1. A lighting fixture adapted to be dimmable by a thyristor-based dimmer, the fixture comprising:
a power conditioning unit adapted to accept an AC electrical input and having an output, the power conditioning unit comprising;
a switching MOSFET;
a control circuit adapted to output a switching clock cycle and duty cycle that are generally fixed during normal operation of the power conditioning unit, the duty cycle and clock cycle adapted to gate the switching MOSFET; and
a transformer having a primary winding configured to store electrical energy when the MOSFET is gated on, a secondary winding of the transformer receiving electrical energy from the primary winding and delivering it to the outlet;
a lighting unit connected to the power conditioning unit output and adapted to receive electric power therefrom, the lighting unit comprising one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs);
wherein the duty cycle, clock and transformer are chosen so that the primary winding discharges substantially all of the energy stored therein at least once per a predetermined number of clock cycles.
2. A lighting fixture as in claim 1, wherein the duty cycle, clock and transformer are chosen so that the primary winding discharges substantially all of the energy stored therein every clock cycle.
3. A lighting fixture as in claim 1, wherein the power conditioning unit and lighting unit collectively emulate a resistor during normal operation.
4. A lighting fixture as in claim 1 additionally comprising an over-voltage protector configured to automatically adjust the duty cycle to prevent damage due to a non-normal operating condition in which the load voltage exceeds a rated voltage of the fixture.
5. A lighting fixture as in claim 1, wherein the generally fixed duty cycle is between about 35% and about 65%.
6. A lighting fixture as in claim 5, wherein the generally fixed duty cycle is between about 40% and about 50%.
7. A lighting fixture as in claim 1, wherein the power conditioning unit comprises a manually-adjustable variable resistor configured to adjust the switching frequency.
8. A lighting fixture as in claim 7, wherein the variable resistor is adapted to be adjusted during manufacture of the power conditioning unit so as to calibrate the switching frequency to a chosen value, and wherein the variable resistor is not accessible for adjustment during normal operation of the power conditioning unit.
9. A lighting fixture as in claim 1, wherein the power conditioning unit further comprises an impedance matching resistor connected in series between a thyristor-based dimmer and the rest of the power conditioning unit, wherein the impedance matching resistor is chosen to prevent a false trigger by the thyristor-based dimmer.
10. A lighting fixture as in claim 1, wherein the power conditioning unit is configured to operate at a rated voltage during normal operation, wherein the control circuit is configured so that when a load voltage differs significantly from the rated voltage, a non-normal condition is indicated, and the duty cycle is adjusted so as to adjust the power delivered to the load until the load voltage generally corresponds to the rated voltage, at which time the power conditioning unit returns to a normal condition.
11. A lighting fixture as in claim 1, wherein the transformer is configured to provide electrical isolation between the lighting unit and the relatively high input voltage.
12. A lighting fixture as in claim 11, wherein the power conditioning unit is enclosed within a housing, and a pair of apertures are formed through the housing to provide access to the power conditioning unit output, and a relatively low voltage is arranged across the output.
13. A method of dimming an LED using a thyristor-based dimmer, comprising:
providing an LED;
providing an LED driver comprising a substantially fixed operating frequency clock and a transformer;
providing a thyristor-based dimmer adapted to supply a power to the LED driver;
supplying power to the transformer as a function of the duty cycle so as to charge the transformer;
wherein the transformer is adapted to substantially fully discharge at least once per a predetermined number of clock cycles; and
directing at least a portion of the energy discharged from the transformer to the LED.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the transformer is adapted to substantially fully discharge once per duty cycle.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein a duty cycle of the substantially fixed frequency clock is between about 35% and about 60%.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein a duty cycle of the substantially fixed frequency clock is between about 40% and about 50%.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the transformer is adapted to provide electrical isolation.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the LED driver further comprises a screw-plug connection
19. The method of claim 13 additionally comprising providing a variable resistor configured to adjust the operating switching frequency, and adjusting the variable resistor to adjust the switching frequency.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising adjusting the substantially fixed switching frequency during manufacturing.
21. A light emitting diode dimming circuit for use with a thyristor-based dimmer switch, the light emitting diode dimmer circuit comprising:
a switching MOSFET;
a control circuit configured to provide a clock frequency and a duty cycle gate drive signal for controlling the MOSFET, the frequency and duty cycle being generally fixed during normal operation;
a transformer configured to store energy and discharge substantially all of the stored energy at least once per a predetermined number of clock cycles; and
one or more light emitting diodes configured to receive at least a portion of energy discharged by the transformer.
22. The light emitting diode dimming circuit of claim 21, wherein the transformer discharges substantially all of the stored energy once per each duty cycle.
23. The light emitting diode dimming circuit of claim 21, wherein the substantially fixed duty cycle is between about 35% and about 65%.
