EP2809129B1 - Safety devices for protecting LED lights against interference - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates generally to protective devices for the protection of LED-based bulbs against glitches. Under interference pulses are understood here any kind of voltage or current surges, which can have a detrimental effect, in particular on the LED. The invention relates in particular to an operating device for LED lighting means with a protective device against such interference pulses, an LED lighting module with a corresponding protection device and finally also a corresponding protection module as such, for example for retrofitting known operating devices or LED lighting modules.

In conventional control gear for conventional lamps such as fluorescent tubes, a sufficient protection of the lamps is already ensured by the input-side protection of the operating device itself. Thus, it is already known to protect operating devices for lighting, such as electronic ballasts for discharge lamps or operating devices for LED bulbs, against surges from the power grid. This is usually done by voltage-resistant design or additional voltage-limiting components, such as gas-filled surge arresters, varistors or suppressor diodes. As a result, surges on the power connections on harmless levels limited. This applies both to interference pulses between the current-carrying conductors (symmetrical interference pulses) and to interference pulses between at least one of these conductors and the ground potential (asymmetrical interference pulses).

From the European patent application EP2290777A1 For example, an operating device for LED bulbs with an input-side protection device is known. This operating device comprises input-side mains connections for the power supply and an LED driver circuit having a first and second output-side LED connection for providing a supply voltage for the LED lighting means. According to EP2290777A1 An overvoltage stage is provided either on the input side to the mains connections or between the rectifier stage and the actual LED driver. A similar structure is also from the international patent application WO 2012/143871 A1 or from the US patent application US 2010/0127625 A1 known.

The circuit off US 2010/0127625 A1 is provided on the input side between the network terminals and the supply circuit. For this purpose, eg (cf. 3a ) proposed an arrangement with three varistors, wherein a first and a second varistor in series connect the phase and the neutral conductor and the node of the two varistors is connected to the ground conductor. A third varistor directly connects the phase and neutral conductors.

When switching off WO 2012/143871 A1 the protection circuit between the rectifier stage and the actual LED driver is arranged. An embodiment (see. FIG.2 ) has four varistors, wherein two varistors in parallel connect the phase and the neutral conductor, the junction of the two varistors of a third varistor is connected to the ground conductor and a fourth varistor directly connects phase and ground conductors.

By a corresponding protection of the input circuit of the operating devices, a certain protection of the LED lamps is achieved in addition to the main objective to protect the operating device itself.

Compared to conventional bulbs, such as gas discharge lamps, LED bulbs, however, are much more sensitive to glitches such as voltage or current spikes. Reliable protection, in particular against asymmetrical interference pulses, however, can not be guaranteed in practice by the previously known input-side protection devices.

A protective device especially for the protection of LED bulbs against overvoltage is known from the international patent application WO 2011/158196 known. Here, an LED lighting module is proposed, which includes a protection device for the protection of the individual LED components. With the LED light module according to WO 2011/158196 a plurality of series-connected LEDs are connectable via a first and second LED terminal to the LED driver circuit. On the LED carrier board of the lighting module, a protective capacitor is provided for each node between two LEDs, which connects this node to the first or second LED terminal to protect the individual LED. The capacitance of the capacitors is in this case chosen so that their impedance is less than the impedance between the respective node and the ground potential, ie less than the impedance of the parasitic capacitance between the track between the LED and the metal core of the LED carrier board.

The protection device off WO 2011/158196 Although it allows a protection of the individual LED bulbs against certain interference voltages, but brings with it certain disadvantages. For control gear, which have no high common mode rejection between the input and output side, the protective capacitors must be relatively large, which leads on the one hand to high costs and on the other hand to increased leakage currents. In addition, suitable protection can only be achieved with a very precise design of the overall system, and n-1 protection capacitors are required for n LED. Finally, it can lead to unwanted leakage currents.

