US3740609A - Arrangement for the ignition and alternating current supply for a gas-and/or vapor discharge lamp - Google Patents

Arrangement for the ignition and alternating current supply for a gas-and/or vapor discharge lamp Download PDF

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Publication number
US3740609A
US3740609A US00198838A US3740609DA US3740609A US 3740609 A US3740609 A US 3740609A US 00198838 A US00198838 A US 00198838A US 3740609D A US3740609D A US 3740609DA US 3740609 A US3740609 A US 3740609A
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United States
Prior art keywords
lamp
resistor
arrangement
glow discharge
ignition
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00198838A
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English (en)
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J Moerkens
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US Philips Corp
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US Philips Corp
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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
    • H05B41/16—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by dc or by low-frequency ac, e.g. by 50 cycles/sec ac, or with network frequencies
    • H05B41/18—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by dc or by low-frequency ac, e.g. by 50 cycles/sec ac, or with network frequencies having a starting switch
    • 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
    • H05B41/02—Details
    • H05B41/04—Starting switches
    • 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

  • ABSTRACT The invention relates to an arrangement for igniting and supplying a discharge lamp, particularly along lowpressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of about 2.5 meter. Said lamp has a relatively high ignition voltage so that it can not be ignited with the aid of a normal glow discharge starter.
  • a circuit is used in which with the aid of a diode branch a voltage doubling is effected at which the lamp can be ignited.
  • this circuit includes a resistor having a positive' temperature characteristic which, after ignition of the lamp, renders the diode branch inoperative.
  • the invention relates to an arrangement for the ignition and alternating current supply of at least one gas and/or vapor discharge lamp which includes two electrodes.
  • An arrangement of this kind is generally provided with a stabilizing capacitor which, in the operating condition, is connected in series with the lamp, a series arrangement of a diode and a resistor being provided which in that condition is shunted by a branch including the lamp and is connected in series with the capacitor.
  • a known arrangement of the kind mentioned above is described, for example, in US. Pat. No. 2,134,439.
  • a drawback of this known arrangement is that once the value of the resistor arranged in series with the diode is adjusted, the so-called dark period of the lamp is rather long (at a low resistive value of the resistor), or the lamp starts with difficulty (at a high resistive value of this resistor).
  • a long dark period means that the lamp does not emit light during a fairly large fraction of a period of the alternating supply voltage. This is detrimental as regards the luminous value of such a lamp, hence for considerations of efficiency.
  • a difficult or very slow starting discharge lamp is likewise a drawback.
  • An object of the present invention is to obviate or at least to mitigate the mentioned drawbacks.
  • the invention is characterized in that the resistor is of the type having a positive temperature characteristic which in case of the arrangement being switched on, but the lamp not yet being ignited, has a resistive value which is at most twice the resistance of the shunting lamp branch in the ignited condition of the lamp, and in which in the situation of the lamp being ignited the resistive value of the resistor having a positive temperature characteristic is at least twenty times the resistance of the shunting lamp branch.
  • An advantage of this arrangement is that during the starting operation the resistor having a positive temperature characteristic (P.T.C. resistor) has a relatively low resistive value. As a result the capacitor is charged quickly. This is effected through the diode. A voltage doubling across the lamp electrodes, thus occurring in a next half period of the supply voltage, may then lead to a quick ignition of this lamp. When, however, the lamp is ignited the P.T.C. resistor will exhibit a relatively high resistance value. Consequently, with the lamp ignited, the current flowing through the diode branch is then very low relative to the lamp current. As a result, the situation in the operating condition of the lamp is not much different from that of an ordinary capacitively stabilized lamp circuit.
  • P.T.C. resistor positive temperature characteristic
  • the dark period of the lamp is relatively short and that substantially no direct current components in the operating condition are present in the lamp current.
  • the lamp is not only stabilized through a stabilizing capacitor but through a combination of a capacitor and a coil.
  • This coil might be located, for example, between the capacitor and a supply terminal. It is also feasible that this coil is present in series with the lamp, namely in the so-called shunting lamp branch which is connected in parallel with the series arrangement of the diode and the P.T.C. resistor.
  • the gas and/or vapor discharge lamp is, for example, a lamp which is not provided with preheated electrodes. It is, for example, a high-pressure discharge lamp.
