JP5038829B2 - Lighting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance power saving effect by conducting optimum initial illuminance correction action according to a light control level in a lighting system having an initial illuminance correction function controlling electric power supplied to a lamp so as to gradually increase according to increase in cumulative lighting times of the lamp and a light control function controlling brightness of the lamp according to a light control signal. <P>SOLUTION: The lighting system is equipped with a lighting device (an inverter circuit 10 and an inverter control part 12) lighting a lamp 11 and controlling the supply power to the lamp 11; a means clocking and storing cumulative lighting time of the lamp 11 (a lighting time counter 15 and a nonvolatile memory 17); and a means controlling supply power to the lamp 11 according to the stored cumulative lighting time (an output command value control part 13), and a means correcting clocking time of the lamp lighting time based on a progressing degree of decrease in beams of the lamp according to the supply power amount to the lamp 11 (a lighting time correction part 16) is installed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an illuminating device having an initial illuminance correction function for controlling the output power of a lamp according to the cumulative lighting time of the lamp and a dimming function for adjusting the brightness of the lamp.

  In general, the luminous flux (brightness) of a lamp typified by a discharge lamp gradually decreases with the passage of time of use due to deterioration of a substance due to heat or light irradiation, or dirt such as dust accumulated on the lamp. For example, in the case of a fluorescent lamp, the phosphor applied to the fluorescent lamp deteriorates due to lamp heat generation during lighting, and the luminous flux gradually decreases (hereinafter, this phenomenon is referred to as luminous flux reduction). For this reason, when the lamp is new, the lighting fixture form and the number of fixtures installed are selected so that the desired brightness can be secured even if the luminous flux decreases during the lamp usage period. It is common. Therefore, the cumulative lighting time of the lamp is stored, and the power supplied to the lamp is gradually increased as the cumulative lighting time increases, so that the decrease in the luminous flux accompanying the increase in the cumulative lighting time of the lamp is corrected. Lighting devices are known. By using such an illumination device, it is possible to obtain a substantially constant illuminance regardless of the lamp usage time, and to reduce power consumption by suppressing unnecessary brightness when the lamp is new and reducing power consumption. The advantage that it can be obtained. In such a lighting device having a so-called “initial illuminance correction function”, a dimming function that allows the user to adjust to an arbitrary brightness is used together, or dimming is appropriately performed based on combinations with various sensors and a time schedule. By doing so, it becomes possible to achieve further power saving.

As an illuminating device having both such an initial illuminance correction function and a dimming function, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, it can be applied to a discharge lamp obtained from the luminous flux maintenance ratio of the discharge lamp according to the cumulative lighting time. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known an illuminating device configured to determine supply power to a discharge lamp by correcting supply power with a dimming ratio instructed from the outside. This is because, for example, when the supplied power obtained from the luminous flux maintenance ratio according to the cumulative lighting time is 80% and a dimming signal instructing 50% dimming is input from the outside, 80% × The discharge lamp is lit with power of 50% = 40%. According to this configuration, an illuminating device having both the initial illuminance correction function and the dimming function can be configured relatively easily.
JP 2001-015276 A

  In order to obtain a substantially constant illuminance regardless of the lamp usage time, and to suppress unnecessary brightness when the lamp is new and to reduce power consumption, the cumulative lighting time of the lamp is stored, and the cumulative lighting time The brightness of the lamp is arbitrarily adjusted according to the so-called "initial illuminance correction function" that controls to gradually increase the power supplied to the lamp as it increases, and the dimming signal from the dimmer or sensor device. As shown in FIG. 2, the lighting device having both the “light control function” has a problem that the light beam reduction characteristic (light beam reduction characteristic) with respect to the lamp usage time varies depending on the light control level. FIG. 2 shows an example of a general fluorescent lamp. In the case of a fluorescent lamp, the fluorescent material applied to the fluorescent lamp is deteriorated due to lamp heat generation during lighting, and the luminous flux gradually decreases. It is known that the lower the dimming level, the lower the heat generation of the lamp, and the slower the deterioration of the phosphor. That is, as the lamp is lit in the dimming state, the luminous flux decay characteristic of the fluorescent lamp becomes gentler. For this reason, in the configuration of Patent Document 1 in which dimming according to the dimming ratio instructed from the outside is performed while gradually increasing the power supplied to the lamp as the cumulative lighting time of the lamp increases, the actual lamp luminous flux The power will increase excessively with respect to the decline of the light, the light output can not be controlled substantially constant, the brightness becomes more than necessary, and there is a problem that wasteful power is consumed .