An object of the present invention is therefore to propose a protective device for the protection of LED bulbs, which at the same time, despite simple implementation improved protection of the LED bulb against glitches, in particular asymmetric glitches at the power input achieved. The protective device should in particular be integrable in an operating device or in an LED lighting module, or be produced as a separate module. This object is achieved by an operating device with a protective device according to claim 1, by an LED lighting module with a corresponding protective device according to claim 4 and by a producible as a separate module protection module for protecting an LED illuminant according to claim 6.

According to the invention, the protection device is characterized in that a protection circuit connected to the first and the second LED connection, which serve to supply an LED light source, is provided. According to the invention, the protection circuit is provided with a first protection component, which preferably has a voltage-limiting effect, and with a second protection component, which connects the first protection component to an LED connection. The first protective component, preferably directly or via another protective component, is also connected to the other LED connection. Furthermore, the protective device according to the invention is characterized by an additional protective connection or a conductive connection. This or this is provided with the purpose, via the first protection component to connect a part in or on a support of the LED light source, in particular a metal core or heat sink, with the protection circuit. As a result, surges due to glitches on the LED illuminant can be effectively limited or derived to a neutral potential.

In a preferred embodiment, the protection circuit comprises a first voltage-limiting protection component and a second voltage-limiting protection component, which are connected in series. Here, the node between the first and the second protection component is connected or connectable to the part in or on the carrier of the LED light source.

In order to increase the protective effect, the voltage-limiting first protection component or the node of the protective components is preferably connected to a part which is coupled via parasitic capacitance to the individual nodes between the LED, which in typical substrates in the range of 5-200pF, ie is on the order of 10 to 100pF. Basically, the parasitic capacitance increases with the area of the tracks Supply of the LED.

The protection circuit can be integrated on the one hand in the operating device or on the other hand also in the LED lighting module. Alternatively, a protective circuit having the same effect can also be embodied as part of a separately designed protective module for protecting the LED illuminant. The latter variant is particularly suitable for retrofitting existing operating devices or LED bulbs.

The term "LED bulbs" includes bulbs with one or more LEDs. LEDs are diodes that emit light in response to a current, regardless of the technology chosen, including those based on conventional semiconductors or organic LEDs (OLEDs). Likewise, all suitable operating devices and LED driver circuits are within the scope of the invention. As voltage-limiting protective components are specifically designed to limit to a predetermined range of allowable voltages components, such as spark gaps, gas-filled surge, TVS diodes, varistors, etc. understood, especially those which remain undamaged in a typical voltage breakdown, ie, if necessary, are multi-effective. Protection components in general are all components which can be used in circuit technology, which, if appropriate, can ensure, by means of suitable circuitry, that only minor additional voltage drops at the LED connections in the case of interference pulses. For reasons of standardity, it is also possible to use resistors and capacitors instead of an actual voltage-limiting protective component. For example, a relatively large capacitor can be used, the protective effect being that the voltage of the interference pulse is divided such that a small voltage between the LED terminals and the protection terminal drops and the majority of the voltage drops above the high common mode impedance.

When integrated in the operating device or when executed as a separate protection module, the voltage-limiting first protection component or the node between the first and second protection component is connected to an additional protection terminal. About this protection connection can then connect the part in or on the support of the LED bulb with the protection circuit. If, on the other hand, the protective circuit is implemented as an integrated component of an LED lighting module, then the voltage-limiting first protective component or the node between the first and the second protective component without external connection can directly contact the neutral potential or the part in or on the carrier of the LED lighting device get connected. As a neutral potential, for example, the LED heat sink or the metal core of a single LED-carrying metal core board can be used. In certain cases, a connection with the housing of the LED bulb is also considered. The proposed protection circuit is suitable for luminaires of protection classes I, II and III or for SELV control gear.