24. The light emitting diode dimming circuit of claim 21, wherein the substantially fixed duty cycle is between about 40% and about 50%.
25. The light emitting diode dimming circuit of claim 21, wherein the transformer is configured to provide electrical isolation.
26. The light emitting diode dimming circuit of claim 21, wherein the control circuit is adapted to sense a non-normal operating condition indicated by a changing output voltage, the control circuit is adapted to change the duty cycle to stabilize output voltage within a preset range, and wherein the control circuit maintains normal operation when the output voltage is stabilized.
27. The light emitting diode dimming circuit of claim 21 additionally comprising an impedance matching resistor arranged to be connected in series with a thyristor-based dimmer circuit, wherein the impedance matching resistor is chosen to prevent a false trigger by the thyristor-based dimmer.
28. A system for dimming an LED, the system comprising:
a thyristor-based dimmer;
a lighting portion comprising one or more LEDs;
an LED ballast operably connected between the thyristor based dimmer and the lighting portion, wherein the LED ballast is configured to imitate a resistive load as seen by the thyristor based dimmer.
29. The system of claim 28, wherein the LED ballast comprises a switching frequency clock that is substantially fixed during normal operation.
30. The system of claim 29, wherein the LED ballast comprises a transformer.
31. The system of claim 30, wherein the transformer is configured to substantially fully discharge once per clock cycle.
32. The system of claim 28, wherein the LED ballast comprises an impedance matching resistor.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A magnetic brake actuated spring clutch comprising:
an input shaft that is rotatably mounted in a housing, the input shaft having a bore at one end that receives the end of an output shaft for rotation relative to the input shaft,
a coil spring wound from flat wire disposed in the bore and surrounding the end of the output shaft that is in the bore,
the coil spring having an inboard part that is wound in one direction and a coaxial outboard part that is wound in an opposite direction,
the inboard part having an inboard end that is attached the to input shaft,
the outboard part having an outboard end that is attached to a rotor of a magnetic brake,
the rotor being journalled on the output shaft and including a sleeve that surrounds the outboard part of the coil spring,
the input shaft having a counterbore that surrounds the sleeve, and
the magnetic brake further including a stator that is secured in the housing.
2. The magnetic brake actuated spring clutch as defined in claim 1 wherein one of the stator and the rotor includes at least one permanent magnet and another of the stator and the rotor includes a plate of electrically conductive, non-magnetic metal disposed adjacent the at least one permanent magnet.
3. The magnetic brake actuated spring clutch as defined in claim 1 wherein the stator holds at least one permanent magnet and is made of a ferro-magnetic material, and the rotor includes a plate of electrically conductive, non-magnetic metal that is juxtaposed the magnet.
4. The magnetic brake actuator spring clutch as defined in claim 1 wherein the stator holds spaced opposed permanent magnets and the rotor includes a plate of electrically conductive, non-magnetic metal that is disposed between the spaced opposed permanent magnets.
5. A magnetic brake actuated spring clutch comprising:
an input shaft that is rotatably mounted in a housing,
a coaxial output shaft that is rotatably mounted in the housing for rotation relative to the input shaft,
a compound coil spring surrounding a portion of the output shaft, the coil spring having a first part that is wound in one direction and a coaxial second part that is wound in an opposite direction,
the first part being attached the to input shaft and the second part being attached to a rotor of a magnetic brake, and
the magnetic brake further including a stator that is secured in the housing.
6. The magnetic brake actuated spring clutch as defined in claim 5 wherein one of the stator and the rotor includes at least one magnet and another of the stator and the rotor includes at least one plate of electrically conductive, non-magnetic metal that is disposed adjacent the at least one magnet.
7. The magnetic brake actuated spring clutch as defined in claim 5 wherein the stator holds at least one magnet and the rotor includes a plate of electrically conductive, non-metallic metal that is juxtaposed the magnet.
8. The magnetic brake actuated spring clutch as defined in claim 5 wherein the stator holds two spaced opposed magnets and the rotor includes a plate of electrically conductive, non-metallic metal that is disposed between the two spaced opposed magnets.
9. A magnetic brake actuated spring clutch comprising:
a spring clutch having an input shaft that is rotatably mounted in a housing,
a coaxial output shaft that is rotatably mounted in the housing for rotation relative to the input shaft,
a coil spring surrounding a portion of the output shaft, the coil spring being attached to the input shaft at one end and attached to a rotor of a magnetic brake at another end,
the magnetic brake further including a stator that is secured in the housing,
one of the stator and the rotor including at least one magnet, and
another of the stator and the rotor including at least one plate of electrically conductive, non-magnetic metal that is disposed adjacent the at least one magnet.
10. The magnetic brake actuated spring clutch as defined in claim 9 wherein the stator includes a pair of spaced permanent magnets and the rotor includes a plate of electrically conductive, non-magnetic metal that is disposed between the pair of permanent magnets.