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US4051411A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Discharge lamp operating circuit

Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1976-09-02
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Granted: 1977-09-27
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Expires: 1996-09-02
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Abstract

Abstract Color properties of high pressure sodium vapor discharge lamps are improved by disclosed operating circuit for applying pulsed direct current to the lamp. The circuit comprises a direct current supply circuit, a transistor switch in series with a ballast inductor and a lamp across the supply circuit, an SCR switch connected across the inductor, a coasting diode across the inductor and lamp, and a control circuit connected to the switches for applying DC pulses to the lamp at a predetermined repetition rate and duty cycle. The circuit produces pulse waveforms which provide optimum color improvement in the lamp and makes efficient use of the energy supplied from the power source.

Inventors

  • 👤 David W. Knoble
  • 👤 Don Morais

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 09:22
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B41/00; H05B41/14; H05B41/30; H05B41/34; H05B41/36; H05B41/38; H05B41/39; H05B41/392; H05B41/3921; H05B41/3924; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S315/00; Y10S315/07

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 129 words
A lamp operating circuit comprising. in combination, a direct current power source, first controlled switch means and inductance means connected in series across said power source, means for serially connecting a gaseous discharge lamp to said first controlled switch means and said inductance means, unidirectional conducting means connected across said series connected inductance means and said lamp connecting means, second controlled switch means coupled to said inductance means for stopping current flow to the gaseous discharge lamp and for storing magnetic energy in said inductance means while said controlled switch means is on, and control means coupled to said first and second controlled switch means for repetitively and sequentially operating the same at predetermined intervals, whereby DC pulses may be applied to the gaseous discharge lamp for operation thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 129 words
A lamp operating circuit comprising. in combination, a direct current power source, first controlled switch means and inductance means connected in series across said power source, means for serially connecting a gaseous discharge lamp to said first controlled switch means and said inductance means, unidirectional conducting means connected across said series connected inductance means and said lamp connecting means, second controlled switch means coupled to said inductance means for stopping current flow to the gaseous discharge lamp and for storing magnetic energy in said inductance means while said controlled switch means is on, and control means coupled to said first and second controlled switch means for repetitively and sequentially operating the same at predetermined intervals, whereby DC pulses may be applied to the gaseous discharge lamp for operation thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 36 words
A circuit as defined in claim 1, said inductance means and said unidirectional conducting means comprising with the lamp a discharge loop, said first controlled switch means connected between said power source and said discharge loop.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 38 words
A circuit as defined in claim 2, said inductance means comprising an induction coil connected in series between said first controlled switch means and said lamp connecting means, said second controlled switch means connected across said induction coil.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 48 words
A circuit as defined in claim 2, said inductance means comprising a primary winding connected in series between said first controlled switch means and said lamp connecting means and a secondary winding magnetically coupled to said primary winding, said second controlled switch means connected across said secondary winding.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 45 words
A circuit as defined in claim 1, said first controlled switch means comprising a transistor having a base electrode, said second controlled switch means comprising a unidirectional controlled switch having a gate electrode, said control means connected to said base electrode and said gate electrode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
A circuit as defined in claim 5, said unidirectional controlled switch comprising a silicon controlled rectifier.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 45 words
A circuit as defined in claim 1, said control means having timing network means comprising first and second multivibrator circuits connected respectively to said first and second controlled switch means, said first multivibrator circuit connected to said second multivibrator circuit for controlling the operation thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 26 words
A circuit as defined in claim 7, said first multivibrator circuit comprising an astable multivibrator circuit and said second multivibrator circuit comprising a monostable multivibrator circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 14 words
A circuit as defined in claim 1, said unidirectional conducting means comprising a diode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 115 words
A lamp operating circuit comprising, in combination, a direct current power source, first controlled switch means, inductance means and a gaseous discharge lamp connected in series across said power source, unidirectional conducting means connected across said series connected inductance means and said gaseous discharge lamp, second controlled switch means coupled to said inductance means for stopping current flow to said gaseous discharge lamp and for storing magnetic energy in said inductance means while said second controlled switch means in on, and control means coupled to said first and second controlled swich means for repetitively and sequentially operating the same at predetermined intervals, whereby DC pulses are applied to said gaseous discharge lamp for operation thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 115 words
A lamp operating circuit comprising, in combination, a direct current power source, first controlled switch means, inductance means and a gaseous discharge lamp connected in series across said power source, unidirectional conducting means connected across said series connected inductance means and said gaseous discharge lamp, second controlled switch means coupled to said inductance means for stopping current flow to said gaseous discharge lamp and for storing magnetic energy in said inductance means while said second controlled switch means in on, and control means coupled to said first and second controlled swich means for repetitively and sequentially operating the same at predetermined intervals, whereby DC pulses are applied to said gaseous discharge lamp for operation thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 15 words
A circuit as defined in claim 10, said gaseous discharge lamp comprising mixed metal vapors.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 19 words
A circuit as defined in claim 10, wherein said gaseous discharge lamp is a high pressure sodium vapor lamp.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 34 words
A circuit as defined in claim 12, said inductance means, said lamp, said unidirectional conducting means comprising a discharge loop, said first controlled switch means connected between said power source and said discharge loop.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 26 words
A circuit as defined in claim 13, said first controlled switch means comprising a transistor switch, said second controlled switch means comprising a silicon controlled rectifier.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 36 words
A circuit as defined in claim 13, said inductance means comprising an induction coil connected in series between said first controlled switch means and said lamp, said second controlled switch means connected across said induction coil.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 46 words
A circuit as defined in claim 13, said inductance means comprising a primary winding connected in series between said first controlled switch means and said lamp, and a second winding magnetically coupled to said primary winding, said second controlled switch means connected across said secondary winding.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3265930A Cited
US3890537A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1980-09-26 1981-03-28 1981-09-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1984-09-26 1985-03-28 1985-09-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1988-09-26 1989-03-28 1989-09-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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