JP2002025785A - Fluorescent lamp lighting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent wasteful power consumption by automatically prohibiting the repetition of intermittent discharge of a glow lamp, when a fluorescent lamp reaches its service life and to prevent eye-disturbing flickering of the fluorescent lamp. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a current-carrying heating element 10 connected in series with the fluorescent lamp lighting glow lamp 6, and a lighting prohibiting means for opening the current-carrying path of the glow lamp 6, by detecting the heat of the current-carrying heating element 10, in conjunction with discharge, when the fluorescent lamp 4 reaches its, service life and the glow lamp 6 intermittently repeats the discharge.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a so-called glow starter type fluorescent lamp lighting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a glow starter type fluorescent lamp lighting device of this type is generally formed as shown in FIG. One electrode of a glow lamp 6 is connected via a filament 5 at one end of the lamp 4, and the other electrode of the glow lamp 6 is connected to the other end of the AC power supply 1 via a filament 7 at the other end of the fluorescent lamp 4. You.

When the operation switch 2 is closed (turned on) by the lighting operation of the fluorescent lamp 4, the glow lamp 6 is discharged, and the AC power source 1, the operation switch 2, the ballast 3, the filament 5, the glow lamp 6, Glow discharge current flows through the loop of the filament 7, and energy is stored in the ballast 3.

Next, when the two electrodes of the glow lamp 6 come into thermal contact with each other by the discharge, the discharge is stopped and the glow lamp 6 is cooled.

When both poles of the glow lamp 6 are opened by this cooling, the energy of the ballast 3 is released at that moment, and a high voltage necessary for lighting is applied across the fluorescent lamp 4.

If the fluorescent lamp 4 is sound, the fluorescent lamp 4 is discharged and turned on. Thereafter, until the operation switch 2 is opened (off), the AC power supply 1, the operation switch 2, the stabilizer 3, the fluorescent light Electric current flows through the loop of the lamp 4, and the fluorescent lamp 4 is kept in a lighting state.

[0007]

In the conventional fluorescent lamp lighting device, when the fluorescent lamp 4 reaches the end of its life and it is time to replace it, even if the operation switch 2 is closed, the fluorescent lamp 4 is turned on. Without being stabilized, the discharge of the glow lamp 6 is intermittently repeated, and the fluorescent lamp 4 continues to blink.

If the fluorescent lamp 4 is sound, the discharge time of the glow lamp 6 is as short as several seconds or less, the fluorescent lamp 4 hardly blinks, and the state immediately shifts to a stable lighting state, causing no problem. However, when the life of the fluorescent lamp 4 has expired, the discharge of the glow lamp 6 and the blinking of the fluorescent lamp 4 continue until the operation switch 2 is opened, and there is a problem that power is wasted during this time. In addition, since the fluorescent lamp 4 repeats blinking, there is a problem that it becomes very obstructive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to automatically prohibit the activation of a fluorescent lamp which has reached the end of its life and to prevent wasteful power consumption due to intermittent discharge of a glow lamp and repeated blinking of the fluorescent lamp.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the case of the fluorescent lamp lighting device of the present invention, an electric heating element in which a fluorescent lamp is connected in series to a glow lamp for lighting and a fluorescent lamp are provided. When the life of the glow lamp has been intermittently repeated after the end of its life, a lighting prohibiting means for detecting the heat generation of the current-carrying heating element and opening the current path of the glow lamp is provided.

Therefore, when the life of the fluorescent lamp is reached, the lighting of the fluorescent lamp is not stabilized, and the glow lamp intermittently repeats discharge, the energization time becomes long and the energized heating element generates heat.

Based on the detection of the heat generation, the lighting prohibiting means opens the current path of the glow lamp and prohibits the lighting of the fluorescent lamp.

Therefore, when the life of the fluorescent lamp reaches the end of its life, the discharge of the glow lamp is automatically stopped, and unnecessary power consumption is prevented.

The lighting prohibiting means may be formed by a normally-closed heat-sensitive contact which is provided in series with the energized heating element and is opened by a heat generated at a temperature equal to or higher than the set temperature of the energized heating element and mechanically locked in an open state. Good.

[0015] The lighting prohibiting means may be provided with a normally-closed contact in series with the energized heating element, and the contact is switched to an open state by energization, and the relay is energized by detecting heat generation at or above a set temperature of the energized heating element. It may be formed by a relay energizing circuit that locks in a state.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG. In those drawings,
The same reference numerals as those in FIG. 3 indicate the same or corresponding components.

(First Embodiment) First, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this form,
A heat-sensitive switch body 8 is provided in the current path of the glow lamp 6 between the filaments 5 and 7 of the fluorescent lamp 4.

The switch body 8 comprises a series circuit of a normally-closed heat-sensitive contact 9 such as a bimetal contact and an energizing heating element 10 composed of a resistor.

If the fluorescent lamp 4 is healthy, the glow lamp 6 is discharged instantaneously when the operation switch 2 is turned on and closed by a lighting operation, and the fluorescent lamp is controlled by a high voltage based on this discharge. 4 immediately enters a stable discharge state and continues to light.

In this case, the energizing heating element 10 has a short energizing time, hardly generates heat, and the heat-sensitive contact 9 is kept closed.

