Patent US4609850A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4609850A
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Current driven gain controlled electronic ballast system
Assignee: Intent Patents AG
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Filing: 1984-01-27
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Granted: 1986-09-02
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Expires: 2004-01-27
Abstract
Abstract A current driven gain controlled electronic ballast system (100) is provided having a power source (112) for actuating a pair of gas discharge tubes (140 and 140'). The ballast system (100) includes a filter network (111) which is connected to the power source (112) for establishing a substantially constant voltage signal and suppressing harmonic frequencies generated by the electronic ballast system (100). An induction circuit (115) is coupled to the filter network (111) for generating a voltage across the gas discharge tubes (140 and 140') responsive to the driving current. The induction circuit (115) includes an automatic gain control network (117) to maintain the driving current at a predetermined value and includes a trigger network (117) for generating a switching signal. A switching circuit (113) is coupled to the induction circuit (115) for establishing the driving current at a substantially constant and predetermined frequency responsive to the switching signal established by the trigger circuit (117).
Inventors
- 👤 Jacques M. Hanlet
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 08:16
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B41/00; H05B41/14; H05B41/26; H05B41/28; H05B41/295; H05B41/282; H05B41/2821
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A current driven gain controlled electronic ballast system having a power source for actuating at least one gas discharge tube, comprising: (a) filter means connected to said power source for (1) establishing a substantially constant voltage signal, and, (2) suppressing harmonic frequencies generated by said electronic ballast system; (b) induction means coupled to said filter means for generating a voltage across at least one of said gas discharge tubes responsive to a driving current, said induction means including automatic gain control means for maintaining said driving current at a predetermined value and having trigger means for generating a switching signal, said filter means including a correction network for substantially reducing harmonic frequencies generated by said induction means and smoothing filter means coupled in parallel relation to said correction network for maintaining said substantially constant voltage signal, said smoothing filter means including a series inductor coupled in series relation to said power source and said induction means; and, (c) switching means coupled to said induction means for establishing said driving current at a substantially constant and predetermined frequency responsive to said switching signal established by said trigger means, said driving current being passed through said induction means for generating said voltage across said gas discharge tube substantially indpendent of fluctuations in a voltage signal of said power source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
A current driven gain controlled electronic ballast system having a power source for actuating at least one gas discharge tube, comprising: (a) filter means connected to said power source for (1) establishing a substantially constant voltage signal, and, (2) suppressing harmonic frequencies generated by said electronic ballast system; (b) induction means coupled to said filter means for generating a voltage across at least one of said gas discharge tubes responsive to a driving current, said induction means including automatic gain control means for maintaining said driving current at a predetermined value and having trigger means for generating a switching signal, said filter means including a correction network for substantially reducing harmonic frequencies generated by said induction means and smoothing filter means coupled in parallel relation to said correction network for maintaining said substantially constant voltage signal, said smoothing filter means including a series inductor coupled in series relation to said power source and said induction means; and, (c) switching means coupled to said induction means for establishing said driving current at a substantially constant and predetermined frequency responsive to said switching signal established by said trigger means, said driving current being passed through said induction means for generating said voltage across said gas discharge tube substantially indpendent of fluctuations in a voltage signal of said power source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 1 wherein said smoothing filter means includes: a shunt capacitor coupled to said series inductor and said power source, said shunt capacitor being coupled in parallel relation with an output of said filter means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
113 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 2 where said correction network includes: (a) a first resistor connected in series to a first capacitor having predetermined values for substantially reducing predetermined harmonic frequencies, said first series resistor and capacitor combination being coupled in parallel relation to said power source; (b) a second capacitor having a predetermined value coupled in parallel relation to said first series resistor and capacitor combination; and, (c) a second resistor connected in series with a third capacitor to provide a low impedance path for predetermined harmonic frequencies, said second series resistor and capacitor combination being coupled in parallel relation to said series inductor of said smoothing filter means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 1 where said switching means includes a pair of transistors defining a first transistor and a second transistor, said pair of transistors being coupled to said induction means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 4 where each of said first and second transistors have a base element, a collector element, and an emitter element, each of said emitter elements of said first and second transistors being connected to said automatic gain control means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
115 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 1 where said induction means includes: (a) an inverter transformer coupled to said switching means and said filter means, said inverter transformer having a tapped pair of primary windings and a multiplicity of secondary windings; (b) a pair of coupling capacitors, each of said coupling capacitors connected in series relation to a tapped portion of one of said respective primary windings and one of said gas discharge tubes; and, (c) a tuning capacitor coupled between collector elements of a pair of first and second transistors respectively; said tuning capacitor for preventing generation of excessive voltages when one of said gas discharge tubes is removed from the circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 6 where said primary windings of said inverter transformer are tapped in a manner to provide a step down auto-transformer configuration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 6 where one of said pair of said primary windings of said inverter transformer passes a current on alternate half cycles of said predetermined frequency relative to the other of said primary windings of said inverter transformer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 6 where said switching means includes said first and second transistors, each of said first and second transistors having a respective base element, a collector element and an emitter element, said collector elements of said first and second transistors being coupled to a respective first end of one of said primary windings of said inverter transformer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 9 where said first and second transistor base elements are coupled to one of said multiplicity of said secondary windings of said inverter transformer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 10 where said coupled secondary winding is connected on opposing ends thereof to said transistor base elements for establishing a trigger signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 11 where said coupled secondary winding is center tapped, said center tap being coupled to said filter means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 11 where said secondary winding is wound in the same direction as said primary winding.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 6 where each of said primary windings of said inverter transformer have a second end, said second ends of said primary windings being coupled to said filter means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 14 where each of said pair of coupling capacitors have a predetermined capacitive value for discharging said voltage from one of said taps of said primary windings of said inverter transformer across a respective one of said gas discharge tubes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 6 where said inverter transformer is a ferrite core transformer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 9 where said automatic gain control means is comprised of one pair of said multiplicity of secondary windings of said inverter transformer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 17 where one of said pair of secondary windings comprising said automatic gain control means is coupled to said emitter element of said first transistor and said other of said secondary windings is coupled to said emitter element of said second transistor.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 18 where said pair of secondary windings of said automatic gain control means are wound in a predetermined manner to provide a negative feedback voltage to each of said emitter elements of said first and second transistors.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 19 where said pair of secondary windings are wound in the same direction as said primary windings.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
50 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 18 where said pair of secondary windings of said automatic gain control means are wound in a predetermined manner for shifting the operating point on the hysteresis curve of said inverter transformer to regulate the gain of said first and second transistors.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 21 where said pair of secondary windings are wound in the same direction as said primary windings.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 6 where at least two of said inverter transformer secondary windings are connected to opposing filaments of at least one of said gas discharge tubes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 1 where said power source is an AC power source.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 24 including rectification means for providing full wave rectification of said power source AC voltage, said rectification means being connected to said AC power source and said filter means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 25 where said rectification means includes a full wave bridge circuit.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The electronic ballast system as recited in claim 25 including secondary filter means for filtering a pulsating DC voltage from said rectification means, said filter secondary means being coupled to said rectification means.
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) | 1989-09-01 | 1990-03-03 | 1990-09-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-09-01 | 1994-03-03 | 1994-09-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-09-01 | 1998-03-03 | 1998-09-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |