EP0580255B1 - Onduleur avec circuit de protection, pour alimenter une lampe à décharge - Google Patents

Onduleur avec circuit de protection, pour alimenter une lampe à décharge Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0580255B1
EP0580255B1 EP19930202157 EP93202157A EP0580255B1 EP 0580255 B1 EP0580255 B1 EP 0580255B1 EP 19930202157 EP19930202157 EP 19930202157 EP 93202157 A EP93202157 A EP 93202157A EP 0580255 B1 EP0580255 B1 EP 0580255B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
circuit arrangement
circuit
branch
discharge lamp
frequency
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19930202157
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0580255A1 (fr
Inventor
Jozef Hubert Reijnaerts
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.)
Koninklijke Philips NV
Original Assignee
Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV filed Critical Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
Priority to EP19930202157 priority Critical patent/EP0580255B1/fr
Publication of EP0580255A1 publication Critical patent/EP0580255A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0580255B1 publication Critical patent/EP0580255B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime 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
    • H05B41/14—Circuit arrangements
    • H05B41/26—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from dc by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage dc
    • H05B41/28—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from dc by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage dc using static converters
    • H05B41/282—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from dc by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage dc using static converters with semiconductor devices
    • H05B41/285—Arrangements for protecting lamps or circuits against abnormal operating conditions
    • H05B41/2851—Arrangements for protecting lamps or circuits against abnormal operating conditions for protecting the circuit against abnormal operating conditions
    • H05B41/2856—Arrangements for protecting lamps or circuits against abnormal operating conditions for protecting the circuit against abnormal operating conditions against internal abnormal circuit conditions