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and includes an initial illuminance correction function for controlling the power supplied to the lamp to gradually increase as the cumulative lighting time of the lamp increases, and dimming In a lighting device equipped with both dimming functions that arbitrarily adjust the brightness of the lamp according to the dimming signal from the lighting device and sensor device, the luminous flux decay characteristics of the lamp according to the dimming level with a relatively simple configuration It is an object of the present invention to provide an illuminating device that can automatically perform an optimum initial illuminance correction operation according to the dimming level by correcting the above, and obtain a further power saving effect.

The invention according to claim 1, in order to solve the above problem, as shown in FIG. 1, a lamp 11, the controllable lighting device power supplied together to light the lamp 11 to the lamp 11 (inverter circuit 10 and the inverter control unit 12), means for measuring and storing the cumulative lighting time of the lamp 11 (lighting time counter 15 and nonvolatile memory 17), and supplying the lamp 11 to the lamp 11 in accordance with the stored cumulative lighting time. In the illuminating device provided with means for controlling the supplied power (output command value control unit 13), the lamp lighting time measurement time is corrected based on the progress of the luminous flux decrease of the lamp according to the amount of power supplied to the lamp 11. means (lighting time correcting unit 16) provided to the lighting device, means for controlling the power supplied to the lamp 11 in response to the dimming signal inputted from the outside (Invar Data control unit 12) and a relational expression or a data table showing the relationship between the cumulative lighting time when at least the lamp 11 is lit at substantially rated power and the degree of light flux decline (FIG. 6), and the lamp lighting time. The means (lighting time correction unit 16) for correcting the time keeping time corrects the time keeping time to be shorter than the actual time keeping time as the amount of power supplied to the lamp 11 is reduced. The degree of correction so as to be shorter than the actual timekeeping time is characterized in that it varies nonlinearly with respect to a decrease in the amount of power supplied to the lamp 11 (FIGS. 5 and 8) .

  The illuminating device having such a configuration is based on the initial illuminance correction by combining the initial illuminance correction function and the dimming function by automatically correcting the improvement effect of the luminous flux reduction characteristic of the lamp by the dimming lighting with a simple configuration. In addition to the power-saving effect and the power-saving effect of the dimming function, it is possible to obtain a new power-saving effect that utilizes the characteristic that the luminous flux deterioration characteristic of the lamp becomes gentle by dimming lighting. The power saving effect can be expected. In addition, since the above effect can be obtained with a relatively simple configuration, especially when the lighting device mounted in each lighting fixture has an initial illuminance correction function, a huge amount of light control ratio for each lighting device. It is not necessary to have illuminance correction data, and the lighting device can be reduced in size and cost.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, the structure which attached | subjected the same code | symbol in each figure shows that it is the same structure, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

(First embodiment)
An illumination device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a lighting device built in the lighting device of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the discharge lamp lighting device includes a commercial AC power source AC input to the lighting device, an inverter circuit 10 that converts the commercial AC power source voltage into a high frequency voltage, and lights the fluorescent lamp 11 at a high frequency, and an inverter. An inverter control unit 12 that controls the power that the circuit 10 supplies to the fluorescent lamp 11 is provided. Further, after the lighting time of the fluorescent lamp 11 counted by the lighting time counter 15 is corrected according to the output command value level of the output command value control unit 13 in the lighting time correction unit 16, the accumulated lighting time is stored in the nonvolatile memory 17. Store sequentially. The output command value control unit 13 determines the output command value according to the light flux decrease correction value corresponding to the cumulative lighting time stored in the nonvolatile memory 17 and the level of the dimming signal 14, and outputs the output command value to the inverter control unit 12. Is output.

