Transcript 4-Channel Light Chaser

Changing the way consumers and businesses
improve their lives, for more than 35-years, through
"Technologization"!
4-Channel Light Chaser
4-Channel Light Chaser
A great many of the products and projects that I have involved myself in over the years have been
developed around semiconductor products that had already established a long-standing reputation
for providing low-cost, flexible design solutions for circuit designs that used to require a much
larger number of components and elaborate circuit design concepts.
Of these, some of the more popular products would include the 555 timer I.C. (Integrated Circuit),
and it’s derivative, the 556 Timer I.C. (Contains two 555 timer functions within a single D.I.P. (Dual
In-Line Package), J-K Flip Flop I.C.s, and Dual J-K Flip Flops; as well as a host of other supporting
products including Operational Amplifiers (Op-Amps), Hybrid power packs and power amp
modules, SCRs (Silicon Controlled Rectifiers), DIACs (Diode for Alternating Current), and TRIACs
(Tri-State Silicon Controlled Switches for Alternating Current, or more commonly referred to as;
Bidirectional Triode Thyristor or Bilateral Triode Thyristor), L.E.D.s (Light Emitting Diode), L.C.D.s
(Liquid Crystal Display), Opto-Isolator TRIAC Drivers, and a wide variety of other support
components.
TRIAC
SCR
ZENER
DIODE
DIAC
J-K Flip Flop &
Dual J-K Flip Flop
4-Channel Light Chaser
While this 4-Channel Light Chaser was originally requested by a client and went through
the entire design, development, and all phases of good project management, it was
never fully developed into a working, finished prototype, as the client changed their mind
at the last moment, and decided to purchase a similar device from a national stage
production company.
Even still, all of the steps necessary to getting a product from idea to physical working
model were followed and performed, including:
• Rough draft of product requirements
• Risk assessment
• Preliminary circuit design
• Mathematical and electrical verification and validation
• Bread-boarding the circuits involved and testing
• Documentation of all related specifications and summary
• Preliminary enclosure design and human interface controls
4-Channel Light Chaser
The first steps in any electronics project often involves determining the power
requirements for the devices and components being incorporated, and for any external
add-ons that will be incorporated into its application. If DC (Direct Current) sources are
involved, then it will be necessary to determine both the DC and AC (Alternating Current)
power requirements.
From here, DC power supply design and architecture can be developed. Because DC
power does not occur naturally from common wall outlets, developing a DC power
source almost always involves converting the available AC current and signals, into DC
current and signals. The steps involved include conversion from AC to unfiltered DC,
filtering the DC, regulating the DC, and distribution of the DC power.
AC -to- DC Conversion
Pre-Filtering DC
4-Channel Light Chaser
Filtering DC (Remove AC Ripple Content)
Fully Regulated + 5 VDC (.0001% AC Ripple)
Removing as much AC ripple from the filtered DC current is critical to establishing stable
operation of circuits that derive power from the power supply. Ripple noise riding on the
DC power can lead to false triggering of electronic devices and components, as well as
interfere with internal and external timing parameters established, and could even be
destructive to more sensitive components. Regulating the filtered DC provides stable
DC supply voltages within the upper and lower range tolerances of the regulator design.
4-Channel Light Chaser
Once the DC power supply source has been created, the DC output may be distributed
to the circuits involved in the project. In this case, a +5 VDC tap provides 5 volts DC to
a 555 Timer circuit that is running in astable-multivibrator mode. The output pulse width
and gain remain constant; however, the pulse rate (frequency) is continuously variable
throughout the range of the Rate Control potentiometer (VR1).
4-Channel Light Chaser
The output pulse from the 555 timer circuit is used as an input control pulse for the J-K
Flip Flop I.C. and chaser driver circuit.
4-Channel Light Chaser
The heart of this 4-channel Light Chaser design, illustrated below, depicts the main
components involved in running a variable-rate chaser pulse capable of driving L.E.D.
devices. When these L.E.D.s are substituted with Opto-Isolator TRAIC driver I.C.s, you
have the makings of a great DC controlling AC lighting control/switching circuit.
4-Channel Light Chaser
The circuit illustrated below demonstrates that the output control signals from each
channel of the J-K Flip Flop I.C. can be used to drive a Zero-Crossing, Opto-Isolator
Triac Driver I.C., which then controls the flow of AC current through the AC load, in this
case Flood Lamps. Using the Opto-Isolator Triac Driver I.C., as opposed to driving the
gate of the TRIAC devices through direct connection, separates or isolates the DC
circuits from the AC circuits, protecting both from feed-back related problems, and is a
much better design from a number of important efficiency of operation, and quality of
design perspectives.
4-Channel Light Chaser
Bringing it all together . . .
4-Channel Light Chaser
While a great deal of what has been demonstrated
here will seem foreign or alien to those who do not
have a background in electronics theory, design, and
development, the ideas and concepts form the basis
for a number of other product and electronics designs
that have been adopted and enhanced over the years,
throughout many industries.
A great many of the electronics, devices, appliances,
and lighting products you see on the market, and use
in your homes and businesses today, have been based
on designs that myself, and others, pioneered and
developed many years ago!
Changing the way consumers and businesses
improve their lives, for more than 35-years, through
"Technologization"!
4-Channel Light Chaser
End of Presentation