  • An arrangement according to the invention preferably serves for igniting and supplying a lamp whose two electrodes are of the preheated type and that those ends of the two lamp electrodes which are remote from the supply are connected together through a glow discharge starter, the ignition voltage of the glow discharge starter being greater than percent of the effective value of the supply voltage.
  • An advantage of this preferred embodiment is that special discharge lamps such as, for example, lowpressure mercury vapor discharge lamps of a type having a relatively high ignition voltage, can be ignited by means of a glow discharge starter.
  • a glow discharge starter As a rule other provisions, for example, transformers or electronic starters are required for the ignition of this kind of lamp.
  • the glow discharge starter is proportioned in such a manner that its contact (formed by two electrodes) already close at a power of less than 0.5 Watt.
  • An advantage thereof is that in the situation when the arrangement is switched on but when the lamp is not yet ignited the current flowing through the glow discharge starter and hence the current flowing through the P.T.C. resistor can be maintained low.
  • the following may serve to explain this.
  • the capacitor charged through the diode and theP.T.C. resistor in the starting situation will always discharge to a slight extent through the glow discharge in the glow discharge starter. Since abalanced state is reached in which the additional charge of the capacitor, is always equal to the discharge of the capacitor the current flowing through the glow discharge starter is actually the same as the current flowing through the P.T.C. resistor in that situation.
  • the arrangement is preferably intended for connection to a voltage supply of approximately 220 Volts and the lamp is a low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp having an operating voltage of approximately 180 Volts while the ignition voltage of the glow discharge starter is more than 230 Volts.
  • An advantage of the last-mentioned preferred arrangement is that such a known low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp, having a length of about 2.5 meters, can be ignited and supplied in a simple manner.
  • the thermal capacity of the P.T.C. resistor is so small that when the arrangement is switched on, but after the lamp is extinguished, within 5 seconds after said extinguishment the temperature of the resistor will have decreased so far that the resistive value of said resistor is at most twice the resistance of the shunting lamp branch in the ignited condition of the lamp.
  • An arrangement according to the invention may be used, for example, for igniting and supplying one discharge lamp. However, it is alternatively possible to ignite and supply a plurality of series-arranged discharge lamps with the aid of an'arrangement according to the invention.
  • each lamp is shunted by a glow discharge starter whose ignition voltage is larger than O.9'(l/n) times the supply voltage, where n represents the number of series-arranged lamps.
  • An advantage of the last-mentioned embodiment is that when the sum of the ignition voltages of a plurality of discharge lamps closely approximates or exceeds the value of the supply voltage, a simple ignition with the aid of glow-discharge starters also is possible.
  • the electrodes of this starter may consist of, for example, a material having a high work function.
  • a glow discharge starter is preferably used whose filler gas mainly consistsof hydrogen.
  • FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram of an arrangement according to the invention and a lamp to be supplied from this arrangement
  • FIG. 2 shows a circuit diagram of a second arrangement according to the invention and two lamps to be supplied from this arrangement;
  • FIG. 3 shows a graph in which the resistance R is plotted as a function of the temperature I of a P.T.C. resistor 'used in the arrangement of FIG. 1.
  • the referencenumerals 1 and 2 denote connecting terminals which are intended to be connected to an alternating current supply of approximately 220 Volts, 50 Hz.
  • the terminal 1 is connected to a stabilizing coil 3.
  • the other side of the coil 3 is connected to a capacitor 4.
  • the capacitor 4 is connected to a series arrangement of a diode 5 and a resistor 6 having a positive temperature characteristic (P.T.C. resistor).
  • the other side of the resistor 6 is connected to the connecting terminal 2 of the arrangement.
  • the series arrangement of the diode 5 and the P.T.C. resistor is shunted by a low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp 7.
  • the lamp 7 is provided with preheated electrodes 8 and 9.
  • the ends of the electrodes 8 and 9 remote from the ter-' minals l and 2 are connected together through a glow discharge starter 10.
  • the glow discharge starter is provided with two bimetal electrodes 11 and 12. Upon heating of the electrodes of the glow discharge starter by the glow discharge in the starter, these electrodes 1 1 and 12 bend towards each other.
  • This starter is mainly filled with hydrogen percent with an addition of neon gas (30 percent).
  • Thedischarge lamp 7 is a lowpressure mercury vapor discharge lamp rated at Watts. It has a length of about 2.5 meters.
  • FIG. 1 operates as follows.
  • capacitor 4 is first charged through the diode 5 and the P.T.C. resistor 6.
  • a double mains voltage is applied across the electrodes 8 and 9 of the lamp 7.
  • the glow discharge in the glow discharge starter 10 ignites at this voltage.
