Series connected light string with filament shunting

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-1SERIES CONNECTED LIGHT STRING

WITH FILAMENT SHUNTING

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

One of the most common uses of light stings is for decoration and display purposes, particularly during Christmas and other holidays, and more particularly for the decoration of Christmas trees, and the like.

Probably the most popular light set currently available on the market, and in widespread use, comprises one or more strings of fifty miniature light bulbs each, with each bulb typically having an operating voltage rating of 2.5 volts, and whose filaments are connected in an electrical series circuit arrangement. If overall sets of more than fifty bulbs are desired, the common practice is to provide a plurality of fifty miniature bulb strings, with the bulbs in each string connected in electrical series, and with the plurality of strings being connected in a parallel circuit arrangement. As each bulb fails to illuminate for any reason, the whole string fails to light and it is very frustrating and time consuming to locate and replace a defective bulb or bulbs. Usually many bulbs have to be checked before finding the failed bulb. In fact, in many instances, the frustration and

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-2time consuming efforts are so great as to cause one to completely discard and replace the string with a new string before they are even placed in use. The problem is even more compounded when multiple bulbs simultaneously fail to illuminate for multiple reasons, such as, for example, one or more faulty light bulbs, one or more unstable socket connections, or one or more light bulbs physically fall from their respective sockets, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are presently available on the market place various devices and apparatuses for electrically testing an individual light bulb after it has been physically removed from its socket. Apparatus is also available on the market for testing Christmas tree light bulbs by physically placing an alternating current line voltage sensor in close proximity to the particular light bulb desired to be tested. However, such a device is merely an electromagnetic field strength detection device which may remain in an on condition whenever the particular Christmas tree light bulb desired to be tested is physically located in close proximity to another light bulb or bulbs on the Christmas tree.

In fact, light bulb manufacturers have also attempted to solve the problem of bad bulb detection by designing each light bulb in the string in a manner whereby the filament in each light bulb is shorted whenever it burns out for any reason, thereby preventing an open circuit condition to be present in the socket of the burned-out bulb. However, in actual practice, it has been found that such short circuiting feature within the bulb does not always operate in the manner intended and

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-3the entire string will go out whenever a single bulb burns out.

Even though each of the foregoing techniques have met with some limited success, none of such devices and techniques have yet been able to further solve the additional problems of the entire string of lights going out as a result of either a defective socket, a light bulb being improperly placed in the socket, a broken or bent wire of a light bulb, or whenever a light bulb is either intentionally removed from its socket or is merely dislodged from its socket during handling or from movement after being strung on the Christmas tree, particularly in outdoor installations subject to wind or other climatic conditions.

Patent 4,450,382 utilizes a Zener diode connected in parallel with each series connected directcurrent lamp used by trucks and other vehicles, particularly military trailers, for burn-out protection for the remaining bulbs whenever one or more bulbs burns out for some reason. It is stated therein that the use of either a single or a plurality of parallel connected Zener diodes will not protect the lamps against normal failure caused by normal current flows, but will protect against failures due to excessive current surges associated with the failure of associated lamps. No suggestion appears therein of any mechanism or technique

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-4which would provide a solution to the problem successfully achieved by applicant in a very simple and economical manner .

Various other attempts have heretofore been made to provide various types of shunts in parallel with the filament of each bulb, whereby the sting will continue to be illuminated whenever a bulb has burned out, or otherwise provides an open circuit condition. However, to the knowledge of Applicant, none of such arrangements have become commercially feasible.

Typical of such arrangements are found in United States patents Re 34,717; 1,024,495; 2,072,337; 2,760,120; 3m639,805; 3,912,966; 4,450,382; 4,682,079; 4,727,449; 5,239,236; and 5.006,724, together with English patent 12,398; Swiss patent 427,021 and French patent 884,370.

