EP0221870A1 - Lampenanordnung - Google Patents

Lampenanordnung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0221870A1
EP0221870A1 EP86850366A EP86850366A EP0221870A1 EP 0221870 A1 EP0221870 A1 EP 0221870A1 EP 86850366 A EP86850366 A EP 86850366A EP 86850366 A EP86850366 A EP 86850366A EP 0221870 A1 EP0221870 A1 EP 0221870A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tubes
voltage
tube
voltage unit
lamp assembly
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP86850366A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Knut Sundberg
Torgny Bergström
Hans Dunberg
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from SE8505306A external-priority patent/SE8505306D0/xx
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0221870A1 publication Critical patent/EP0221870A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B41/00—Circuit arrangements or apparatus for igniting or operating discharge lamps

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a lamp assembly, and more specifically to a gas electric-discharge lamp assembly or fluorescent lamp assembly.
  • a so-called hot cathode tube which for ignition purposes includes a cathode which is heated prior to ignition of the tube.
  • the tube, or tubes is (are) op­erated by applying an electric current of, for example 220V and 50Hz between the anode and the cathode.
  • Heat­ing of the cathode and subsequent interruption of elec­tric current therethrough is effected, in a known man­ner, with the aid of a so-called starter.
  • Known lamp assemblies of this kind also include a current limiting device in the form of a choke or ballast.
  • Lamp assemblies are known in the art which incorporate two tubes, both of which are served by a single common ballast. Lamp assemblies which incorporate three or more tubes include a respective starter and ballast for each tube.
  • the thermal energy required to heat the cathode is simply lost, which is particularly negative when the lamp assembly is used, for example, in cara­vans, small watercraft, etc., where the electrical en­ergy utilized is obtained solely from a battery.
  • the fact that electric energy is converted directly to thermal energy, which often needs to be dissipated, is also a negative factor when such lamp assemblies are powered from the general mains supply.
  • a further drawback with hot cathode tubes is that they are difficult or impossible to ignite at low ambient temperatures. Consequently, such tubes are not used outdoors or, for example, in non-heated storage loca­tions where low temperatures can prevail in winter time.
  • the present invention relates to a lamp assembly with which the aforesaid drawbacks are avoided.
  • the present invention thus relates to a lamp assembly which incorporates fluorescent tubes intended for lighting purposes, and a voltage unit for applying an electric voltage across the tubes, and which is char­acterized in that two or more tubes are connected to said voltage unit in series with one another; in that the voltage unit is arranged to deliver, during a tube ignition phase, a voltage which is sufficiently high and of sufficiently high frequency to ignite the tubes without requiring the heating of a device within the tubes; and in that the voltage unit is arranged to deliver subsequent to ignition of the tubes, a suffi­ciently high voltage of sufficiently high frequency to operate the tubes.
  • the invention is based on the concept that by connect­ing a plurality of series-connected tubes to one and the same voltage unit it is possible to ignite and to operate all tubes, by applying a high voltage and high frequency to the series-connected tubes through said voltage unit.
  • Cold cathode discharge tubes are provided with a large cathode over which a significant drop in voltage takes place. This results in significant iron losses and hence, in addition to the tube becom­ing hot in the region of the cathode, a substantial part of the energy supplied is dissipated in the form of thermal energy.
  • cold cathode discharge lamps for example neon lamps
  • each cold cathode tube is connected to a voltage unit. Since the available mains voltage is normally 110V and 60Hz or 220V and 50Hz, gas discharge lamps have hitherto exclusively taken the form of hot cathode lamps, in order to en­able the hot cathode tubes to be ignited.
  • the present invention thus relates to a novel principle of igniting and operating the tubes of gas discharge lamps.
  • FIG 1 illustrates a plurality of fluorescent tubes 6, which may be housed in casing 7 which partially embraces the tubes, vide Figure 2, to form a lamp as­sembly.
  • the tubes 1 - 6 are connected to a voltage unit 8 which is constructed to apply an electric vol­tage across the tubes.
  • the voltage unit 8 is connect­ed to a voltage source through terminals 9.
  • This voltage source may comprise the standard mains netwok or a battery (accumulator), such as a vehicle battery, depending on the construction of the voltage unit 8.
  • a series cir­cuit thus formed comprises the one terminal 10 of the voltage unit 8, the tube 1, a conductor 11, the tube 2, a conductor 12, the tube 3, a conductor 13, the tube 4, a conductor 14, the tube 5, a conductor 15, the tube 6, and the other terminal 16 of the voltage unit 8.
  • the voltage unit 8 is constructed to deliver, during the tube ignition phase, a sufficiently high voltage of sufficiently high frequency to ignite the tubes without needing to heat devices in the tubes.
  • the voltage unit is also constructed to deliver, sub­sequent to igniting the tubes, a sufficiently high voltage of sufficiently high frequency to operate the ignited tubes.
  • the voltage unit is preferably constructed to deliver the same, or substantially the same voltage and fre­quency during both the ignition phase and the operat­ing phase.
