US5138235A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Starting and operating circuit for arc discharge lamp
Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc
•
Filing: 1991-03-04
•
Granted: 1992-08-11
•
Expires: 2011-03-04
Abstract
Abstract A circuit for starting and operating a discharge lamp, such as a compact fluorescent lamp, at high frequency from an 60 Hz AC supply. The circuit includes a power supply for generating a DC voltage coupled to a pair of AC input terminals. A DC/AC converter includes an oscillator having a pair of semiconductor switches coupled in parallel with the DC power supply. an oscillator starting circuit is coupled to one of the semiconductor switches and includes a series circuit comprising a resistor, capacitor and threshold element. The input of the oscillator starting circuit is coupled to one of the AC input terminals so as to prevent a momentary flicker in the lamp after the AC supply is removed and the lamp has extinguished. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the oscillator includes fusible circuit elements which render the oscillator inoperable upon failure of the lamp due to depletion of emissive material on at least one of the lamp electrodes.
Inventors
- 👤 Yiyoung Sun
- 👤 Long T. Nguyen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 17:19
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B41/00; H05B41/14; H05B41/26; H05B41/28; H05B41/295; H05B41/298; H05B41/2981; H05B41/2985; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B20/00; Y10; Y10S; Y10S315/00; Y10S315/07
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
A starting and operating circuit for a discharge lamp comprising: a pair of AC input terminals adapted to receive an AC signal from an AC power supply; DC power supply means coupled to said AC input terminals for generating a DC voltage; oscillator means including a pair of semiconductor switches coupled to said DC power supply to receive said DC voltage; oscillator starting means coupled to one of said semiconductor switches, said oscillator starting means having an input and including a series circuit comprising resistor means and capacitor means connected at a junction point and a threshold element means connected to said junction point, the input of said oscillator starting means being coupled to one of said AC input terminals so that said capacitor means is charged only on one half cycle of said AC signal; and load means coupled to the output of said oscillator means and including said discharge lamp.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
A starting and operating circuit for a discharge lamp comprising: a pair of AC input terminals adapted to receive an AC signal from an AC power supply; DC power supply means coupled to said AC input terminals for generating a DC voltage; oscillator means including a pair of semiconductor switches coupled to said DC power supply to receive said DC voltage; oscillator starting means coupled to one of said semiconductor switches, said oscillator starting means having an input and including a series circuit comprising resistor means and capacitor means connected at a junction point and a threshold element means connected to said junction point, the input of said oscillator starting means being coupled to one of said AC input terminals so that said capacitor means is charged only on one half cycle of said AC signal; and load means coupled to the output of said oscillator means and including said discharge lamp.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The starting and operating circuit of claim 1 wherein said input to said oscillator starting means is one end of said resistor means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The starting and operating circuit of claim 1 wherein said resistor means is a resistor and said capacitor means is a capacitor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The starting and operating circuit of claim 1 wherein said threshold element means is a diac.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
The starting and operating circuit of claim 1 wherein said load means further includes tank capacitor means in parallel with said lamp and tank inductor means in series with the parallel combination of said capacitor means and said lamp, said inductor means and said capacitor means having a resonant frequency greater than the switching frequency of said oscillator means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The starting and operating circuit of claim 1 wherein said oscillator means operates at a frequency of from about 25 Khz to 39 Khz.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The starting and operating circuit of claim 6 wherein said oscillator means operates at a frequency of about 30 Khz.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
168 words
A starting and operating circuit for a discharge lamp having a pair of electrodes adapted to receive a quantity of emissive material, said circuit comprising: a pair of AC input terminals adapted to receive an AC signal from an AC power supply; DC power supply means coupled to said AC input terminals for generating a DC voltage; oscillator means coupled to said DC power supply and including a pair of semiconductor switches, each of said semiconductor switches having first resistor means connected in series with the output thereof and second resistor means connected to the input thereof, said first resistor means or said second resistor means of each of said semiconductor switches being a fusible type resistor operable to inhibit said oscillator means upon failure of said lamp due to depletion of emissive material on at least one of said lamp electrodes; oscillator staring means coupled to one of said semiconductor switches; and load means coupled to the output of said oscillator means and including said discharge lamp.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
168 words
A starting and operating circuit for a discharge lamp having a pair of electrodes adapted to receive a quantity of emissive material, said circuit comprising: a pair of AC input terminals adapted to receive an AC signal from an AC power supply; DC power supply means coupled to said AC input terminals for generating a DC voltage; oscillator means coupled to said DC power supply and including a pair of semiconductor switches, each of said semiconductor switches having first resistor means connected in series with the output thereof and second resistor means connected to the input thereof, said first resistor means or said second resistor means of each of said semiconductor switches being a fusible type resistor operable to inhibit said oscillator means upon failure of said lamp due to depletion of emissive material on at least one of said lamp electrodes; oscillator staring means coupled to one of said semiconductor switches; and load means coupled to the output of said oscillator means and including said discharge lamp.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The starting and operating circuit of claim 8 wherein said first resistor means and said second resistor means of each of said semiconductor switches are fusible type resistors.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
173 words
An arrangement comprising: a pair of AC input terminals adapted to receive an AC signal from an AC power supply; DC power supply means coupled to said AC input terminals for generating a DC voltage; oscillator means coupled to said DC power supply and including a pair of semiconductor switches and fusible circuit means, oscillator starting means coupled to one of said semiconductor switches, said oscillator starting means having an input and including a series circuit comprising resistor means and capacitor means, said input of said oscillator starting means being coupled to one of said AC input terminals so that said capacitor means is charged only on one half cycle of said AC signal; load means coupled to the output of said oscillator means, said load means including a fluorescent lamp having a pair of electrodes adapted to receive a quantity of emissive material; said fusible circuit means being operable to inhibit said oscillator means upon failure of said lamp due to depletion of emissive material on at least one of said electrodes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
173 words
An arrangement comprising: a pair of AC input terminals adapted to receive an AC signal from an AC power supply; DC power supply means coupled to said AC input terminals for generating a DC voltage; oscillator means coupled to said DC power supply and including a pair of semiconductor switches and fusible circuit means, oscillator starting means coupled to one of said semiconductor switches, said oscillator starting means having an input and including a series circuit comprising resistor means and capacitor means, said input of said oscillator starting means being coupled to one of said AC input terminals so that said capacitor means is charged only on one half cycle of said AC signal; load means coupled to the output of said oscillator means, said load means including a fluorescent lamp having a pair of electrodes adapted to receive a quantity of emissive material; said fusible circuit means being operable to inhibit said oscillator means upon failure of said lamp due to depletion of emissive material on at least one of said electrodes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR346782A
Cited
US4066930A
Cited
US4677345A
Cited
US4857806A
Cited
US4677345B1
Cited
US4525648A
Cited
US4647820A
Cited
US4647817A
Cited
US4675576A
Cited
US5023516A
Cited
US4961027A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-08-11 | 1996-02-10 | 1996-08-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-08-11 | 2000-02-10 | 2000-08-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-08-11 | 2004-02-10 | 2004-08-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |