Method and a device for replacing incandescent filaments, and a lamp with several filaments
OwnerJorma Hiljaneninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automatic replacement circuit is provided for the replacement of burnt-out filaments as well as a method for implementing the replacement of incandescent filaments. The replacement circuit includes a pulse generator which operates independently of the activated filament to feed continuous feed pulses to a counter circuit while a separate resetting pulse circuit delivers resetting pulses to the counter unit in dependence on the current flowing through the filament. The resetting pulses cancel the feed pulses. In the absence of resetting pulses, the feed pulses accumulate and upon reaching a predetermined amount, trigger a trigger selector circuit for activating the next filament.
Claims18
A method for supervising the function of incandescent filaments (1a. . . 1n) in connection with one or several incandescent lamps, which method comprises electronic controlled automatic replacement of a burnt-out filament (1i) by a new one (1j), characterized in, that pulse generating means (2) independent of the function of said incandescent filament (1a. . . 1n) are made to continually feed pulses (3) to reference means (4) having a certain storage capacity, the pulse store of which is continually emptied by signals (6) from detecting means (5) dependent on the function of said incandescent filament (1a. . . 1n), whereby any lack of such signals (6) will make said reference means (4) full, so that said reference means (4) is caused to send a command signal (7) to replacement means (8) for replacing said incandescent filament (1a. . . 1n).
A lamp arrangement comprising
- a plurality of incandescent filaments;
- replacement means for selecting and triggering one of said filaments for passage of a current therethrough;
- a pulse generator for emitting feed pulses independently of the operation of said filaments during passage of current through a selected filament;
- detecting means for emitting resetting pulses in dependence on the passage of current through said selected filament;
- and
- reference means connected to said pulse generator to receive and store said feed pulses up to a predetermined amount, said reference means being connected to said detecting means to receive said resetting pulses for cancellation of said feed pulses stored therein, said reference means being connected to said replacement means to deliver a control signal thereto in response to storage of said predetermined amount of feed pulses for selecting another filament for passage of the current therethrough.
A circuit comprising
- a plurality of incandescent filaments;
- a trigger selector circuit for selecting a respective one of said filaments for passage of a current therethrough;
- a pulse generator for emitting feed pulses independently of the operation of said filaments during passage of current through a selected filament;
- a resetting pulse circuit for emitting resetting pulses in dependence on the passage of current through said selected filament;
- and
- a counter circuit connected to said pulse generator and said resetting pulse circuit to receive said feed pulses and said resetting pulses and to store feed pulses in excess of said resetting pulses up to a predetermined amount, said counter circuit being connected to said trigger selector circuit to deliver a control signal thereto in response to said predetermined amount of feed pulses being stored for selecting another filament for passage of the current therethrough.
A circuit according to claim 20 wherein said pulse generator is a zero pulse generator operating on an alternating current, and said resetting circuit is connected for continuously sensing a current passing through any operating incandescent filament in such a manner, that said current simultaneously continuously causes resetting pulses to be fed to said counter circuit, whereby a discontinuance in said resetting pulses will cause said counter circuit to fill up and said control signal to be given to said trigger selector circuit for replacing a selected incandescent filament.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.