JP2011228179A - Two-wire dimmer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a two-wire dimmer capable of controlling light till 100% lighting using the same lighting fixture, eliminating the necessity of selecting and switching operation for a switch, and having a small size and high reliability.SOLUTION: A two-wire dimmer 10 is a dimmer for lighting an LED lighting fixture 14 capable of controlling light by two-wire wiring using a commercial alternating-current power supply 12. The dimmer 10 comprises a phase control portion 16 for restraining the maximum output of the LED lighting fixture 14 to predetermined output; a light control varying portion 22 for controlling a variable resistance 20 for controlling light in a dimmer circuit 18 provided on the phase control portion 16; and a first mechanical switch S1 which is turned on to close a main current circuit 24 when the control of the light control varying portion 22 exceeds the light control maximum value. Therefore, the light can be controlled by the operation of the light control varying portion 22 from the light control minimum value to 100% lighting. Lights-out is carried out by using a second mechanical switch S2, so that the lighting fixture can be used while keeping the brightness which is set once when turned on again.

Description

  The present invention relates to a two-wire dimmer for dimming LED lighting fixtures.

Light emitting diodes (hereinafter referred to as “LEDs”) are currently used in many electronic devices because of their low power consumption, long life, and small size. In particular, LED bulbs are rapidly spreading as lighting fixtures that replace incandescent bulbs whose production has been discontinued to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. At present, dimmable LED bulbs are also manufactured and sold.
Dimming the incandescent bulb is performed using a dimmer that can adjust the brightness of the illumination. The dimmer can adjust the brightness of the illumination from the minimum dimming value (lightly lit) to the maximum dimming value (approximately 100% brightness).

However, in the case of LED bulbs (including downlights), the brightness of the maximum dimming illumination is greater than the brightness of the non-dimming illumination (hereinafter referred to as “100% lighting”). In particular, the brightness of the maximum dimming illumination in LED lighting is suppressed to about 80% lighting with respect to 100% lighting. The brightness from off (0% on) to 80% on is used for store lighting, stage lighting, and the like, creating a space in the store or on the stage.
However, there is a case where the brightness of 80% lighting or more is required for the cleaning of the store or the stage, and there is little need for a lighting fixture that can be turned on 100% together with the dimmable lighting fixture. Absent.

When dimming and 100% lighting are necessary, conventionally, two lighting systems, a dimming lighting fixture and a 100% lighting lighting fixture, have been installed. However, when the above two lighting systems are installed, there is a problem that it is necessary to use a switch of each system properly, and there is a disadvantage that the installation cost of the lighting equipment is excessive.
Therefore, conventionally, an illumination lighting device capable of dimming and 100% lighting using the same lighting fixture has been provided (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 53-73776 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-84097

  The lamp lighting device of Patent Document 1 includes a power source, a lamp, a dimming device, and a multistage changeover switch that selectively inserts and removes the dimming device. Lighting), dimming lighting, and a plurality of lighting states such as lighting off. The illumination lighting device of Patent Document 2 switches a plurality of illumination states such as all-light lighting, dimming lighting, and extinguishing in a predetermined order using a rotary switch.

In Patent Documents 1 and 2, the illumination state can be selected using a rotary switch. According to the illumination lighting devices of Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is possible to perform dimming and 100% lighting only by operating one switch, and the troublesome selection of the switch can be eliminated.
However, the rotary switch requires a switching operation, and the troublesomeness of selecting the switch cannot be eliminated.
For example, in the case of a negative 500 W incandescent bulb illumination load, when a rotary switch is operated to open and close the load, an inrush current (inrush current) that becomes a large current of about 50 A to 75 A flows through the contact of the rotary switch. Therefore, the rotary switch that can withstand the inrush current is large and has a problem that it is difficult to fit in the case of the wiring apparatus. Further, the rotary switch has a problem that the contact life is shortened due to a long bounce time for repeatedly opening and closing the contact when the switch is operated.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention can be dimmed up to 100% lighting using the same lighting apparatus, and does not require switch selection and switching operation, and has a small size and high reliability. The object is to provide a two-wire dimmer.

  The two-wire dimmer of the present invention is a dimmer for lighting an LED lighting fixture that can be dimmed with a two-wire commercial AC power supply, and a phase that limits the maximum output of the LED lighting fixture to a predetermined output. The main current circuit that is turned on when the control of the control unit, the dimming variable unit for controlling the variable dimming variable resistance of the dimming circuit provided in the phase control unit, and the control of the dimming variable unit exceed the dimming maximum And a first mechanical switch for closing the circuit.

