US3778677A - Inverter ballast circuit - Google Patents

Inverter ballast circuit Download PDF

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Publication number
US3778677A
US3778677A US00283824A US3778677DA US3778677A US 3778677 A US3778677 A US 3778677A US 00283824 A US00283824 A US 00283824A US 3778677D A US3778677D A US 3778677DA US 3778677 A US3778677 A US 3778677A
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United States
Prior art keywords
voltage
windings
primary
secondary winding
filaments
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00283824A
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English (en)
Inventor
R Kriege
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Navico Inc
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Lowrance Electronics Manufacturing Corp
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Assigned to WELLS FARGO BUSINESS CREDIT reassignment WELLS FARGO BUSINESS CREDIT SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC. A CORP. OF OK
Assigned to SECURITY PACIFIC BUSINESS CREDIT INC., 140 EAST 45TH STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10017, A DE. CORP. reassignment SECURITY PACIFIC BUSINESS CREDIT INC., 140 EAST 45TH STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10017, A DE. CORP. SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: WELLS FARGO BUSINESS CREDIT
Assigned to NORWEST BUSINESS CREDIT, INC., 6600 FRANCE AVENUE SOUTH, SUITE 245, EDINA, MN. 55435, A CORP. OF MN. reassignment NORWEST BUSINESS CREDIT, INC., 6600 FRANCE AVENUE SOUTH, SUITE 245, EDINA, MN. 55435, A CORP. OF MN. SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC.
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Assigned to BARCLAYS BUSINESS CREDIT, INC. reassignment BARCLAYS BUSINESS CREDIT, INC. SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC.
Assigned to LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC. reassignment LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC. RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Assignors: NORWEST BUSINESS CREDIT, INC.
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • H05B41/26—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
    • H05B41/295—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 and specially adapted for lamps with preheating electrodes, e.g. for fluorescent lamps
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02M—APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF
    • H02M7/00—Conversion of AC power input into DC power output; Conversion of DC power input into AC power output
    • H02M7/42—Conversion of DC power input into AC power output without possibility of reversal
    • H02M7/44—Conversion of DC power input into AC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters
    • H02M7/48—Conversion of DC power input into AC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode
    • H02M7/53—Conversion of DC power input into AC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal
    • H02M7/537—Conversion of DC power input into AC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters
    • H02M7/5383—Conversion of DC power input into AC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters in a self-oscillating arrangement
    • H02M7/53832—Conversion of DC power input into AC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters in a self-oscillating arrangement in a push-pull arrangement
    • H02M7/53835—Conversion of DC power input into AC power output without possibility of reversal by static converters using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode using devices of a triode or transistor type requiring continuous application of a control signal using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters in a self-oscillating arrangement in a push-pull arrangement of the parallel type
    • 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

