Fluorescent lamp excitation circuit having a multi-layer piezoelectric acoustic transformer and methods for using the same
US6124678A · kind A · utility
57Cited by
3References
1Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 8, 1999 |
| Grant date | Sep 26, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 8, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05B41/2822
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Fluorescent lamp excitation circuits are provided which use a resonating piezoelectric transformer along with complementary circuit components, to efficiently convert a DC first voltage to a transformer-output AC second voltage. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, A High Displacement Piezoelectric (HDP) transformer achieves sufficiently high voltage output to "cold fire" a gas discharge lamp. The disclosed circuit may be modified using conventional electrical sub-circuitry to pre-heat the cathodes of the lamp.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.