AT16861U1 - Arrangement with an operating device for lighting means and a circuit supplied with galvanically separated power from an inductive element of the operating device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement of an operating device for lighting means and an electrical circuit, the operating device comprising at least one inductive element, for example a transformer. The electrical circuit has an inductive coupling element which is arranged in a magnetic stray field of the inductive element. The electrical circuit comprises a voltage supply means designed to generate a supply voltage for the electrical circuit from energy absorbed by the magnetic stray field of the inductive element.

Description

description

ARRANGEMENT WITH A CONTROL DEVICE FOR LIGHT SOURCES AND A CIRCUIT SUPPLIED BY AN INDUCTIVE ELEMENT OF THE CONTROL DEVICE, GALVANICALLY ISOLATED

The invention relates to an arrangement comprising an operating device for lighting means and an electrical circuit, the voltage supply of which is galvanically separated from an inductive element of the operating device.

For the operation of light sources such as light emitting diodes (LED) or fluorescent lights, operating devices, including ballasts, are used. The operating devices are set up to generate the required supply voltage for the lighting means from a mains supply voltage and at the same time to meet safety requirements. Further electrical circuits are used in conjunction with the operating device and the lighting.

Such further electrical circuits can include sensors such as motion sensors or brightness sensors. The operation of these sensors requires the availability of a supply voltage to supply voltage to the respective sensor. The sensors can be used, for example, for the metrological acquisition of physical parameters and transmission of the recorded parameters in an electrical sensor signal to the operating device.

To supply voltage to a sensor, appropriate leads and often also other circuits to be supplied for the control and external communication of the sensor are required. Usually, a converter used in the operating device generates the necessary low-voltage supply voltage, which is fed to the sensor via supply lines. The generation of this low-voltage supply voltage, however, means additional effort within the converter, additional external connection options such as plug connectors and additional supply lines between the converter and sensor as well as additional connecting lines for the sensor signal for the transmission of sensor data to the operating device. On the other hand, inductances of the operating device, in particular of a transformer of the operating device, are usually wrapped in a copper foil in order to control the unavoidable stray fields. The spreading power entered in this way remains unused.

Based on the prior art presented above, the invention is dedicated to the technical task of improving the use of external circuits and operating devices for lamps in a close spatial network and to improve overall efficiency by using the energy contained in the scattering power.

[0006] According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features of the arrangement according to independent claim 1. Advantageous further developments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

The object is achieved by an arrangement comprising an operating device for lighting means and an electrical circuit, the operating device comprising at least one inductive element. According to the invention, an inductive coupling element of the electrical circuit is arranged in a magnetic stray field of the inductive element.

By means of the arrangement according to the invention, a voltage supply for an electrical circuit arranged externally to the operating device is provided, with no additional wiring being required for the voltage supply from the operating device to the circuit. The effort for connection, such as plug connectors, mechanical bushings through a housing of the operating device, cables, cable guides, is reduced by the invention.

At the same time it is made possible to have a low-voltage circuit for the electrical circuit

and to design an input-side line voltage section of the operating device so as to be electrically isolated. Thus, requirements with regard to protection against high voltages can be met in a simple manner without additional effort.

The use of the leakage field to fulfill other tasks than the voltage supply of the circuit anyway existing inductance of the operating device reduces the effort by dispensing with additional components in the operating device, such as a converter, in terms of the number of components and required device dimensions. In particular, a mains input choke, a primary winding of an isolating transformer, a coil of a flyback converter, etc. can be the inductive element of the operating device whose stray field is used according to the invention. In addition, by absorbing the scattering power, the use of the film that normally surrounds the inductance can be dispensed with.

According to an advantageous development of the arrangement according to the invention, the electrical circuit comprises a voltage supply means set up to generate a supply voltage for the electrical circuit from energy absorbed by the magnetic stray field.

The magnetic coupling element takes energy from the stray magnetic field, an alternating field, by induction in a conductor of the coupling element and provides it in the form of an alternating current (alternating voltage). By means of the voltage supply means, this induced alternating current can be rectified and used as the provided low-voltage supply voltage, for example of a sensor.

According to a preferred embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, the electrical circuit has a storage means, in particular a capacitance, for storing electrical energy.