  • This invention lies in the field of inverter voltage generators for providing high voltage A.C. potential from a low voltage D.C. source. More particularly this invention relates to providing a high voltage A.C. potential for lighting a low wattege fluorescent lamp from a low voltage D.C. source. Still more particularly it involves a feature for enhancing the initiation of the discharge in the lamp.
  • This third secondary winding which is of twice the voltage of the first and second secondary windings, which is connected between one end of the first secondary winding and the battery, and therefore to a ground plane at the potential of the negative end of the battery.
  • This high voltage when added, as it is, to the first secondary voltage gives a very high A.C. voltage (of the order of 500 volts) on one of the filaments.
  • This filament is capacitively coupled to the ground plane and can start ionization inside the lamp.
  • This third secondary winding is not connected into the gas discharge circuit, and is only effective when the lamp is being started. In this respect it is different from the prior art in which the high voltage used to start the lamp is continued with series impedance in the circuit.
  • FIG. 10 indicates a transformer which is the heart of the circuit.
  • This transformer 10 has two primary windings I2 and 14, each of which have center taps 40 and 38 respectively.
  • the voltage of primary winding 14 is approximately five-thirds the voltage of the primary winding 12.
  • a battery 22, which is normally of eight volts, is shunted by two series resistors 24 an 28.
  • the mid-point 25 of these resistors is connected to the mid tap 40 of primary 12.
  • the two terminals 46 and 48 of primary 12 are connected through diodes 32 and 30 respectively to the bases of two transistors 36 and 34 respectively.
  • the resistor shunt provides a biasing voltage on the transistor bases, so as to make them conducting under normal conditions.
  • the battery at its positive terminal is connected, through switch 23, to the center tap 38 of the primary 14.
  • the two terminals 42 and 44 of the primary 14 go to the collectors of the transistors 34 and 36, while the emitters of the two transistors are connected to the negative terminal of the battery.
  • the transformer I0 is special in one important respect. It is of the type that has a high hysteresis loss. That is, the hysteresis curve of the core material is a square one, which rises rapidly with exciting current and then flattens off rapidly. This makes the secondary windings saturate and provide a square wave of current. This is important in the action of the inverter.
  • the transformer core saturates, and the current through the collector of transistor 36, through the emitter back to the battery, reaches a constant valve.
  • the reactive voltages generated in the transformer primaries drop to a very low voltage.
  • the potential on the base of transistor 36 (which is assumed to be conducting) then drops back to the bias value set by the potential at 25. With this lower base potential transistor 36 then starts to decrease in current.
  • This decrease in current sets up a reactive voltage in the opposite direction, that is, from $2 to 44 and from 46 to 4%. This raises the base potential on transistor 34 and causes it to start conducting. This further lowers the base potential on transistor 36 and causes it to discontinue conducting.
  • transistor 34 increases to the point where it flattens off due to the saturation of the core, and there is a repetition of this action.
  • the base potential on 34 lowers, and transistor 34 starts to decrease in current.
  • This provides a higher base potential on the transistor 36 which causes it to conduct, and there is a continuing flip-flop action, first one transistor conducting, then the other conducting.
  • This provides a very high frequency alternating current through the primary coil 14 of the transformer. This frequency may rise as high as 40,000 Hz. This high frequency is very desirable since it improves the light efficiency of the lamp. This frequency is normally determined by the hysteresis characteristic of the transformer core. When saturation is obtained rapidly, the frequency increases.
  • the reactive voltages which are generated on the primaries are correspondingly generated on the secondaries, and therefore alternating voltages are obtained which are approximately 30 to 50 times the voltage across the primary windings.
  • the fluorescent lamp is indicated by the numeral tube 50. It has filament windings S2 and 54, one in each end of the tube.
  • Another secondary winding 20, which has substantially equal voltage winding 18, is likewise connected between the second ends of filaments 52 and 54, with a series capacitor '70 and a switch 58.
  • the capacitors '70 and 72 are for current limiting purposes. When the switch 58 is closed, cur rent then will flow through winding 18, through capacitor 72, filament 52, winding 20, capacitor '70, switch 58, filament 54 and back to the winding 1%.
  • windings l2 and M comprise three bifilar turns and five bifilar turns respectively.
  • windings i6, i8 and 20 comprise 200, and 100 turns respectively.
  • the diodes are for the purpose of protecting the transistors. They may be left out if the transistors have sufficient base emitter breakdown voltage.
  • An inverter-transformer system for a low-wattage fluorescent lamp having two isolated filaments comprising:
  • a transformer comprising i. a core having square hysteresis effect, providing saturation at low exciting current;
  • the system as in claim 3 including a first and a second transistor, their emitters connected to the negative pole of the battery, their collectors connected to the terminals of a first primary winding, the midpoint of said first primary winding connected through a switch to the positive pole of said battery, the bases of said transistors connected through diodes to the terminals of the second primary winding, the midpoint of said second primary connected through potentiometer means to said battery.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Circuit Arrangements For Discharge Lamps (AREA)
  • Inverter Devices (AREA)
US00283824A 1972-08-25 1972-08-25 Inverter ballast circuit Expired - Lifetime US3778677A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US28382472A 1972-08-25 1972-08-25

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3778677A true US3778677A (en) 1973-12-11

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ID=23087718

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00283824A Expired - Lifetime US3778677A (en) 1972-08-25 1972-08-25 Inverter ballast circuit

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3778677A (da)
JP (1) JPS4952479A (da)
CA (1) CA989932A (da)
DE (1) DE2342456A1 (da)
FR (1) FR2197298A1 (da)
IT (1) IT990305B (da)

