Device for the control of fluorescent lamps in a lighting arrangement
AssigneeMinebea Co., Ltd.
InventorJuergen Adam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a device for the control of fluorescent lamps in a lighting arrangement that comprises at least one such fluorescent lamp, wherein for each fluorescent lamp the device has the following characteristics: a capacitive voltage divider consisting of a first capacitor and a second capacitor that are connected in series to the fluorescent lamp, a switch that is connected in parallel to one of the capacitors, means of measuring the momentary lamp current that flows through the fluorescent lamp and a control circuit to generate an input signal for the semiconductor switch depending on the momentary lamp current.
Claims19
A device for the control of fluorescent lamps in a lighting arrangement that comprises at least one such fluorescent lamp, wherein for each fluorescent lamp the device has the following characteristics:
- a capacitive voltage divider consisting of a first capacitor and a second capacitor that are connected in series to the fluorescent lamp;
- a switch that is connected in parallel to one of the capacitors;
- means of measuring the momentary lamp current that flows though the fluorescent lamp;
- and
- a control circuit to generate an input signal for the switch depending on the momentary lamp current,
- wherein the control circuit comprises a control amplifier that receives a lamp current actual value and a lamp current target value as input signals and emits a lamp current error signal.
A device for the control of fluorescent lamps in a lighting arrangement that comprises at least one such fluorescent lamp, wherein for each fluorescent lamp the device has the following characteristics:
- a capacitive voltage divider consisting of a first capacitor and a second capacitor that are connected in series to the fluorescent lamp;
- a switch that is connected in parallel to one of the capacitors;
- means of measuring the momentary lamp current that flows through the fluorescent lamp;
- and
- a control circuit to generate an input signal for the switch depending on the momentary lamp current,
- wherein the control circuit comprises a comparator circuit that receives an actual lamp current signal and a periodic ramp signal and, depending on these, generates an input signal for the switch.
A device for the control of fluorescent lamps in a lighting arrangement that comprises at least one such fluorescent lamp, wherein for each fluorescent lamp the device has the following characteristics:
- a capacitive voltage divider consisting of a first capacitor and a second capacitor that are connected in series to the fluorescent lamp;
- a switch that is connected in parallel to one of the capacitors;
- means of measuring the momentary lamp current that flows through the fluorescent lamp;
- and
- a control circuit to generate an input signal for the switch depending on the momentary lamp current,
- wherein an overall current evaluation circuit which measures the current flowing though all the fluorescent lamps and forms a lamp current average value wherein the lamp current average value can be used as the lamp current target value.
A device for the control of fluorescent lamps in a lighting arrangement that comprises at least one such fluorescent lamp, wherein for each fluorescent lamp the device has the following characteristics:
- a capacitive voltage divider consisting of a first capacitor and a second capacitor that are connected in series to the fluorescent lamp;
- a switch that is connected in parallel to one of the capacitors;
- means of measuring the momentary lamp current that flows through the fluorescent lamp;
- and
- a control circuit to generate an input signal for the switch depending on the momentary lamp current,
- wherein the first capacitor is connected upstream and the second capacitor is connected downstream of the fluorescent lamp.
A control device for an arrangement of fluorescent lamps including at least one fluorescent lamp, the control device comprising:
- a capacitive voltage divider including a first capacitor and a second capacitor connected in series to the lamp;
- a switch connected in parallel to one of the first and second capacitors;
- a current evaluation circuit configured to measure a momentary lamp current through the lamp;
- a burst generator configured to generate a periodic ramp signal;
- and
- a control circuit configured to generate an input signal for the switch in accordance with the measured momentary lamp current.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.