  • the bimetal electrodes 1 1 and 12 are heated in such a manner that they contact each other.
  • a preheating current flows through the electrodes 8 and 9. Since the electrodes l1 and 12 now contact each other, further heat is not developed in the glow discharge starter 10.
  • the glow discharge starter 10 was proportioned in such a manner that closure of its electrode contact occurred with certainty at a terminal voltage of more than 380 Volts, while closure of the contact took place between 250 and 380 Volts.
  • the starter would always open for terminal voltages lower than 250 Volts.
  • the current flowing through P.T.C. resistor 6 prior to ignition of the lamp 7 was approximately 8 mAmps and after ignition of the lamp 7 it was approximately 13 mAmps.
  • the thermal capacity of P.T.C. resistor 6 was chosen in such a manner that when the arrangement was switched off and immediately switched on again the resistor 6 achieved a resistance of approximately 500 Ohms after approximately 4 seconds. Thus this is the resistance in the so-called low resistive situation. Consequently a case was obtained which is comparable with that initially present prior to starting the lamp 7. Thus the lamp 7 was quickly ignited.
  • the position of the P.T.C. resistor in the installation is chosen in such a manner that with the lamp 7 ignited no heat is derived by a stream of air or a thermal conductor. It is feasible to arrange the P.T.C. resistor 6 together with the glow discharge starter 10 in one envelope.
  • the series arrangement 5, 6 may be connected directly in parallel with the glow discharge starter l0, i.e., on the sides of the lamp electrodes 8 and 9 remote from the input terminals (1,2).
  • the glow discharge starter required less than 0.5 Watt for theembodiment described.
  • the reference numerals 20 and 21 denote connecting terminals which are intended to be connected to an alternating voltage supply of, for example, 220 Volts, 50 Hz.
  • Terminal 20 is connected to a coil 22 which in turn is connected to a stabilizing capacitor 23.
  • Capacitor 23 is connected in a corresponding manner as in FIG. 1 to a series arrangement of a diode 24 and a P.T.C. resistor 25.
  • Resistor 25 is of the same type as resistor 6 of FIG. 1.
  • the other side of P.T.C resistor 25 is connected to the supply terminal 21.
  • the series arrangement of diode 24 and P.T.C. resistor 25 is shunted by a series arrangement of two low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamps 26 and 27.
  • lamps are each provided with two preheated electrodes which are denoted by reference numerals 28, 29 and 30, 31, respectively.
  • the sides of the electrodes 28 and 29 remote from the supply terminals 20 and 21 of the lamp 26 are connected together via a glow discharge starter 32.
  • the ends of the preheated electrodes 30 and 31 of the lamp 27 remote from the supply terminals 20 and 21 are connected together through a glow discharge starter 33.
  • Lamps 26 and 27 are low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamps of approximately 40 Watts each. The operating voltage of each of these lamps was approximately Volts.
  • the glow discharge starters 32 and 33 were practically the same. They contain a filler gas of neon and ignited in a voltage range of to Volts.
  • these glow discharge starters ignited at more than 0.9-( l/n) X 220 Volt which at n 2 is equal to approximately 100 Volt.
  • the inductor 22 had a value of approximately 1.2 Henry and the capacitor 23 had a capacitance of approximately 3.7 p.1
  • the resistor 25 had a value of approximately 500 Ohms, but this resistance rose to approximately 10,000 Ohms when the lamps 26 and 27 were ignited.
  • the arrangement of FIG. 2 operates in approximately the same manner as that of FIG. 1, namely when a voltage is applied to terminals 20 and 21 capacitor 23 will first be charged to a slight extent through the diode 24 and the resistor 25.
  • a circuit for supplying an alternating current to at least one discharge lamp which includes two electrodes comprising, a pair of input terminals adapted for connection to a source of AC supply current, a stabilizing capacitor which in the operating condition of the lamp is connected in series therewith across the input terminals, a series arrangement of a diode and a resistor of the type havinga positive temperature characteristic, means connecting said series arrangement in shunt with a branch circuit including the lamp and in series with the capacitor, characterized in that the PTC resistor exhibits a resistance value with the power applied to said input terminals but the lamp not yet ignited which is at most twice the operating resistance of the shunting lamp branch, and wherein with the lamp ignited the resistive value of the PTC resistor is at least 20 times the operating resistance of the shunting lamp branch.
  • An electric supply circuit for a discharge lamp comprising, a pair of input terminals adapted to be connected to a source of AC supply voltage, a capacitor, means connecting the capacitor in series with the lamp across said input terminals, a rectifier element, a resistor having a positive temperature characteristic, means connecting the rectifier element in series with the PTC resistor across the lamp electrodes and in series with the capacitor across the input terminals, said PTC resistor having a resistance value before ignition of the lamp which is at most twice the operating resistance of said lamp and with the lamp ignited said resistance value is at least twenty times the lamp operating resistance.
  • a circuit as claimed in claim 8 further comprising an inductor connected in series with said capacitor to said input terminals.