Cited By (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4016452A (en) * 1975-01-14 1977-04-05 General Electric Company Lamp ballast circuit
FR2446579A1 (fr) * 1978-11-10 1980-08-08 Abadie Henri Perfectionnements aux dispositifs d'alimentation de tube fluorescent
US4532456A (en) * 1982-07-12 1985-07-30 Gte Products Corporation Output circuit for an electronic ballast system
US5053681A (en) * 1989-04-17 1991-10-01 Robert G. Lockwood Remote electrical converter
FR2700434A1 (fr) * 1993-01-12 1994-07-13 De Mere Henri Edouard Courier Ballast électronique perfectionné.
US5652479A (en) * 1995-01-25 1997-07-29 Micro Linear Corporation Lamp out detection for miniature cold cathode fluorescent lamp system
US5684680A (en) * 1995-12-21 1997-11-04 Delco Electronics Corp. Extended range switch mode power supply
US5729095A (en) * 1994-09-28 1998-03-17 Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation High frequency lighting apparatus having an intermediate potential applied to the trigger electrode to reduce leakage current
US5754012A (en) * 1995-01-25 1998-05-19 Micro Linear Corporation Primary side lamp current sensing for minature cold cathode fluorescent lamp system
US5818669A (en) * 1996-07-30 1998-10-06 Micro Linear Corporation Zener diode power dissipation limiting circuit
US5841241A (en) * 1982-01-25 1998-11-24 Ole K. Nilssen Electronic ballast for fluorescent lamps
US5844378A (en) * 1995-01-25 1998-12-01 Micro Linear Corp High side driver technique for miniature cold cathode fluorescent lamp system
US5896015A (en) * 1996-07-30 1999-04-20 Micro Linear Corporation Method and circuit for forming pulses centered about zero crossings of a sinusoid
US5965989A (en) * 1996-07-30 1999-10-12 Micro Linear Corporation Transformer primary side lamp current sense circuit
US6344980B1 (en) 1999-01-14 2002-02-05 Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation Universal pulse width modulating power converter
US6731075B2 (en) 2001-11-02 2004-05-04 Ampr Llc Method and apparatus for lighting a discharge lamp
US20050047175A1 (en) * 2003-07-16 2005-03-03 Denso Corporation DC-DC converter
US7923934B2 (en) 2007-10-31 2011-04-12 Techtronic Power Tools Technology Limited Battery-powered fluorescent lamp
US20110234019A1 (en) * 2007-08-17 2011-09-29 Tmms Co., Ltd. Method and device for transporting, distributing and managing electrical energy by remote longitudinal coupling in near field between electric dipoles
US8188682B2 (en) 2006-07-07 2012-05-29 Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. High current fast rise and fall time LED driver

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2964676A (en) * 1957-08-29 1960-12-13 Gen Electric Co Ltd Circuit arrangements for operating low pressure electric discharge lamps
US3619713A (en) * 1969-04-01 1971-11-09 Sola Basic Ind Inc High-frequency lamp circuit for copying apparatus

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2964676A (en) * 1957-08-29 1960-12-13 Gen Electric Co Ltd Circuit arrangements for operating low pressure electric discharge lamps
US3619713A (en) * 1969-04-01 1971-11-09 Sola Basic Ind Inc High-frequency lamp circuit for copying apparatus