  The reset control unit 18 performs an operation of resetting the cumulative lighting time stored in the nonvolatile memory 17 to an initial value (the cumulative lighting time is zero) when the fluorescent lamp 11 is replaced with a new one. Specifically, there are a reset method by operating a reset button, a method of automatically detecting and detecting the end-of-life state of the fluorescent lamp, a method of resetting by a predetermined on / off operation of the power source, and the like. Usually, the output command value control unit 13, the lighting time counter 15, the lighting time correction unit 16, and the reset control unit 18 can be configured by a general-purpose microprocessor or the like. A non-volatile memory such as a flash memory incorporated in the processor can be used.

  Next, FIG. 3 shows a program flowchart when the output command value control unit 13, the lighting time counter 15, and the lighting time correction unit 16 are constituted by a microprocessor. Details of the lighting time correction unit 16 and the output command value control unit 13 are shown in FIG. The operation will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, after the power is turned on and various initial settings are made, the cumulative lighting time stored in the nonvolatile memory 17 is read, and then the level of the dimming signal input from the outside is read. In the determination of the output command value, the output command value is obtained from the relationship (relational expression or data table) between the cumulative lighting time stored in advance and the output command value based on the read cumulative lighting time, and further inputted. The output command value obtained according to the dimming signal level is corrected, the output command value is determined, and the command value is output to the inverter control unit 12. Specifically, for example, based on the relationship between the cumulative lighting time stored in advance and the output command value as shown in FIG. 4, for example, when the cumulative lighting time is 4,000 hours, the output command value is obtained as 80%. If the input dimming signal level is 50%, 80% × 50% = 40% is determined as the output command value and output.

  Next, the lighting time of the discharge lamp is counted. The lighting time is counted as the elapsed time from the previous counting time, and the counted lighting time is corrected based on the relationship between the output command value stored in advance by the determined output command value and the lighting time correction coefficient. Is done. Specifically, for example, when the output command value is 40%, the lighting time correction coefficient is obtained as 0.4 from the relationship between the output command value stored in advance and the lighting time correction coefficient as shown in FIG. If the actually counted lighting time is 1 minute, for example, 1 minute × 0.4 = 0.4 minutes is added to the cumulative lighting time and stored in the nonvolatile memory 17.

  By repeating the program processing as shown in FIG. 3, when the output command value is lower than 100%, a time shorter than the actual lamp lighting time is added to the cumulative lighting time according to the output command value. Thus, it is possible to automatically correct the progress of the light flux decrease of the lamp due to the dimming lighting by correcting the accumulated lighting time.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the initial illuminance correction operation over the actual accumulated lighting time when the operation as described above is performed. As shown in FIG. 6 (a), when the lamp is always lit in full, based on the relationship shown in FIG. 4, the lamp is lit at an output of about 70% at the beginning of lighting, and as the cumulative lighting time increases. The output command value gradually increases, and when the cumulative lighting time reaches the rated lamp life (12,000 hours in this case), the output command value becomes 100%, and thereafter it is controlled to maintain 100%. Is done. As a result, the light output is maintained at a substantially constant light output at about 70% of the rated light output until the cumulative lighting time reaches the rated life of the lamp, and then the light output is reduced until the lamp reaches the end of its life. The light output gradually decreases.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, when the lamp is always lit by 50% by an external dimming signal, the output of the lamp is about 35% (= 70% × 50%) at the beginning of lighting. The output command value gradually increases as the cumulative lighting time increases. The accumulated lighting time stored in the nonvolatile memory 17 at this time is shorter than the actual accumulated lighting time due to the lighting time correction coefficient. Therefore, when the initial illumination correction is performed according to the relationship shown in FIG. The output command value reaches 50% over a longer time than the rated life of the lamp. As a result, the light output is maintained at a substantially constant light output at a light output that is approximately 35% of the rated time for a longer cumulative lighting time than the rated life of the lamp, and then the light output is reduced until the lamp reaches the end of its life. The light output gradually decreases.

