Patent · US Expired

Low height ballast for fluorescent lamps

US5500576A · kind A · utility

28Cited by
6References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 15, 1994
Grant dateMar 19, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 15, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S315/05
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An electronic ballast has a high voltage portion and a low voltage portion. The high voltage portion includes a converter, having a variable frequency boost circuit, and a half-bridge, driven inverter having a series resonant, direct coupled output. The low voltage portion of the ballast includes a control circuit and fault detectors for shutting off the boost circuit and the inverter circuit. The fault detectors consume very little power when the ballast and lamp are functioning normally. Separate magnetics are used for boost, inverter, and output. Each magnetic is essentially cubic in shape and carries as little current as possible.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.