Patent · US Expired

Inventer-ballast using a piezoelectric transformer

US6104141A · kind A · utility

4Cited by

6References

20Claims

0Family size

Assignee

U.S. Philips Corporation · US

Inventors

Hans G. Ganser · Stolberg, DE
Dieter Leers · Stolberg, DE
Klaus Lohn · Simmerath, DE
Martin Ossmann · Aachen, DE
Pieter Postma · Roosteren, NL

Key dates

Filing date	Aug 26, 1998
Grant date	Aug 15, 2000
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Aug 26, 2018

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH05B41/382
WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A circuit arrangement for operating a lamp has circuit input terminals for connection to a supply voltage source. An inverter is coupled to the circuit input terminals for generating an AC voltage with a frequency f from a supply voltage supplied by the supply voltage source and includes inverter output terminals. A piezotransformer has input terminals coupled to the inverter output terminals. Terminals for lamp connection are coupled to the inverter output terminals. A detector detects whether the lamp has ignited. The transformer input terminals are connected to the inverter output terminals only by means of passive components and the inverter comprises means coupled to the detector for changing the frequency f in response to the ignition of the lamp. The circuit arrangement is simple and inexpensive and need not provide a device for switching the piezotransformer out of the circuit after ignition of the lamp.

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