Patent ID: 12207406

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments described herein provide a light fixture including a control printed circuit board and one or more light module printed circuit boards. Each of the one or more light module printed circuit boards is directly connected to the control printed circuit board at an aperture of the control printed circuit board. Such a configuration allows light from the light module printed circuit board to pass through the aperture of the control printed circuit board.

FIG.1illustrates a first light fixture100A that includes a control printed circuit board and at least one light module printed circuit board. The first light fixture100A is, for example, a profile light fixture, such as a Source Four LED light fixture manufactured and sold by Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc.

FIG.2illustrates a second light fixture100B that includes a control printed circuit board and at least one light module printed circuit board. The second light fixture100B is, for example, a wash light that includes a linear series of light sources or arrays of light sources, such as a ColorSource Linear light fixture manufactured and sold by Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc. The following description of the printed circuit boards inFIGS.3-7is applicable to either of the first and second printed circuit boards100A,100B.

As illustrated inFIG.3, the light fixture100A,100B includes a controller105, a plurality of light modules or light module printed circuit boards110A-110C, a plurality of driver circuits115A-115C, a power control circuit120, an input mechanism125, and one or more indicators130. The controller105includes a plurality of electrical and electronic components that provide power, operational control, and protection to the components and modules within the controller105and/or the fixture100A,100B. For example, the controller105includes, among other things, a processing unit135(e.g., a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or another suitable programmable device), a memory140, input units145, and output units150. The processing unit135includes, among other things, a control unit155, an arithmetic logic unit (“ALU”)160, and a plurality of registers165(shown as a group of registers inFIG.3), and is implemented using a known computer architecture (e.g., a modified Harvard architecture, a von Neumann architecture, etc.). The processing unit135, the memory140, the input units145, and the output units150, as well as the various modules connected to the controller105are connected by one or more control and/or data buses (e.g., common bus170). The use of one or more control and/or data buses for the interconnection between and communication among the various modules and components would be known to a person skilled in the art in view of the embodiments described herein. The control and/or data buses are shown generally inFIG.3for illustrative purposes.

The memory140is a non-transitory computer readable medium and includes, for example, a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area and the data storage area can include combinations of different types of memory, such as a ROM, a RAM (e.g., DRAM, SDRAM, etc.), EEPROM, flash memory, a hard disk, an SD card, or other suitable magnetic, optical, physical, or electronic memory devices. The processing unit135is connected to the memory140and executes software instructions that are capable of being stored in a RAM of the memory140(e.g., during execution), a ROM of the memory140(e.g., on a generally permanent basis), or another non-transitory computer readable medium such as another memory or a disc. Software included in the implementation of the light fixture100A,100B can be stored in the memory140of the controller105. The software includes, for example, firmware, one or more applications, program data, filters, rules, one or more program modules, and other executable instructions. The controller105is configured to retrieve from the memory140and execute, among other things, instructions related to the control processes and methods described herein. In other embodiments, the controller105includes additional, fewer, or different components.

The driver circuits115A-115C include a first driver circuit115A, a second driver circuit115B, and a third driver circuit115C, operable to provide control signals to the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C. For example, the first driver circuit115A is connected to a first light module printed circuit board110A for providing one or more drive signals to an array (i.e., one or more) light sources on the first light module printed circuit board110A. The second driver circuit115B is connected to a second light module printed circuit board110B for providing one or more drive signals to an array (i.e., one or more) light sources on the second light module printed circuit board110B. The third driver circuit115C is connected to a third light module printed circuit board110C for providing one or more drive signals to an array (i.e., one or more) light sources on the third light module printed circuit board110C.

The power control circuit120supplies a nominal AC or DC voltage to the light fixture100A,100B. In some embodiments, the power control circuit120is powered by one or more batteries or battery packs. In other embodiments, the power control circuit120is powered by mains power having nominal line voltages between, for example, 100V and 240V AC and frequencies of approximately 50-60 Hz. The power control circuit120is also configured to supply lower voltages to operate circuits and components within the light fixture100A,100B.

As illustrated inFIG.3, the controller105is connected to the three light module printed circuit boards110A-110C. The respective arrays of light sources on each light module printed circuit boards110A-110C can include multiple colors and zones for producing light. In some embodiments, the light fixture100A,100B includes four or more light module printed circuit boards. In other embodiments, the light fixture100A,100B includes fewer than three light module printed circuit boards (i.e., one or two light module printed circuit boards). In the illustrated embodiments, the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C include arrays of light emitting diodes (“LEDs”). In other embodiments, different light sources are used.

