Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp, which comprises: an inverter which functions to convert a direct current power to a high frequency output power in a substantially sinusoidal waveform and operate a low pressure electric discharge lamp; a switching device provided at an output side of said inverter and supplying discharge current to said electric discharge lamp through its opening and closing operations; and a control device which controls said switching device so as to supply an output to said electric discharge lamp during a period including a peak value and its vicinity of an instantaneous value at each half cycle of the output from said inverter at the time of operating of said electric discharge lamp.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
119 words
A lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp, which comprises: an inverter which functions to convert a direct current power to a high frequency output power in a substantially sinusoidal waveform and operate a low pressure electric discharge lamp; a switching device provided at an output side of said inverter and supplying discharge current to said electric discharge lamp through its opening and closing operations; and a control device which controls said switching device so as to supply an output to said electric discharge lamp during a period including a peak value and its vicinity of an instantaneous value at each half cycle of the output from said inverter at the time of operating of said electric discharge lamp.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
93 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that said inverter operates said electric discharge lamp with a reactive current limiting impedance and that there is provided at the output side of said inverter a surge absorbing circuit which absorbs a surge voltage to be generated at the time of interruption of said switching device, wherein the charging operation of said surge absorbing circuit is set at a time constant which terminates at substantially 3 μS or shorter at every half cycle of the high frequency voltage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that said inverter operates said electric discharge lamp with a reactive current limiting impedance and that length of the interruption period of said switching device is made variable so that variations in the power of said electric discharge lamp at every half cycle may be smaller than variations in the peak value of the instantaneous value at every half cycle of the output current from said inverter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that said inverter operates said electric discharge lamp with a reactive current limiting impedance and that length of the interruption period of said switching device is maintained substantially constant during a normal operation time thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that said inverter operates said electric discharge lamp with a reactive current limiting impedance and is provided with detection means to detect no discharge or asymmetrical discharge from the electric discharge lamp, wherein said switching device is so maintained conductive for at least a certain predetermined time in accordance with detection by said detection means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that said switching device is connected in series with the low pressure electric discharge lamp.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that said switching device is connected in parallel with the low pressure electric discharge lamp.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that said high frequency inverter has a high frequency choking coil at its input terminal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a control device to effect power supply to the low pressure electric discharge lamp for a plurality of numbers of times during a half cycle of the output voltage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that the input voltage to said high frequency inverter is a pulsating voltage obtained by full-wave rectification of alternating current voltage.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the voltage and the current in the active elements of said high frequency inverter is in a substantially sinusoidal waveform.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 2, characterized in that said inverter is a transistor inverter which performs self-oscillation, and an output transformer is constructed with a leakage transformer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 3, characterized in that said inverter is a transistor inverter which performs self-oscillation, and an output transformer is constructed with a leakage transformer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 4, characterized in that said inverter is a transistor inverter which performs self-oscillation, and an output transformer is constructed with a leakage transformer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 5, characterized in that said inverter is a transistor inverter which performs self-oscillation, and an output transformer is constructed with a leakage transformer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 7, characterized in that said inverter is a separately excited inverter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 14, characterized in that said switching device operates during a period when the input d.c. voltage to said inverter is at a low voltage level, and maintains its interruption condition during a period when the input d.c. voltage is at a high voltage level.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 15, characterized in that a control winding of said control device to be the detection means is provided at the secondary side of a leakage type transformer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
55 words
The lighting circuit for an electric discharge lamp according to claim 17, characterized in that said switching device operates during a period when the input d.c. voltage to said inverter is at a high voltage level, and maintains its interruption condition during a period when the input d.c. voltage is at a low voltage level.