By means of the storage means, an approximately constant low-voltage direct voltage can be provided for operating, for example, a control circuit, a microcontroller or a user-specific switching circuit (ASIC). If a suitable capacity is used as the storage means, it is also possible to ensure continuous operation of the circuit for pulsed operation of the operating device.

The arrangement according to a further embodiment is characterized in that the electrical circuit comprises a sensor, in particular a motion sensor, and / or a communication interface, preferably for wireless communication, and the inductive element is controlled in a pulsed mode. The field energy absorbed via the magnetic coupling element is temporarily stored in the storage means and is also available for a motion sensor which is used to activate a light source.

Another embodiment of the arrangement comprises an electrical circuit with a first communication means designed for communication with the operating device.

By means of the first communication means of the electrical circuit, a signal, in particular a sensor signal or data signal of the electrical circuit, is transmitted to the operating device. A communication channel between the operating device and the electrical circuit can thus be implemented with little effort.

The first communication means of a preferred embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention preferably has a modulator designed for clocking the inductive coupling element and / or a transmission inductance.

According to an advantageous development of the arrangement according to the invention, the first communication means communicates with the operating device by changing a load of the inductive coupling element.

If the first communication means is designed in this way, special signal lines between the electrical circuit and the operating device are not required, and the switch is necessary for the voltage supply as well as for the signaling and / or data communication.

technical effort low.

The arrangement according to a further embodiment shows the operating device with a second communication means which is designed to communicate with the first communication means of the electrical circuit.

According to a further development, the operating device is characterized in that it comprises a housing and a housing cover, wherein the electrical circuit is arranged outside the housing or on the housing of the operating device.

The inventive arrangement of an embodiment forms the inductive coupling element of the electrical circuit arranged on the housing cover or integrated into the housing cover.

The supply of the electrical circuit via magnetic coupling enables the electrical circuit to be arranged outside the housing of the operating device. An expanded and / or changed functionality of the operating device can thus be easily implemented by adding a suitably designed electrical circuit, repair and / or replacement. The actual operating device can remain unchanged.

The housing cover of an advantageous development has at least one marking to designate a position of the inductive coupling element on the housing cover.

The marking enables the magnetic coupling element to be precisely positioned in relation to the inductive element. Even if the electrical circuit is subsequently attached to the housing cover, optimal positioning of the magnetic coupling element and inductive element and thus maximum energy extraction from the magnetic stray field can be achieved.

An arrangement according to one embodiment is characterized in that the inductive coupling element, together with the inductive element, exerts a magnetic force on the electrical circuit in the direction of the housing cover.

The use of the magnetic force enables improved adhesion of the electrical circuit to the housing cover, possibly in addition to fixing by means of screws, by gluing, etc.

According to a preferred embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention, the inductive element is at least part of an LLC transformer of the operating device and / or an inductance of a converter of the operating device.

The use of existing and technically necessary inductances of the operating device and their magnetic stray field enables energy to be supplied to external electrical circuits without additional effort on the operating device side.

[0031] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and figures. Show it

1 shows a schematic representation of an arrangement according to the invention comprising an operating device and an electrical circuit,

2 shows views of an arrangement according to the invention comprising an operating device and an electrical circuit,

3 shows a schematic representation of an electrical circuit according to the invention of a first exemplary embodiment,

4 shows a schematic representation of an electrical circuit according to the invention in a second exemplary embodiment, and

In the figures, the same reference symbols denote the same or corresponding elements. For reasons of illustration, repetition is largely dispensed with in the following description of advantageous exemplary embodiments.

In Figure 1, an arrangement according to the invention is shown in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention. The arrangement comprises an operating device 1 for operating a lighting means 2 and an electrical circuit 3. In Figure 1, a lighting means 2 is shown in the form of an LED. It is also possible, without departing from the invention, for the operating device 1 to supply a plurality of lighting means 2, which in turn comprise a plurality of light-emitting elements such as LEDs, gas discharge lamps, etc.

The invention is explained using the example of an LLC converter for operating at least one light source, for example an LED line. Driver circuits for operating light emitting diodes are known. For example, converters with an LLGC circuit, hereinafter referred to as LLC converter, are used as driver circuits. In LLC converters, a (series) resonance circuit is supplied by means of a (mains) alternating voltage. The resonance circuit feeds a transformer coil on the primary side. A transformer coil on the secondary side then supplies a light source directly. The supply voltage fed to the lighting means will typically be a direct voltage. The direct voltage can basically be generated by a rectifier circuit. However, it is advantageous to carry out the rectification by means of a transformer with a center tap on the secondary coil.

