1-46. (canceled)
47. A lighting system, comprising:
at least two strings of solid state lighting devices that are respectively configured to emit at least a first light and a second light, respectively;
at least two current supply circuits coupled to first and second strings of the at least two strings, respectively, each of the current supply circuits configured to supply an on-state drive current to a respective string of the at least two strings of solid state lighting devices in response to at least one control signal generated in response to a sensor output signal generated by at least one temperature sensor, each of the current supply circuits comprising:
a controller having a control input, a first control output configured to provide a first PWM control signal, and a second control output configured to provide a second PWM control signal; and
first and second output terminals coupled to the respective string of the at least two strings of solid state lighting devices.
48. The lighting system according to claim 47, further comprising a sense resistor coupled to the second output terminal of ones of the current supply circuits.
49. The lighting system according to claim 48,
wherein the controller further comprises a feedback input coupled to the sense resistor, and
wherein the controller is configured to activate the second control signal in response to a feedback signal received on the feedback input.
50. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein the controller comprises a closed loop control system that is configured to generate the first and second PWM control signals in response to the sensor output signals generated by the at least one temperature sensor.
51. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein ones of the at least two current supply circuits comprise a variable voltage boost, constant current power supply circuit configured to operate in continuous current mode.
52. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein ones of the at least two current supply circuits comprise a voltage input terminal, and a control input terminal.
53. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein ones of the at least two current supply circuits comprise a charging inductor coupled to the voltage input terminal and an output capacitor coupled to the first output terminal.
54. The lighting system according to claim 53, wherein the ones of the at least two current supply circuits are each configured to operate in continuous conduction mode in which current continuously flows through the charging inductor while the on-state drive current is supplied to the first and second strings, respectively.
55. The lighting system according to claim 53, wherein each of the current supply circuits comprises:
a rectifier having an anode coupled to the charging inductor and a cathode coupled to the output capacitor; and
a first control transistor coupled to the anode of the rectifier and having a control terminal coupled to the first control output of the controller,
wherein the first control transistor is configured to cause the charging inductor to be energized in response to the first PWM control signal from the controller and to cause energy stored in the charging inductor to be discharged through the rectifier and into the output capacitor in response to the first PWM control signal.
56. The lighting system according to claim 55, further comprising a second control transistor coupled to the second output terminal of the current supply circuit and having an input coupled to the second control output of the controller;
wherein the second control transistor is configured to cause a voltage stored in the output capacitor to be applied to the first output terminal of the current supply circuit in response to the second PWM control signal from the controller.
57. The lighting system according to claim 56, wherein ones of the current supply circuits further comprise:
a low pass filter between the second control output and the second control transistor.
58. The lighting system according to claim 53, wherein the charging inductor has an inductance of about 50 \u03bcH to about 1.3 mH.
59. The lighting system according to claim 53, wherein the charging inductor has an inductance of about 680 \u03bcH.
60. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein the sensor output signal comprises a first sensor output signal, further comprising a light sensor that generates a second sensor output signal responsive to light output by the lighting system,
wherein the at least one control signal comprises the first sensor output signal and the second output sensor signal.
61. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein ones of the current supply circuits are configured to convert at least about 85% of input power into output power.
62. The lighting system according to claim 47, wherein ones of the current supply circuits are configured to convert at least about 90% of input power into output power.
63. A lighting system, comprising:
a lighting panel including at least first and second strings of solid state lighting devices that are respectively configured to emit at least a first light and a second light, respectively;
at least first and second current supply circuits coupled to the at least first and second strings of solid state lighting devices, respectively, and configured to supply an on-state drive current to a respective one of the first and second strings of solid state lighting devices, wherein the first current supply circuit is responsive to at least one control signal generated in response to a feedback signal generated from the second string of solid state devices,
64. The lighting system according to claim 63,
wherein each of the first and second current supply circuits comprises a variable voltage boost, constant current power supply circuit configured to operate in continuous current mode; and
a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller that is coupled to the current supply circuits and that is configured to generate, for ones of the first and second current supply circuits, a first PWM control signal and a second PWM control signal that are supplied to the at least first and second strings, respectively,
65. The lighting system according to claim 64, wherein each of the first and second current supply circuits comprises:
a temperature sensor that is configured to generate a sensor output signal that the PWM controller uses to generate the first PWM signal or the second PWM signal, and
a sense resistor that is coupled to an output terminal of the current supply circuit and that is configured to provide a feedback signal to the PWM controller.
66. The lighting system according to claim 63, wherein each of the first and second current supply circuits comprises a sense resistor that is coupled to an output terminal of the respective one of the first and second current supply circuits and that is coupled to a feedback input to provide the feedback signal to provide closed loop control.
67. The lighting system according to claim 66, further comprising a filter coupled to the sense resistor, the filter configured to filter the feedback input.
68. The lighting system according to claim 63,
wherein the first string of solid state lighting devices are coated with a wavelength conversion phosphor and are configured to emit the first light that includes a combined light including a dominant wavelength corresponding to a blue color and a dominant wavelength corresponding to a yellow color, and
wherein the second string of solid state lighting devices are configured to emit the second light that includes a dominant wavelength corresponding to a red color.