In embodiments in which the protection circuit is embodied as part of the operating device, it is particularly expedient if the output side of the LED driver has a high common-mode impedance with respect to the input-side network connections. This can be carried out for example by a galvanic isolation in the transformer of the switching power supply. Accordingly, embodiments are expedient in which the operating device comprises a switched-mode power supply, in particular a switched-mode power supply with a transformer, which separates the LED connections galvanically from the mains connections. This can be achieved, for example, easily with a SELV driver. These typically ensure a voltage between input and output on the order of 4kV. However, the galvanic isolation is also useful in devices where the output voltages exceed the permitted SELV protective extra-low voltages. The higher common mode impedance already reduces the risk of destruction of the LEDs. Supplemented by the protection circuit according to the invention can be ensured that the LEDs are not charged with a surge, which destroys them.

If the protective circuit is manufactured as part of a separately executed protection module, it is expedient to provide in this protection module, a further protection circuit for the power supply side overvoltage protection of the operating device. For additional security, it is expedient in this case, the further protective circuit high impedance, e.g. by another high-impedance surge arrester, which fulfills the requirement of increased and double insulation (for example in the sense of protection class II), to be separated from the protection circuit at the first and second LED connection.

Secondary interference voltages, which could affect the LEDs, can be limited to harmless levels by different voltage-limiting components. Preferably, the first and the second protection component are realized by means of identical component types in order to be able to dissipate asymmetrical interference pulses of both polarities in the same way. It is expedient, for example, to execute the first and second protection components as suppressor diodes or TVS diodes. The protective components can alternatively also be designed as varistors, in particular as metal oxide varistors. It is also conceivable, for example, an embodiment based on gas gaps or gas-filled surge arresters.

As an alternative to a design with identical components and a structure with differently designed paths for deriving the glitches is possible.

As an alternative to the design with two voltage-limiting protective components, only the first protection component can be designed as a voltage-limiting protective component and connected to the neutral potential. A voltage-limiting protective component is already sufficient to prevent unwanted leakage currents, for example, to earth potential and at the same time to derive interference pulse energy.

As such an alternative, it may be expedient to provide that the second protection component is designed as a pulse-solid capacitor, wherein either this second protection component or possibly a series circuit of the second protection component with a further protective component also designed as a pulse-resistant capacitor, the connection to the first and second LED connection represents. Due to the frequency-dependent impedance capacitors act against the present at pulse-like disturbances high-frequency components as a low-resistance connection between the voltage-limiting protective component and the respective LED connection. In addition, pulse-resistant capacitors are cheaper and can at least partially absorb time-limited overvoltages and thus also develop a certain protective effect similar to that of a smoothing or blocking capacitor. When two capacitors are used in series connection, even with a suitable choice of the forward voltage or breakdown voltage of the voltage-limiting protective component, even minor disturbances can be reliably dissipated to the neutral potential.

The energy to be dissipated during glitches can be picked up by a common mode impedance at the output of the LED driver, such as a transformer coil.

In devices with galvanic isolation between the input and output side of the operating device, it has proven to be expedient if the first and the second protection component each have a forward or breakdown voltage which is several tens of volts greater than half the LED supply voltage. For devices without electrical isolation is the Breakdown voltage is expediently several tens of volts greater than the sum of the peak-to-peak voltage of the mains supply and half the LED supply voltage.

If one or more capacitors are used as protective components, a protective effect can be achieved by suitably selecting the capacitance, even with lower forward or breakdown voltages of the voltage-limiting protective component. This embodiment is particularly advantageous at high source impedance.

For controlled conversion into heat or for protection, regardless of the embodiment of the LED driver, it is expedient if the protective device has a first and a second impedance component. Conveniently, the first impedance component connects a protection component to the first LED terminal. Similarly, the second impedance component connects another protection component to the second LED terminal.

Expediently, a third and a fourth impedance component can furthermore be provided in the protective device. In this case, the third impedance component is connected to the node between the first protection component and the first impedance component and, in particular, connects the one protection component to the third connection for the LED driver circuit. Accordingly, the fourth impedance component is connected to the node between the other protection component and the second impedance component and, in particular, connects the second protection component to a fourth terminal for the LED drive circuit.

