Adjustable electrical power control for gas discharge lamps and the like
AssigneeWhite Castle System, Inc.
InventorsJack C. Cordes, Dennis J. Denen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present solid state device generates variable interval, high frequency bursts of alternating current to dim or otherwise control a discharge lamp or the like, and features an adjustable duty-cycle burst control subcircuit that intermittently interrupts a pair of constant, phase-reversed, high frequency pulse sequences, thereby permitting variable interval bursts of the pulse sequences to reach a pair of semiconductor devices. The semiconductors alternately switch ON and OFF in response to the high frequency pulses applied thereto, thereby rapidly alternating the direction of current flow through a suitable inductor configuration which, in turn, is connected to the load.
Claims9
Adjustable electrical power control apparatus for supplying variable power to a load comprising:
- (a) first direct current input means;
- (b) second direct current input means;
- (c) signal control means electrically connected to the first direct current input means and including high frequency pulse generating means for producing high frequency pulses within the range of 5,000 to 250,000 pulses per second;
- (d) burst control means electrically connected to said first direct current input means and to said signal control means and including an adjustable pulse generator for producing variable duty cycle pulses, said burst control means being operable to intermittently interrupt the high frequency pulses produced by said high frequency pulse generating means;
- (e) semiconductor switch means electrically connected to receive the intermittently interrupted high frequency pulses produced by said signal control means and said burst control means, said semiconductor switch means being conductive in response to each pulse received and nonconductive between pulses;
- and
- (f) load-matching inductive means electrically connected to receive current from said second direct current input means and responsive to said semiconductor switch means for providing an alternating path of conduction for current from said second direct current input means to a load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.