JPH01276593A - Auxiliary starter for gas discharge lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To eliminate the consumption of power after a gas discharge lamp is lit by providing a fixed device of a voltage sensitive type in a circuit with the discharge lamp and an ignitor so that relatively high impedance can be applied to a current source when the ignitor is not operated. CONSTITUTION: A starting aid is formed of two Zehner diodes ZD1, ZD2, which are located between a rectifier 12 and an ignitor 14 and connected in parallel to the ignitor 14 and with each other in series with mutually opposite polarities. When the ignitor 14 starts applying high voltage pulse to a gas discharge lamp 10, high impedance is applied to high frequency and high voltage pulse via the rectifier 12 in a return passage. As a result, starting pulse with a higher rate of power tan power consumed in a circuit excluding the gas discharge lamp 10 is given to the discharge lamp 10 and, when the gas discharge lamp 10 is started, the operation of the ignitor is stopped and the Zehner diodes ZD1, ZD2 are in a non-conductive condition. In this way, the consumption of power is eliminated after the gas discharge lamp is lit.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a starting aid device used in a gas discharge lamp.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Gas discharge lamps are normally operated from an AC current source via a current or voltage rectifier.

The ignition device generally applies a high voltage ignition pulse to the gas discharge lamp to ignite the gas discharge lamp, and once the gas discharge lamp has been ignited, the ignition pulse is no longer applied.

Low impedance return path for high voltage ignition pulses (
In order to create a return path, lamp manufacturers recommended the following. That is, the starting aid capacitor is switched into the circuit of the gas discharge lamp during (but only during) the ignition pulse is applied to the gas discharge lamp. Usually this is achieved by being connected to a starting aid. This starting aid consists of a capacitor connected in series,
It consists of a resistor and a switch, and this series connected capacitor, resistor and switch are connected in parallel to the gas discharge lamp. The switch is controlled by a timer or other means and is closed during the entire time the ignition pulse is applied to the gas discharge lamp.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Providing switches and timers in the above circuits increases cost and can create reliability problems. To this end, lamp manufacturers try to leave the capacitor and resistor connected in parallel with the gas discharge lamp all the time, leaving out the switch and timer. As a result, a certain amount of power is continuously consumed by the starting aid.

For low power gas discharge lamp applications this is not a significant problem. However, where high power and high voltage gas discharge lamps are used, there is the problem that a rated starting aid capacitor consumes 100 OW, which is clearly undesirable.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a starting aid device for a gas discharge lamp that does not consume electric power after the -degree gas discharge lamp is lit. .

[Means and effects for solving the problem] According to the present invention, an ignition device for a gas discharge lamp supplies an ignition pulse having a voltage higher than the voltage of a current source for lighting the gas discharge lamp to the gas discharge lamp. A starting aid for a gas discharge lamp used in conjunction, comprising at least one voltage-sensitive solid state device, which solid state device is arranged in a circuit with the gas discharge lamp and the ignition device, forming a relatively low impedance return path for the ignition pulses from the igniter, but having a relatively high impedance for the current source when the igniter is not operating; The present invention provides a starting aid device for a gas discharge lamp.

Further, the starting auxiliary device for a gas discharge lamp includes a pair of Zener diodes, which are connected in series with polarities opposite to each other, and the pair of Zener diodes are connected to the voltage of the current source. The rated voltage of the pair of Zener diodes is selected so that they are essentially non-conducting.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a starting assist device according to the present invention. In this figure, a gas discharge lamp 10
is arranged to be illuminated by an AC current source via a rectifier 12. An ignition device 14 between the rectifier device 12 and the gas discharge lamp 10 supplies high frequency and high voltage pulses to ignite the gas discharge lamp 10. The starting aid consists of two series-connected Zener diodes Z01. These Zener diodes Z01 and Zn2 are connected to the rectifier 12 and the ignition device 1.
4 and is connected in parallel to the ignition device 14. Zener diode ZD1. As shown in the figure, ZD2 are connected in series with mutually opposite polarities.