  • This enables the voltage unit to be chosen from a large number of known and commercially avail­able units capable of being supplied with a direct current of, e.g., 12 Volts or an alternating current of 220 Volts/50Hz or 110 Volts/60Hz, and constructed to deliver a high voltage, e.g., 1000 - 10000 Volts, with a high frequency, e.g., of 1 - 100 kHz.
  • the voltage unit delivers a voltage higher than 500 Volts at a frequen­cy greater than 1 kHz.
  • the voltage unit also incorporates a current limiting device for preventing voltage surges from occuring when the tubes are ignited.
  • the voltage unit When the voltage unit is supplied with direct current, the voltage unit is preferably one which will produce an alternating d.c. voltage of 10 - 50 kHz.
  • the invention shall not be considered to be limited to the use of a voltage unit of the aforesaid specifica­tion, however, since the qualifications "sufficiently high voltage” and “sufficiently high frequency” ex­pressed above naturally depend on the number of tubes used, the dimensions of the tubes, their rated effect, internal resistance, etc.
  • the lamp assembly includes at least three ser­ies-connected tubes connected to a voltage unit.
  • FIG. 3 shows a conventional hot cathode tube 3 in which two connector pins 17, 18 are connected to the cathode.
  • the conductor 12 is connected in a similar manner, as are all the conductors extending between respective tubes.
  • only one conductor 10;16 extends to the one end of the outermost tubes 1;6.
  • the present invention has surprisingly shown that a voltage source which delivers a relatively low voltage to each tube, e.g. a voltage of about 200V, at a high frequency is sufficient to ignite and operate a plur­ality of hot cathode fluorescent tubes connected in series.
  • a voltage source which delivers a relatively low voltage to each tube, e.g. a voltage of about 200V, at a high frequency is sufficient to ignite and operate a plur­ality of hot cathode fluorescent tubes connected in series.
  • lamps which incorporate the concept of the present inven­tion can be installed in unheated locations, cold storage locations, and in outhouses where very low ambient temperatures can be expected to prevail.
  • the tubes can be extinguished and ignited at different frequencies, for example frequencies of from 0.25 to 5Hz. This is due to the fact that rapid ignition of the fluorescent tubes is obtained in lamps which in­corporate the concept of the present invention.
  • the present invention enables fluorescent lighting to be used for the intermittent, or flashing illumina­tion of bill boards and traffic signals etc., some­thing which cannot be achieved with conventional hot cathode tube lighting, since ignition of the tubes is not instantaneous.
  • the conductors are not connected to the terminals of a hot cathode tube, but instead to electrically con­ductive plates 19, 20 or corresponding elements which are mutually spaced apart along the longitud­inal axis of the tube 21 and placed on the external surface thereof, as shown in Figure 4.
  • Each of the plates 19, 20 is connected to its respective termi­nal by means of an allotted conductor 22, 23.
  • the plates 19, 20 generate an electric field by means of which the tube can be ignited and operated.
  • the tubes 21 of this embodiment are connected in series in accordance with the invention, in the manner described with reference to Figure 1, and a voltage unit of the aforesaid kind is used.
  • the plates 19, 20 consist of a piece of aluminium or copper foil attached to the outer surface of the tube.
  • each plate may consist of aluminium or copper foil wrapped around the tube.
  • hot cathode fluorescent tubes can be used, even though fluorescent tubes which totally lack connecting terminals may be used.
  • the useful life span of the tubes used is not contingent on a cathode which is progressively consumed with each ignition occasion, irrespective of which of the aforedescribed embodi­ments is used to connect-up the tubes. Consequently, the present invention affords the tubes a very long useful life.
  • This also applies to hot cathode dis­charge tubes in which the cathodes have been consumed to such an extent that the tubes will not ignite when fitted in conventional hot cathode tube lamp assem­blies. A tube belonging to this latter character will still provide a very long burning time when used in accordance with the invention.
  • a particular advantage afforded by the lamp assembly according to the invention is that not all tubes are extinguished when the connection between two tubes is broken or when one tube fails to function, despite the tubes being series-connected in the manner il­lustrated in Figure 1. Assume that the conductors 11 and 12 are disconnected from the tube 2, or that the tube 2 is broken or faulty. In these events, the energy is switched between adjacent conductors as a result of the high frequency used. As a result, the tubes 4, 5, 6 will shine with substantially the normal degree of brightness, whereas the brightness of the tubes 1 and 3 will be lower, and the tube 2 is extin­guished.
  • the lamp assembly 7 may be given external dimensions which only slightly exceed the combined external dimensions of the tubes.
  • the lamp fit­ting need only be large enough to accommodate hold­ers 24, 25 for holding the tubes in position, since the voltage unit 8 can be placed outside the lamp fitting.
  • the term lamp assembly as used here, in the aforegoing and hereinafter is meant to include all types of lamp assemblies, lamp fittings and lamp furniture, such as lighting for interior and exterior illumination, billboards, etc.
  • a trans­parent billboard or advertising sign 26, or traffic sign may constitute the front side of the lamp.
  • Such a lamp assembly, or lighting is extremely neat and pre­sentable, and will illuminate the surface of the sign 26 very uniformly.