Cited By (30)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4016452A (en) * 1975-01-14 1977-04-05 General Electric Company Lamp ballast circuit
FR2446579A1 (fr) * 1978-11-10 1980-08-08 Abadie Henri Perfectionnements aux dispositifs d'alimentation de tube fluorescent
US5841241A (en) * 1982-01-25 1998-11-24 Ole K. Nilssen Electronic ballast for fluorescent lamps
US4532456A (en) * 1982-07-12 1985-07-30 Gte Products Corporation Output circuit for an electronic ballast system
US5053681A (en) * 1989-04-17 1991-10-01 Robert G. Lockwood Remote electrical converter
FR2700434A1 (fr) * 1993-01-12 1994-07-13 De Mere Henri Edouard Courier Ballast électronique perfectionné.
US5729095A (en) * 1994-09-28 1998-03-17 Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation High frequency lighting apparatus having an intermediate potential applied to the trigger electrode to reduce leakage current
US5652479A (en) * 1995-01-25 1997-07-29 Micro Linear Corporation Lamp out detection for miniature cold cathode fluorescent lamp system
US5754012A (en) * 1995-01-25 1998-05-19 Micro Linear Corporation Primary side lamp current sensing for minature cold cathode fluorescent lamp system
US5844378A (en) * 1995-01-25 1998-12-01 Micro Linear Corp High side driver technique for miniature cold cathode fluorescent lamp system
US5684680A (en) * 1995-12-21 1997-11-04 Delco Electronics Corp. Extended range switch mode power supply
US5818669A (en) * 1996-07-30 1998-10-06 Micro Linear Corporation Zener diode power dissipation limiting circuit
US5896015A (en) * 1996-07-30 1999-04-20 Micro Linear Corporation Method and circuit for forming pulses centered about zero crossings of a sinusoid
US5965989A (en) * 1996-07-30 1999-10-12 Micro Linear Corporation Transformer primary side lamp current sense circuit
US6344980B1 (en) 1999-01-14 2002-02-05 Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation Universal pulse width modulating power converter
US6469914B1 (en) 1999-01-14 2002-10-22 Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation Universal pulse width modulating power converter
US20070152598A1 (en) * 2001-11-02 2007-07-05 Pak Veniamin A Method for increasing profit in a business to maintain lighting operations in an office building or other place of business
US6731075B2 (en) 2001-11-02 2004-05-04 Ampr Llc Method and apparatus for lighting a discharge lamp
US20040245934A1 (en) * 2001-11-02 2004-12-09 Pak Veniamin A. Method and apparatus for lighting a discharge lamp
US7081709B2 (en) 2001-11-02 2006-07-25 Ampr, Llc Method and apparatus for lighting a discharge lamp
US7254046B2 (en) * 2003-07-16 2007-08-07 Denso Corporation DC-DC converter
US20050047175A1 (en) * 2003-07-16 2005-03-03 Denso Corporation DC-DC converter
US20080030293A1 (en) * 2003-07-16 2008-02-07 Denso Corporation DC-DC converter
US7570501B2 (en) 2003-07-16 2009-08-04 Denso Corporation DC-DC converter with capacitor precharging and duty ratio limiting
US20090290388A1 (en) * 2003-07-16 2009-11-26 Denso Corporation DC-DC converter
US7825765B2 (en) 2003-07-16 2010-11-02 Denso Corporation DC-DC converter
US8188682B2 (en) 2006-07-07 2012-05-29 Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. High current fast rise and fall time LED driver
US20110234019A1 (en) * 2007-08-17 2011-09-29 Tmms Co., Ltd. Method and device for transporting, distributing and managing electrical energy by remote longitudinal coupling in near field between electric dipoles
US8847432B2 (en) * 2007-08-17 2014-09-30 Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Method and device for transporting, distributing and managing electrical energy by remote longitudinal coupling in near field between electric dipoles
US7923934B2 (en) 2007-10-31 2011-04-12 Techtronic Power Tools Technology Limited Battery-powered fluorescent lamp

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS4952479A (da) 1974-05-21
FR2197298A1 (da) 1974-03-22
CA989932A (en) 1976-05-25
DE2342456A1 (de) 1974-03-07
IT990305B (it) 1975-06-20

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AS Assignment

Owner name: WELLS FARGO BUSINESS CREDIT, TEXAS

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC. A CORP. OF OK;REEL/FRAME:004561/0871

Effective date: 19860303

Owner name: WELLS FARGO BUSINESS CREDIT, 12222 MERIT DRIVE, SU

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC. A CORP. OF OK;REEL/FRAME:004561/0871

Effective date: 19860303

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Owner name: SECURITY PACIFIC BUSINESS CREDIT INC., 140 EAST 45

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:WELLS FARGO BUSINESS CREDIT;REEL/FRAME:004818/0032

Effective date: 19870703

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Owner name: NORWEST BUSINESS CREDIT, INC., 6600 FRANCE AVENUE

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC.;REEL/FRAME:005142/0218

Effective date: 19890427

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Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC.;REEL/FRAME:007696/0308

Effective date: 19931215

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Free format text: RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:NORWEST BUSINESS CREDIT, INC.;REEL/FRAME:007677/0377

Effective date: 19940121