Of the foregoing prior art patents, the Fleck '449, Harnden '966,and the Swiss '021 patents appear, at first blush, to probably be the most promising in the prior art in indicating defective bulbs in a string by the use of a filament shunt circuits and/or devices of various types which range from plycrystalline materials, to powders, and to metal oxide varistors, and the like, which provide for continued current flow through the sting, but at either a higher or a lower level. The reason for this is because of the fact that the voltage drop occurring across each prior art shunt is substantially a different value than the value of the voltage drop across the incandescent bulb during normal operation thereof. Some of these prior art shunts cause a reduced current flow in the series sting because of too high of a voltage drop occurring across the shunt when a bulb becomes inoperable, either due to an open filament, a faulty bulb, a faulty socket, or simply because the bulb is not mounted properly in the socket, or is

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-5entirely removed or falls from its respective socket. However, other shunt devices cause the opposite effect due to an undesired increase in current flow. For example, when the voltage dropped across a socket decreases, then a higher voltage is applied to all of the remaining bulbs in the string, which higher voltage results in higher current flow and a decreased life expectancy of the remaining bulbs in the string. Additionally, such higher voltage also results in increased light output from each of the remaining bulbs in the string, which may not be desirable in some instances. However, when the voltage dropped across a socket increases, then a lower voltage is applied to all of the remaining bulbs in the series connected string, which results in lesser current flow and a corresponding decrease in light output from each of the remaining bulbs in the string. Such undesirable effect occurs in all of the prior art attempts, including those which, at first blush, might be considered the most promising techniques, especially the proposed use of a diode in series with a bilateral switch in the Fleck '449 patent, or the proposed use of a metal oxide varistor in the above Harnden '966 patent, or the use of the proposed counterconnected rectifiers in the Swiss '021 patent.

For example, in the arrangement suggested in the above Fleck '449 patent, ten halogen filled bulbs, each having a minimum 12-volt operating rating, are utilized in a series circuit. The existence of a halogen gas in the envelope, permits higher value current flow through the filament with the result that much brighter light is obtainable in a very small bulb size. Normally, when ten 12-volt halogen bulbs are connected in a series string, the whole string goes dark whenever a single bulb fails and does not indicate which bulb had failed. To remedy this undesirable effect. Fleck provided a bypass

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-6circuit across each halogen filled bulb which comprised a silicon bilateral voltage triggered switch in series with a diode which rectifies the alternating current (i.e., A.C.) supply voltage and thereby permits current to flow through the bilateral switch only half of the time,

i.e., only during each half cycle of the A.C. supply voltage. It is stated in Fleck that when a single bulb burns out, the remaining bulbs will have ’’diminished light output because the diode will almost halve the effective voltage due to its blocking flow in one direction and conduction flow only in the opposite direction. Such substantially diminished light output will quite obviously call attention to the failed bulb, as well as avoid the application of a greater voltage which would decrease the life of the remaining filaments.

However, in actual practice, a drastic drop in brightness has been observed, i.e. a drop from approximately 314 lux to approximately 15 lux when one bulb goes out.

Additionally, it is stated by the patentee that the foregoing procedure of replacing a burned out bulb involves the interruption of the application of the voltage source in order to allow the switch to open and to resume normal operation after the bulb has been replaced. (See column 2, lines 19-22.) Additionally, as such an arrangement does not permit more that one bulb to be out at the same time, certain additional desirable special effects such as twinkling, and the like, obviously would not be possible.

In the arrangement suggested in Hamden '966 patent, Harnden proposes to utilize a polycrystalline metal oxide varistor as the shunting device, notwithstanding the fact that it is well known that metal oxide varistors are not designed to handle continuous current flow therethrough. Consequently, they are merely a so-called one-shot device for protective purposes,

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-7i.e. a transient voltage suppressor that is intended to absorb high frequency or rapid voltage spikes and thereby preventing such voltage spikes from doing damage to associated circuitry. They are designed for use as spike absorbers and are not designed to function as a voltage regulator or as a steady state current dissipation circuit. While metal oxide varistors may appear in some cases similar to back-to-back Zener diodes, they are not interchangeable and function very differently according to their particular use. In fact, the assignee of the Harnden '966 patent which was formerly General Electric Corporation and now is apparently Harris Semiconductor, Inc., states in their Application Note 9311: They are exceptional at dissipating transient voltage spikes but they cannot dissipate continuous low level power. In fact, they further state that their metal oxide varistors cannot be used as a voltage regulator as their function is to be used as a nonlinear impedance device. The only similarity that one can draw from metal oxide varistors and back-to-back Zener diodes is that they are both bidirectional; after that, the similarity ends. It is further stated in Harnden that varistors preferably have a rating of 125% of that of the bulb rating and that such rating would result in a decreased stress across the remaining bulbs in the series string. Properly interpreted, this so-called decreased stress results in a loss of illumination in the remaining bulbs.

