Patent · US Expired

Electronic ballast producing voltage having trapezoidal envelope for instant start lamps

US5982113A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
2References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 20, 1997
Grant dateNov 9, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 20, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S315/04
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An instant start ballast includes a variable frequency boost circuit and a driven half-bridge inverter having a series resonant, direct coupled, parallel output. A control circuit includes a variable frequency driver section, a multivibrator section, and a sensing section. The variable frequency driver changes frequency smoothly, i.e. without discontinuities. The multivibrator section acts as a switch that is enabled or disabled by the sensing section for controlling the frequency of the inverter. Lamp current is required for continued operation of the control circuit. The multivibrator section controls starting by causing the inverter to produce an output signal having a trapezoidal envelope. In the event of an arc, the control circuit quenches the arc and the multivibrator periodically pulses the lamp to attempt to re-start the lamp.

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