Tubular LED Light Engine Without Central Pillar
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional LED retrofit lamps often require a central pillar and embedded connecting wires, which can limit their design flexibility and compatibility with traditional lamp fixtures.
Innovation Solution
A light engine design that employs a substantially tubular substrate without a central pillar, using slots for electrical connections and a separate electrical bus wire to support filament LEDs, allowing for a more flexible and compact integration within lamp fixtures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a central pillar with embedded connecting wires is used, then electrical connectivity is achieved, but design flexibility and compatibility with traditional lamp fixtures are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the central pillar structure from the LED lamp design. Instead of embedding wires in a pillar, the invention uses a tubular support structure with slots that allow wires to be routed externally along the tube surface, eliminating the need for a central pillar and thereby improving design flexibility and compatibility with traditional fixtures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the electrical connection system into multiple independent wire routes that can be separately routed through slots in the tubular structure. This segmentation allows each wire to be independently positioned and connected, providing greater adaptability for different lamp fixture configurations while avoiding the monolithic central pillar design.
2Volume of moving object
If a central pillar structure is used, then structural support is provided, but the overall device size and design constraints increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wire routing function from the central pillar structure. By placing wires in slots on the external surface of the tubular support rather than embedding them in a central pillar, the design achieves compact dimensions while maintaining full design flexibility for wire routing and connection points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a centralized three-dimensional pillar structure to a two-dimensional slot-based routing system on the tubular surface. This dimensional change allows wires to be routed along the surface of the tube, reducing the overall volume required while preserving design flexibility for connecting to various lamp fixtures.
3Ease of manufacture
If connecting wires are embedded in a pillar, then electrical connectivity is established, but manufacturing complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wire routing process from the complex pillar embedding operation. Wires are placed in pre-formed slots on the tubular structure rather than being embedded during pillar fabrication, significantly simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing assembly difficulty while maintaining electrical connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates slots into the tubular support structure during its fabrication process, preparing the wire routing paths in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex embedding operations during final assembly, making the manufacturing process easier and more efficient.
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
Enables a compact and flexible LED light engine that fits within conventional bulb assemblies, enhancing compatibility and reducing design constraints while maintaining efficient electrical connectivity.
Implementation Method 1
light emitting diodes (LEDs) for the light source
Implementation Method 2
filament light emitting diodes (LEDs)
Data Source
AI summary
A light engine comprising a substantially tubular substrate including base portion with a plurality of slots, a first group of at least two filament LEDs on a first portion of the substantially tubular substrate, and a second group of at least two filament LEDs on a second portion of the substantially tubular substrate. Each of the first and second groups of the at least two filament LEDs being electrically connected through a base electrode to electrode contacts in the slots. The light engine also includes an electrical bus wire present proximate to the end of the substantially tubular substrate that is opposite the end at the base portion of the substantially tubular substrate, the electrical bus wire in contact with each filament LED for each of the first and second groups of at least two filament LEDs.