Relamping circuit
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorZhu Mao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A relamping circuit topology to provide a lamping signal in ballast circuits used to power heated filament gas discharge lamps. The relamping circuit includes a low level DC power source, a differential capacitance and a switching device coupled to the differential capacitance. The differential capacitance is configured to produce a relamping signal. The relamping circuit topology also includes an electric current path configured to direct a flow of direct current from the low level DC power supply through a filament of the gas discharge lamp, and to the differential capacitance such that breaking and restoring the electric current path activates the relamping signal.
Claims18
A relamping circuit for a ballast circuit of a gas discharge lamp, the relamping circuit comprising:
- a low level DC power source;
- a differential capacitance;
- a switching device coupled to the differential capacitance and configured to produce a relamping signal;
- and
- an electric current path configured to direct a flow of direct current from the low level DC power source through a filament of the gas discharge lamp to the differential capacitance;
- wherein breaking and restoring the electric current path activates the relamping signal.
A power conversion apparatus for operating a heated filament gas discharge lamp, the power conversion apparatus comprising:
- a resonant inverter configured to produce an AC lamp power;
- a relamping circuit coupled to at least one filament of the lamp and configured to produce a relamping signal;
- and
- a frequency controller coupled to the resonant inverter and configured to regulate a frequency of the AC lamp power at an ignition frequency and at an operating frequency,
- wherein the relamping circuit comprises:
- a low level DC power source;
- a differential capacitance;
- a switching device coupled to the differential capacitance and configured to produce the relamping signal;
- and
- an electric current path configured to direct a flow of direct current from the low level DC power source through a filament of the gas discharge lamp and to the differential capacitance, where breaking and restoring the electric current path activates the relamping signal;
- and
- the relamping signal is coupled to the frequency controller and activation of the relamping signal causes the frequency controller to regulate the inverter at the ignition frequency for a predetermined period of time and then regulate the inverter at the operating frequency.
A power conversion apparatus configured to operate a heated filament gas discharge lamp, the power conversion apparatus comprising:
- a resonant inverter configured to produce an AC lamp power;
- a relamping circuit coupled to the resonant inverter and to a filament of the lamp, the relamping circuit configured to produce a relamping signal;
- and
- a frequency controller comprising an integrated circuit configured to operate the inverter in a lamp startup sequence and at a lamp operating frequency, and wherein the integrated circuit comprises a resetting input configured to start a lamp startup sequence,
- wherein the relamping circuit comprises:
- a low level DC power source;
- a differential capacitance;
- a resistance coupled to the differential capacitance and to the resetting input to apply a relamping signal to the resetting input;
- and
- an electric current path configured to direct a flow of direct current from the low level DC power source through a filament of the gas discharge lamp and to the differential capacitance, wherein breaking and restoring the electric current path activates the relamping signal and causes the integrated circuit to start the lamp startup sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.