The LLC converter is thus an electrical circuit that is fed by an AC mains voltage on the input side and can be connected to the lighting means, for example one or more LEDs, and on the output side provides a DC voltage for a defined operation.

The operating device 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a network input 4. A mains input voltage Unet2 is present at mains input 4. The operating device 1 is shown as an LLC converter. This is followed, viewed from the mains input 4, by a half-bridge circuit 5 and then a series resonant circuit 6. The LED output 8 is then fed via a transformer 7. The output voltage U_L: p generated is provided at the LED output 8 for the lighting means 2.

In the operating device 1 shown, an alternating voltage or an alternating current is generated by the half-bridge circuit 5 and provided to a series resonant circuit 6. The energy provided with the alternating voltage oscillates in a resonance circuit and is at least partially delivered to the load of the transformer 7.

The series resonant circuit of the LLC converter generally consists of a capacitance C, an inductance L and a further coil L '. The further coil L 'serves to be able to transport the energy provided by means of the alternating voltage to the lighting means 2 as a load. In order to be able to transport the energy, the load is coupled to the series resonant circuit 6 via the transformer 7. The transformer 7 serves as a galvanic barrier (galvanic barrier) between the alternating voltage generated and the direct voltage supplied to the lighting means.

The transformer 7 ensures galvanic separation of the input-side section with a high mains voltage and an output-side section with a low-voltage supply voltage for the lighting means 2. A potential barrier, also referred to as an SELV barrier, is thus implemented for protective separation by means of the transformer 7. In the transformer 7, an alternating input current on the primary side generates an alternating magnetic field which induces an alternating output current in the coils on the secondary side. The primary-side input coil and the at least one secondary-side output coil, shown in FIG. 1, are two output coils, for example applied to a ferrite or iron core with high magnetic conductivity (permeability). The power transmission between the primary side and the secondary side takes place essentially via an alternating magnetic field via the magnetic flux ® in the ferrite core of the transformer.

It is customary to generate additional auxiliary voltages induced on the ferrite core via auxiliary windings, which, for example, supply control circuits of the operating device with electrical energy via supply lines.

The transformer 8, however, not only has a magnetic flux ® in the ferrite core which, starting from the primary windings, also flows through the secondary windings of the transformer in a targeted manner, but also has a magnetic leakage flux $ s. Due to the necessary spatial distance between several windings of the transformer, there is a magnetic leakage flux ®. The magnetic leakage flux Os is caused by the primary winding, but does not penetrate the secondary-side coils. As a result, this leakage flux ®s does not contribute to the magnetic coupling of the primary side with the secondary side of the transformer 7. The magnetic leakage flux ®s is therefore to be understood as "flux loss". This magnetic leakage flux ®s can be reduced by wrapping the transformer 7 with copper foil. This results in a reduction in the power loss of the transformer 7.

[0046] According to the invention, in the area of the magnetic leakage flux ®; of the transformer 7, an inductive coupling element 9 is arranged. This inductive coupling element 9 can be designed, for example, as at least one conductor loop or in the form of an antenna with a suitable design. The magnetic leakage flux Os induces a current in the inductive coupling element 9, which current can now be used to supply the electrical circuit 3 with voltage. With the arrangement according to the invention, scattering powers of z. B. 1 to 4 watts from the magnetic stray field to supply active electrical circuits that have only a low power consumption.

The above discussion of the voltage supply according to the invention takes place on the basis of the magnetic field or inductances. The consideration is also valid for the consideration of electromagnetic fields in a corresponding way. The term inductive coupling element 9 is to be equated with the term antenna.

The electrical circuit 3 according to the embodiment shown in Figure 1 comprises, in addition to an inductive coupling element 9, a voltage supply means comprising a rectifier 10 and a capacitance 11. The rectifier 10 receives an alternating voltage induced in the inductive coupling element 9 from the inductive element 9 and generates it by rectifying a low-voltage DC voltage with a suitable voltage level for supplying a control circuit 12. This low-voltage DC voltage is applied to a storage means 11 that, for example, smooths this low-voltage DC voltage, shorts voltage peaks and stores electrical energy.

