LED Control Circuit with Mechanical Switch for Brightness Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional LED light systems have fixed brightness settings, limiting user flexibility and requiring significant installation efforts to adjust output current, which restricts the ability to adapt brightness according to user needs.
Innovation Solution
A control circuit for voltage converters that allows flexible adjustment of output current, enabling LED lights to be set to various brightness levels without extensive installation, using a switch with a mechanical actuation element and a detector circuit to control the voltage converter, allowing for discrete or continuous brightness adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the setpoint output current is preset at the works in conventional converter circuits, then the light has a fixed brightness setting, but this limits user flexibility and requires significant installation efforts to adjust output current
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by introducing a switch with a mechanical actuation element that allows the setpoint output current to be changed after installation. The switch enables users to select between multiple brightness settings (e.g., low, medium, high) by mechanically switching between different resistance values or circuit configurations, transforming a static preset system into a dynamically adjustable one without requiring complex installation procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by integrating the switch and mechanical actuation element into the light fixture during manufacturing. This preliminary integration ensures that the brightness adjustment capability is already in place and properly connected, eliminating the need for complex field installations or modifications. The switch is pre-configured with multiple contact positions or resistance values that are ready for immediate use upon installation
2Ease of operation
If a switch with mechanical actuation element is integrated into the light, then brightness can be adjusted flexibly in-situ, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the taking out principle by extracting the brightness adjustment function into a separate, dedicated switch component with a mechanical actuation element. This switch is integrated into the light fixture but operates as an independent module, allowing users to adjust brightness without interacting with other control circuits or components. The mechanical switch physically separates the adjustment mechanism from the main control circuitry, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by designing the switch with a mechanical actuation element that directly interacts with the circuit without requiring external control signals or complex processing. The mechanical movement of the actuation element automatically switches between different circuit configurations or resistance values, allowing the system to self-adjust the brightness setting based on user input without needing additional control logic or processing power
Data Source
AI summary
A control circuit for a voltage converter has a switch which has a multiplicity of parallel-connected current-conducting branches with resistors with different resistance values, and a contact maker. The contact maker is configured to connect selectively in each case one of the multiplicity of parallel-connected current-conducting branches to an input contact of the switch. The control circuit also includes a detector circuit which is configured to determine a voltage drop across the resistors and to output, as a function of the determined voltage drop, an actuation signal for setting a setpoint output current of the voltage converter to the voltage converter.