  Therefore, based on this configuration, when the initial illuminance correction operation and the dimming operation by the external dimming signal are used together, it becomes possible to maintain a constant light output for a longer time, which is useless. Brightness and wasteful power consumption can be further suppressed. In addition, since the operation to correct the lighting time according to the output command value can be easily configured with an inexpensive microcomputer or the like, the lighting is performed particularly when the lighting device mounted in the lighting fixture has an initial illumination correction function. There is no need to have enormous illuminance correction data for each dimming ratio for each device, and the lighting device can be reduced in size and cost.

  The relationship between the output command value and the lighting time correction coefficient can be set arbitrarily using theoretical values, relational expressions based on actual measurement values, data tables, etc., and a uniform reduction in luminous flux due to lamp contamination is taken into account separately. May be set. For example, in the case of a fluorescent lamp, since the light flux declines mainly due to deterioration of the phosphor due to temperature, as shown in FIG. 5, the output command value and the output command value are set so as to have nonlinear characteristics with respect to the output command value (output power). It is desirable to set the relationship with the lighting time correction coefficient.

(Second Embodiment)
An illumination device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 shows an example of the circuit configuration of the lighting device incorporated in the lighting device of this embodiment. The circuit configuration of the present embodiment is configured to correct the lighting time correction operation according to the dimming signal level input from the outside in the circuit of the first embodiment.

  Next, the detailed operation will be described. 7, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 indicate the same configurations as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted. The flowchart for explaining the operation is the same as that in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the lighting time correction unit 16 is configured to correct the lighting time according to the dimming level of the dimming signal 14. Specifically, for example, based on the relationship between the dimming signal level stored in advance as shown in FIG. 8 and the lighting time correction coefficient, a lighting time correction coefficient corresponding to the level of the input dimming signal is obtained, The lighting time corrected by the correction coefficient with respect to the actually counted lighting time is added to the cumulative lighting time, and is sequentially stored in the nonvolatile memory 17. The difference from the first embodiment is that the lighting time is corrected according to the dimming signal level input from the outside. Strictly speaking, the configuration of the first embodiment is more accurate. However, substantially the same operation and effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained in this configuration as well.

(Third embodiment)
An illumination device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. An example of an overview diagram of the illumination device of this embodiment is shown in FIG. The illuminating device 30 in this embodiment includes a fluorescent lamp 11, a socket 32 that electrically connects and holds the fluorescent lamp to a lighting circuit, and a casing 31 that houses the lighting circuit. As the lighting circuit, the lighting circuit described in the first or second embodiment is built in the casing 31 to constitute one lighting fixture. The lighting apparatus is connected to a commercial power supply to be supplied to the lighting circuit, and a dimming signal is given from the outside by means of wired or wireless. By using one or a plurality of such lighting fixtures, it is possible to provide a lighting device having a higher power saving effect than before.

1 is a block circuit diagram showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. It is a characteristic view which shows the luminous flux decline characteristic of a typical fluorescent lamp. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block circuit diagram which shows the structure of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the illuminating device of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Inverter circuit 11 Lamp 12 Inverter control part 13 Output command value control part 14 Dimming signal 15 Lighting time counter 16 Lighting time correction part 17 Non-volatile memory

Claims (1)

Lamp and a controllable lighting device supplies power to the lamp with turning on the lamp, and means for accumulating lighting time of the counts stored in the lamp, the said lamp in response to said stored accumulated lighting time In the illuminating device comprising means for controlling the power supplied to the lamp, there is provided means for correcting the time measured for the lamp lighting time based on the progress of the luminous flux decline of the lamp according to the amount of power supplied to the lamp ,
The lighting device includes means for controlling power supplied to the lamp in accordance with a dimming signal input from the outside, at least a cumulative lighting time when the lamp is lit at substantially rated power, and a degree of light flux reduction. A relational expression or a data table showing the relationship of
The means for correcting the time keeping time of the lamp lighting time corrects the time keeping time to be shorter than the actual time keeping time as the amount of power supplied to the lamp decreases, and the time keeping time is changed to the actual time keeping time. The degree of correction to be shorter than the above changes nonlinearly with respect to a decrease in the amount of power supplied to the lamp .

Images