Landscapes

  • Vessels And Coating Films For Discharge Lamps (AREA)
  • Circuit Arrangements For Discharge Lamps (AREA)
EP86850366A 1985-11-07 1986-10-22 Lampenanordnung Withdrawn EP0221870A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE8505306A SE8505306D0 (sv) 1985-11-07 1985-11-07 Sett att tenda och driva el-armaturer
SE8600730A SE459626B (sv) 1985-11-07 1986-02-18 Armatur med flera lysroer foersedda med utanpaaliggande elektroder

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0221870A1 true EP0221870A1 (de) 1987-05-13

Family

ID=26659140

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP86850366A Withdrawn EP0221870A1 (de) 1985-11-07 1986-10-22 Lampenanordnung

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0221870A1 (de)
AU (1) AU6523486A (de)
WO (1) WO1987003161A1 (de)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5225337A (en) * 1989-09-25 1993-07-06 Innovir Laboratories, Inc. Ribozyme compositions and methods for use
US5225347A (en) * 1989-09-25 1993-07-06 Innovir Laboratories, Inc. Therapeutic ribozyme compositions and expression vectors

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4008414A (en) * 1975-07-28 1977-02-15 Power Saver Corporation Circuit for powering fluorescent lamps
GB2108336A (en) * 1981-10-30 1983-05-11 Gen Electric High frequency fluorescent lamp circuit

Family Cites Families (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2025046A1 (de) * 1970-05-15 1971-12-09 Berger K Starterloser Betrieb von Leuchtstofflampen an Wechselstromnetzen m.H. von Span nungsvervielfachung
GB1275528A (en) * 1971-04-29 1972-05-24 Mi Traktorny Zd Improvements in or relating to fluid-signal indicators
DE2426481A1 (de) * 1974-05-31 1975-12-11 Braun Ag Starterlose schaltungsanordnung zum betrieb von leuchtstofflampen
DE2610944A1 (de) * 1976-03-16 1977-09-29 Vatomat Ag Leuchtstofflampen-vorschaltgeraet
DE2636860A1 (de) * 1976-08-16 1978-02-23 Reiss Hans Juergen Dipl Ing Vorschaltgeraet fuer leuchtstofflampen
SU660123A1 (ru) * 1976-11-25 1979-04-30 Ленинградский Ордена Ленина Электротехнический Институт Имени В.И.Ульянова (Ленина) Газоразр дный источник света
SE438752B (sv) * 1977-02-02 1985-04-29 Diablo Lighting Inc Sett for alstring av ljus medelst elektrodlos urladdning samt elektrodlos urladdningslampa for utovande av settet
US4266166A (en) * 1979-11-09 1981-05-05 Gte Laboratories Incorporated Compact fluorescent light source having metallized electrodes
FR2524244B1 (fr) * 1982-03-24 1985-07-26 Hennequin & Cie Sa Dispositif pour l'alimentation de tubes fluorescents par une source continue
DE3305625A1 (de) * 1983-02-18 1984-08-23 Ceag Licht- Und Stromversorgungstechnik Gmbh, 4770 Soest Verfahren zum betrieb einer leuchtstofflampe

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4008414A (en) * 1975-07-28 1977-02-15 Power Saver Corporation Circuit for powering fluorescent lamps
GB2108336A (en) * 1981-10-30 1983-05-11 Gen Electric High frequency fluorescent lamp circuit

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1987003161A1 (en) 1987-05-21
AU6523486A (en) 1987-06-02

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Inventor name: DUNBERG, HANS

Inventor name: SUNDBERG, KNUT

Inventor name: BERGSTROEM, TORGNY