Modular LED Tube Lamp with Redundant Drivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tube lighting systems, particularly those replacing fluorescent tubes with LED modules, face challenges in modular design and redundancy, as they often require specific mounting adaptors and lack redundancy in power delivery, limiting flexibility and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A modular LED tube lamp design featuring a U-shaped or circular tube with dual ends, each equipped with a driver and socket, allowing for interchangeable and redundant driver modules, hidden mode selectors, and adaptable physical configurations, ensuring flexibility and reliability through magnetic or mechanical latching mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If fluorescent tubes are replaced with LED modules using mounting adaptors, then energy efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional mounting components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the driver, lamp base, and LED array into an integrated modular unit. The driver is housed within the lamp base structure, eliminating the need for separate mounting adaptors and external ballasts, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining energy efficiency benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The modular lamp base design serves multiple functions: it houses the driver, provides electrical connection, enables mechanical mounting, and allows for easy replacement. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate mounting adaptors, reducing overall system complexity while preserving LED energy efficiency
2Device complexity
If single driver design is used in LED tube lamps, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to lack of redundancy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements redundancy specifically at the driver level within each modular lamp base, while maintaining simplicity in other system aspects. Each lamp base contains its own driver circuitry, providing localized backup capability without requiring complex system-wide redundancy mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system is divided into modular lamp bases, each with its own driver. This segmentation allows individual modules to operate independently, providing redundancy at the module level while keeping each module's internal design relatively simple
3Reliability
If modular design with interchangeable drivers is implemented, then reliability is improved through redundancy, but device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The driver is merged with the lamp base structure, creating an integrated modular unit. This combination provides redundancy through interchangeable modules while avoiding the complexity of separate driver mounting mechanisms and external components
4Ease of manufacture
If drivers are mounted externally to the lighting fixture, then ease of manufacture is improved, but adaptability deteriorates due to fixed mounting configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The modular lamp base with integrated driver serves as a universal module that can be installed in various lighting fixture types. The standardized design maintains ease of manufacture through modular assembly while providing adaptability to different mounting locations and configurations
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
The modular design enhances flexibility by allowing adaptation to various lighting configurations and ensures continuous operation with redundant drivers, improving reliability and user convenience by simplifying installation and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
The first latch is magnetic or mechanical and provides a retaining connection between the first endcap and the first connector
Data Source
AI summary
A modular LED tube lamp has a tube lamp having a pair of ends, namely a first end and a second end. The first lamp base has a first driver, and the first lamp base is connected to the first end of the tube lamp. A second lamp base has a second driver. The second lamp base is connected to the second end of the tube lamp. A first socket receives the first lamp base; and a second socket receives the second line base. The tube lamp is linear. The tube lamp is formed in a U-shaped bend. The tube lamp is formed as a circular bend.