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a circuit arrangement for igniting and operating a discharge lamp, which arrangement comprises a DC-AC converter provided with
  • circuit arrangement is known from European Patent Application 0189221A1.
  • the circuit arrangement disclosed in this patent application comprises circuitry for regulating the luminous intensity of the lamp with comparatively low power losses.
  • Another circuit arrangement comprising circuitry for lowering the variation in output voltage caused by variation in the power voltage is described in US 4,992,702.
  • Yet another circuit arrangement as described in the opening paragraph is known from European Patent Application 442572A1.
  • the known circuit arrangement is in particular designed for electrodeless low-pressure mercury discharge lamps and is so dimensioned that the operating frequency f of the circuit arrangement lies above the resonance frequency of the load branch both during stationary lamp operation and during ignition of the discharge lamp in order to limit power dissipation in the switching element. Ignition of the discharge lamp and stationary lamp operation often take place at a substantially constant value of the frequency f. The amplitudes of the voltages and currents present in the circuit arrangement during ignition of the discharge lamp are often considerably higher than during stationary lamp operation.
  • these comparatively high voltages and currents can strongly reduce the life of the circuit arrangement, especially if the lamp does not (immediately) ignite as a result of, for example, ambient factors, it is desirable to provide the switching arrangement with means which prevent the amplitudes of the voltages and currents in the circuit arrangement reaching excessive values.
  • These means may, for example, comprise voltage-limiting elements coupled to the load branch which become current-conducting when the amplitudes of the voltages and currents in the circuit arrangement assume excessive values, thus reducing the resonance frequency of the load branch. Since the operating frequency f remains substantially unchanged, the difference between the operating frequency and the resonance frequency of the load branch increases, so that the amplitudes of voltages and currents in the circuit arrangement decrease. It was found, however, that these voltage-limiting elements must comply with particularly high requirements, as a result of which they must be assembled from comparatively expensive components and nevertheless have comparatively short lives.
  • the invention has for its object inter alia to provide a circuit arrangement in which the amplitudes of the voltages and currents in the circuit arrangement during ignition of the discharge lamp do not reach excessive values, while the circuit arrangement also has a comparatively long operating life, and comparratively unexpensive components can be used.
  • control circuit of a circuit arrangement of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph is in addition provided with means for limiting an ignition voltage, which means comprise
  • the potential of the control electrode of the semiconductor element is brought to such a value by means of the branch D that the impedance of the semiconductor element decreases. Owing to this decrease in the impedance of the semiconductor element, the branch C will carry a greater fraction of the current flowing in the control circuit. As a result of this, the frequency f with which the control circuit oscillates is also determined to an increasing extent by the frequency-dependent impedance of the branch C, with the result that the frequency f increases.
  • European Patent 93469 describes a circuit arrangement for operating a discharge lamp in which also provisions are made for increasing the operating frequency of the circuit arrangement if the voltages in the circuit arrangement reach excessive values during the ignition of the discharge lamp.
  • the circuit arrangement described in the said document also comprises switching elements for generating a current of alternating polarity and a control circuit for rendering the switching elements conducting and non-conducting.
  • the provisions for limiting the ignition voltage provided in the control circuit of the circuit arrangement contain components which dissipate a comparatively large portion of the power of the control signal. This comparatively high power dissipation adversely affects the speed with which the switching elements become conducting and non-conducting.
  • This decrease in the switching speed may cause a comparatively high power dissipation in the switching elements, especially when the operating frequency of the circuit arrangement at which the discharge lamp is ignited is comparatively high, which may also lead to damage of the switching elements.
  • This comparatively high power dissipation in the switching elements renders the circuit arrangement described in European Patent 93469 unsuitable for applications in which a discharge lamp operated by means of the circuit arrangement is ignited at a comparatively high operating frequency.
  • An advantageous embodiment of a circuit arrangement according to the invention is characterized in that the semiconductor element is constructed as a transistor.
  • the impedance of a transistor can be adjusted comparatively quickly by means of the potential applied to the base of the transistor.
  • the impedance of the transistor in the conducting state is also comparatively small, so that the power dissipated in the branch C is only relatively small.
  • a further advantageous embodiment of a circuit arrangement according to the invention is characterized in that the frequency-dependent impedance comprises inductive means. It was found that the amplitudes of currents and voltages in this further advantageous embodiment of the circuit arrangement are effectively limited during ignition of the discharge lamp, while the circuit arrangement remains in a stable operating state during this limiting action.
  • circuit arrangement is in addition provided with a timer circuit for rendering the potential to which the amplitude of the ignition voltage is limited dependent on time.
  • a particularly advantageous embodiment of a circuit arrangement of a circuit arrangement according to the invention is characterized in that the circuit arrangement is also provided with dimming means for the substantially square-wave modulation of the alternating-polarity current, and is provided with a second timer circuit for triggering the dimming means when a fixed time interval has elapsed after lamp ignition.
  • the duty cycle of the square-wave modulation is adjustable, it is possible to adjust the luminous flux of the discharge lamp with the dimming means.
  • the dimming means without further measures would cause the ignition voltage to be absent across the discharge lamp during a portion of each square-wave period, which hampers the ignition of the discharge lamp, the more so since the amplitude of the ignition voltage is limited.
  • a discharge lamp operated by means of this further advantageous embodiment of a circuit arrangement according to the invention exhibits a good ignition behaviour and also a good takeover behaviour in spite of the presence of the dimming means.
  • take-over is here understood to mean the creation of a stable discharge in the plasma of the discharge lamp after ignition.
  • reference numeral 1 denotes a first terminal of branch A and 2 a further terminal of branch A. 1 and 2 are suitable for connection to poles of a DC voltage source.
