LED Light Strip Parallel Circuit Voltage Drop Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LED light strips exhibit inconsistent color rendering over their length due to varying resistances in the supply and return paths, leading to differences in light output and color consistency, particularly noticeable in longer strips with multiple color LEDs.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates multiple types of LED strings with different electrical characteristics and distinct supply and return paths, using varying conductor materials and dimensions to maintain consistent voltage drops across the strip, ensuring uniform light output and color rendering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the length of the LED light strip is increased to provide greater total light output, then the total number of LED strings increases, but the voltage drop along the supply and return paths causes inconsistent color rendering and light output over the length of the strip
Solution Approach 1:
The LED light strip is divided into multiple independent parallel circuits, each with its own supply and return paths. This segmentation allows each circuit to be optimized independently, preventing the cumulative voltage drop that would occur in a single long circuit while maintaining high total light output through the parallel arrangement of multiple circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the LED light strip are assigned different electrical characteristics through separate parallel circuits. Each circuit can be tailored with specific conductor dimensions, materials, and LED string configurations to achieve uniform voltage distribution and consistent color rendering across different locations of the overall strip.
2Productivity
If multiple LED strings are connected in parallel through common supply and return paths, then the total light output increases, but the resistance of the supply and return paths causes varying voltage drops that result in inconsistent current distribution among LED strings
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single common supply and return path for all LED strings, the invention segments the electrical connection into multiple independent parallel circuits. Each circuit has its own dedicated supply and return paths, which prevents the cumulative resistance effect from causing uneven current distribution across the entire strip while still achieving high total light output through the parallel arrangement.
3Adaptability or versatility
If LED strings with different color LEDs are used to achieve diverse light rendering, then the color variety increases, but the different forward voltages of different color LEDs exacerbate the voltage drop effect, causing significant color shifts along the strip length
Solution Approach 1:
LED strings with different color LEDs are distributed across multiple independent parallel circuits rather than being connected in a single long circuit. This segmentation ensures that the voltage drop along each circuit remains manageable, preventing the exacerbation of color shifts that would occur if different color LEDs were arranged in a single extended circuit where cumulative resistance would cause significant voltage variations.
Solution Approach 2:
Different color LED strings are strategically distributed across multiple parallel circuits with optimized local electrical characteristics. Each circuit can be designed with specific conductor dimensions and materials tailored to the particular LED strings it serves, ensuring that voltage drops are compensated for locally and color consistency is maintained across the entire strip despite the presence of multiple LED types with different forward voltages.
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 approach minimizes color shifts and maintains consistent light output along the length of the LED strip, addressing the issue of inconsistent color rendering and light output, while allowing for longer strip lengths without significant lumen decay.
Implementation Method 1
the resistances of the supply and return path have a measurable effect over the length of the LED light strip
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a light emitting diode(s), LED, light strip arranged for providing improved color consistency over its length. The LED light strip comprises LED strings positioned along the length of the LED light strip and powered in parallel, for emitting, for example, red, green, blue and white light. The resistance of the supply and return traces, in combination with variations in the current drawn by or the forward voltage of the various LED and resistors used in the LED strings of different color, causes a voltage drop along these traces leading to inconsistent color rendering. By adjusting the resistivity of the traces, such as through providing return paths having different resistances for LED strings of different color, the consistency of the color rendering can be improved.