69. The lighting system according to claim 68, wherein the first current supply circuit provides current control of the first string of solid state lighting devices that is independent of current control of the second string of solid state lighting devices provided by the second current supply circuit.
70. The lighting system according to claim 68, further comprising a third string of solid state lighting devices that are configured to emit a third light that includes a dominant wavelength corresponding to a red color.
71. The lighting system according to claim 70, further comprising a third current supply circuit that is configured to supply an on-state drive current to the third string of solid state lighting devices, and
wherein the first current supply circuit provides current control of the first string of solid state lighting devices that is independent of current control of the second string of solid state lighting devices provided by the second current supply circuit and that is independent of current control of the third string of solid state lighting devices provided by the third current supply circuit.
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 method of vacuum thermoforming a container which includes an outer surface including an outwardly-projecting ridge, the container further including a base, side walls, and an inwardly-projecting cut lip, the method comprising:
(a) providing a three-part mold defining a cavity conforming in shape to the outer surface of the container, the cavity including an undercut portion corresponding to the ridge of the container, the mold including separable first, second and third portions, the first portion including a planar upper surface and an upper lip, the first portion defining an upper part of the undercut portion, the second portion defining a lower part of the undercut portion and further defining a surface corresponding to the side walls of the container, the first and second portions of the mold being separable along a part line located along the ridge of the container, the third portion defining a surface corresponding to the base of the container, the cavity being shaped so that the separated thermoplastic material is a shell having a base surrounded by integrally formed side walls extending upward to a cut lip, the walls and base formed of a single thermoplastic sheet and defining a volume, the side walls including a ridge below the cut lip, the ridge protruding away from the volume and being sized to support the shell on a lower surface of the ridge against a cut lip of a second identical shell with the bases of the two shells spaced apart when the shell is nested within the second identical shell, the cut lip extending inward about the volume;
(b) positioning a heated sheet of thermoplastic material over the mold;
(c) drawing the heated sheet of thermoplastic material over the upper lip of the mold and down into the cavity and into the undercut portion of the mold;
(d) allowing the drawn thermoplastic material to cool below its glass transition temperature;
(e) after said allowing, cutting the thermoplastic material along the upper lip of the mold to separate the drawn thermoplastic material in the mold cavity from the remainder of the thermoplastic material to produce the thermoformed container;
(f) separating the first, second, and third portions of the mold whereby the second and third portions move downwardly away from the first portion until the third portion contacts an ejector plug, the second portion thereafter continuing downward until clear of the thermoformed container; and
(g) removing the thermoformed container from the second and third portions of the mold.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cavity includes at least one ejector pin for pushing the formed thermoplastic material from the cavity prior to said removing.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cavity is shaped so that the ridge has at least one wall obtusely angled with respect to an adjoining portion of the side wall so that a gap is formed between ridges of the two shells when they are nested.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the cavity is shaped so that the upwardly extending walls include a ridge below the cut lip, the ridge protruding away from the volume and extending around the entire periphery of the upwardly extending walls.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said removing is between the first and second portions.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said cutting is before said separating.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said cutting is after said allowing.
8. A method of vacuum thermoforming a container which includes an outer surface including an outwardly-projecting ridge, a base, side walls, and an inwardly-projecting cut lip, the method comprising:
providing a three-part mold defining a cavity conforming in shape to the outer surface of the container, the cavity including an undercut portion corresponding to the ridge of the container, the mold including separable first, second and third portions, the first portion including a planar upper surface and an upper lip, the first portion defining an upper part of the undercut portion, the second portion defining a lower part of the undercut portion and further defining a surface corresponding to the side walls of the container, the first and second portions of the mold being separable along a part line located along the ridge of the container, the third portion defining a surface corresponding to the base of the container, the cavity being shaped so that the separated thermoplastic material is a shell having a base surrounded by integrally formed side walls extending upward to a cut lip, the walls and base formed of a single thermoplastic sheet and defining a volume, the side walls including a ridge below the cut lip, the ridge protruding away from the volume and being sized to support the shell on a lower surface of the ridge against a cut lip of a second identical shell with the bases of the two shells spaced apart when the shell is nested within the second identical shell, the cut lip extending inward about the volume;
positioning a heated sheet of thermoplastic material over the mold;
drawing the heated sheet of thermoplastic material over the mold and into the cavity and into the undercut portion of the mold;
allowing the drawn thermoplastic material to cool below its glass transition temperature;
after said allowing, cutting the cooled thermoplastic material along the upper lip of the mold to separate the drawn thermoplastic material in the mold cavity from the remainder of the thermoplastic material;
separating the first, second, and third portions of the mold whereby the second and third portions move downwardly away from the first portion until the third portion contacts an ejector plug, the second portion thereafter continuing downward until clear of the thermoformed container; and
removing the thermoformed container from the second and third portions of the mold.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein said cutting is before said separating.