US3350601A - Device for switching over the current feeding at least two electric discharge tubes containing an ionizable atmosphere - Google Patents

Device for switching over the current feeding at least two electric discharge tubes containing an ionizable atmosphere Download PDF

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Publication number
US3350601A
US3350601A US426098A US42609865A US3350601A US 3350601 A US3350601 A US 3350601A US 426098 A US426098 A US 426098A US 42609865 A US42609865 A US 42609865A US 3350601 A US3350601 A US 3350601A
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United States
Prior art keywords
tubes
tube
switch
circuit
contact
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Expired - Lifetime
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US426098A
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English (en)
Inventor
Gomonet Edouard
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Claude Paz et Visseaux SA
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Claude Paz et Visseaux SA
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    • 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
    • H05B41/36—Controlling
    • H05B41/44—Controlling for providing special optical effects, e.g. progressive motion of light
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S315/00—Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
    • Y10S315/05—Starting and operating circuit for fluorescent lamp

Definitions

  • the present invention has for its object an arrangement for switching over the current feeding at least two electric discharge tubes containing an ionizable atmosphere, the switching being performed on one or several secondary coils of the transformer or transformers feeding said tubes, in which arrangement the switch, before it disconnects the operative discharge tube from the corresponding secondary coil, ensures the connection of another tube with the secondary coil which is to feed it.
  • One or more of said discharge tubes may be replaced by a group of at least two such tubes serially connected.
  • the shifting appearance of luminous ornamental displays and signs is generally controlled by connecting and disconnecting in accordance with a predetermined rhythm the primary coil of the transformers of which the secondary coils feed the discharge tubes forming the sources of light for ornamental display or signboard purposes.
  • the energy stored in the secondary coil of the transformer when it feeds a group of tubes in an operative condition can no longer be dissipated in the next group of tubes since the latter cannot be ignited. Said energy is transformed into an intense sparking in the high voltage switch the repetition of the sparks finally damaging said switch.
  • said drawback is cured by providing an auxiliary electric discharge tube containing an ionizable atmosphere, said tube connecting together those switch contact-pieces through which the latter is connected respectively with the different discharge tubes or groups of discharge tubes.
  • FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are diagrams of an embodiment showing three switching stages
  • FIG. 4 is a'diagram for the successive energizing of four groups of tubes
  • FIG. 5 is a diagram incorporating a transformer provided with two secondary coils
  • FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate modifications in the connections provided for the auxiliary tube
  • FIG. 8 is a diagram of a circuit which allows obtaining manifold luminous effects.
  • a transformer 2 showing high magnetic leaks includes a primary coil 4 fed by a source of alternating current 6, and a secassignor to 2 ondary coil 8.
  • Two groups ofdischarge tubes 10, 12, 14 and 16, 18, 20 are connected in parallel with the secondary coil 8 through the agency of a high voltage switch designated by the general reference number 22.
  • Said tubes are constituted for instance by fluorescent lamps or neon tubes.
  • the switch 22 includes a central contact-piece 24 connected with the secondary coil 8 and controlled for instance by a cam driven by a small motor and speed reducer group (not shown) said central contact-piece 24 being associated with two lateral contact-pieces 26, 28 connected respectively with the tube 10 and with the tube 16 and urged against an insulating stop 34 by corresponding springs 30 and 32.
  • the central contact-piece 24 plays the part of the movable contact-piece of a conventional switch while the lateral contact-pieces 26, 28 play the part of stationary contact-pieces.
  • Said contact-pieces will be designated hereinafter respectively as the movable contact-piece and the stationary contact-pieces.
  • the movable contact-piece 24 engages the stationary contact-piece 26 and ensures the feeding of the tubes 10, 12 and 14 while no current can pass through the group of tubes 16, 18, 20, since the stationary contact-piece 28 corresponding thereto is prevented by the stop 34 from engaging the contactpieces 24 and 26.
  • the movable contact-piece 24 engages both stationary contact-pieces 26 and 28 simultaneously.
  • the stop 34 may or may not engage the stationary contact-pieces during said switch position.