The storage means 11 is preferably implemented as a capacitor (capacitance). In particular, a capacitor with a high energy density is suitable as storage means 11. A double-layer capacitor, also an electrochemical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) or supercapacitor ("Goldcap" TM), can be used particularly advantageously as the storage means 11.

The electrical circuit 3 according to FIG. 1 further comprises a sensor 13, which is supplied with voltage via the control circuit 11. A measured variable recorded by the sensor, for example for a physical parameter to be recorded such as brightness, is recorded by the control circuit 12, cached according to an exemplary embodiment, and / or transferred to a first communication means 14 in the form of recorded sensor data.

The first communication means 14 according to an advantageous exemplary embodiment is designed, for example, to transmit sensor data to the operating device 1 in the form of a sensor signal. The first communication means 14 of an exemplary embodiment includes a modulator for this purpose. The first communication means 14 can further comprise line drivers for transmitting the sensor signal to the operating device 1 by means of special sensor signal lines. The first communication means 14 of a further exemplary embodiment comprises a bus driver in order to transmit the sensor data via a bus, in particular a DALI bus. The electrical circuit 3 according to Figure 1, however, shows a sensor signal line from the first communication means 14 to the inductive element 9. The first communication means 14 according to Figure 1 is designed to be wireless, for example by a special transmitter inductance or

to transmit a signal to the operating device 1 by suitably modulated clocking of the inductive coupling element 9.

The operating device 1 according to one embodiment of the teaching according to the invention comprises a second communication means (not shown in FIG. 1). The second communication means is designed to receive the signal with the sensor data and / or further data such as control data, status data, etc., to demodulate the signal and to extract the transmitted information and / or sensor data and for further processing in the operating device 1 and / or to provide transmission to other recipients by the operating device.

Embodiments of the invention with different versions of the communication channel for signal transmission between operating device 1 and electrical circuit 3 are explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

First, FIG. 2 shows two views of an arrangement according to the invention in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the invention. In the upper partial view of FIG. 3, the plan view of an arrangement according to the invention comprising operating device 1 and electrical circuit 3 is shown.

The electrical circuit 3 in FIG. 2 connects the sensor 13, for example a motion sensor, via two sensor lines 16, 17. These sensor lines 16, 17 can ensure the voltage supply of the sensor 13 as well as the transmission of sensor signals (sensor data) to the main assembly 3.1 of the electrical circuit 3. The main assembly 3.1 of the electrical circuit 3 is shown in Figure 2 as an electrical circuit 3 as a circuit board 20 with components 18, 19, 21 applied thereon. The circuit board 20 also has a conductor track structure 22, shown in the upper partial view of FIG. 2, which realizes the inductive coupling element 9.

In contrast to the illustration in FIG. 2, the electrical circuit 3 is preferably arranged in its own circuit housing. This circuit housing is particularly preferably designed to be permeable to magnetic fields and to have little attenuation, at least in the area of the magnetic coupling element 9. This circuit housing can also only partially cover the electrical circuit 3. The circuit housing can thus be shaped in such a way that it only covers an upper side of the electrical circuit 3 that is not protected by the housing cover 24.

The housing cover 24 of an embodiment of the invention also shows a marking 25 on its top. The top of the housing cover 24 is that surface of the housing cover 24 which, after the housing cover 24 and the housing 23 have been assembled, faces outwards. The marking 25 can designate an area on the housing cover 24 as a color or tactile distinguishable marking. If the inductive coupling element 9 is arranged on this marked area of the housing cover 24, the magnetic coupling element 9 will be able to extract a particularly high level of scattering power from the magnetic stray field. According to a further exemplary embodiment, the marking 25 can be designed in such a way that it can at least partially take on the function of mechanically fastening the electrical circuit 3 to the housing cover 24. This can be done, for example, by forming rail-like guides on the upper side of the housing cover 24.

The circuit housing of the electrical circuit 3 or the printed circuit board 20 can be fastened on the housing 23, for example by means of screwing or an adhesive connection, or, as shown in FIG. 2, on the housing cover 24. At least additional adhesion of the electrical circuit 3 to the housing 23 can be achieved by the magnetic force exerted by the inductive element (transformer) 7 on the electrical circuit 3 in the direction of the housing cover 24.

