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US 6,204,611 B1Granted
Pulse ignition apparatus for a discharge lamp
AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation
InventorsLambertus J. M. Bouwman, Arjan Van Den Berg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pulse igniter for a discharge lamp has a transformer with a primary winding coupled to a first capacitor and a switching element and a secondary winding shunted by a series circuit of a diode and a second capacitor at its output. As a result, the generated ignition voltage is rectified and applied to the lamp for a relatively long time interval, resulting in improved ignition behavior.
Claims20
A circuit arrangement for igniting a discharge lamp, comprising:
- input terminals for connection to a power supply source,
- a first capacitive element,
- a first circuit component coupled to the first capacitive element and to the input terminals for generating a charging current for charging the first capacitive element from a power supply voltage supplied by the power supply source,
- a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding,
- a first branch shunting the first capacitive element and comprising a series arrangement of the primary winding and a switching element,
- output terminals coupled to the secondary winding for connecting a load circuit comprising the discharge lamp,
- characterized in that the secondary winding is shunted by a second branch comprising a series arrangement of a unidirectional element and a second capacitive element.
4 more elements
A circuit for igniting a discharge lamp comprising:
- first and second input terminals for connection to a source of DC supply voltage for the circuit,
- a first capacitor,
- a first circuit component coupling the first capacitor to the first and second input terminals so as to provide a charge path for the first capacitor from a DC supply voltage applied to the input terminals,
- a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding,
- a switching element connected in a first series circuit with the transformer primary winding across the first capacitor so as to discharge the first capacitor via the primary winding and the switching element when the switching element is conductive,
- a second series circuit including a unidirectional element and a second capacitor connected in shunt with the transformer secondary winding and with the unidirectional element polarized with respect to the transformer windings so as to provide a charge path for the second capacitor for a current induced in the secondary winding when the switching element is conductive, and
- first and second output terminals coupled to the transformer secondary winding for connection of a load circuit including the discharge lamp.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.