System and method for reducing lamp restrike time
AssigneeABL IP Holding LLC
InventorsTimothy A. Taubert, Amir P. Fallahi, Raymond Christian Rice, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for reducing lamp restrike time are provided. In a lighting apparatus having a housing, a reflector, and a lamp positioned so that at least a portion of the outer jacket of the lamp is within the reflector, a circulating device is operated when the lamp is off and a temperature inside the housing is above a predefined temperature. The circulating device circulates air around the outer jacket of the lamp to cool the lamp so the restrike time is reduced without the need for a starting device with a starting voltage high enough to restart the lamp when the lamp is hot.
Claims20
A lighting fixture comprising:
- a lamp positioned so that at least a portion of an outer jacket of the lamp is within a reflector;
- the reflector;
- a thermal sensor inside the reflector for sensing a temperature near the outer jacket of the lamp;
- a circulating device for circulating air around the outer jacket of the lamp;
- a control device for sensing an operational state of the lamp and for controlling a circulating device based on the operational state of the lamp, wherein the control device controls the circulating device so that the circulating device is on when the control device determines that the lamp is off and the thermal sensor indicates that the temperature near the outer jacket of the lamp is above a predefined temperature and the control device controls the circulating device so that the circulating device is off when the control device determines that the lamp is on, and wherein the circulating device is off when the thermal sensor indicates that the temperature near the outer jacket of the lamp is below the predefined temperature;
- and
- a housing, wherein the lamp, the reflector, the control device, the thermal sensor and the circulating device are positioned inside the housing.
A method for cooling a lamp, comprising:
- sensing a temperature at a point inside a housing of a lighting fixture that includes the lamp;
- sensing an operational status of the lamp;
- using a control device to control a circulating device so that the control device to enables operation of the circulating device when the lamp is off and to disables operation of the circulating device when the lamp is on;
- if the temperature at the point inside the housing is above a predefined temperature and the control device determines that the lamp is off, then operating the circulating device to circulate air around an outer jacket of the lamp;
- and
- if the temperature at the point inside the housing is below the predefined temperature and the control device determines that the lamp is off, then disabling operation of the circulating device;
- and
- if the control device determines that the lamp is on, then disabling operation of the circulating device.
A lighting fixture comprising:
- a socket for receiving a lamp;
- a reflector;
- a thermal sensor for sensing a temperature at a point inside a housing;
- a circulating device for circulating air around an outer jacket of the lamp;
- a control device for sensing an operational state of the lamp and for controlling the circulating device based on the operational state of the lamp, wherein the control device controls the circulating device so that the circulating device is on when the control device senses that the lamp is off and the thermal sensor indicates that the temperature at the point inside the housing is above a predefined temperature and the control device controls the circulating device so that the circulating device is off when the control device senses that the lamp is on, and wherein the circulating device is off when the thermal sensor indicates that the temperature at the point inside the housing is below the predefined temperature;
- a ballast that provides a nominal starting voltage;
- and
- the housing, wherein the socket, the reflector, the control device, the thermal sensor, the ballast, and the cooling system are positioned inside the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.