Multiple discharge device hid lamp with preferential starting
AssigneeNorth American Philips Corporation
InventorCornelis A. Jacobs
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high intensity discharge lamp having a plurality of discharge device, and a starting aid for preferentially starting one of the discharge devices. Upon initial application of power to the lamp the preferentially started discharge device will start first, and the other discharge devices will not start. A power interruption during lamp operation will cause an interruption in the operation of the discharge device started first, upon reapplication of lamp power one of the other discharge devices that had not been operating will start without a hot restart delay.
Claims13
In a high intensity discharge lamp, the improvement comprising:
- an outer lamp envelope;
- a plurality of high intensity high pressure discharge devices within said lamp envelope and each responsive to an applied voltage for developing an electrical discharge to emit highly intense light, wherein said discharge devices are each comprised of a discharge vessel, a pair of discharge electrodes within said discharge tube, an inert starting gas, and an ionizable material, and said discharge devices heating during operation and exhibiting a substantially higher starting voltage when hot than when cold;
- mounting means for mounting said high pressure discharge devices within the lamp relative to each other such that heating of one discharge device during operation does not heat another discharge device sufficiently to substantially increase the starting voltage of said another discharge device;
- and
- means for preferentially starting a particular one of said high pressure discharge devices when said discharge devices are unheated and exhibit their normal starting voltage with said another of said discharge devices remaining inoperative.
In a high intensity discharge lamp of the type comprising a lamp envelope, a plurality of high pressure discharge devices within said lamp envelope, each of said discharge devices comprising a discharge vessel containing a pair of discharge electrodes and a discharge sustaining filling, and means for electrically connecting said discharge devices in parallel to apply the same starting voltage to each of said discharge devices, the improvement comprising:
- means for preferentially starting one of said discharge devices when said discharge devices are unheated and exhibit their normal starting voltage so that the preferentially started discharge device starts first.
In a high intensity discharge lamp having a plurality of high pressure discharge devices, each of said discharge devices comprising a discharge vessel containing a pair of discharge electrodes and a discharge sustaining filling, the improvement comprising:
- one of said high pressure discharge devices having a lower starting voltage than the other of said discharge devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.