Abstract: An incandescent lamp includes a lamp voltage conversion circuit within the lamp and connected to a lamp terminal, where the voltage conversion circuit converts a first line voltage at the lamp terminal to a second RMS load voltage usable by a light emitting element of the lamp. The voltage conversion circuit includes a triac phase-controlled dimming circuit, which in turn includes a voltage controlled resistor (VCR) that varies a resistance in the phase-controlled dimming circuit as the first voltage varies so as to maintain the second voltage substantially constant. The VCR may be a junction field effect transistor VCR. The voltage conversion circuit may be an integrated circuit that is in the lamp base and connected between the lamp terminal and the light emitting element.

Abstract: An incandescent lamp includes a lamp voltage conversion circuit within the lamp and connected to a lamp terminal, where the voltage conversion circuit converts a first line voltage at the lamp terminal to a second RMS load voltage usable by a light emitting element of the lamp. The voltage conversion circuit includes a triac phase-controlled dimming circuit, which in turn includes a voltage controlled resistor that varies a resistance in the phase-controlled dimming circuit as the first voltage varies so as to maintain the second voltage substantially constant. The voltage conversion circuit may be an integrated circuit that is in the lamp base and connected between the lamp terminal and the light emitting element.

Abstract: An incandescent lamp may be formed from a shell having an exterior side and an interior side defining a cavity, and with an internal wall defining a through passage extending from the exterior side to the interior side. A light source is located in the cavity facing the interior side, and coupled to electric lamp leads extending through the passage. A heat radiator assembly is adjacent the exterior side, and includes heat-dissipating surfaces exposed to air. An integral power supply is enclosed in the heat radiator assembly and electrically connected to the light source through the electric lamp leads. A threaded base having exterior electrical contact points is electrically connected through base leads to the integral power supply. The shell, radiator assembly and base are mechanically coupled as a unit. A lens may cover the shell to enclose the cavity and light source.

Abstract: A lamp (10) includes an envelope (12) having a body (14) with a light source capsule (16) contained therein and ending in a hollow base (18) that terminates in a conical end (20). A circuit board (22) is positioned within the hollow base (18) and includes a triangular portion (24) that is closely fitted within the conical end (20). A temperature sensitive, voltage reducing component (28a) is positioned near the apex (30) of the triangular portion (24).

Abstract: A method for converting a line voltage to an RMS load voltage in a lamp includes providing a control circuit which includes a switch and a microcontroller that operates the switch to establish an RMS load voltage for the lamp. The load voltage of the lamp is sensed and the sensed load voltage is compared in the microcontroller to a reference RMS voltage. Operation of the switch is adjusted in response to the comparison so that the RMS load voltage is substantially constant at the reference RMS voltage over a first operating range of the line voltage and so that the RMS load voltage decreases with decreasing line voltage at non-zero line voltages less than the first operating range.

Abstract: A lamp contains a lamp voltage conversion circuit which includes a forward/reverse hybrid phase-control clipping circuit that clips a load voltage and provides an RMS load voltage to the lamp. The phase-control clipping circuit has a time-based pulse source that triggers conduction of the phase-control clipping circuit independently of line voltage magnitude during time periods spanning polarity changes of the load voltage that are separated by intervals when conduction is not triggered.

Abstract: A lamp includes a lamp voltage conversion circuit within a base and connected to a lamp terminal. The lamp voltage conversion circuit includes a phase-clipping circuit connected to the lamp terminal and establishing a phase conduction angle that determines an RMS load voltage for the lamp. The phase-clipping circuit includes a transistor switch and a microcontroller that operates the transistor switch, wherein ON/OFF periods of the transistor switch define the phase conduction angle. The microcontroller is arranged and adapted to sense a load voltage at the lamp terminal and to compare the sensed load voltage to a reference RMS voltage and to adjust the ON/OFF periods of the transistor switch in response to the comparison to cause the load voltage to approach the reference RMS voltage.

Abstract: A method of converting a line voltage to an RMS load voltage in a lamp includes connecting a phase-clipping circuit which includes a transistor switch and a microcontroller that operates the transistor switch to a lamp terminal. A phase conduction angle is established in the phase-clipping circuit for determining an RMS load voltage by operating the transistor switch, wherein ON/OFF periods of the transistor switch define the phase conduction angle. The method further includes sensing the load voltage, comparing in the microcontroller the sensed load voltage to a reference RMS voltage, and adjusting the ON/OFF periods of the transistor switch in response to the comparison to cause the load voltage to approach the reference RMS voltage.

Abstract: A lamp contains a voltage conversion circuit that converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage and includes a switch and a microcontroller that operates the switch to define the RMS load voltage. The microcontroller senses a load voltage of the lamp, compares the sensed load voltage to a reference RMS voltage, and operates the switch in response to the comparison so that the RMS load voltage is substantially constant at the reference RMS voltage over an operating range of the line voltage and so that the RMS load voltage decreases with decreasing line voltage at line voltages less than the operating range. The operating range of the line voltage is defined to have a minimum that is a non-zero line voltage at which a load current is a predetermined maximum. The voltage conversion circuit may be a phase clipping circuit or a pulse width modulation circuit.

Abstract: A method for converting a line voltage to an RMS load voltage in a lamp includes providing a a control circuit which includes a switch and a microcontroller that operates the switch to establish an RMS load voltage for the lamp. The load voltage of the lamp is sensed and the sensed load voltage is compared in the microcontroller to a reference RMS voltage. Operation of the switch is adjusted in response to the comparison so that the RMS load voltage is substantially constant at the reference RMS voltage over a first operating range of the line voltage and so that the RMS load voltage decreases with decreasing line voltage at non-zero line voltages less than the first operating range.