  • an auxiliary tube 112 is connected across the contact-pieces 26 and 28 of the switch.
  • the auxiliary tube is constituted for instance by a comparatively short discharge tube with cold electrodes, con- I group of tubes taining a mass of a rare gas under a pressure of a few tens centimeters of mercury.
  • operation of the switching device is as follows, starting from the position illustrated in FIG. 3.
  • the tubes 16-, 18 and 20 are fed and the difference between the characteristic electric feature of the groups 16, 18, 20 on the one hand and 10, 12, 14, 112 on the other hand, is such that the current in the tubes of the latter group is negligible.
  • the operation of the switch 22 first short-circuits the tube 112 and sets in parallel the groups 16, 18, 20 and 10, 12, 14 after which the tubes 10, 12 and 14 remain directly connected across the terminals of the transformer while the tube 112 is inserted in series with the tubes 16, 18, 20 so that the current in the latter is negligible, while practically all of the current passes through the tubes 10, 12 and 14.
  • the second stage in the operation of the switch 22 would insert the tube 112 in series with tubes 16, 18, 20 and the energy stored in the transformer would be spent in said tubes instead of producing destructive sparks in the switch 22.
  • n In the case where it is desired to feed in succession a number n of groups of tubes inserted in series, It being an integer above 2, it is possible to design a switch similar to the switch 22, but provided in this case with n outputs. Said switch should operate in a sequence such that one is disconnected only after the switch has provided for the connection of the group which is to be ignited immediately afterwards and the case is obviously the same when one or more groups include only one tube each. It is also possible to use, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a simpler high voltage switch similar to the switch 22..
  • FIG. 4. illustrates an embodiment adapted to energize in succession four groups of tubes, 36+38+40,
  • the two first groups are designated by the general reference 60 and the two last groups by the general reference 62.
  • circuit breakers 68, 70, 72 and 74 control the connection of the groups forming the corresponding system. These circuit-breakers are actuated only during the lapse of time during which the switch 22 does not allow any current to pass through the system of groups of tubes considered.
  • the switch 22 which has just been brought from the position for which it allows current to pass through the group 54, 56, 58 of the system 62 has been brought into the position for which it causes current to pass through the group 36, 38, 40 of the system 60. It is then possible to close the circuit breaker 72 and to open the circuit breaker 74 so that at the next return of the switch 22. towards the system 62, the group 48, 50, 52 is ignited.
  • the switch 22 is in the position energizing the system 62, it is possible to operate the circuit-breakers 68 and 70.
  • the movement of said circuit-breakers is automatic and is controlled by the same motor as the reversal of the switch 22 so that the operation of said contact-breakers is always performed reliably during a phase for which the corresponding circuits are at zero current.
  • An auxiliary tube 112 playing the same part as in the circuit illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, is connected across the system 60 and 62.
  • FIG. illustrates a circuit of such a type comprising a transformer showing high magnetic leaks and including a primary coil 80 and two secondary coils 82 and 84, which latter feed respectively the corresponding groups of tubes 86, 88, 90 and 126, 12.8, 130.
  • the high voltage switch is constituted in the present case by a rocking mercury switch 106 carrying an amount of mercury sufiicient for shortcircuiting the extreme contact-piece 108, 110 when the switch is in its intermediate position.
  • the point common to the secondary coils 82 and 84 is grounded and an auxiliary tube 112 is connected across the terminals 108, 110 of the switch.
  • the secondary coil 84 is coupled with the primary coil to the same extent as the secondary coil 82.
  • E2 075 E1 where E and E are the no-load voltages of one of the two secondary coils and of the other respectively, while E and E are the voltages obtained, when said one secondary coil feeds, after ignition, the corresponding tube or tubes, for said one and said other secondary coil respectively.
  • the safety obtained through the agency of the auxiliary tube 112 may be increased. For instance, it is possible to connect a similar tube in shunt across said tube; when one of the two auxiliary tubes becomes damaged or has been damaged by some accident, the other tube remains to play the part of the first tube. It is also possible to control, through the agency of the current passing in the auxiliary tube in the case of a mishap, a relay which switches off the current feeding the transformer or transformers.
  • FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate, by way of example, two circuit sections for which both such supplementary safety means are used simultaneously.
