WO1996031996A1 - Fluorescent lamp and electronic mains connecting device for operating the fluorescent lamp - Google Patents

Fluorescent lamp and electronic mains connecting device for operating the fluorescent lamp Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1996031996A1
WO1996031996A1 PCT/EP1995/003400 EP9503400W WO9631996A1 WO 1996031996 A1 WO1996031996 A1 WO 1996031996A1 EP 9503400 W EP9503400 W EP 9503400W WO 9631996 A1 WO9631996 A1 WO 9631996A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
connecting device
mains connecting
electronic mains
electronic
power mosfet
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP1995/003400
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Werner Reinig
Original Assignee
Werner Reinig
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Werner Reinig filed Critical Werner Reinig
Priority to AU34742/95A priority Critical patent/AU3474295A/en
Publication of WO1996031996A1 publication Critical patent/WO1996031996A1/en

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Classifications

    • 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
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/02—Details
    • H01J61/56—One or more circuit elements structurally associated with the lamp
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/70—Lamps with low-pressure unconstricted discharge having a cold pressure < 400 Torr

Definitions

  • the present invention is related to a flourescent lamp comprising an straight, elongate hollow body wherein a gas discharge lamp means is mounted.
  • Such flourescent lamps are known in the art and are usually mounted in a lighting fixture having a choke coil, a phase compensation capacitor and a socket for a starter (see Fig. 2) .
  • a glow discharge in a mixture of mercury vapour and noble gas causes mainly invisible ultraviolet light.
  • This invisible ultraviolet light impinges on a flourescent layer on the inside of the elongate hollow (glass) body and causes visible light to be radiated from said lamp. This way of light production is more efficient than using incandescent lamps, since less heat is produced.
  • an optional phase compensation capacitor Cp brigdes the 220 V mains input connectors.
  • a choke coil L is provided between one of the mains input connectors and a first socket SI for a flourescent lamp FL.
  • a starter St is connecting the first socket and a second socket for the flourescent lamp.
  • the starter comprises a glow starter G and an interference suppression capacitor Cs.
  • the starter St is removably mounted in a third socket.
  • the second socket is connected to the other mains input connector.
  • Heating filaments Fl, F2 at both ends of the flourescent lamp FL are used to ignite the flourescent lamp.
  • the choke coil L limits the current through the lamp in order to avoid destruction of the lamp.
  • the current flowing through the above described flourescent lamp is comprised of a reactance current and an active current. It is one object of the invention to reduce the power consumption while maintaining or even increasing the luminous efficiency of the flourescent lamp.
  • said body further comprises an electronic mains connecting device connecting said gas discharge lamp means to a power line.
  • the gas discharge lamp means and the electronic mains connecting device are integrated into the body.
  • said electronic mains connecting device comprises an AC/AC converter having an input voltage of approximately 100 - 130 VAC or 200 - 250 VAC and an output voltage adapted to operate said gas discharge lamp means.
  • said gas discharge lamp means comprises a further hollow elongate tube mounted within said first (outer) tube.
  • This further (inner) tube has electrodes at both ends that are connected to said electronic mains connecting device.
  • said electronic mains connecting device is mounted adjacent to one end of said elongate hollow body and connected to one of said connectors, while the other of said connectors comprises a short circuit bridge.
  • said electronic mains connecting device can be detachably mounted in said hollow elongate tube via connections that allow for a replacement of the electronic mains connecting device or the gas discharge lamp means should either of these ever fail.
  • different hollow elongate tubes can be utilized, e.g. a tube having a semicylindrical reflective coating, a tube made of plastic or the like.
  • Another advantage is the possibility to attach different connectors for the 220 V AC mains power to the outer hollow tube, e.g. bayonet holder, snap holder, screwed lamp holder, etc.
  • the invention is further related to an electronic mains connecting device suitable to be used in the flourescent lamp according to the invention, comprising a rectifier stage for rectifying an AC power input voltage to a DC voltage, and a switching stage for providing a switched output voltage from said DC voltage having a frequency of about 30 kHz to about 180 kHz.
  • Such electronic mains connecting devices are known in the prior art, but they have a relatively bulky structure due to large inductivities that are neccessary to operate a gas discharge lamp means. According to the present invention, the electronic mains connecting device is built to fit into the elongate tube of a standard flourescent lamp.