  Further, the first mechanical switch is a micro switch. The main current circuit is provided with a second mechanical switch for turning on / off the LED lighting apparatus.

The two-wire dimmer of the present invention can dimm LED lighting fixtures to 100% lighting using a dimming variable part (dimming knob). Thereby, the troublesome selection and switching operations of the conventional switch can be eliminated.
Moreover, in this invention, 100% lighting of an LED lighting fixture is performed by closing a main current circuit using a mechanical switch. Thereby, the power consumption of the phase control part at the time of 100% lighting can be made zero. Further, since the main current circuit is closed using a mechanical switch, no high frequency noise or the like is generated. Further, when the lighting is from 0% to 80%, there is little heat generation, and a small semiconductor device radiator can be used. When 100% is lit, the same illuminance can be expected whether the commercial power source is 50 Hz or 60 Hz. In addition, each company's LED bulbs have a built-in power factor correction circuit and have different cut-off characteristics at maximum output, so they may flicker when used together, but they do not flicker when 100% lit. For this reason, LED bulbs manufactured by different manufacturers can be used together.

  In the present invention, since 100% lighting is performed using a micro switch as a mechanical switch, it can be easily placed in a case of a wiring device. In addition, the micro switch has a structure that combines excellent conductive springs (leaf springs), and since the switch inversion time is short, the bounce time is much shorter than that of the rotary switch, and the life of the contacts is increased, which is high. Reliability can be obtained.

It is a circuit block diagram of the two-wire dimmer of this invention. It is a figure showing operation | movement of the light control variable part of FIG. 1, and a 1st mechanical switch.

  This invention implement | achieves 100% lighting of a LED lighting fixture in the light control maximum value.

The two-wire dimmer of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram of an LED illumination system using the two-wire dimmer of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating operations of the dimming variable section and the mechanical switch of FIG.
The two-wire dimmer 10 of the present invention is a dimmer that turns on an LED lighting fixture 14 that can be dimmed with a two-wire wiring using a commercial AC power supply 12. The dimmer 10 controls the phase control unit 16 that limits the maximum output of the LED lighting device 14 to a predetermined output, and the dimming variable variable resistor 20 of the dimming circuit 18 provided in the phase control unit 16. The variable portion 22 and a first mechanical switch S1 that is turned on when the control of the dimming variable portion 22 exceeds the dimming maximum value and closes the main current circuit 24 are provided.
The dimmer 10 is a conventional LED lighting fixture in an illumination lighting circuit (FIG. 1) for lighting an LED lighting fixture 14 (a dimmable LED bulb) that can be dimmed with a commercial AC power supply two-wire wiring. 14 is provided at a place where a mechanical switch for turning on and off 14 is laid.

The phase control unit 16 is provided in a dimmer for dimming a dimmer-compatible LED bulb (including a downlight) with a commercial AC power supply 2-wire wiring. In particular, in a dimmer equipped with a microcomputer or the like, it is necessary to secure a circuit power supply for phase control dimming. Generally, the phase control conduction angle is limited so that the maximum output of the LED lighting device is about 80%, Utilizing the remaining conduction angle, a stable circuit power supply is generated.
Therefore, in the illumination lighting circuit of FIG. 1, the maximum output of the LED lighting fixture 14 is limited to about 80%, and therefore the maximum dimming value of the LED lighting fixture 14 is about 80% lighting. In FIG. 1, the LED lighting device 14 is operated by operating the dimming variable unit 22 (dimming knob) to change the resistance value of the dimming variable resistor 20 of the dimming circuit 18 to 0%. It is in a state that can be lit up to 80%.

The first mechanical switch S1 is connected in parallel to the phase control unit 16 (or dimming circuit 18). The main current circuit 24 can be closed by turning on the mechanical switch S1. At this time, the output of the LED lighting device is maximized and is 100% lit.
When 100% is lit, the power consumption of the phase control unit 16 is zero. Further, since the main current circuit is closed using a mechanical switch, no high frequency noise or the like is generated. Further, when the lighting is from 0% to 80%, there is little heat generation, and a small semiconductor device radiator can be used. When 100% is lit, the same illuminance can be expected whether the commercial power source is 50 Hz or 60 Hz. In addition, each company's LED bulbs have a built-in power factor correction circuit and have different cut-off characteristics at maximum output, so they may flicker when used together, but they do not flicker when 100% lit. For this reason, LED bulbs manufactured by different manufacturers can be used together.

