Patent US2116036A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3569779A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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High voltage power supply for a flash discharge lamp
Assignee: US Philips Corp
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Filing: 1968-12-23
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Granted: 1971-03-09
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Expires: 1988-12-23
Abstract
Abstract A power supply for a flash discharge lamp includes a capacitor and a voltage divider in parallel. A gas discharge tube is in parallel with a first part of the voltage divider and a controlled switching element is in parallel with a second part thereof. The gas tube is connected to the switching element so that at a given voltage across the capacitor, the gas tube ignites and causes the switching element to change state. This in turn abruptly alters the voltage distribution across the voltage divider in a sense to reduce the voltage across the gas tube to a level close to its operating voltage. The charge current to the capacitor is then interrupted. A relatively small discharge of the capacitor causes the gas tube to turn off, thereby allowing the capacitor charge current to flow again. The capacitor voltage variation is thus held within a narrow range.
Inventors
- 👤 Meerten Luursema
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 04:46
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M3/00; H02M3/22; H02M3/24; H02M3/28; H02M3/325; H02M3/335; H02M3/338; H02M3/3385; H05; H05B; H05B41/00; H05B41/14; H05B41/30; H05B41/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
270 words
A circuit arrangement for flashing a flash discharge lamp comprising, a capacitor which supplies the current for flashing the lamp, a potential divider connected in shunt with the capacitor, circuit means including a voltage breakdown element connected in shunt across a first part a of the potential divider, means for charging said capacitor in the nonconducting condition of the breakdown element, said breakdown element becoming conductive when the capacitor reaches a given high voltage and remains conducting for some time thereafter at a voltage which is smaller than its breakdown voltage, means for interrupting the current supply of the capacitor in the conducting condition of the breakdown element, second circuit means including a controlled semiconductor switching element connected in shunt with a second part b of the potential divider, means connecting a control electrode of said semiconductor switching element to the first circuit means including divider, means for coupling said energy source to the capacitor so as to supply a charge current for the capacitor when the breakdown element is nonconductive, means responsive to the breakdown element for interrupting the capacitor charge current when the breakdown element conducts, a controlled switching element connected in parallel with a second part of the voltage divider so as to provide a low impedance shunt path across said second part when the switching element conducts, and means connecting a control electrode of the switching element to said to said be breakdown element so that the state of the switching element is determined by the condition of the breakdown element, the voltage distribution across said voltage divider abruptly changing when the switching element changes state.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
270 words
A circuit arrangement for flashing a flash discharge lamp comprising, a capacitor which supplies the current for flashing the lamp, a potential divider connected in shunt with the capacitor, circuit means including a voltage breakdown element connected in shunt across a first part a of the potential divider, means for charging said capacitor in the nonconducting condition of the breakdown element, said breakdown element becoming conductive when the capacitor reaches a given high voltage and remains conducting for some time thereafter at a voltage which is smaller than its breakdown voltage, means for interrupting the current supply of the capacitor in the conducting condition of the breakdown element, second circuit means including a controlled semiconductor switching element connected in shunt with a second part b of the potential divider, means connecting a control electrode of said semiconductor switching element to the first circuit means including divider, means for coupling said energy source to the capacitor so as to supply a charge current for the capacitor when the breakdown element is nonconductive, means responsive to the breakdown element for interrupting the capacitor charge current when the breakdown element conducts, a controlled switching element connected in parallel with a second part of the voltage divider so as to provide a low impedance shunt path across said second part when the switching element conducts, and means connecting a control electrode of the switching element to said to said be breakdown element so that the state of the switching element is determined by the condition of the breakdown element, the voltage distribution across said voltage divider abruptly changing when the switching element changes state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the semiconductor switching element is a transistor the control electrode of which is included in the circuit of the breakdown element which shunts the part a of the potential divider.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the semiconductor switching element is the only circuit element in the shunt across the part b of the potential divider.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A circuit as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for connecting the voltage breakdown element in series with the main current path of the semiconductor switching element so that the switching element is rendered nonconductive when the breakdown element conducts, and vice versa.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said breakdown element is coupled to the semiconductor switching element so that the switching element is rendered conductive when the breakdown element conducts and vice versa.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
99 words
A power supply comprising, a capacitor, a voltage divider connected in parallel with the capacitor, a source of electric energy, a voltage breakdown element having a given ignition voltage and a lower operAting voltage, means connecting a said breakdown element in parallel with a first part of the voltage the breakdown element so that a voltage is produced at the control electrode by means of the first circuit means so as to trigger the semiconductor switching element into conduction as a function of the condition of the breakdown element thereby to change the impedance distribution of the potential divider.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
99 words
A power supply comprising, a capacitor, a voltage divider connected in parallel with the capacitor, a source of electric energy, a voltage breakdown element having a given ignition voltage and a lower operAting voltage, means connecting a said breakdown element in parallel with a first part of the voltage the breakdown element so that a voltage is produced at the control electrode by means of the first circuit means so as to trigger the semiconductor switching element into conduction as a function of the condition of the breakdown element thereby to change the impedance distribution of the potential divider.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
A power supply as claimed in claim 6 wherein said voltage divider comprises a plurality of series connected resistors arranged in value so that when the breakdown element ignites and the switching element changes state in response thereto, the voltage distribution is changed in a sense so that the voltage across said first part of the voltage divider drops to a value close to the operating voltage of said breakdown element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
A power supply as claimed in claim 6 further comprising means for connecting the voltage breakdown element in series with the main current path of the switching element, said breakdown element being connected to said control electrode to apply a voltage thereto such that conduction in the breakdown element renders the switching element nonconductive, thereby effectively removing said shunt path from across said second part of the voltage divider.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
A power supply as claimed in claim 6 wherein said energy source comprises, an oscillator circuit, rectifier means coupling the oscillator circuit output to the capacitor, and wherein said current interrupting means includes means for supplying a feedback voltage via said breakdown element to the oscillator circuit to stop oscillations therein when said breakdown element conducts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
67 words
A power supply as claimed in claim 6 wherein said breakdown element comprises a gas discharge tube, a flash discharge lamp connected across said capacitor, and wherein said gas tube is connected to said control electrode to apply a voltage thereto such tat that conduction in the gas tube causes the switching element to conduct and nonconduction in the gas tube causes nonconduction in the switching element.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-08 | 1974-09-07 | 1975-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-08 | 1978-09-07 | 1979-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-08 | 1982-09-07 | 1983-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |