Linear LED Tube Lamp with Displacement Sensors for Shock Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Linear LED tube lamps face challenges with electric shock hazards and internal fires when used with ballasts due to high-voltage and high-frequency arcing, which conventional shock prevention switches fail to adequately address, especially during maintenance or relamping.
Innovation Solution
A linear LED tube lamp design incorporating a housing with displacement sensors and electrical contacts that control a full-wave rectifier and LED driving circuit, ensuring a low DC voltage is applied only when both lamp bases are properly inserted, preventing electric shock and arcing by disconnecting power when one base is removed, and using a voltage divider to reduce DC voltage to safe levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional shock prevention switches are used in linear LED tube lamps with ballasts, then electric shock prevention is provided, but high-voltage and high-frequency arcing occurs causing internal fire hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical shock prevention switches with a magnetic field-based sensing system. Displacement sensors detect the position of lamp bases through magnetic field changes, and solid-state electrical contacts control power delivery without mechanical moving parts, thereby eliminating arcing while maintaining shock prevention functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces displacement sensors as intermediaries between the lamp base position and the power control system. These sensors detect positional changes and trigger the electrical contacts to open or close, providing indirect control that prevents direct high-voltage arcing across mechanical switch contacts
2Ease of operation
If ballast-compatible linear LED tube lamps are used, then straightforward replacement of fluorescent tubes is achieved, but total cost of ownership increases due to ballast power consumption and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the linear LED tube lamp with integrated AC mains operation capability, allowing the lamp to function independently without requiring an external ballast. The lamp contains its own power management circuitry including full-wave rectifier and voltage regulation, enabling it to draw power directly from AC mains and eliminating ballast-related energy losses
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal linear LED tube lamp that can operate with both ballasts and AC mains. The lamp incorporates dual input capability with circuitry that automatically adapts to either power source, providing versatility while enabling users to eliminate ballasts for energy savings when desired
3Reliability
If displacement sensors and electrical contacts are used to control power delivery, then electric shock and arcing are eliminated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the power control function into separate modular components: displacement sensors for detection, electrical contacts for isolation, full-wave rectifier for power conversion, and voltage regulation circuitry for control. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function independently, simplifying the overall system design and maintenance
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 solution effectively eliminates the risk of electric shock and internal fires, enhancing user safety during maintenance and operation by ensuring no high voltage is present at electrical contacts, thus preventing arcing and fire hazards.
Implementation Method 1
a full-wave rectifier, an LED driving circuit
Implementation Method 2
one or more LED arrays
Data Source
AI summary
A linear light-emitting diode (LED) lamp comprising a housing, two lamp bases at two ends of the housing, a full-wave rectifier, an LED driving circuit, LED arrays, two displacement sensors, and two pairs of electrical contacts controlled by the two displacement sensors, is used to replace a fluorescent tube or a conventional LED tube lamp. The two displacement sensors and the two pairs of electrical contacts are configured to respectively perform position sensing for electric shock hazards. The two pairs of electrical contacts are operated by using a low direct current (DC) voltage supplied by a power sustaining device. When both two lamp bases are inserted in the two sockets, the two pairs of electrical contacts are driven to make an electric connection from the power sustaining device to a low voltage input of the LED driving circuit and to power the LED driving circuit. Use of the low DC voltage is to eliminate electric arcing that may cause internal fire when used with ballasts and to prevent substantial electric shock current from reaching ground through a person's body when used with AC mains.