In the Swiss '021 patent, Dyre discloses a bilateral shunt device having a breakdown voltage rating that, when exceeded, lowers the resistance thereof to 1 ohm, or less. This low value of resistance results in a substantial increase in the voltage being applied to the remaining bulbs even when only a single bulb is inoperative for any of the reasons previously stated.

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-8Thus, when multiple bulbs are inoperative, a still greater voltage is applied to the remaining bulbs, thereby again substantially increasing their illumination, and consequently, substantially shortening their life expectancy.

In contrast, by utilizing a shunt of the type proposed by Applicant, a substantial number of the bulbs in a 50 bulb string can become inoperative for any or all of the reasons previously stated, with only a minimal· decrease in intensity of illumination of the remaining bulbs, which is not possible with any of the foregoing shunts. Additionally, and of particular significance, is the fact that the Swiss '021 teaching has now been available to those skilled in the art for over 30 years, that the Harnden '966 has additionally been available for over 20 years, and, the Fleck '449 teaching has still additionally been available for over 8 years, and yet none of such teachings, either singly or collectively, have found their way to commercial application. In fact, miniature Christmas tree type lights now rely solely upon a specially designed bulb which is supposed to short out when becoming inoperative. Obviously, such a scheme is not always effective, particularly when a bulb is removed from its socket or becomes damaged in handling, etc. The

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-9extent of the extreme attempts made by others to absolutely keep the bulbs from falling from their sockets, includes the use of a locking groove formed on the inside circumference of the socket mating with a corresponding raised ridge formed on the base of the bulb base unit. While this particular locking technique apparently is very effective to keep bulbs from falling from their respective sockets, the replacement of defective bulbs by the average user is extremely difficult, if not sometimes impossible, without resorting to mechanical gripping devices which can actually destroy the bulb base unit or socket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a novel filament shunting circuit for use in connection with a series connected string of incandescent light bulbs which completely overcomes in a very simple, novel and economical manner the problems heretofore associated with prior arrangements which were primarily designed to merely maintain some sort of current flow through the entire string of bulbs whenever one or more bulbs in the string becomes inoperable, either due to an

5 open filament, one or more faulty bulbs, one or more faulty sockets, or simply because one or more of the bulbs are not properly mounted in their respective sockets, or are entirely removed or fall from their respective sockets .

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a series string of incandescent light bulbs, each having a silicon type shunting device connected thereacross which has a predetermined voltage switching value which is greater than the voltage normally applied to said bulbs, and which shunt becomes fully conductive

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-10only when the peak voltage applied thereacross exceeds its said predetermined voltage switching value, which occurs whenever a bulb in the string either becomes inoperable due to any one or more or all of the following reasons: an open filament, faulty or damaged bulb, faulty socket, or simply because the bulb is not properly mounted in its respective socket, or is entirely removed or falls from its respective socket, and which circuit arrangement provides for the continued flow of rated current through all of the remaining bulbs in the string, even though a substantial number of total bulbs in the string are simultaneously inoperative for any combinations of the various reasons theretofore stated.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a filament shunted light string comprising the combination of:

a plurality of electrical bulb supporting sockets connected in an electrical series circuit arrangement with each other and adapted to be energized by a power source connectable to input terminals thereof, and with each of the sockets being adapted to have an electrically operable lamp inserted therein that is illuminated whenever an A.C. electrical potential is applied to said input terminals;

a bilateral, electrically symmetrical, silicon type voltage responsive switching means comprising back-to-back Zener diode pairs as the major functional component, and each back-to-back Zener diode pair being connected in parallel across a respective one of said sockets, each Zener diode pair having a combined effective voltage rating which is slightly higher than the voltage rating of the respective lamp across which it is connected, and having an electrical impedance which is substantial equal to the electrical impedance of said lamp, when illuminated; and,

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-10ameans connecting said input terminals to a source of A.C. voltage whereby all illuminated bulbs in said string continue to receive substantially rated current therethrough and continue to be illuminated even in the event that a substantial number of bulbs in the string are not illuminated or are loose or actually missing from their respective sockets ;

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a filament shunted light string comprising the combination of:

a plurality of electrical bulb supporting sockets connected in an electrical series circuit arrangement with each other and adapted to be energized by a power source connectable to input terminals thereof, and with each of the sockets being adapted to have an electrically operable lamp inserted therein that is illuminated whenever an A.C. electrical potential is applied to said input terminals;

a bilateral, electrically symmetrical, silicon type voltage responsive switching means comprising back-to-back Zener diode pairs as the major functional component, each back-to-back Zener diode pair being connected in parallel across a respective one of said sockets, each Zener diode pair having a combined effective voltage rating which is slightly higher than the voltage rating of the respective lamp across which it is connected, and which is lower than the activating potential of any filament shorting means that may be located within said bulb, and further having an electrical impedance which is substantial equal to the electrical impedance of said lamp; and,

