Starter for a gas discharge lamp, especially a high pressure gas discharge lamp for automobile headlights
US6392363B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 5, 2001 |
| Grant date | May 21, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 5, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02B20/00
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A starter for a gas discharge lamp, in particular a high-pressure gas discharge lamp for a motor vehicle headlight. The gas discharge lamp is supplied with operating power over the secondary side of a transformer. The required starting power is supplied on the primary side of the transformer and is transferred to the secondary side at the starting time. The starting voltage is generated by a cascade circuit, with the cascade circuit of capacitors and diodes provided in the starter circuit to generate the starting voltage at a charge capacitor. The starter circuit is supplied by the bridge circuit which supplies the gas discharge lamp with power for operation, and for the purpose of starting, the bridge circuit is cycled at a frequency which is much higher than the normal frequency for lamp operation. After the lamp has been started, the bridge circuit is switched to the normal frequency in lamp operation. The starter can be implemented in a two-wire concept, a three-wire concept or a four-wire concept. The starter is connected to the control circuit with two, three or four lines accordingly.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.