Abstract: A lamp contains a voltage conversion circuit that converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage and includes a switch and a microcontroller that operates the switch to define the RMS load voltage. The microcontroller senses a load voltage of the lamp, compares the sensed load voltage to a reference RMS voltage, and operates the switch in response to the comparison so that the RMS load voltage is substantially constant at the reference RMS voltage over an operating range of the line voltage and so that the RMS load voltage decreases with decreasing line voltage at line voltages less than the operating range. The operating range of the line voltage is defined to have a minimum that is a non-zero line voltage at which a load current is a predetermined maximum. The voltage conversion circuit may be a phase clipping circuit or a pulse width modulation circuit.

Abstract: A phase-control power controller converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage and includes a phase-control clipping circuit that clips a load voltage to provide the RMS load voltage. The power controller may be in a base of a lamp and connected to a lamp terminal. The phase-clipping circuit establishes a phase conduction angle that determines the RMS load voltage for the lamp and includes a transistor switch and a microcontroller that operates the transistor switch, where ON/OFF periods of the transistor switch define the phase conduction angle. The microcontroller senses a load voltage at the lamp terminal, compares the sensed load voltage to a reference RMS voltage, and adjusts the ON/OFF periods of the transistor switch in response to the comparison to cause the load voltage to approach the reference RMS voltage. The circuit may be used for reverse, forward, or forward/reverse hybrid phase clipping.

Abstract: A lamp contains a lamp voltage conversion circuit within the lamp and connected to a lamp terminal. The voltage conversion circuit includes a phase-control clipping circuit that clips a load voltage and provides an RMS load voltage to the lamp. The phase-control clipping circuit has a time-based pulse source that triggers conduction of the phase-control clipping circuit independently of line voltage magnitude.

Abstract: A phase-control power controller converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage and includes a phase-control clipping circuit that clips a load voltage to provide the RMS load voltage. The power controller may be in a base of a lamp and connected to a lamp terminal. The phase-clipping circuit establishes a phase conduction angle that determines the RMS load voltage for the lamp and includes a transistor switch and a microcontroller that operates the transistor switch, where ON/OFF periods of the transistor switch define the phase conduction angle. The microcontroller senses a load voltage at the lamp terminal, compares the sensed load voltage to a reference RMS voltage, and adjusts the ON/OFF periods of the transistor switch in response to the comparison to cause the load voltage to approach the reference RMS voltage. The circuit may be used for reverse, forward, or forward/reverse hybrid phase clipping.

Abstract: A phase-control power controller that converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage includes a fixed phase forward/reverse hybrid phase-control clipping circuit that performs phase-control clipping of a load voltage to provide an RMS load voltage. A conduction angle of the phase-control clipping circuit is defined by a time-based pulse source that triggers conduction in the phase-control clipping circuit independently of line voltage magnitude during time periods that span polarity changes of the load voltage and that are separated by intervals when conduction is not triggered. The phase-control clipping circuit includes a transistor switch whose gate receives positive polarity signals from the time-based pulse source to trigger conduction of the phase-control clipping circuit. The power controller may be in a voltage conversion circuit that converts a line voltage at a lamp terminal to the RMS load voltage usable by a light emitting element of the lamp.

Abstract: A power controller converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage for a lamp, and includes a switch and a microcontroller that operates the switch to define the RMS load voltage. The microcontroller senses a load voltage of the lamp, compares the sensed load voltage to a reference RMS voltage, and operates the switch in response to the comparison so that the RMS load voltage is substantially constant at the reference RMS voltage over an operating range of the line voltage and so that the RMS load voltage decreases with decreasing line voltage at line voltages less than the operating range. The operating range of the line voltage is defined to have a minimum that is a non-zero line voltage at which a load current is a predetermined maximum. The voltage conversion circuit may be a phase clipping circuit or a pulse width modulation circuit.

Abstract: A method of converting a line voltage to an RMS load voltage in a lamp includes modulating a load voltage with a pulse width modulation circuit that is entirely within the lamp and provides an RMS load voltage to a light emitting element of the lamp. Conduction is triggered in the pulse width modulation circuit independently of a line voltage magnitude with a time-based signal source that defines a duty cycle of the pulse width modulation circuit suitable for the RMS load voltage.

Abstract: A lamp has a voltage controller that converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage suitable for operation of the lamp's light emitting element, where the voltage controller is entirely within a lamp base and uses pulse width modulation to define the RMS load voltage. The voltage controller is connected in series between the light emitting element and a line voltage terminal in the lamp base and has a bridge that supplies the RMS load voltage to the light emitting element, a switching transistor that pulse width modulates a current supplied to the bridge, and a timer that is connected to a gate of the switching transistor to turn the switching transistor on and off at a rate that defines the RMS load voltage. The voltage controller allows the lamp to be used with an external dimming circuit that provides a clipped line voltage to the lamp.

Abstract: A lamp contains a lamp voltage conversion circuit that is entirely within a base for converting a line voltage at a lamp terminal to an RMS load voltage at a light emitting element. The voltage conversion circuit includes a forward clipping circuit with a three-terminal thyristor that forward clips a load voltage to define the RMS load voltage, and a time-based pulse source that provides pulses the trigger conduction of the three-terminal thyristor at constant time intervals that are independent of the magnitude of the line voltage.

Abstract: An incandescent lamp includes a lamp voltage conversion circuit within the lamp and connected to a lamp terminal, where the voltage conversion circuit converts a first line voltage at the lamp terminal to a second RMS load voltage usable by a light emitting element of the lamp. The voltage conversion circuit includes a triac phase-controlled dimming circuit, which in turn includes a hysteresis control network. The voltage conversion circuit may be an integrated circuit that is in the lamp base and connected between the lamp terminal and the light emitting element. The triac phase-controlled dimming circuit may be built for a specific line voltage.