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-10bmearis connecting said input terminals to a source of A.C. voltage whereby all illuminated bulbs in said string continue to receive substantially rated current therethrough and continue to be illuminated even in the event that a substantial number of bulbs in the string are not illuminated or are loose or actually missing from their respective sockets ;

wherein one-half of said Zener diodes of said Zener diode pairs are electrically connected in one conductive direction and the remaining Zener diodes thereof are electrically connected in the opposite conductive direction.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a string set of series-connected incandescent bulbs for use with a particular value of operating potential to illuminate the string set of bulbs by providing substantially rated current flow through each of said bulbs, wherein substantially all of the bulbs in the set are each provided with a respective voltage responsive shunt circuit comprising a pair cf silicon Zener diodes, connected back-to-back, which presents a relatively high electrical impedance state during-normal operation of the string set and changes to a relatively low impedance state upon an increase in voltage thereacross resulting from either inoperativeness of its respective bulb or said bulb being missing from its socket, said circuit shunt in said relatively low impedance state obtaining a regulated alternating current voltage drop thereacross equal to, or slightly greater than, the value of the alternating current voltage drop across its respective bulb when illuminated, whereby the voltage drop across each illuminated bulb remains substantially unchanged with the continued flow of substantially said rated current therethrough despite the occurrence of a failure or removal of a bulb from its socket in said string set.

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-10cThe present invention provides a simple and inexpensive silicon type filament shunt, or bypass, for each of a plurality of series connected light bulbs, said filament shunt having a predetermined conductive switching value which is only slightly greater than the voltage rating of said bulbs, and which shunt becomes conductive whenever the peak voltage applied thereacross exceeds its said predetermined voltage switching value, which would occur for any of the reasons previously stated, and which provides continued and uninterrupted flow of rated current through each of the remaining bulbs in the string, together with substantially unchanged illumination in light output therefrom.

The present invention also provides a new and improved series - connected light bulb string which has the desirable features set forth above, and yet is of very simple and economical construction and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture in mass quantities, thereby keeping the overall cost of the final product on the marketplace at a minimum, and which does not necessitate any type of bulb which is specially designed to provide a short circuit whenever it burns out, as is presently the case in substantially all strings on the market.

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-11The present invention further provides a series-connected light bulb string having all of the features set forth above, and in which the light emitted from each light bulb will optionally appear, disappear, and reappear independently and continuously along the entire string, thereby creating a most striking, novel and unusual twinkling effect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an electrical schematic diagram of a novel· light string constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an electrical schematic diagram of a novel light string constructed in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is an electrical schematic diagram of a novel light string constructed in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 4 is an electrical schematic diagram of a novel light string constructed in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the schematic diagram in Figure 1, the novel light string constructed in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention comprises input terminals 10 and 11 which are

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-12adapted to be connected to a suitable source of supply of 110/120 volts of alternating current normally found in a typical household or business. Terminal 10 is normally fixedly connected to the first terminal of the first socket having a first electrical light bulb 12 operatively plugged therein. The adjacent terminal of the first socket is electrically connected to the adjacent terminal of the second socket having a second light bulb 13 operatively plugged therein, and so on, until each of the light bulbs in the entire string (whether a total of 10 bulbs, as diagrammatically shown, or a total of 50 as is typically the case) are finally operatively connected in an electrical series circuit between input terminals 10 and 11. Operatively connected in electrical parallel across the electrical terminals of the first socket, hence the electrical terminals of first light bulb 12, is a first voltage sensitive switch 22 which is symbolically illustrated and which effectively functions as a first voltage regulating device in the manner hereinafter described. Likewise, operatively connected in electrical parallel across the electrical terminals of the second socket, hence second light bulb 13, is a second voltage sensitive switch 23 which likewise effectively functions as a voltage regulating device, and so on, until each of the remaining sockets, and hence each of remaining light bulbs 14 through 21 of the series has a corresponding one of voltage sensitive switches 24 through 31 operatively connected in parallel thereacross.

For practical purposes, it is preferred that all voltage responsive switches 22 through 31 be of identical construction and ideally would have a characteristic, such that, when conductive, i.e. in an ’On” or closed” condition, the impedance thereof have a value equal to the impedance of the filament of the corresponding light bulb and, when nonconductive, i.e. in

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-13an off or open condition, the value of the impedance thereof would be equal to infinity.

It has been found that, when two well-known semiconductive devices known as Zener diodes are connected back-to-back (i.e. in an inverse electrical series connection); they provide the desirable characteristics for an excellent voltage responsive switch which essentially functions as a voltage regulating device in accordance with the present invention, particularly since such back-to-back Zener diodes are readily available in the market place at relatively low cost, and more particularly when purchased in relatively large quantities. The mode of operation of the embodiment of Figure 1 is as follows:

Assuming the light string is a typical 50 light string containing 50 lamps connected in electrical series, and with each lamp having a voltage rating of 2.4 volts, the effective voltage rating for the entire string would be determined by multiplying 50 times 2.4 volts, which resultant product equals 120 volts. By electrically connecting two Zener diodes in a back-toback inverse-series connection, with each having a voltage rating of 3.3 volts, across each lamp (which Zener diodes may both be constructed within the socket itself), the voltage across each individual lamp, with 200 milliamperes of current flow, cannot increase beyond approximately 4.5 volts. When a lamp is illuminated (or on) in the string, the voltage across that particular lamp is approximately 2.4 volts (or approximately 3.4 volts, peak value), depending, of course, on the value of the applied line voltage at that particular time. With two Zener diodes, each having a voltage rating of 3.3 volts connected in a back-to-back configuration across each lamp, substantially no current(i.e. approximately 3%

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-14or less) flows through either of the Zener diodes, and substantially all of the current (i.e. approximately 97% or more) flows through each series connected lamp. When a lamp is removed from its respective socket or burns out, or the like, and there is no shorting mechanism within the lamp, the voltage across that particular lamp begins to rise toward the value of the applied line voltage. However, with the two 3.3 volt Zener diodes connected back-to-back across that particular lamp, the voltage thereacross can only rise to approximately 4.5 volts before both Zener diodes begin conduction. This is only approximately 1.1 volts (peak) more than was dropped across the respective socket when the corresponding lamp was conducting. The remaining lamps in the string are little affected by the extra 1.1 volt (peak) drop occurring in the Zener circuit. The voltage across each remaining lamp in the string is lowered by a mere approximately 23 millivolts (peak). Thus, only a small amount of current flows in the shunting mechanism until it is needed.

The unusual and desirable characteristics of the foregoing embodiment over prior art light strings is the fact that the string continues to stay lit, regardless of whether one or more of the light bulbs in the string burns out, falls out of their respective sockets, or are loose or are inserted crooked in their respective sockets. The string stays lit no matter what happens to one or more light bulbs in the string. Thus, the back-to-back Zener diodes insure that current will continue to flow in the series- wired circuit, regardless of what happens to the particular light bulb across which it is shunted. However, if it is desired to insert a standard flasher bulb in one of the sockets, as is customarily done, whereby the entire light string will go

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-14aon and off each time the flasher bulb changes state, it is necessary to omit a Zener diode pair from across one of the sockets, preferably one of the sockets nearest the

A.C. plug, and then insert the flasher bulb in that

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-15particular socket. Thereafter, the string will flash on and off in a normal manner.

It should be recognized and appreciated that, when it was stated above that the voltage rating of each

Zener diode is 3.3 volts, this means that the Zener diode will begin conducting in the reverse direction whenever the voltage across that particular Zener diode first reaches 3.3 volts. Conversely, when the Zener diode is conducting in the forward direction, there is an approximately .7 volt drop across that particular Zener diode. Thus, when two such Zener diodes are electrically connected in a back-to-back configuration, the effective voltage breakdown rating of the pair (hereinafter effective voltage rating) is approximately 4.0 volts (i.e., 3.3 volts plus .7 volts) because one Zener diode in a pair is conducting in a forward direction and the other Zener diode in the pair is conducting in the reverse direction. Thus, the pair is polarity symmetrical, i.e., the same in both directions. This 4.0 voltage value will increase as more current flows through the back-to-back pair, until a current flow of approximately 200 milliamperes is flowing therethrough, i.e., the average current in a 50 bulb string, at which time the voltage dropped across the two 3.3 volt rated back-to-back Zener diodes reaches approximately 4.4 volts. Such back-to-back Zener diodes are commercially available from ITT Semiconductor Company as their DZ89 Series dual Zeners. Various voltage ratings are available and which ratings are usually expressed in terms of peak voltage values, or sometimes the A.C.

rating.

