Light Emitting Diode Light Bulbs with Strands of LEDs

Abstract

The present invention relates to an LED light bulb. The LED light bulb comprises a base and a hollow shell. The base has a closed end, an open end and a sleeve between the two ends. The shell is connected to the open end of the base. The LED light bulb comprises at least two LEDs substantially linearly arranged within the shell. By arrangement of multiple LEDs one or more strands the luminance or brightness of the bulb is improved compared with a bulb with one LED or with several horizontally arranged LEDs in a common place, without sacrificing the advantage of energy saving.

1 . A bulb, comprising:
 a base, the base including a closed end, an open end and a sleeve therebetween, wherein the sleeve serves as an electrode and the closed end has a contact point serving as another electrode;   a hollow shell connected to the open end of the base; and   a strand of at least two LEDs, each LED including a base having electrical terminals and an envelope extending from the base to an envelope top end distal from the base, the LEDs joined together and arranged within the shell such that for all LEDs, but for the last LED, in each strand, the envelope top end of any given LED in the strand substantially faces the base of an adjacent LED in the strand,   wherein the bulb is adapted for connection to a power source.   
     
     
         2 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The bulb according to  claim 1 , wherein the base of the bulb is hollow, and, within the hollow base, the bulb further comprises a power converter for converting AC power to DC power to be supplied to the LEDs. 
     
     
         6 . The bulb of  claim 5 , wherein
 both the two electrodes are connected to the input of the power converter; and   the bulb further comprises an insulating part separating and insulating the two electrodes.   
     
     
         7 . The bulb according to  claim 6 , wherein the power converter includes a filter circuit, a bridge rectifier circuit, and a resistor; the bridge rectifier circuit is connected to the electrodes via the filter circuit, and the output of the bridge rectifier circuit is connected to LEDs via the resistor. 
     
     
         8 . The bulb according to  claim 7 , wherein the sleeve of the base has external threading. 
     
     
         9 . The bulb according to  claim 1 , wherein the shell is made of translucent or transparent plastic. 
     
     
         10 . The bulb according to  claim 1 , wherein the shell is made of translucent or transparent glass. 
     
     
         11 . The bulb according to  claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are connected in parallel. 
     
     
         12 . The bulb according to  claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are connected in series. 
     
     
         13 . An LED bulb, the bulb comprising:
 a base, the base including a closed end, an open end and a sleeve therebetween, wherein the sleeve serves as an electrode and the closed end has a contact point serving as another electrode;   a hollow shell connected to the open end of the base; and   at least two strands of LEDs wherein each strand of LEDs includes at least two LEDs, each LED having a base comprising electrical terminals and an envelope extending from the base to an envelope top end distal from the base, the LEDs joined together and arranged within the shell such that for all LEDs, but for the last LED, in each strand, the envelope top end of any given LED in the strand substantially faces the base of an adjacent LED in the strand,   wherein the bulb is adapted for connection to a power source.   
     
     
         14 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The bulb according to  claim 13  wherein the LEDs are connected in parallel within each strand. 
     
     
         18 . The bulb according to  claim 13  wherein the LEDs are connected in series within each strand.