The first and second and / or third and fourth impedance components are preferably designed with a mainly inductive component (up to a few MHz). These can be carried out particularly expediently as air coils and / or coils with ferrite core, whereby pulse-like impulses are attenuated without appreciable losses in the LED operating current cause. As a result, the requirements regarding the load capacity of the voltage-limiting protective components are reduced.

Particularly suitable is the invention for use with or retrofitting street lights in LED technology.

The invention also relates to a method according to claim 17 for the protection of LED bulbs using a protective device according to the invention.

FIG.1:

ein Betriebsgerät für LED-Leuchtmittel mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Schutzschaltung;

FIG.2:

ein LED-Leuchtmodul mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Schutzschaltung;

FIG.3:

ein vom Betriebsgerät und dem LED-Leuchtmodul getrennt ausgeführtes Schutzmodul mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Schutzschaltung, in einer ersten Ausführungsform;

FIG.4:

eine erste erfindungsgemäße Schutzschaltung;

FIG.5:

eine zweite erfindungsgemäße Schutzschaltung;

FIG.6:

eine dritte erfindungsgemäße Schutzschaltung;

FIG.7:

ein vom Betriebsgerät und dem LED-Leuchtmodul getrennt ausgeführtes Schutzmodul mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Schutzschaltung, in einer zweiten Ausführungsform;

FIG.8:

eine vierte erfindungsgemäße Schutzschaltung;

FIG.9:

eine fünfte erfindungsgemäße Schutzschaltung.

Further details, advantages and features of the invention can be taken from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereby show:

FIG.1:

an operating device for LED lamps with a protection circuit according to the invention;

FIG.2:

an LED lighting module with a protection circuit according to the invention;

FIG.3:

a separately executed by the operating device and the LED light module protection module with a protection circuit according to the invention, in a first embodiment;

FIG.4:

a first protection circuit according to the invention;

FIG.5:

a second protection circuit according to the invention;

FIG.6:

a third protection circuit according to the invention;

FIG.7:

a separate from the operating device and the LED light module protection module with a protective circuit according to the invention, in a second embodiment;

FIG.8:

a fourth protection circuit according to the invention;

FIG.9:

a fifth protection circuit according to the invention.

In FIG. 1 an operating device 10 for supplying power to an LED lighting module 2 is illustrated schematically or in block form. The operating device 10 is connected via the input side power connections 3, here phase, neutral and earth conductors to the supply network. The operating device 10 of most known type and typically includes a switching power supply with high common mode impedance between the power terminals 3 and output side LED terminals 5, 6. The simplified illustrated operating device 10 includes, inter alia, an LED driver 4, for example, a constant current driver, to provide a suitable Supply voltage for the series connection of multiple LEDs 7 in the LED light module 2, which is connected via the LED terminals 5, 6 to the LED driver 4 and the output side to the operating device 10.

To protect the LEDs 7 in the LED light module 2 against glitches, in particular against asymmetrical interference voltages from the network, a protective circuit 11 is provided in the operating device 10, which is connected downstream of the LED driver 4 and connected to the two LED terminals 5, 6 is. The protection circuit 11 may, for example according to FIG.4 be executed and includes a series circuit of a first and a second voltage-limiting protective component 12, 14. A protective circuit 51, 61 according to FIG.5-6 or FIG. 8-9 can be provided. The protection circuits described herein protect not only the LEDs 7 but also other components such as the insulation in the metal core board (see below).

On the output side of the operating device 10, the protection circuit 11 according to FIG.1 a separate protection terminal 16. The protective terminal 16 is connected to the node 15 between the two protective components 12, 14. Thus, on the basis of the protective terminal 16, a suitable part 18 in or on the carrier 17 of the LED lighting module 2 with the protection circuit 11 are connected to surge impulse overvoltages on LED light-emitting means 2, in particular at the LED terminal 5 and / or at the LED terminal 6 to limit to a desired level.