Each back-to-back Zener diode pair, or dual

Zeners, is prevented from destroying itself as a result of the well-known current runaway condition, due to the current limiting effect by the remaining series connected

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-16lamps in the string whose total resistance value determines the magnitude of the current flowing therethrough. If, for example, all of the lamps are removed from the string, the supply voltage of 120 volts (A.C.), or 170 volts (peak) appears across the 50 shunts. With each back-to-back Zener diode shunt effectivelyrated at 4.0 volts (peak), there is little or no current conduction in the string because only 3.4 volts (peak) is available to appear across each shunt.

Another preferred device is the bilateral silicon trigger switch (STS), HS Series, which is currently available from Teccor Electronics, Inc., a Siebe Company, but is presently slightly more expensive than the back-to-back Zener type switch. Like the backto-back Zener type switch the so-called STS, HS Series”, type switches offer low breakover voltages, is mounted in an economical DO-35 package, and with glass-passivated junctions for reliability. The HS devices switch from the blocking mode to a conduction mode when the applied voltage, of either polarity, exceeds the breakover voltage and are not only bilateral but, like the back-toback Zener diodes, are also very symmetrical for alternating current applications. As schematically illustrated in Figure 2, each of the illustrated bilateral silicon trigger switches 22' through 31⁷ is respectively connected in parallel with a corresponding one of series connected light bulbs 12 through 21 in the same manner as previously illustrated in Figure 1.

The mode of operation of the silicon trigger switch embodiment shown in Figure 2 is substantially the same as that of the back-to-back Zener diode embodiment shown in Figure 1. However, in the STS embodiment utilizing a Teccor Model HS-10 type silicon trigger switch as a shunt rated as triggering at approximately 10 volts, substantially the same voltage drop of

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-17approximately 2.4 volts again appear across each light socket of a 50 miniature light string whenever the STS is conductive. When an STS device is shunted across each socket, there is no conduction in the STS device until the corresponding light bulb burns out or is removed from its socket. When that happens, the voltage starts to rise upward until approximately 10 volts is reached, at which time the STS device switches from the ’'off to the on” state. In the on state, the voltage across the STS device in a 50 light string at 200 milliamperes, at which most 50 light strings operate, is approximately 2.4 volts, the same as it was when the respective light bulb was in its socket and operative. Thus, the voltage drop across each light bulb remains virtually unchanged, whether or not one or more of the remaining light bulbs in the string are operative. Another advantage of the STS embodiment is that it is not necessary to remove a shunt from one of the sockets in order to obtain either the desired twinkling” or twinkle-flash” operation.

However, to obtain a standard flash operation, whereby the string will flash on and off, removal of the STS shunt from one of the sockets, preferably one that is closest to the A.C. socket, is necessary.

For example, because of the sharp threshold of the STS shunt, by placing a non-flashing bulb in the first socket (without a STS shunt device), and by placing flasher bulbs in all of the other sockets, the string will twinkle and flash. Flashing of the twinkling string will occur when at least twelve to thirteen bulbs are all simultaneously in an off state. This is because the STS devices switch to the conducting state when the voltage across them reach approximately 10 volts. Therefore, in a 120 volt supply line, it will take twelve to thirteen lamps to be in the off state before the string goes out. When the flashers return to their normal

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-18conducting state, the string comes on again and twinkles until twelve to thirteen bulbs are again simultaneously in an off state. The periodicity of this flashing off and on will be a function of the flasher bulbs.

If the flasher bulbs are illuminated most of the time and are only off for a short period of time, to have the twelve to thirteen simultaneously off will be infrequent and will result in a shorter time period of flashing and in a longer time period of twinkling.

The embodiment shown in Figure 3, illustrates a circuit arrangement which operates substantially the same as the previous embodiments, with the exception that the source of operating voltage is a full wave rectified voltage which pulsates at twice the normal 60 cycle rate. As shown in Figure 3, STS devices 22 through 31 are respectively shunted across light bulbs 12-21, which preferably comprises a 50 miniature bulb string.

