Patent · US Active

Electrical circuit with voltage multiplier for facilitating ignition of a gas discharge lamp

US7460379B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
13References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 5, 2006
Grant dateDec 2, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 16, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05B41/2881
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An ignition circuit and method, as may be used for igniting a gas discharge lamp, are provided. The circuit includes a voltage multiplier circuit connected to receive a signal corresponding to a DC bus voltage level from a rectifier circuit. The voltage multiplier circuit includes first and second voltage storing circuits configured to each respectively store a voltage level corresponding to a first multiple of the DC bus voltage level (e.g., at least twice the DC bus voltage level). The voltage multiplier circuit further includes a peak voltage holding circuit connected to the first and second voltage storing circuits to accumulate a voltage level corresponding to a second multiple of the DC bus voltage level (e.g., at least four times the DC bus voltage level). The circuit further includes an ignition module having a transformer selectively connected by way of a switch to the voltage multiplier circuit through a primary winding to receive the voltage accumulated at the peak voltage holding circuit, and thereby generate an ignition pulse voltage applied to the lamp through a secondary winding of the transformer.

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