If a current source is applied to the circuit shown when the gas discharge lamp is extinguished, the open circuit voltage at the output of the rectifier 12 will be relatively high, but the Zener diode Z01. Z
A predetermined threshold level determined by the rated voltage of D2 is not reached. Therefore, these Zener diodes ZDI, ZD2 are not conductive.

When the igniter 14 begins to apply high voltage pulses to the gas discharge lamp 10, the return path becomes high impedance through the rectifier 12 for the high frequency and high voltage pulses. This means that the Zener diode ZDI, Zn
2 conducts, thus creating a low impedance path for the ignition pulse. As a result, the gas discharge lamp 10 is provided with a starting pulse of a higher proportion of power than is consumed within the circuit excluding the gas discharge lamp 10. When the gas discharge lamp 10 is started, the igniter is deactivated (manually or automatically), so that no high ignition pulse is applied and the Zener diode Z01. ZD2 becomes non-conducting again.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the starting aid device. In this other embodiment, the starting aid comprises a silicon bidirectional switch (SBS). When this type of silicon bidirectional switch 16 (SBS) is switched to a -degree conducting state,
It remains conductive while the current is on. Instead of the silicon bidirectional switch I6, a pair of silicon controlled rectifiers (S
CR) or a triac can be used. Capacitor C and resistor R are silicon bidirectional switches 16
connected in series. The capacitor C may be used to limit the maximum current flowing through the high-voltage point device when the -degree gas discharge lamp is ignited and the ignition device 14 is ignited;
be removed. The circuit of FIG. 2 generally does not require any current limiting devices, since in many cases current semiconductor devices' current ratings are sufficient to operate the circuit of FIG.

The illustrated starting aid, which operates automatically by detecting the voltage supplied to the gas discharge lamp 10, is particularly advantageous for the ignition device 14, which does not require a switching device or a timer device. The starting aid can be integrated into the ignition system 14 and separate from the rectifier 12. This means that the starting aid provides a low impedance feedback circuit path for the high voltage ignition pulses so that the voltage developed across the rectifier 12 is not high.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, when the ignition device is outputting an ignition pulse, the starting assist device becomes conductive with low impedance, and the ignition pulse is not output from the ignition device. In such a case, the starting auxiliary device has a high impedance and is no longer conductive, thereby realizing a starting auxiliary device for a gas discharge lamp that consumes no power after the gas discharge lamp is lit.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the starting assist device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the starting assist device according to the present invention. 10... Gas discharge lamp, 12... Rectifier, 1
4... Ignition device, 16... Silicon two-way switch, Zl)1, Zn2... Zener diode, C.
...Capacitor, R...Resistance. Margin below

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A gas discharge lamp used by being connected to an ignition device for a gas discharge lamp that supplies the gas discharge lamp with an ignition pulse having a voltage higher than the voltage of a current source that lights the gas discharge lamp. a starting aid for a motor, comprising at least one voltage-sensitive solid-state device, the solid-state device being arranged in a circuit having the gas discharge lamp and the igniter, the solid-state device being responsive to the ignition pulse from the igniter; A starting aid for a gas discharge lamp, characterized in that it forms a return path of relatively low impedance with respect to the current source, but has a relatively high impedance with respect to the current source when the igniter is not operating. . 2. The solid state device comprises a pair of Zener diodes, the pair of Zener diodes are connected in series with opposite polarities, and the pair of Zener diodes are essentially non-conducting at the voltage of the current source. Claim 1, wherein the rated voltage of the pair of Zener diodes is selected so that
Starting aid for the gas discharge lamp described. 3. The solid-state device includes a switch element and a capacitor, the switch element maintains a conductive state when energized, and becomes conductive when the ignition device generates an ignition pulse, and the capacitor is provided in series with the switch element. is,
2. A starting aid for a gas discharge lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the igniter is returned to a non-conducting state when the igniter is deactivated. 4. The starting aid device for a gas discharge lamp according to claim 3, wherein a current limiting device is provided in series with the switch element and the capacitor. 5. The starting aid device for a gas discharge lamp according to claim 4, wherein the current limiting device is a resistor.