As a result of the symmetrical circuit structure, asymmetrical interference charges can likewise be dissipated to one of the LED terminals 5 or to the other LED terminal 6 to a neutral potential. As a component with a neutral potential, for example, the heat sink 18 of the LEDs 7 comes into consideration, especially in LEDs 7 with a carrier 17 made of ceramic or FR4. In a metal core board as a carrier 17, the protection circuit 11 can be connected via the protective terminal 16 also with the metal core of the metal core board. It is also a conductive connection with the housing of the lamp 9 into consideration, especially when designed as a street lamp.

In an alternative embodiment according to FIG.2 the protection circuit 11 is not integrated in the operating device 1, but in an LED lighting module 22. In this case, no separate, externally accessible protection terminal is provided, but a protective conductor 26 within the LED lighting module 22 connects the node 15 between the two protective components 12, 14 directly to the metal core or the heat sink. Otherwise, the execution is after FIG.2 electrically and circuitally equivalent to FIG.1 and can after with one of the protection circuits FIG.4-6 be executed.

In the alternative version according to FIG.3 the protection circuit 11 is integrated into a separately manufactured protection module 30 for retrofitting existing operating devices 1 or LED lighting modules 2. Due to the small size of this protection module 30 can be easily retrofitted into the housing of a lamp 9, for example, an LED street light installed. Accordingly, the protection module further connections, namely a third and a fourth terminal 33, 34 for connection to the output-side terminals of LED driver circuit 4 on. The LED lighting module 2 is in turn connected to the LED terminals 5, 6, with which the protection circuit 11 is connected. Via the protective terminal 16, for example, the heat sink 18 is conductively connected to the node 15 of the protection circuit 11. Otherwise, the execution is after FIG.3 equivalent to FIG.1 or FIG.2 ,

Purely for purposes of illustration Fig.1-3 parasitic capacitances between the heat sink 18 and the nodes between the pairs of LED 7. Due to the parasitic coupling interference can easily lead to the destruction or impairment of individual LED 7. The protection circuit 11 according to the invention protects against this.

FIG.4 shows a protective device according to the invention in the form of a protective circuit 11 with a total of six double poles in the form of an H-circuit. The cross connection or the bridge branch forms the series connection of two preferably identical protective components 12, 14, for example gas-filled surge arresters. A first impedance component 41, for example an air or ferrite core coil, connects the first protection component 12 to the first LED connection 5. A second impedance component 42, for example an air or ferrite core coil, connects the second protection component 14 to the second LED connection 6. Further, third and fourth impedance components 43 and 44 respectively connect the first protection component 12 and the second protection component 14 to a corresponding terminal directly to the LED driver circuit. Due to the additional impedance components 41, 42, 43, 44, overvoltage-induced currents can be converted into heat or field energy in a controlled manner. By suitable choice of the protective components 12, 14, the breakdown voltage is predetermined as a function of the LED lighting module 2 to be protected, so that it is at least greater than half the LED supply voltage VS to supply the LED lighting module 2. For devices with galvanic isolation between the power terminals 3 and the LED terminals 5, 6, the breakdown voltage Accordingly, be in the range of a few tens to a few hundred volts. For devices without galvanic isolation between the power terminals 3 and the LED terminals 5, 6, the breakdown voltage should be increased according to the peak-to-peak voltage of the mains supply and may well be in the range of 700-1000V.

As an alternative to the embodiment of the protective circuit 11 shown in FIG FIG.4 can be provided instead of four only two or no impedance components in the circuit of the LED 7. Also possible is an arrangement of the impedance components in the cross connection or in the bridge branch in series with the protective components 12, 14.

FIG.5 shows a variant of a protective circuit 51 without impedance components, in particular suitable for operating devices with high common mode rejection. As protection components TVS diodes 52, 54 are provided, for example suppressor diodes of the type P6KE.

