Patent ID: 8247994

Claim:
An LED illuminator comprising: a light emission circuit including an LED group and a connection line connecting the LED group; and a driver for driving the LED group by using an AC voltage inputted from outside; the driver including a constant-current control circuit, wherein the driver includes a first switch element for switching whether to supply or not to supply a voltage for bringing the LED group into a light-on state to the light emission circuit, the constant-current control circuit keeps current flowing to the light emission circuit at a predetermined value when the first switch element is in an on state, the driver includes a first voltage conversion circuit that includes a second switch element and that performs alternate switching between an on state and an off state of the second switch element to generate, from the AC voltage, a DC voltage for bringing the LED group into the light-on state, and the constant-current control circuit controls the on/off state of the second switch element to keep current flowing to the light emission circuit at a predetermined value when the LED group is in the light-on state.