  • Branch A comprises two switching elements for generating a current of alternating polarity in that they are alternately conducting and non-conducting with a frequency f.
  • B is a load branch which comprises inductive means, capacitive means, and means for coupling a discharge lamp to the load branch B.
  • Load branch B is coupled to branch A.
  • S is a control circuit for rendering the switching elements conducting and non-conducting with the frequency f.
  • the control circuit S comprises for this purpose a resonant circuit comprising inductive means and capacitive means, and is for this purpose coupled to branch A.
  • Control circuit S in addition comprises a branch C coupled to the resonant circuit and comprising a series arrangement of a frequency-dependent impedance and a semiconductor element provided with a control electrode for influencing the impedance of the semiconductor element in dependence on a potential of the control electrode.
  • the control circuit S also comprises a branch D coupled to the control electrode of the semiconductor element and to the load branch for influencing the potential of the control electrode in dependence on the voltage across the discharge lamp.
  • V is a DC voltage source.
  • BL denotes dimming means for the square-wave modulation of a lamp current with an alternating polarity during stationary lamp operation by means of the square-wave modulation of a DC voltage supplied by the DC voltage source V.
  • BL is for this purpose coupled to the DC voltage source V.
  • TC is a timer circuit for triggering the dimming means BL when a fixed time interval has elapsed after the ignition of a discharge lamp operated by means of the circuit arrangement.
  • Terminals 1 and 2 and switching elements S1 and S2 form branch A. Terminals 1 and 2 are connected to respective outputs of DC voltage source V.
  • Load branch B comprises coils L1 and L2 and capacitors C4, C5 and C9.
  • An electrodeless discharge lamp La is coupled to the load branch B by means of coil L2.
  • Coil L1 in this embodiment forms the inductive means
  • capacitors C4, C5 and C9 form the capacitive means
  • coil L2 forms the means for coupling the discharge lamp to the load branch B. All components present in this embodiment and not forming part of branch A or load branch B together form the control circuit.
  • branch C is formed by coil L7, capacitor C7, resistor R2, transistor T and diode D7.
  • Branch D is formed by diodes D5 and D6, zener diodes D3 and D4, capacitor C8 and resistors R3 and R4. Zener diodes D3 and D4, capacitor C8 and resistor R4 form a timer circuit for rendering the potential to which the amplitude of the ignition voltage is limited dependent on time.
  • Input terminals 1 and 2 are interconnected by a series arrangement of switching elements S1 and S2, such that a main electrode of switching element S1 is connected to terminal 1 and a main electrode of switching element S2 to terminal 2.
  • Switching element S2 is shunted by a series circuit of coil L1, capacitor C5, and coil L2.
  • the circuit formed by capacitor C5 and coil L2 is shunted by a series circuit of capacitor C4 and capacitor C9, and is also shunted by a series circuit of capacitor C1 and the primary winding L4 of control transformer Tr, such that capacitor C1 is connected at one side to capacitor C5 and primary winding L4 is connected to coil L2 at one side.
  • Ends of secondary winding L5 of control transformer Tr are connected to a control electrode of switching element S1 and a junction point shared by switching element S1 and switching element S2.
  • the ends of secondary winding L6 of control transformer Tr are connected to a control electrode of switching element S2 and to terminal 2.
  • Secondary winding L6 is shunted by coil L3 and by capacitor C2.
  • the control electrode of switching element S2 is connected to an end of coil L7.
  • a further end of coil L7 is connected to a first side of capacitor C7.
  • a second side of capacitor C7 is connected to a collector of transistor T.
  • An emitter of transistor T is connected to terminal 2 of branch A.
  • Transistor T is shunted by diode D7 such that an anode of diode D7 is connected to the emitter of transistor T.
  • Capacitor C7 is shunted by resistor R2.
  • a base electrode and the emitter of transistor T are interconnected by resistor R3.
  • the emitter of transistor T is connected to an anode of diode D6.
  • a cathode of diode D6 is connected to an anode of diode D5.
  • a cathode of diode D5 is connected to a cathode of zener diode D3 and an anode of zener diode D3 is connected to the base electrode of transistor T.
  • the cathode of zener diode D3 is also connected to a cathode of zener diode D4.
  • An anode of zener diode D4 is connected to a first side of capacitor C8.
  • capacitor C8 A second side of capacitor C8 is connected to the anode of zener diode D3. Capacitor C8 is shunted by resistor R4 and the cathode of diode D6 is connected to a junction point of capacitor C4 and capacitor C9.
  • a control signal generated by the control transformer renders the switching elements S1 and S2 alternatively conducting with a frequency f.
  • a junction point P of the two switching elements is thus alternately connected to the negative pole and the positive pole of the DC voltage source.
  • a substantially square-wave voltage is present at point P with a frequency f.
  • This square-wave voltage causes a current to flow in the load branch, the polarity of which alternates with frequency f. Before the lamp has ignited, this current gives rise to comparatively high voltages in the circuit arrangement.
  • Capacitor C8 is charged by the current flowing from capacitor C9 to resistor R3 and the base of transistor T. In proportion as the voltage across capacitor C8 rises, the transistor T becomes conducting at a higher value of the amplitude of the voltage across capacitor C9, so that the voltages in the circuit arrangement, among them also the ignition voltage across the lamp, rise. This rise takes place until the voltage across capacitor C8 augmented by the zener voltage of zener diode D4 has become equal to the zener voltage of zener diode D3. Then the current flows from capacitor C9 through zener diode D3 to resistor R3 and the base of transistor T, and the ignition voltage and thus the other voltages and currents in the circuit arrangement are limited to a maximum value.
  • the timer circuit formed by zener diodes D3 and D4, resistor R4, and capacitor C8 thus ensures that the ignition voltage across the lamp rises gradually. As a result of this, the discharge lamp will ignite at a comparatively low ignition voltage, which in many cases prolongs both the life of the discharge lamp and the life of the circuit arrangement. After lamp ignition, the voltages in the circuit arrangement drop, so that transistor T becomes non-conducting and the discharge lamp is operated with the stationary operating frequency. A fixed time interval after the discharge lamp has ignited, the timer circuit TC activates the dimming means BL, so that the luminous flux of the discharge lamp can be adjusted to a desired value.
  • Resistors R2 and R4 serve to discharge capacitor C7 and capacitor C8, respectively.
  • Capacitor C7 prevents the current in branch C from containing a DC component. When the current in branch C flows towards capacitor C2, diode D7 is conducting and transistor T carries no current; when the current in branch C flows away from capacitor C2, transistor T is conducting and diode D7 is blocked.