In the lower partial view of FIG. 2, a side view of the arrangement according to the invention composed of operating device 1 and electrical circuit 3 is shown in a partial section. The housing 23 is shown in a region of the lower part of the figure in such a way that the spatial arrangement of the transformer 7 on a main circuit board 26 of the operating device 1

is recognizable. It can be seen from the lower partial figure in FIG. 2 that the inductive coupling element 9 is arranged directly above the transformer 7, but external to the housing 23 with the housing cover 24 of the operating device 1. A particularly favorable arrangement of the inductive coupling element 9 with regard to the energy to be drawn from the stray field of the transformer 7 is thus achieved.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of an electrical circuit according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention. A communication channel is implemented as a feedback channel between the electrical circuit 3 and the operating device 1. This communication channel is fed by a first communication means 14 on the side of the electrical circuit 3. For this purpose, the first communication means 14 can comprise a modulator for generating a transmission signal by modulating the data to be transmitted onto a carrier. The transmission signal is transmitted either wirelessly via special data lines, via a bus, in particular via a DALI bus, or wirelessly to the operating device 1 and / or to other receivers, e.g. B. transmit a central light control unit. The first communication means 14 can, for example, also include line drivers for transmitting the sensor signal to the operating device 1 by means of special sensor signal lines. The first communication means 14 of a further exemplary embodiment comprises a bus driver in order to transmit the sensor data via a bus, in particular a DALI bus.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of an electrical circuit according to the invention in accordance with an advantageous second exemplary embodiment of the invention. The electrical circuit 3 according to Figure 4, however, shows a switch 27. The switch 27 is controlled by the control circuit 12 and according to the data to be transmitted, e.g. B. sensor data of the sensor 13 switched. By switching the switch 27, which can be implemented, for example, by a transistor, the load effective at an output 29 of the inductive element 9 is changed. Thus, by clocking the inductive element 9 by the switch 27, a modulation of the load of the inductive element 9 as a function of the switch signal output by the control unit 12 is achieved. The control device 12 can thus transmit sensor data from the sensor 13 to a control device (not shown) of the operating device 1. The first communication means 14 is thus set up to wirelessly transmit sensor data to the operating device without needing a dedicated data line to the operating device 1 starting from the electrical circuit 3 and without using conventional methods for wireless data transmission.

This realizes a particularly advantageous arrangement of one or more sensors 13 in conjunction with at least one operating device 1 for lighting means 2, which according to the invention require only little additional circuit and installation effort for power supply and signal transmission.

The communication channel between the operating device 1 and the electrical circuit 3 can also be designed to be bidirectional. The first communication means 14 and the second communication means can then be selected to be suitable for duplex operation.

The features presented above can be advantageously combined with one another within the scope of the invention defined in the patent claims.

Claims (10)

Expectations 1. An arrangement comprising an operating device (1) for lighting means (2) and an electrical circuit (3), wherein the operating device (1) comprises at least one inductive element (7), and wherein the electrical circuit (3) is an inductive coupling element (9 ), which is arranged in a magnetic stray field of the inductive element (7). 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrical circuit (3) comprises a voltage supply means (10, 11) designed to generate a supply voltage for the electrical circuit (3) from energy absorbed by the magnetic stray field. 3. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the electrical circuit (3) comprises a storage means (11), in particular a capacitance, for storing electrical energy. 4. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the electrical circuit (3) comprises a sensor (13), in particular a motion sensor, and / or a communication interface, and the inductive element (7) is controlled in pulsed operation becomes. 5. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the electrical circuit (3) comprises a first communication means (14) designed for communication with the operating device (1). 6. Arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the first communication means (14) comprises a modulator designed to clock the inductive coupling element (9) and / or a transmission inductance. 7. Arrangement according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the first communication means (14) is set up to communicate with the operating device (1) by changing a load of the inductive coupling element (9). 8. Arrangement according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the operating device (1) comprises a second communication means set up for communication with the first communication means (14) of the electrical circuit (3). 9. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the operating device (1) comprises a housing (23) and a housing cover (24), and that the electrical circuit (3) is arranged outside the housing (23). 10. The arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that the inductive coupling element (9) of the electrical circuit (3) is arranged on the housing cover (24) or is designed to be integrated into the housing cover (24). In addition 3 sheets of drawings