Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
An inverter, comprising: alternately conductive, controllable first and second switches; a load circuit connected parallel to the first switch; the first and second switches being connected in series across a dc voltage source; the load circuit comprising a series connection of an oscillating circuit choke, a coupling capacitor, and a parallel connection of a discharge lamp and an oscillating circuit capacitor, the discharge lamp having first and second heatable electrodes to which the oscillating circuit capacitor is connected; a firing unit means for alternately opening and closing the first and second switches; the oscillating circuit choke and oscillating circuit capacitor forming an oscillating circuit having a given resonant frequency when the discharge lamp is not ignited, said resonant frequency lying below an operating frequency of the inverter defined by the firing unit; a voltage-dependent resistor being provided in series with a capacitor to form a branch connected to said oscillating circuit, said branch being connected at a point in said oscillating circuit so as to change said given resonant frequency of said oscillating circuit when a voltage present across the voltage-dependent resistor rises and the voltage-dependent resistor enters its active conducting region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
An inverter, comprising: alternately conductive, controllable first and second switches; a load circuit connected parallel to the first switch; the first and second switches being connected in series across a dc voltage source; the load circuit comprising a series connection of an oscillating circuit choke, a coupling capacitor, and a parallel connection of a discharge lamp and an oscillating circuit capacitor, the discharge lamp having first and second heatable electrodes to which the oscillating circuit capacitor is connected; a firing unit means for alternately opening and closing the first and second switches; the oscillating circuit choke and oscillating circuit capacitor forming an oscillating circuit having a given resonant frequency when the discharge lamp is not ignited, said resonant frequency lying below an operating frequency of the inverter defined by the firing unit; a voltage-dependent resistor being provided in series with a capacitor to form a branch connected to said oscillating circuit, said branch being connected at a point in said oscillating circuit so as to change said given resonant frequency of said oscillating circuit when a voltage present across the voltage-dependent resistor rises and the voltage-dependent resistor enters its active conducting region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
An inverter according to claim 1 wherein the branch comprising the voltage-dependent resistor and the capacitor is connected parallel to a series connection comprising the oscillating circuit choke and the second switch of the inverter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
An inverter according to claim 2 further comprising a monitoring means for disconnecting the inverter depending upon a current, the voltage at the capacitor connected to the voltage-dependent resistor controlling the monitoring means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
An inverter according to claim 1 wherein the voltage-dependent resistor has its characteristics chosen such that an operating point of the voltage-dependent resistor always lies in a current-conducting range during ignition mode of the discharge lamp--and lies in an idle range of the characteristic only given an ignition of the discharge lamp.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
An inverter according to claim 1 wherein the firing unit means includes a saturation transformer, control voltages for the switches being derived from secondary windings of said saturation transformer, the primary winding lying in the load circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
195 words
An inverter, comprising: alternately conductive, controllable first and second switches; a load circuit connected parallel to the first switch; the first and second switches being connected in series across a dc voltage source; the load circuit comprising a series connection of an oscillating circuit choke, a coupling capacitor, and a parallel connection of a discharge lamp and an oscillating circuit capacitor, the discharge lamp having first and second heatable electrodes to which the oscillating circuit capacitor is connected; a firing unit means for alternately opening and closing the first and second switches; the oscillating circuit choke and oscillating circuit capacitor forming an oscillating circuit having a given resonant frequency when the discharge lamp is not ignited, said resonant frequency lying below an operating frequency of the inverter defined by the firing unit; a voltage-dependent resistor being provided in series with a capacitor to form a branch which connects to one of the components oscillating circuit choke or oscillating circuit capacitor of said oscillating circuit such that when a voltage present across the voltage-dependent resistor rises and the voltage-dependent resistor enters its active conducting region, the capacitor causes a change of resonance of the oscillating circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
195 words
An inverter, comprising: alternately conductive, controllable first and second switches; a load circuit connected parallel to the first switch; the first and second switches being connected in series across a dc voltage source; the load circuit comprising a series connection of an oscillating circuit choke, a coupling capacitor, and a parallel connection of a discharge lamp and an oscillating circuit capacitor, the discharge lamp having first and second heatable electrodes to which the oscillating circuit capacitor is connected; a firing unit means for alternately opening and closing the first and second switches; the oscillating circuit choke and oscillating circuit capacitor forming an oscillating circuit having a given resonant frequency when the discharge lamp is not ignited, said resonant frequency lying below an operating frequency of the inverter defined by the firing unit; a voltage-dependent resistor being provided in series with a capacitor to form a branch which connects to one of the components oscillating circuit choke or oscillating circuit capacitor of said oscillating circuit such that when a voltage present across the voltage-dependent resistor rises and the voltage-dependent resistor enters its active conducting region, the capacitor causes a change of resonance of the oscillating circuit.