FIG.6 shows a further variant of a protection circuit 61 without impedance components. As protection components here voltage-dependent resistors or varistors 62, 64 are provided, in particular metal oxide varistors. Not shown in detail, but also possible, would be a protection circuit with gas gaps as protective components.

FIG.7 shows, finally, a development of a separate protection module 70. This includes, in addition to the protection circuit 11, a further protection circuit 71 for the power supply side overvoltage protection of the operating device 1 against overvoltages> 1500V. The input side protection circuit 71 is galvanically isolated from the output side protection circuit 11. The protection circuit 71 has a construction which is known per se and connects the network connections 3 of the operating device 1 to the network.

FIG.8 shows as a variant of the protection circuit according to FIG.4 a protection circuit 81. In FIG.8 are the optional impedance components off FIG.4 not shown in detail. In the protection circuit 81, only one voltage-limiting (first) protection component 12 is provided which is connected to the two LED connections 5, 6 via a second and a further, third protection component 13A, 13B. The protective components 13A, 13B are - unlike FIG.4 or FIG.5-6 - designed as a pulse-resistant capacitors. The protective components 13A, 13B are preferably self-healing, ie do not cause a short circuit in internal electrical breakdowns. The protective components 13A, 13B have a low impedance due to the impedance falling with increasing frequency against pulse-like interference edges and thus enable a derivation of pulse energy via only one voltage-limiting protective component 12 to the neutral potential. The protective component 12 can be embodied as a varistor, as a suppressor diode, as a gas spark gap or other suitable component acting as an overvoltage dissipation.

FIG.9 shows as a further variant of a protection circuit 91 to a modification FIG.8 with only one voltage-limiting (first) protective component 12 and only one second second protective component designed as a capacitor. The second protective component 13 is connected directly to the LED terminals 5, 6 with both poles. The voltage-limiting protective component, however, is not as in FIG.8 to a center tap, but directly connected to one of the two LED terminals 5, 6. The execution after FIG.9 is particularly useful when a capacitor is already integrated on the output side in the LED driver 4 and can be used as a second protection component 13, ie, does not have to be provided as an additional component.

Instead of the voltage-limiting protective component 12 can in the examples FIG.8 and FIG.9 a capacitor, preferably with high capacity or low impedance, can be used as a protective component. This can be advantageous for compliance with certain standards. The embodiments according to FIG.8 and FIG.9 are cost-saving, since at most one voltage-limiting protective component 12 is used.

The preferred protective circuits connected to the first and second LED terminals FIG.4-6 By contrast, a first and a second voltage-limiting protective component 12, 14, which are connected in series, and an additional protective terminal 16, which is connected to a node 15 between the first and the second protective component and by means of which a part 18 in or on a support 17 of the LED light source, in particular a metal core or heat sink, with the protective circuit 11 is connected to limit glitches due to glitches on the LED light-emitting means 2.

All the protective devices described with the above exemplary embodiments reliably and simply prevent, if an interference pulse occurs at one or both LED terminals 5, 6, voltages can occur which generate a harmful current for the individual LED 7 by dissipation via parasitic capacitances.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

• FIG.1

  2

  LED light module

  3

  power connections

  4

  LED driver

  5, 6

  LED connector

  7

  LED

  9

  lamp

  10

  control gear

  11

  protection circuit

  16

  protection connection

  17

  carrier

  18

  heatsink

• FIG.2

  1

  control gear

  3

  power connections

  4

  LED driver

  5, 6

  LED connector

  7

  LED

  9

  lamp

  11

  protection circuit

  22

  LED light module

  26

  protective conductor

  27

  carrier

  28

  heatsink

• FIG.3

  1

  control gear

  2

  LED light module

  3

  power connections

  4

  LED driver

  5, 6

  LED connector

  7

  LED

  9

  lamp

  16

  protection connection

  17

  carrier

  18

  heatsink

  30

  protection module

  33

  third connection

  34

  fourth connection

• FIG.4

  11

  protection circuit

  12, 14

  protection component

  15

  junction

  41, 42

  impedance component

  43, 44

  impedance component

• FIG.5

  5, 6

  LED connector

  15

  junction

  51

  protection circuit

  52, 54

  TVS diode

  56

  protection connection

• FIG.6

  5, 6

  LED connector

  15

  junction

  61

  protection circuit

  62, 64

  varistor

  66

  protection connection

• FIG.7

  1

  control gear

  2

  LED light module

  3

  power connections

  4

  LED driver

  5, 6

  LED connector

  7

  LED

  9

  lamp

  11

  protection circuit

  16

  protection connection

  17

  carrier

  18

  heatsink

  70

  protection module

  71

  further protection circuit

• FIG.8

  5, 6

  LED connector

  15

  junction

  12

  protection component

  13A, 13B

  capacitor

  81

  protection circuit

• FIG.9

  5, 6

  LED connector

  12

  protection component

  13

  capacitor

  91

  protection circuit

Claims (20)

1. Operating device (10) for LED lighting means (2) with a protection device against disturbance pulses, wherein the operating device comprises:

   input side supply grid connections (3) for the energy supply of the operating device and

   a LED driver circuit (4) with a first and a second output side LED connection (5, 6) for providing a power supply voltage for a LED lighting means with one or several LED (7),

   wherein the protection device has a protective circuit (11; 51; 61) connected with the first and the second LED connection (5, 6), with a first protection component (12; 52; 62) and with a second protection component (14; 54; 64; 13; 13A) that connects the first protection component (12; 52; 62) with a LED connection (5, 6), wherein the first protection component (12) is connected with the other LED connection (5, 6); as well as

   an additional protective connection (16) that is connected with the first protection component (12; 52; 62) and by means of which a part in or on a carrier (17) of the LED lighting means, in particular a metal core or a cooling element (18; 28), can be connected with the protective circuit (11; 51; 61) in order to limit excess voltages due to disturbance pulses on the LED lighting means (2).
2. Operating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and the second protection component (12, 14) are designed as voltage limiting protection components and are preferably connected in series, wherein the additional protective connection (16) is preferably connected with a nodal point (15) between the first and the second protection component (12, 14).
3. Operating device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the operating device comprises a switching power supply, in particular a switching power supply with a transformer that galvanically separates the LED connections (5, 6) from the supply grid connections (3).
4. LED lighting module (22) with a protection device against disturbance pulses, wherein the LED lighting module comprises:

   a LED lighting means with one or several LED (7), in particular several LED connected in series, with a first and a second LED connection (5, 6) for the supply by a LED driver circuit (4) and

   a carrier (27) that carries the LED (7), in particular a LED carrier board, wherein a part, in particular a metal core or a cooling element (18; 28), is provided in or on the carrier and

   wherein the protection device has a protective circuit (11; 51; 61), connected with the first and a second LED connection (5, 6), with a first protection component (12; 52; 62) and with a second protection component (14; 54; 64; 13; 13A) that connects the first protection component with a LED connection (5, 6), wherein the first protection component (12; 52; 62) is connected with the other LED connection (5, 6); as well as

   a connection of the first protection component (12; 52; 62) with the part (28) in or on the carrier (27) in order to limit excess voltages due to disturbance pulses on the LED lighting means.
5. LED lighting module (22) according to claim 4, characterized in that the first and the second protection component (12, 14) are designed as voltage limiting protection components and are preferably connected in series, wherein the connection preferably connects a nodal point (15) between the first and the second protection component with the part (28) in or on the carrier (27).
6. Arrangement with a LED lighting means (2) and a separate protection module (30; 70) for protecting the LED lighting means (2) against disturbance pulses, wherein the protection modules comprises:

   a first and a second LED connection (5, 6) to which the LED lighting means is connected;

   a third and a fourth connection (33, 34) for the output side connections of an operating device (1) for the LED lighting means (2);

