AC Light Emitting Device with Multiple Conductors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional AC light emitting devices have reduced lighting efficiency due to half-wave cycle operation and vulnerability to open circuits when conductors break, leading to increased cost and power loss from AC to DC conversion.
Innovation Solution
The AC light emitting device features light emitting units with various areas on a substrate, electrically coupled by multiple conductors to prevent open circuits and enhance lighting efficiency, allowing operation during both positive and negative half-waves without the need for a bridge rectifying circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If light emitting units are electrically coupled by a single conductor, then the device structure is simple, but the device reliability deteriorates when the conductor breaks causing open circuit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies redundancy design by providing multiple conductors (first and second conductors) between adjacent light emitting units. This beforehand cushioning ensures that if one conductor breaks, the other conductors maintain electrical connection, preventing open circuit and maintaining device reliability without requiring complex protective mechanisms.
2Productivity
If only half of the substrate area is occupied by light emitting units, then the device complexity is reduced, but the lighting efficiency deteriorates due to half-wave cycle operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous lighting operation during both positive and negative half-waves of AC power supply by arranging light emitting units with alternating polarities across the substrate. This continuity of useful action eliminates the half-wave idle period, doubling the effective lighting time and improving lighting efficiency while utilizing the entire substrate area.
3Use of energy by moving object
If AC to DC conversion is added to drive semiconductor optoelectronics, then the device can operate with conventional AC power sources, but the energy loss increases during conversion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the previously harmful half-wave idle period into a beneficial feature by arranging light emitting units to emit light during both positive and negative half-waves. This transforms the AC power supply's alternating nature from a limitation requiring DC conversion into a direct operational advantage, eliminating conversion losses while maintaining compatibility with conventional AC power sources.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration increases the effective lighting area and maintains device functionality even if one conductor breaks, improving efficiency and reducing the need for additional conversion components.
Implementation Method 1
After being applied with voltage (minimum current), the electron-hole recombination process produces some photons due to energy gap of electrons and electron-holes. Thus the LED emits light.
Data Source
AI summary
An alternating current (AC) light emitting device is revealed. The AC light emitting device includes a substrate and a plurality of light emitting units arranged on the substrate. The light emitting unit consists of a first semiconductor layer, a light emitting layer, a second semiconductor layer, at least one electrode and at least one second electrode respectively arranged on the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer from bottom to top. The plurality of light emitting units is coupled to at least one adjacent light emitting unit by a plurality of conductors. By the plurality of conductors that connect light emitting units with at least one adjacent light emitting unit, an open circuit will not occur in the AC light emitting device once one of the conductors is broken.