Preferably molded in the power cord socket is a full wave rectifier 9 which preferably has a 3.9 microfarad capacitor connected across terminals 6 and 7. With this particular circuit arrangement, the light bulbs in a 50 bulb set will only twinkle and will not twinkle-flash as before. As before indicated, the rectifier 9 and capacitor 8 can either be installed inside the A.C. plug or they can be in a separate adapter plug that the power cord plug is plugged into. This will apply pulsating and partially filtered direct current (i.e., D.C.) to the string. Direct current is needed to prevent the STS devices from switching off during the time a flasher bulb is in the off state, since the voltage never reaches zero volts to turn the device off. In A.C. operation, the STS device is triggered off and on 120 times a second. In the off state of the STS device, a voltage of approximately 10 volts is required to turn it on. This is the reason for the limitation on the number

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-19of bulbs that can twinkle using an A.C. source of operating potential. However, using D.C. as the operating potential, the STS devices remain conductive until the associated flasher bulb is illuminated. Therefore, there is no limitation on the number of bulbs that can be used in the string. While there is no limitation on the number of bulbs that can twinkle in a string using D.C. voltage as the operating potential, there is another matching consideration which preferably should be addressed. If just a bridge rectifier by itself is used and the pulsating output voltage is not filtered, the string will function the same as if A.C. were used as the operating potential. This is because the STS device will go off and on 120 times a second, i.e., two times the A.C.

rate. By installing a capacitor across the output of the bridge rectifier, there will be an improvement in performance. However, if capacitor 8 is too small, the lamp intensity will flicker, especially if flasher bulbs are mixed with regular bulbs in the string. Additionally, the current in the string will be too low. If too large of a capacitor is used, the current through the bulbs will be excessive and bulb life will be shortened. Therefore, the ideal capacitance is one where the current through the lamps is the normal 200 milliamperes in a typical 50 miniature light bulb string. At this level, current flow stabilizes and the string operates perfectly. In a 50 miniature bulb string, the preferred capacitance is approximately 3.3 to 4.7 microfarads. If one or more flasher bulbs are now inserted into the string, each flasher bulb will continue to go on and off at its own independent rate. More capacitance will be needed when more bulbs are added.

In the further embodiment shown in Figure 4, there is illustrated a circuit arrangement which operates substantially the same as the previously described

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-20embodiments, with the exception that only a single Zener diode is shunted across each bulb socket and that preferably one-half of the total number of Zener diodes in the circuit are functionally oriented in one predetermined direction, as illustrated by light bulbs 12 through 16, while the remaining half are functionally oriented in the opposite direction, as illustrated by light bulbs 17 through 21.

For illustrative purposes only, assuming the circuit shown in Figure 4 (as in Figures 1-3) contains a total of 50 series-connected incandescent bulbs, only 10 of which are shown for illustrative purposes as 12 through 21, and that the incoming operating potential of approximately 120 volts rms A.C. which corresponds to a peak voltage of approximately 170 volts A.C. In this case, each bulb receives an average rms voltage of approximately 2.4 volts, or approximately 3.4 peak volts, if all of the bulbs are of the same rating, which is normally the case. With a 6.2 volt Zener diode shunted across each of the bulbs, with the first 25 shunts, represented by (22) through (26), having their respective polarities connected in one direction, as shown, and the remaining 25 shunts, represented as (27) through(31), having their respective polarities connected in the opposite direction, as shown, the average voltage drop across each bulb is approximately 120 divided by 50, or approximately 2.4 volts rms or 3.4 peak volts. This is because during one-half of the A.C. cycle of the input supply voltage, the first 25 shunts will be forward biased and approximately .7-.8 peak volts will appear across each shunt for a total of approximately 17.5-20 volts peak dropped across the first 25 shunts. Bulbs placed in these particular sockets will each receive a voltage of approximately .7-.8 peak volts during the first half cycle of the operating potential, thereby

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-21resulting in a momentary tendency to decrease in brightness output. However, this leaves the remaining voltage of approximately 150-152.5 peak volts of the A.C. supply of approximately 170 peak volts to be dropped across the remaining 25 shunts. This will result in a reversed bias of approximately 6.0-6.1 peak volts to be applied across each bulb during the said first half cycle of the A.C. operating potential, thereby resulting in a momentary tendency of the bulbs placed in particular corresponding sockets to increase in brightness output.

During the next half cycle of the A.C. operating potential, the respective biasing condition is reversed, i.e., those bulbs receiving a forward bias of approximately .7-.8 peak volts during the first half cycle will next receive a reverse bias of approximately

6.0-6.1 peak volts during the second half cycle, and vice versa for the remaining bulbs in the string.

