US3710184A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Circuit arrangements for operating electric discharge lamps
Assignee: The General Electric Company PLC
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Filing: 1970-10-22
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Granted: 1973-01-09
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Expires: 1990-10-22
Abstract
Abstract A starting circuit arrangement for an electric discharge lamp has a capacitive ballast connected in series with the lamp terminals and the A.C. supply terminals. A charging circuit, which includes one or more diodes, charges the capacitive ballast to twice (or more than twice) the peak voltage of the supply so that three times (or more than three times) the supply voltage is available to start the lamp. In one embodiment the capacitive ballast is divided into two equal parts, each connected to one lamp terminal and each charged to twice the peak voltage of the supply by an associated diode charging circuit, so that five times the peak voltage of the supply is available across the lamp terminals.
Inventors
- 👤 C Williams
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 21:59
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B41/00; H05B41/02; H05B41/04; H05B41/042; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S315/00; Y10S315/05
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
A circuit arrangement for starting an electric discharge lamp from an alternating current supply comprising: a. first and second input terminals across which an alternating current supply is connected; b. first and second lamp terminals across which an electric discharge lamp is connected; c. first capacitor means connected in series between the first input terminal and the first lamp terminal; d. a circuit connection between the second input terminal and the second lamp terminal; e. a charging circuit for the first capacitor means, said charging circuit including a first unilateral impedance device and means connecting one side of said first unilateral impedance device to the side of the first capacitor means which is connected to the first lamp terminal; f. a second capacitor means and a second unilateral impedance device connected in series between the second and first input terminals in the order stated; g. means connecting the other side of the first unilateral impedance device to the junction between the second capacitor means and the second unilateral impedance device; and h. the polarity of the first and second unilateral impedance devices being such that the second capacitor means is charged to at least the peak voltage of the supply and the first capacitor means is charged to at least twice the peak voltage of the supply so that at least three times the peak voltage of the supply is available across the lamp terminals to start the lamp.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
239 words
A circuit arrangement for starting an electric discharge lamp from an alternating current supply comprising: a. first and second input terminals across which an alternating current supply is connected; b. first and second lamp terminals across which an electric discharge lamp is connected; c. first capacitor means connected in series between the first input terminal and the first lamp terminal; d. a circuit connection between the second input terminal and the second lamp terminal; e. a charging circuit for the first capacitor means, said charging circuit including a first unilateral impedance device and means connecting one side of said first unilateral impedance device to the side of the first capacitor means which is connected to the first lamp terminal; f. a second capacitor means and a second unilateral impedance device connected in series between the second and first input terminals in the order stated; g. means connecting the other side of the first unilateral impedance device to the junction between the second capacitor means and the second unilateral impedance device; and h. the polarity of the first and second unilateral impedance devices being such that the second capacitor means is charged to at least the peak voltage of the supply and the first capacitor means is charged to at least twice the peak voltage of the supply so that at least three times the peak voltage of the supply is available across the lamp terminals to start the lamp.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein first and second unilateral impedance devices are diodes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first unilateral impedance device has a resistance connected in series therewith to prevent the firsT unilateral impedance device from functioning as a low resistance shunt for the lamp after the lamp has started.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 1, including an inductive ballast connected between the first input terminal and the first lamp terminal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inductive ballast constitutes a winding of a leakage flux transformer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
191 words
A circuit arrangement for starting an electric discharge lamp from an alternating current supply comprising: a. first and second input terminals across which an alternating current supply is connected; b. first and second lamp terminals across which an electric discharge lamp is connected; c. first capacitor means connected in series between the first input terminal and the first lamp terminal; d. a charging circuit for the first capacitor means including a first unilateral impedance device connected between the second input terminal and the side of the first capacitor means which is connected to the first lamp terminal; e. second capacitor means connected in series between the second input terminal and the second lamp terminal; f. a charging circuit for the second capacitor means including a second unilateral impedance device connected between the first input terminal and the side of the second capacitor means which is connected to the second lamp terminal; and g. the polarity of the first and second unilateral impedance devices being such that the first capacitor means is charged to at least the peak voltage of the supply is available across the lamp terminals to start the lamp.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
191 words
A circuit arrangement for starting an electric discharge lamp from an alternating current supply comprising: a. first and second input terminals across which an alternating current supply is connected; b. first and second lamp terminals across which an electric discharge lamp is connected; c. first capacitor means connected in series between the first input terminal and the first lamp terminal; d. a charging circuit for the first capacitor means including a first unilateral impedance device connected between the second input terminal and the side of the first capacitor means which is connected to the first lamp terminal; e. second capacitor means connected in series between the second input terminal and the second lamp terminal; f. a charging circuit for the second capacitor means including a second unilateral impedance device connected between the first input terminal and the side of the second capacitor means which is connected to the second lamp terminal; and g. the polarity of the first and second unilateral impedance devices being such that the first capacitor means is charged to at least the peak voltage of the supply is available across the lamp terminals to start the lamp.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first and second unilateral impedance devices are diodes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first and second unilateral impedance devices in the two charging circuits have respective resistances connected in series therewith to prevent the unilateral impedance devices functioning as low resistance shunts for the lamp after the lamp has started.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 6, including an inductive ballast connected between the first input terminal and the first lamp terminal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 6, including an inductive ballast divided into a first part connected between the first input terminal and the first lamp terminal and a second part connected between the second input terminal and the second lamp terminal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2130077A
Cited
US2575001A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-09 | 1976-07-10 | 1977-01-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-09 | 1980-07-10 | 1981-01-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-09 | 1984-07-10 | 1985-01-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |