US 5,491,388 AGranted

Power regulator of discharge lamp and variable color illumination apparatus using the regulator

AssigneeToto Ltd.

InventorsYamada Nobuyuki, Douke Takahiro, Tsuji Hidetoshi

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Abstract

A current supplied to a discharge lamp (100) is an A.C. current having a predetermined frequency from an inverter circuit (70), and its power control is carried out by changing the current setting (setting signal) of a chopper circuit (40) constituting a constant current circuit. When a value is set by an output luminance regulator (120), this set current value is inputted to a chopper control circuit (130). The chopper control circuit (130) checks the current detected by a current detector (110) and outputs a current control to a gate terminal (41) of the chopper circuit (40) so that the output current may coincide with the set current value. Accordingly, the power supplied from the inverter circuit (70) to the discharge lamp (100) is controlled by the chopper circuit (40).

Claims17

Dependent claims

A power regulator for controlling a power supplied to a discharge lamp, comprising:

a converter for converting a first alternating-current power to a direct-current power;
an inverter for converting said direct-current power to a second alternating-current power and supplying said second alternating-current power to said discharge lamp;
an inverter control circuit for controlling said inverter;
power setting means for arbitrarily setting a desired value corresponding to a current of said discharge lamp and outputting a setting signal indicative of said desired value;
and
dimmer control means for controlling the power supplied to said discharge lamp based on said desired value set by said power setting means, comprising:
current regulation means having a current control terminal, interposed between said converter and said inverter, for regulating an output current according to a current control signal supplied to said current control terminal, current detection means for detecting the output current of said current regulation means to thereby generate a detection signal, and
current control means for outputting the current control signal to said current control terminal of said current regulation means so that the detection signal output from said current detection means coincides with the setting signal supplied from said power setting means,
wherein said inverter control circuit converts said direct-current power to said second alternating-current power of a constant frequency;
and
an output voltage and an output current of said power regulator have a linear relationship, and a gradient of said linear relationship is varied according to said desired value specified by said power setting means.

8 more elements

A power regulator for controlling a power supplied to a discharge lamp, comprising:

a converter for converting a first alternating-current power to a direct-current power;
an inverter for converting said direct-current power to a second alternating-current power and supplying said second alternating-current power to said discharge lamp;
an inverter control circuit for controlling said inverter;
power setting means for arbitrarily setting a desired value corresponding to a current of said discharge lamp and outputting a setting signal indicative of said desired value;
and
dimmer control means for controlling the power supplied to said discharge lamp based on said desired value set by said power setting means, comprising:
current detection means for detecting an output current of said converter, and
converter control means for executing phase regulation of a semi-conductor switch element included in said converter so that the detection signal output from said current detection means coincides with the setting signal supplied from said power setting means,
wherein said inverter control circuit converts said direct-current power to said second alternating-current power of a constant frequency;
and
an output voltage and an output current of said power regulator have a linear relationship, and a gradient of said linear relationship is varied according to said desired value specified by said power setting means.

8 more elements

A variable color illumination apparatus having a variable color lamp including a plurality of discharge lamps which emit light of different chromaticity, for regulating a power supply to each of said plurality of discharge lamps to vary a chromaticity of light emitted from said variable color lamp, said variable color illumination apparatus comprising:

power setting means for arbitrarily setting a desired value corresponding to a current of each of said discharge lamps and outputting a setting signal indicative of said desired value;
and
a plurality of dimmer control means for controlling the power supplied to said discharge lamps based on said desired values set by said power setting means, comprising current detection means for detecting an output current of a converter supplying power to said discharge lamps, and converter control means for executing phase regulation of a semi-conductor switch element included in said converter so that the detection signal output from said current detection means coincides with the setting signal supplied from said power setting means, the plurality of dimmer control means regulating the power supplied to each of said plurality of discharge lamps based on the desired value specified by said power setting means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/307,677Filed 22 Sep 1994
Priority: JP 4-9894925 Mar 1992
Granted: 13 Feb 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H05B 41/3928
By pulse width modulation: for high-pressure lamps, e.g. high-intensity discharge lamps, high-pressure mercury or sodium lamps
H05B 41/2883
The control resulting from an action on the static converter: the controlled element being a DC/AC converter in the final stage, e.g. by harmonic…
Y02B 20/00
Energy efficient lighting technologies
Y10S 315/04
Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems: dimming circuit for fluorescent lamps