Consequently, the average voltage dropped across each bulb during one complete positive and negative alternating cycle is approximately 3.4 peak volts, or 6.8 volts peak-to-peak which corresponds to the rating of the particular bulbs used in the series string. This is because, while the peak voltage in both cases are the same, the effective voltages are not. In the normal case, the wave form is sinusoidal, while in the Zener diode shunt case, the alternating wave form is one-half sine wave and one-half square wave. The half that is sine wave is approximately 6.2 volts (peak), while the remaining half is square wave, is approximately .7 volts (peak).

The result is a difference in rms values, but not in peak values. Therefore, the peak voltages are substantially the same but the rms voltages are not substantially the same. Such operation will result in a shortened bulb life, unless the incoming A.C. operating voltage is lowered or, alternatively, more bulbs are added to the

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-22series string. Theoretically, in order to operate at the conventional A.C. supply voltage of approximately 120 rms volts, which corresponds to approximately 170 peak volts, approximately one-third more bulbs should be added to the string in order for all bulbs in the string to be illuminated at a normal brightness level.

In operation, when but a single bulb becomes inoperative for any of the various reasons previously stated, except for internal shorting, there is a voltage drop across its corresponding Zener diode shunt of approximately .7-.8 peak volts in the forward direction and approximately 6.2 peak volts in the reverse, or Zener direction, when 6.2 volt Zener diodes are chosen for shunts. Thus, in one complete cycle of the applied operating potential, the absolute value of the voltage across that particular bulb socket sequentially increases from approximately 0 volts, to approximately 6.2 peak volts, to approximately .7-.8 peak volts, then back to approximately 0 volts, thereby averaging approximately 2.44 rms volts, substantially the same as the bulb rating. In fact, in a laboratory test, it was found that it was possible to remove 49 bulbs from a 50 bulb string and the sole remaining bulb continued to be illuminated, but with an estimated decrease in brightness of only approximately 50%.

In strings other than 50 bulbs wired in electrical series, it is only necessary to select the appropriate Zener diode rating to be used as shunts, and then electrically connect one-half in one direction and the remaining one-half in the opposite direction, without regard and to which shunt, or series of shunts, is connected in a particular direction, so long as the overall relationship exists as described above. For example, it may be desirable from a manufacturing standpoint to merely alternate the shunt polarities.

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-23Further, for an odd number of bulbs in a string, such as a thirty-five bulb string for example, the polarities could be divided into two groups with 17 in one group and 18 in the remaining group.

Effective utilization of this new and novel ’’flip-flop” type of power distribution allows the practical use of but a single Zener diode as the only switching element, rather than two back-to-back Zeners as in Figure 1, or a bilateral silicon switch as in Figure 2, still further lowering the manufacturing cost of the overall string which is extremely competitive in today's marketplace from a cost standpoint, and for the very first time makes it commercially practical to utilize only a single Zener diode as previously attempted by the Sanders, et al, '079 patent. From strictly a manufacturing cost standpoint, it is estimated that a single Zener diode would cost approximately 2.0 cents in mass quantities, that the cost of back-to-back Zener diodes would be approximately 2.3 cents each, and that the cost of the HS-10 bilateral silicon switch would be approximately 5.0 cents .

In summary, with either back-to-back” Zener diodes or half-and-half” single Zener diodes being used as filament shunts, there is but a very slight reduction in voltage thereafter applied across each of the remaining bulbs in the series string when a bulb becomes inoperative as a result of one of the various reasons previously set forth, whereas, when the bilateral silicon switch is used as the filament switch, there may is slight increase in voltage applied across each of the remaining bulbs in the series string when a bulb becomes inoperative for any of the reasons aforesaid. This being the case, substantially all of the bulbs can be inoperative before the entire string immediately burns out.

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-24Various other similar types of voltage sensitive switches shown in Radio Shack Semiconductor Reference Guide, Archer Catalog #276-4015 (1992) having similar characteristics as those mentioned above may be used with equal or substantially equal success, the actual choice being determined by the cost of the device and the type of use or operation intended.

Having so described and illustrated the principles of my invention in a preferred embodiment, it is intended, therefore, in the annexed claims, to cover all such changes and modifications as may fall within the scope and spirit of the following claims. For example, it should be quite obvious to one skilled in the art that other similar devices could be used with equal success and that different Zener voltage ratings would be used for different lamps or bulbs.