Next, when the life of the fluorescent lamp 4 is reached, after the operation switch 2 is turned on, the discharge of the glow lamp 6 is intermittently repeated. It generates more heat.

The heat-sensitive contact 9 is automatically opened by this heat generation, and is mechanically held in that state by a latch mechanism (not shown).

Thereafter, even if the current-carrying heating element 10 is not energized and its heat generation stops, the heat-sensitive contact 9 continues to be opened.

When the thermal contact 9 is opened, the current path of the glow lamp 6 is automatically cut and opened, the glow lamp 6 does not discharge, and the fluorescent lamp 4 does not blink, preventing wasteful power consumption. At the same time, the unusual blinking of the fluorescent lamp 4 does not occur.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, a series circuit of a current-carrying heating element 10 and a normally closed contact 11a of a relay 11 is provided in a current-carrying path of the glow lamp 6 between the filaments 5 and 7 of the fluorescent lamp 4.

Further, one end of the relay 11 and the drive power supply terminal 1
2, a parallel circuit of a normally open thermal contact 13 such as a bimetal contact and a normally open contact 11b of the relay 11 is provided, and the other end of the relay 11 is a normally closed operation switch 1 for unlocking.
Ground through 4.

In this case, the drive power supply terminal 12 and the contact 11
The b, 13 and the operation switch 14 form a relay energizing circuit 15, and the relay 11, the contact 11a, and the energizing circuit 15 form a lighting inhibiting means.

When the fluorescent lamp 4 is sound, the discharge time of the glow lamp 6 is short, the heating element 10 does not generate heat, and the contact 11a is kept closed.

Next, when the life of the fluorescent lamp 4 is reached, when the operation switch 2 is closed by the lighting operation, the current-carrying heating element 10 generates heat above the set temperature due to the intermittent discharge of the glow lamp 6. The heat closes the heat-sensitive contact 13.

With this closing, the relay 11 is energized and activated via the heat-sensitive contact 13, and the contact 11a is instantaneously opened and the contact 11b is closed. With the closing of the contact 11b, the relay 11 connects the conducting path. It is self-held and locked in the energized state.

As a result, the contact 11a is opened and the current path of the glow lamp 6 is kept open.
Is stopped and the same effect as in FIG. 1 can be obtained.

When the fluorescent lamp 4 is replaced with a new one, the operation switch 2 is opened, the fluorescent lamp 4 is replaced, the operation switch 14 is momentarily opened, and the energization of the relay 11 is stopped. Thereafter, the operation switch 2 may be closed.

The heating element 10 may be formed of a suitable resistance element having a relatively low resistance so as to suppress the power consumption and reliably detect the intermittent discharge of the glow lamp 6.

The lighting prohibiting means is not limited to those having the structures shown in FIGS. The present invention can be applied to various fluorescent lamp lighting devices of a so-called glow starter system.

[0035]

The present invention has the following effects. When the life of the fluorescent lamp 4 is reached and the discharge of the fluorescent lamp 4 does not continue for a long time, the fluorescent lamp 4 starts blinking, and the glow lamp 6 repeats blinking intermittently, the discharge current of the glow lamp 6 is energized. When the heating element 10 is intermittently energized and the energizing heating element 10 generates heat, the temperature thereof rises and the energizing heating element 10 generates heat to a set temperature, the glow lamp 6 is turned on by the lighting inhibition means based on the detection of the heat generation. Can be automatically opened and the lighting of the fluorescent lamp 4 can be automatically prohibited.

Therefore, when the life of the fluorescent lamp 4 reaches the end of its life, the discharge of the glow lamp 6 is automatically stopped, and unnecessary power consumption can be prevented. be able to.

The lighting inhibition means is a normally closed thermal contact 9
When the life of the fluorescent lamp 4 is reached, the heat-sensitive contact 9 is opened by the heat generated by the current-carrying heating element 10 and is mechanically locked in an open state, and the current path of the glow lamp 6 is automatically opened. Can be cut.

When the lighting prohibiting means comprises the relay 11 and the relay energizing circuit 15, when the life of the fluorescent lamp 4 has expired, the relay 11 is energized and the normally closed contact 11a is opened. The glow lamp 6 can be cut off by automatically opening the energizing path when locked.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a connection diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a connection diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a connection diagram of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 4 Fluorescent lamp 6 Glow lamp 9, 13 Thermal contact 10 Heating element 11 Relay 11a, 11b Contact 15 Relay energizing circuit

Claims (3)

[Claims] An electric heating element connected in series to a glow lamp for lighting a fluorescent lamp, wherein the electric heating element generates heat when the fluorescent lamp reaches the end of its life and the glow lamp intermittently repeats discharging. A fluorescent lamp lighting device comprising: lighting prohibition means for detecting and opening a current path of the glow lamp. 2. The lighting prohibiting means comprises a normally-closed heat-sensitive contact which is provided in series with the energized heating element and is opened and locked mechanically open by the generation of heat above a set temperature of the energized heating element. The fluorescent lamp lighting device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The relay according to claim 1, wherein the lighting prohibiting means includes a relay which is provided with a normally closed contact in series with the energizing heating element, and the contact is switched to an open state by energization. 2. The fluorescent lamp lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising a relay energizing circuit for locking the relay in an energized state.