Landscapes

  • Circuit Arrangements For Discharge Lamps (AREA)

Claims (5)

  1. Dispositif de circuit pour l'amorçage et le fonctionnement d'une lampe à décharge (LA), lequel dispositif de circuit comporte un onduleur (convertisseur de courant continu en courant alternatif) muni
    - d'une première branche (A) présentant des extrémités (1, 2) appropriées à être connectées à une source de tension continue (V) et comprenant au moins un élément de commutation (S1, S2) permettant d'engendrer un courant à polarité alternative par suite d'être conducteur et non conducteur à une fréquence (f),
    - d'une branche de charge (B) couplée à l'élément de commutation (S1, S2) et munie de moyens inductifs (L1), de moyens capacitifs (C4, C5, C9) et de moyens (L2) permettant de coupler la lampe à décharge (LA) à la branche de charge (B),
    - d'un circuit de commande couplé à l'élément de commutation (S1, S2) afin de rendre l'élément de commutation conducteur et non conducteur à ladite fréquence (f), muni d'un circuit de résonance qui comprend en outre des moyens inductifs (L3) et d'autres moyens capacitifs (C2),
    caractérisé en ce que le circuit de commande est en outre muni de moyens permettant de limiter une amplitude d'une tension d'amorçage, lesquels moyens comprennent
    - une troisième branche (C) couplée au circuit de résonance (L3, C2) et comportant le montage en série d'une impédance dépendant de la fréquence (L7) et d'un élément semiconducteur (T) muni d'une électrode de commande permettant d'influer sur l'impédance de l'élément semiconducteur (T) en fonction d'un potentiel de l'électrode de commande,
    - une quatrième branche (D) couplée à la branche de charge (B) et à l'électrode de commande de l'élément semiconducteur (T) afin d'influer sur le potentiel de l'électrode de commande en fonction de la tension se produisant aux bornes de la lampe à décharge (LA).
  2. Dispositif de circuit selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'élément semiconducteur (T) est constitué par un transistor.
  3. Dispositif de circuit selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que l'impédance dépendant de la fréquence comprend des moyens inductifs (L7).
  4. Dispositif de circuit selon la revendication 1, 2 ou 3, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif de circuit est en outre muni d'un circuit de réglage de temps (D3, D4, C8, R4) permettant de rendre le potentiel auquel est limitée l'amplitude de la tension d'amorçage en dépendance du temps.
  5. Dispositif de circuit selon l'une des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le dispositif de circuit est également muni de moyens de mise en veilleuse pour la modulation pratiquement en forme d'onde rectangulaire du courant à polarité alternative, et en ce qu'il est muni d'un circuit de réglage de temps permettant d'activer les moyens de mise en veilleuse après qu'un intervalle de temps déterminé s'est écoulé après l'amorçage de la lampe.
EP19930202157 1992-07-20 1993-07-13 Onduleur avec circuit de protection, pour alimenter une lampe à décharge Expired - Lifetime EP0580255B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19930202157 EP0580255B1 (fr) 1992-07-20 1993-07-13 Onduleur avec circuit de protection, pour alimenter une lampe à décharge

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP92202205 1992-07-20
EP92202205 1992-07-20
EP19930202157 EP0580255B1 (fr) 1992-07-20 1993-07-13 Onduleur avec circuit de protection, pour alimenter une lampe à décharge

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0580255A1 EP0580255A1 (fr) 1994-01-26
EP0580255B1 true EP0580255B1 (fr) 1997-12-17

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19930202157 Expired - Lifetime EP0580255B1 (fr) 1992-07-20 1993-07-13 Onduleur avec circuit de protection, pour alimenter une lampe à décharge

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EP (1) EP0580255B1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19548506A1 (de) * 1995-12-22 1997-06-26 Patent Treuhand Ges Fuer Elektrische Gluehlampen Mbh Schaltungsanordnung zum Betrieb einer Lampe
FR2779288B1 (fr) * 1998-06-02 2000-08-18 Valeo Electronique Module d'alimentation d'une lampe a decharge, notamment de projecteur de vehicule automobile

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL8500155A (nl) * 1985-01-22 1986-08-18 Philips Nv Elektrische inrichting voor het regelen van de lichtsterkte van althans een ontladingslamp.
JPH01160374A (ja) * 1987-12-17 1989-06-23 Toshiba Electric Equip Corp インバータ
FR2627342B1 (fr) * 1988-02-16 1990-07-20 Applic Util Proprietes Ele Dispositif d'alimentation de tube luminescent
KR100202336B1 (ko) * 1990-02-14 1999-06-15 프레데릭 얀 스미트 디씨-에이씨 컨버터를 구비한 회로 장치

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Publication number Publication date
EP0580255A1 (fr) 1994-01-26

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