LED BULB HAVING ELECTRIC CONVERSION POWER SUPPLY
Technical Field The present invention relates to a light emitting diode (LED) bulb having an electric conversion power supply, and more particularly to an LED bulb which can be inserted into an existing electric power socket and includes an electric power socket base through which stable electric power can be supplied, in which light can be illuminated in many directions.
Background Art In general, an electric bulb which is used for indoor illumination is a filament type bulb which is heated to a high temperature to then radiate light when electric current flows in the bulb. Since the existing filament type bulb is heated to a high temperature to thus radiate light, power consumption of the bulb increases and lifetime thereof is shortened. Meanwhile, a light emitting diode (LED) converts excessive energy into light and radiates the light when injected electrons and holes are combined with each other. A diode using GaAsP emits red light, and a diode using GaP emits green light . The LED operates at low voltage and consumes a small amount of power. However, although such an LED has various kinds of merits,
it has not been developed into a socket type electric bulb or a filament type electricbulb. Inparticular, it appears that a socket type electric bulb using LEDs which receives a generally commercialized power voltage of 110V or 220V from an electric power source has never been developed yet. Up to now, a variety of experiments have been tried, but problems to be solved at a power supply end have still existed. As a result, the LED electric bulb still remains at a development stage. To solve the above-described problems, the prior art receives an alternating-current (AC) input voltage and transforms the received voltage into a desired voltage through a voltage transformer. Then, the prior art passes only the positive voltage through a diode or bridge circuit, and then passes a capacitor or various types of stabilizers to thereby obtain a desired direct-current (DC) voltage. Thus, the above-described prior art has limitations for volume occupied by a voltage transformer or various types of stabilizers and size of components according to a current capacity. These limited devices are AC-DC converters, switching mode power supplies, general power supplies and so on. A power supply having no voltage transformer may be used for an LED bulb. However, a counter-measurement for a ripple of current, and an abrupt change of current and voltage for variation of loads, is insufficient. Accordingly, the power supply having
no voltage transformer is used only as an experimental power supply . Also, the LED bulb does not guarantee a capacity, stability and size so as to be fitted into the socket base of a general electric bulb. In particular, there is no power supply for an LED bulb which can be inserted into a socket base to then receive sufficient power voltage, and safely operate against variation of loads, so as to be directly connected with an AC socket base and used instead of an existing electric bulb or three wavelength lamp. Further, it is extremely difficult to make a power supply which can supply sufficient power voltage for activating LEDs and be sufficiently fitted into a compact LED bulb.
Disclosure of the Invention To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a light emitting diode (LED) electric bulb having an ultra-compact electric conversion power supply, which is compact and operates stably even with a variety of types of variation in loads, and absorbs abrupt current, voltage, and thermal shock due to variation of loads, to thereby perform a stable operation, in which the electric conversion power supply can be sufficiently contained in volume of the socket type electric bulb. It is another object of the present invention to provide an LED electric bulb which can be inserted into an existing electric
bulb socket and illuminate light in many directions. To accomplish the above object of the present invention, according to the present invention, there is provided a light emitting diode (LED) bulb comprising: a socket base which can be inserted into an existing bulb socket and which activates a plurality of LEDs for illumination when electric power is supplied to the socket; a substrate on the upper portion of which the plurality of LEDs are installed and on the lower portion of which an electric conversion power supply is installed; a flexible tube with which each LED lead is covered in a manner that each of the plurality of LEDs can be bent flexibly at will in multiple directions; and an electric bulb main body on which the substrate is mounted and whose lower portion is inserted and fixed in the socket base. Thus, the LED bulb according to the present invention can be inserted into the existing electric bulb socket irrespective of size of the LEDs and illuminate light from the LEDs in multiple directions .
Brief Description of the Drawings The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing the preferred embodiment thereof in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a light emitting diode (LED) bulb having an electric conversion power supply according to the present invention, in which the LED bulb can be inserted into an existing electric power socket; FIG. 2 is a front view showing an LED bulb having an electric conversion power supply according to the present invention, in which the LED bulb can be inserted into an existing electric power socket; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state where LEDs of FIG. 2 have been bent in many directions; and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an LED bulb having an electric conversion power supply according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which the LED bulb can be inserted into an existing electric power socket and a reflective cap which can reflect light illuminated from LEDs .
Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention Hereinbelow, a light emitting diode (LED) electric bulb according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a light emitting diode (LED) bulb having an electric conversion power supply according to the present invention, in which the LED bulb can be inserted into an existing electric power socket. In FIG. 1, the LED electric bulb
includes capacitors Cl and C2, a diode bridge Dl, a Zener diode D8, LEDs D2-D7 and D9-D20, and resistors Rl, R2 and R3. As shown in FIG.1, an applied alternating-current (AC) power voltage of 220V passes through a resistor Rl and is supplied to a smoothing circuit which is connected in series with the resistor Rl. The smoothing circuit includes a resistor R2 and a capacitor Cl which are connected in parallel with each other. Here, a considerable amount of current is attenuated through the resistor R2 and the capacitor Cl . The current whose considerable amount has been attenuated passes through a diode bridge Dl which plays a role of a rectifier and rectifies an AC current into a direct-current (DC) current.
The smoothing circuit and the diode bridge are connected in series with each other. The DC current output from the diode bridge Dl is maintained as a constant voltage of DC 48V by a Zener diode D8. The constant voltage is smoothened by a electrolytic capacitor C2 which stabilizes the DC voltage. Meanwhile, the number of Zener diodes can be changed appropriately according to the number of LEDs . Finally, when a voltage of DC 48V is determined as a constant voltage, the power supply voltage passes through a resistor R3 to then be applied to LEDs D2-D7 and D9-D20, and to thus activate the LEDs.
Meanwhile, since LEDs operate at different operating voltages according to color of each of the LEDs, the number of the LEDs can vary. For example, red and yellow LEDs operate at 1.8V or so, and a blue LED operates at 3V or so. Also, when an AC voltage is applied to the LED electric bulb, a circuit which is used in a circuit operating at consumption current of 100mA or less, as described above. As described above, when a voltage of AC 220V is applied to the LED electric bulb, consumption current of only 30mA flows through fourteen LEDs which are connected in series with one another. FIG. 2 is a front view showing an LED bulb having an electric conversion power supply according to the present invention, in which the LED bulb can be inserted into an existing electric power socket. In FIG. 2, the LED electric bulb includes a socket base 1, a substrate 2, a flexible tube 4, LEDs 5 and an electric bulb main body 6. As shown in FIG. 2, the socket base 1 has a conventional shape, and is inserted into a socket (not shown) . Here, when a power voltage is supplied to the LEDs 5 from an electric power supply (not shown), the LEDs 5 are activated for illumination. Also, a number of LEDs 5 are installed on the externally exposed upper portion of the substrate 2. The above-described
electric conversion power supply (not shown) is installed on the lower portion of the substrate 2, in which the lower portion of the substrate 2 is sealed in the electric bulb main body 6. Also, the leads of each LED are covered with a flexible tube 4 so that the LEDs 5 can be flexibly bent at will. As described above, since the leads of each LED are covered with the flexible tube 4, the LEDs 5 can be directed to many directions as shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, light can be conveniently illuminated to a desired direction. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an LED bulb having an electric conversion power supply according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which the LED bulb can be inserted into an existing electric power socket and a reflective cap which can reflect light illuminated from LEDs . The configuration of FIG. 4 is almost same as that of FIG. 2. However, the configuration of FIG. 4 differs from that of FIG. 2, in that a reflective cap 3 surrounds an electric conversion power supply, a substrate 2 and LEDs 5. Besides, the function and effect of the FIG. 4 LED electric bulb is substantially same as those of the FIG. 2 LED electric bulb. Although the present invention has been described only with respect to the above-described embodiments, it is apparent that the present invention can be modified or implemented in various forms within the scope of the appended claim and without departing
off from the objects and background of the present invention.
Industrial Applicability As described above, a light emitting efficiency of an LED bulb having an electric conversion power supply according to the present invention is higher than that of the existing electric bulb. Also, power consumption of the present invention is smaller than the existing electric bulb. Also, the present invention can reduce a maintenance cost because of long lifetime due to compactness and light weight. Also, the electric bulb canbe fitted into the existing electric bulb socket, and illuminate light in user's desired directions.