  • the auxiliary supplementary tube is designated by the reference number 136 and the sensitive member controlling the relay acting as a circuit disconnect, such for example as a Winding or a bimetallic strip, is illustrated merely by a block 138.
  • the portion of the circuit illustrated is substituted for the one which on FIGS. 1 to 5 includes the switch 22 or 106, the tube 112 and their connecting wires.
  • the tube 136 is connected directly shuntwise across the tube 112'
  • the sensitive member 138 is connected in series with both tubes and the system including the tubes 112 and 136 and the sensitive member 138 is connected shuntwise across the extreme contact-pieces 108 and 110 of the switch 106 under load.
  • the sensitive member 138 functions in the event of damage to the tube 112 or the tube 136.
  • the tubes 112 and 136 have starting voltages of different values.
  • the sensitive member 138 is connected in series with the tube of which the starting voltage is the higher, say the tube 136.
  • the other tube 112 is connected in shunt with the system including the tube 136 and the sensitive member 138.
  • the auxiliary tube 112 is that which is normally ignited and it feeds current towards the luminous tubes which can start. If now said tube 112 cannot be ignited or is ignited only with difficulty, the auxiliary tube 136 is ignited and current passes then through the sensitive member 138 which switches off the feeding of energy into the transformer.
  • the possible embodiments of the invention may be used to produce a succession of illuminations based upon those disclosed above. It is possible to resort to a number of high voltage switches operating in the manner described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 for instance.
  • the circuit illustrated in FIG. 8 includes four high voltage switches 140, 142, 144, 146 illustrated in a highly diagrammatic manner and actuated periodically by a motor and speed reducer group in accordance with a predetermined programme. It is thus possible to obtain a number of varied combinations during a cycle.
  • auxiliary discharge tube 112 which tube interconnects the contact-pieces of the switch 146, said contact-pieces being connected respectively with the tubes 148 and 150.
  • the switch 22 or 106 under load may be bipolar, for instance in the case of displays operating in the open, in damp countries.
  • the positions of the two elementary switches for which two groups of tubes are connected simultaneously, are transiently coextant.
  • An arrangement for switching from one circuit to another of a pair of circuits, each circuit containing at least one main discharge tube having an ionizable atmosphere, comprising an auxiliary tube having a pair of electrodes in an ionizable atmosphere, said auxiliary tube being connected in series with the main tubes, and switch means having a pair of terminals, one terminal being connected to one of said electrodes, respectively, said switch means selectively connecting one of said pair of circuits to said source of energy.
  • An arrangement as defined in claim 1 further including means for simultaneously connecting both said circuits to said source for an interval of time between a half period of the feed voltage and of a second.
  • a switching arrangement as defined in claim 6 further including a relay in series with at least one of said auxiliary tubes and means connecting said relay to the primary winding of the transformer for disconnecting the primary winding from an energy source when the current through the relay increases by a predetermined amount.
  • An arrangement as defined in claim 11 further including a second auxiliary tube in shunt relation with the first mentioned auxiliary tube.

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  • Circuit Arrangements For Discharge Lamps (AREA)
  • Discharge-Lamp Control Circuits And Pulse- Feed Circuits (AREA)
US426098A 1964-01-30 1965-01-18 Device for switching over the current feeding at least two electric discharge tubes containing an ionizable atmosphere Expired - Lifetime US3350601A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR962049A FR1395639A (fr) 1964-01-30 1964-01-30 Dispositif pour commuter l'alimentation d'au moins deux tubes à décharge électrique dans une atmosphère ionisable

Publications (1)

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US3350601A true US3350601A (en) 1967-10-31

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US426098A Expired - Lifetime US3350601A (en) 1964-01-30 1965-01-18 Device for switching over the current feeding at least two electric discharge tubes containing an ionizable atmosphere

Country Status (5)

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US (1) US3350601A (da)
BE (1) BE658597A (da)
CH (1) CH422989A (da)
DE (1) DE1227999B (da)
FR (1) FR1395639A (da)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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Publication number Publication date
DE1227999B (de) 1966-11-03
BE658597A (da) 1965-07-20
CH422989A (fr) 1966-10-31
FR1395639A (fr) 1965-04-16

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