series circuit of the green LEDs 208 and 205 and the output of the current source 212 is connected to a series circuit of the blue LEDs 207 and 204 ,

The input to the current sources 210, 211, 212 is "low-active", i. at OV at the respective input "1", the associated output "2" supplies current and voltage for the operation of the respectively connected LEDs.

The orientation switch 201 is connected to the supply voltage via a resistor R3. Of the

Orientation switch 201 according to FIG. 1 has, depending on its position and / or orientation, two states which can be tapped off via an output line 212:

State 0: output line 212 is at OV;

- State 1: Output line 212 is at the potential of the supply voltage.

Thus, depending on the state, the following activation of the lighting unit results:

State 0: the red LEDs 209 and 206 and the green LEDs 208 and 205 are lit; the light unit delivers a color mixture of red and green. State 1: only the green LEDs 208 and 205 are lit; accordingly, the lighting unit gives the green light. Optionally, further color variants can be provided. Also, the blue LEDs 207 and 204 may provide a color contribution depending on the respective state of the orientation switch 201.

If the output line 212 is, for example, connected via an inverter to the input "1" of the current source 211 (and the current source 210 is inactive), the lighting unit changes between the colors red and blue depending on the state of the orientation switch 201.

3 shows a lighting means 308 comprising an orientation switch 301, light units 302, 303, 304 and 305 and a control unit 306.

Each of the light units 302 to 305 may have one or more light sources, in particular one or more LEDs of the same or different color.

By way of example, it is the lighting unit 304 via a multi-colored LED by means of which a plurality of states can be displayed.

By way of example, the orientation switch 301 has five different states, which occur depending on its position. For this purpose, for example, the light source 308 can be connected via a rotatable plug-in connection with a socket, in particular with a power socket. About the socket or power socket, the light source is supplied with a supply voltage 307. Depending on the current position in the rotatable connector, the orientation switch 301 provides one of the states 0 to 4, wherein the lighting units can be switched as follows:

The lighting unit 304 in this case has two states A and B, which, for example, different colors green and red same multicolor LED correspond.

In the states 0 to 2 only one light unit is active at a time, the light source 308 lights up correspondingly in the color of the respectively active light unit.

In the state 3, the lighting unit 302 and the

Light unit 304 (in the state B) active. The result is a mixture of the light emitted by both light units.

In state 4, the control unit 306 is activated, which continues to drive the lighting unit 305. The control unit 306 allows e.g. a variation of the brightness and / or a light pattern by suitable control of the lighting unit 305th

For example, a dimming functionality could be realized by appropriate time delay, so that in the course of e.g. two hours, the lighting unit 305 is dimmed from an initial brightness to a predetermined residual brightness. Also, time or event-controlled flashing of the lighting unit 305 could be set by the control unit 306.

It should be noted that a plurality of orientation switches can also be provided in order to provide at least two states for the at least two lighting units.

Claims

claims

1. A circuit for controlling at least one lighting unit (202, 203) comprising - an orientation switch (201) on the basis of which at least two states of the at least one lighting unit (202, 203) are switchable.

2. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein the orientation switch has at least two switching states by means of which the states of the at least one lighting unit can be switched.

3. A circuit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the orientation switch a plurality of

Has switching states, each switching state condition of the at least one lighting unit conditionally.

4. A circuit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting unit comprises:

- at least one lamp;

- At least one light emitting diode.

5. A circuit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one lighting unit has at least one color.

6. The circuit of claim 3, wherein a luminous element of the at least one lighting unit is multi-colored.

7. A circuit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a control unit (306) is provided by means of which color gradients and / or brightness gradients of the at least one lighting unit are switchable.

8. A circuit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least two states of the at least one lighting unit are switchable depending on an orientation of the orientation switch.

9. A circuit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the orientation switch is a tilt switch or a mercury switch.

10. Lamp comprising a circuit for driving according to one of the preceding claims.

11. Lamp according to claim 11, designed such that it has a compact design.

12. Lamp according to one of claims 10 or 11, wherein the lamp has a pluggable housing for application in a power socket.

13. Lamp according to one of claims 10 to 12 for use as orientation light or night light.

14. Lamp according to one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the lighting means comprises a closed housing.