As illustrated inFIG.3, the controller105, the plurality of driver circuits115A-115C, the power control circuit120, the input mechanism125, and the one or more indicators130are all mounted on a control printed circuit board175. The control printed circuit board175is electrically and/or physically connected to the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C.

With reference toFIGS.4A-8, the control printed circuit board175includes one or more apertures200extending through the control printed circuit board175. In the illustrated embodiment, each aperture200is generally square in shape. In other embodiments, the apertures200may be circular, octagonal, or the like. As illustrated inFIG.4B, each aperture200includes a plurality of conductive traces205for connecting to complementary traces on the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C (seeFIG.5). The apertures200are disposed away from edges of the control printed circuit board175. In some embodiments, one or more apertures200are positioned at or near one or more of the edges of the control printed circuit board175such that the apertures200are accessible from the edge (seeFIG.8). The number of apertures200corresponds to the number of light module printed circuit boards110A-110C included in the fixture100A,100B. For example, in the depicted embodiment, three apertures200are provided in the control printed circuit board175, with a light module printed circuit board110A-110C being coupled to the control printed circuit board175at each of the apertures200. In other embodiments, greater than or fewer than three apertures200are provided. Each aperture200is sized such that the aperture200is slightly smaller than the light module printed circuit board110A-110C. The size of the apertures200allows the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C to be coupled to the control printed circuit board175around the edges of the aperture200(e.g., at a lap joint).

With reference toFIG.5, the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C include a plurality of light emitting diodes (“LEDs”)300disposed on a surface of the light module printed circuit board110A-110C. In other embodiments, a single LED, or an alternative light source, may be positioned on the light module printed circuit board110A-110C. The LEDs300are positioned proximate to a center of the light module printed circuit board110A-110C. In other embodiments, the LEDs300may be disposed at different locations on the light module printed circuit board110A-110C. Each of the LEDs300is electrically connected to traces305positioned on an edge of the light module printed circuit board110A-110C. For example, direct drive signals are provided to each of the LEDs300individually via two traces305. In some embodiments, multiple LEDs300are coupled to the same traces305. When the light module printed circuit board110A-110C is coupled to the control printed circuit board175, the traces305electrically connect the light module printed circuit board110A-110C to the control printed circuit board175. In some embodiments, the light module printed circuit board110A-110C also includes a thermistor.

With reference toFIG.6, the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C are connected to the control printed circuit board175at the apertures200such that the LEDs300are positioned in the apertures200(seeFIG.7) and light emitted from the LEDs300passes through the apertures200. The traces305at the edges of the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C are electrically connected to a bottom of the control printed circuit board175using, for example, solder joints. The solder joints allow for a secure electrical connection between the control printed circuit board175and the traces305of the light module printed circuit board110A-110C. In other embodiments, the traces305are coupled to the control printed circuit board175using different types of electrical connections (e.g., fusing).

With reference toFIG.7, the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C have fewer circuit board layers than the number of circuit board layers included in the control printed circuit board175. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C include a first number of printed circuit board layers (e.g., one layer) while the control printed circuit board175includes a second, greater number of printed circuit board layers (e.g., a plurality of layers). In other embodiments, the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C include more than one layer. In some embodiments, the control printed circuit board175provides better shielding than the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C, and, as a result, provides higher quality control signals to the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C.

Additionally, the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C define a first surface area that is smaller than a second surface area defined by the control printed circuit board175. The surface areas are measured as the areas of a front face of the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C and a front face of the control printed circuit board175, respectively. By offloading, for example, the driver circuits115A-115C from the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C to the control printed circuit board175, the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C can be made smaller. As a result, the density of the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C (i.e., density of traces305inFIG.5) is increased.

In some embodiments, the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C are manufactured from aluminum, copper, ceramic, or another similar material. Such materials provide improved heat transfer characteristics when compared to, for example, epoxy resin printed circuit boards. In some embodiments, the control printed circuit board175is manufactured from epoxy resin or another similar material. In other embodiments, the light module printed circuit boards110A-110C and the control printed circuit board175are manufactured from other materials.

Thus, embodiments described herein provide, among other things, a light fixture that includes a control printed circuit board having an aperture at which a light module printed circuit board is attached. Various features and advantages are set forth in the following claims.