   a protective circuit (11; 51; 61), connected with the first and the second LED connection (5, 6), with a first protection component (12; 52; 62) and with a second protection component (14; 54; 64; 13; 13A) that connects the first protection component with a LED connection (5, 6), wherein the first protection component is connected with the other LED connection (5, 6), wherein the first protection component (12; 52; 62) is connected with an additional protective connection (16) by means of which a part in or on a carrier (17) of the LED lighting means, in particular a metal core or a cooling element (18; 28), can be connected with the protective circuit (11; 51; 61) in order to limit excess voltages due to disturbance pulses on the LED lighting means (2).
7. Arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the first and the second protection component (12, 14) are designed as voltage limiting protection components and are preferably connected in series, wherein the additional protection connection is preferably connected with a nodal point (15) between the first and the second protection component.
8. Arrangement according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the protection module (70) comprises a further protective circuit (71) for the overvoltage protection of the operating device (1) on the supply grid connection side, wherein the further protective circuit is high-resistively separated from the protective circuit (11; 51; 61) at the first and second LED connection (5, 6).
9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in particular according to claim 2, 5 or 7, characterized in that the first and the second protection component are designed as TVS diodes (52, 54).
10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, in particular according to claim 2, 5 or 7, characterized in that the first and the second protection component are designed as a varistor (62, 64), in particular as a metal oxide varistor.
11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and the second protection component (12, 14) are designed as voltage limiting protection components and have respectively a breakdown voltage that is preferably higher than half the LED supply voltage of the LED lighting means (2).
12. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the first protection component (12; 52; 62) is directly connected with the other LED connection (5, 6).
13. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the first protection component (12; 52; 62) is connected with the other LED connection (5, 6) by a further protection component (13B).
14. Device according to one of the claims 1, 4 or 6 and according to claim 12, characterized in that the second protection component (13) is designed as a pulse resistant capacitor, wherein the second protection component (13) connects the first and the second LED connection (5, 6).
15. Device according to one of the claims 1, 4 or 6 and according to claim 13, characterized in that the second protection component (13A) is designed as a pulse resistant capacitor, that the further protection component (13B) is designed as a pulse resistant capacitor and that a series circuit made of the second protection component (13A) and the further protection component (13B) connects the first and the second LED connection (5, 6).
16. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the protection device has a first and a second impedance component (41, 42), wherein the first impedance component (41) connects a protection component with the first LED connection and the second impedance component (42) another protection component with the second LED connection.
17. Device according to claim 16, characterized in that the protection device has a third and a fourth impedance component (43, 44), wherein the third impedance component is connected with the nodal point between the first protection component and the first impedance component, in particular connects the first protection component with the third connection for the LED driver circuit and the fourth impedance component (44) is connected with the nodal point between the other protection component and the second impedance component, in particular connects the second protection component with the fourth connection for the LED driver circuit.
18. Device according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the first and the second and/or the third and the fourth impedance components (41, 42, 43, 44) are designed as air coils and/or coils with a ferrite core.
19. LED street light (9) comprising an operating device according to claim 1, a LED lighting module according to claim 4 or a protection module according to claim 6.
20. Method for protecting LED lighting means (2) against disturbance pulses, wherein the LED lighting means is supplied by a LED driver circuit (4) with a first and a second output side LED connection (5, 6) and comprises a carrier (17; 27) for LED, in particular a LED carrier board, wherein a part, in particular a metal core or a cooling element (18; 28), is provided in or on the carrier, the method comprising:

    connecting of a protection circuit (11) with the first and the second LED connection, wherein a first protection component (12) acts as a voltage limitation and a second protection component (14; 13; 13A) connects the first protection component with a LED connection and the first protection component (12) is connected with the other LED connection; as well as limiting excess voltages due to disturbance pulses at the LED lighting means (2) by connecting the first protection component (12) with the part (18; 28) in or the carrier (17; 27) of the LED lighting means.

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