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  • Discharge Lamps And Accessories Thereof (AREA)
  • Circuit Arrangements For Discharge Lamps (AREA)
US00198838A 1970-11-21 1971-11-15 Arrangement for the ignition and alternating current supply for a gas-and/or vapor discharge lamp Expired - Lifetime US3740609A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL7017064A NL7017064A (de) 1970-11-21 1970-11-21

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US3740609A true US3740609A (en) 1973-06-19

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US (1) US3740609A (de)
JP (1) JPS5014469B1 (de)
AU (1) AU458022B2 (de)
BE (1) BE775614A (de)
CA (1) CA997411A (de)
ES (1) ES397181A1 (de)
FR (1) FR2115886A5 (de)
GB (1) GB1331821A (de)
NL (1) NL7017064A (de)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0054271A1 (de) * 1980-12-15 1982-06-23 GTE Products Corporation Zünd- und Betriebsschaltung für eine Entladungslampe
JPS57118396A (en) * 1981-01-14 1982-07-23 Toshiba Electric Equip Device for firing discharge lamp
US4378514A (en) * 1980-10-27 1983-03-29 General Electric Company Starting and operating circuit for gaseous discharge lamps
US4437042A (en) 1981-12-10 1984-03-13 General Electric Company Starting and operating circuit for gaseous discharge lamps
US4952845A (en) * 1984-03-23 1990-08-28 U.S. Philips Corporation DC/AC converter for igniting and operating a discharge lamp
US5510681A (en) * 1978-03-20 1996-04-23 Nilssen; Ole K. Operating circuit for gas discharge lamps
WO1999002019A1 (en) * 1997-07-02 1999-01-14 Sabattin Algan Ignitor free discharge tube lighting apparatus
US20060214591A1 (en) * 2003-07-29 2006-09-28 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp having determined probability of failure

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE7611934U1 (de) * 1976-04-15 1977-01-13 N.V. Philips' Gloeilampenfabrieken, Eindhoven (Niederlande) Entladungslampe
EP0096105A3 (de) * 1981-10-01 1984-07-18 Fahir Gülüm Sofortstart-Festkörperballast für Gasentladungslampen und für Fluoreszenzlampen

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3328721A (en) * 1964-08-13 1967-06-27 Philips Corp Controlled rectifier inverter with delayed buildup of output amplitude

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3328721A (en) * 1964-08-13 1967-06-27 Philips Corp Controlled rectifier inverter with delayed buildup of output amplitude

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5510681A (en) * 1978-03-20 1996-04-23 Nilssen; Ole K. Operating circuit for gas discharge lamps
US4378514A (en) * 1980-10-27 1983-03-29 General Electric Company Starting and operating circuit for gaseous discharge lamps
EP0054271A1 (de) * 1980-12-15 1982-06-23 GTE Products Corporation Zünd- und Betriebsschaltung für eine Entladungslampe
JPS57118396A (en) * 1981-01-14 1982-07-23 Toshiba Electric Equip Device for firing discharge lamp
US4437042A (en) 1981-12-10 1984-03-13 General Electric Company Starting and operating circuit for gaseous discharge lamps
US4952845A (en) * 1984-03-23 1990-08-28 U.S. Philips Corporation DC/AC converter for igniting and operating a discharge lamp
WO1999002019A1 (en) * 1997-07-02 1999-01-14 Sabattin Algan Ignitor free discharge tube lighting apparatus
US20060214591A1 (en) * 2003-07-29 2006-09-28 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp having determined probability of failure
US7358677B2 (en) * 2003-07-29 2008-04-15 Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V. Low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp having determined probability of failure

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Publication number Publication date
DE2155488B2 (de) 1976-08-05
BE775614A (fr) 1972-05-19
JPS5014469B1 (de) 1975-05-28
GB1331821A (en) 1973-09-26
FR2115886A5 (de) 1972-07-07
AU3579071A (en) 1973-05-24
ES397181A1 (es) 1975-03-16
DE2155488A1 (de) 1972-05-31
NL7017064A (de) 1972-05-24
AU458022B2 (en) 1975-02-13
CA997411A (en) 1976-09-21

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