  As the mechanical switch S1, a micro switch (including a limit switch) is preferable. The micro switch is a small switch having an actuator (actuator portion 26 in FIG. 2) outside the case, and has a snap action mechanism and a contact mechanism that opens and closes with a predetermined force. The structure of the micro switch (limit switch) is a structure that combines an excellent conductive spring material (leaf spring), and the inversion time of the switch is short, so the bounce time is compared to the rotary switch used in conventional lighting lighting devices. It is much shorter, has a longer contact life, and is highly reliable. A small microswitch can be easily stored in a case.

The dimming operation up to 100% lighting using the dimmer 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the operation of the dimming variable section and the first mechanical switch (microswitch) in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2A is a diagram in which the dimming variable section is located at the minimum dimming value. FIG. 5B is a diagram in which the dimming variable portion is located at the dimming intermediate value, and FIG. 10C is a diagram in which the dimming variable portion is at the 100% lighting position.
The dimming operation is performed using the dimming variable unit 22. The dimming variable unit 22 includes a dimming knob. A boss 30 (protrusion) is provided on the rear surface of the dimming variable portion 22, and the microswitch S <b> 1 is placed in a position facing the boss 30 in the case 28 of the dimmer 10 to which the dimming variable portion 22 is attached. The actuator section 26 is arranged (FIG. 2C).
The boss 30 and the actuator unit 26 are set so as not to come into contact with each other in a range where the dimming variable unit 22 performs dimming with 0% to 80% lighting (FIGS. 2A and 2B). Therefore, in the range where the external force (or movement) of the boss 30 of the dimming variable portion 22 does not act on the actuator portion 26, 0% to 80% lighting dimming of the LED lighting fixture 14 is possible, and when it works, LED lighting The instrument 14 is 100% lit.
As described above, in the dimmer 10, the LED lighting device 14 can be dimmed to 100% lighting by a series of operations using only the dimming variable unit 22.

  The illumination lighting circuit of FIG. 1 is provided with a second mechanical switch S2. In the dimmer 10 of the present invention, the LED lighting device 14 is not turned off by the first mechanical switch S1, and the LED lighting device 14 is turned off by turning off the second mechanical switch S2. In this way, since the dimming variable unit 22 is not turned off, once it is set to the position of the dimming variable unit 22 to the desired brightness, it is used the previous time when the second mechanical switch S2 is turned on. The LED lighting fixture 14 can be turned on at the same brightness as the brightness of the time (if the same brightness is to be used continuously, it is sufficient to turn on only the second mechanical switch S2, and the dimming variable portion 22 There is no need to adjust the position again.)

  As described above, the two-wire dimmer of the present invention can adjust the brightness of the illumination from 0% to about 80%, and can also select 100% lighting by continuous operation. Thereby, the troublesomeness of selecting a switch and the inconvenience of the switching operation can be eliminated.

  The dimmer of the present invention can be used for a rotation speed adjuster such as a ventilation fan or a fan, or a device that adjusts the output of an electronic device such as a human sensor by mounting a one-chip microcomputer or the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Dimmer 12 Commercial AC power supply 14 LED lighting fixture 16 Phase control part 18 Dimming circuit 20 Dimming variable variable resistor 22 Dimming variable part 24 Main current circuit S1 1st mechanical switch S2 2nd mechanical switch

Claims (3)

A dimmer for lighting a light-emitting diode illuminator that can be dimmed with a commercial AC power supply 2-wire wiring, provided in a phase control unit that limits the maximum output of the light-emitting diode illuminator to a predetermined output, and a phase control unit A dimming variable unit that controls the variable resistor for dimming variable of the dimming circuit to be turned on, and a first mechanical switch that turns on when the control of the dimming variable unit exceeds the dimming maximum value and closes the main current circuit; A two-wire dimmer characterized by comprising: 2. The two-wire dimmer according to claim 1, wherein the first mechanical switch is a micro switch. The two-wire dimmer according to claim 1, wherein a second mechanical switch for turning on and off a light-emitting diode illuminator is provided in the main current circuit.

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