  • the operation frequency of the switching stage is about 40 kHz to about 150 kHz.
  • the frequency may vary according to the load, i.e. the characteristics of the gas discharge lamp means.
  • said rectifier stage comprises a filter stage for removing spikes from said DC output voltage in order to ensure a safe operation of said switching stage.
  • said switching stage comprises two (N-type) power MOSFET transistors that are operated in an oppositely phased switching mode.
  • MOSFET transistors Bipolar transistors or IGBT transistors can be used.
  • said switching stage comprises a transformer having a first, a second, a third and a fourth coil.
  • Said first and second coils have an opposite winding sense and are control coils to feed the gates of said two power MOSFET transistors preferably via two gate resistors, respectively.
  • Said third coil is fed with said DC output voltage, preferably via a capacitor.
  • Said fourth coil is operated as an output coil to feed said gas discharge lamp means.
  • the two terminals of the fourth coil are connected to the two electrodes at the ends of the gas discharge lamp means.
  • a conventional gas discharge lamp means having heating coils with two terminals at its ends may be utilised.
  • only one terminal of each heating coil is connected to a respective one of the two terminals of the fourth coil.
  • the heating coils are effectively not used.
  • the free terminals of the two heating coils can be bridged by a capacitor.
  • the source terminal of said first power MOSFET transistor is coupled to the positive output of said rectifier stage
  • the drain terminal of said first power MOSFET transistor is coupled to the source terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor
  • the drain terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor is coupled to the ground output of said rectifier stage.
  • the drain terminal of said first power MOSFET transistor is coupled to the source terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor via a first drain resistor, and the drain terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor is coupled to the ground output of said rectifier stage via a second drain resistor.
  • a trigger stage is provided for said switching stage.
  • an pulse is outputted to said switching stage to cause the switching operation. This pulse is fed into the gate terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor.
  • Said trigger stage comprises a resistor and a capacitor connected in series between said positive output and said ground output, and a Diac connected to said resistor and said capacitor, and to the gate terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor.
  • Said Diac has an ignition voltage of about 20 V to about 40 V. The current flowing through the resistor charges the capacitor until the ignition voltage of the DIAC is reached and the pulse resulting therefrom is fed into the gate terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor.
  • the electronic mains connecting device comprises a core, preferably a ferrite shell type core.
  • This core houses the four coils.
  • the shell type core has the advantage that interferences resulting from the switching operation are very well shielded.
  • E I- type, U T- type, or other core constructions can be used.
  • the output voltage of said fourth coil has a triangular pulse shape and is approximately 1000 V upon feeding said electronic mains connecting device with electrical power at said AC input during a predetermined period of time and is reduced to the operating voltage of said gas discharge lamp means.
  • a short circuit device is provided that is mounted in a housing and has connectors to fit into the socket of a conventional starter.
  • the conventional starter is replaced by such a short circuit device and the conventional flourescent lamp is replaced by the flourescent lamp according to the invention.
  • Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram of a electronic mains connecting device according to the present invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic drawing of a conventional lighting fixture including a conventional flourescent lamp.
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic drawing of a conventional lighting fixture including a flourescent lamp according to the present invention.
  • the circuit diagram of a electronic mains connecting device comprises an 220 V AC mains input. It is understood that the invention is also operable with an 110 V AC mains, provided that various components of he electronic mains connecting device are dimensioned differently.
  • This 220 V AC mains input is connected to a bridge rectifier BR formed by four diodes Dl, D2, D3, D4.
  • the DC output of the bridge rectifier is further provided with a charge capacitor Cl. Further, an interference suppression filter ISF is connected to the DC output of the bridge rectifier BR.
  • the interference suppression filter ISF is formed by two resistors R5, R6, each having one terminal thereof connected to the DC output of the bridge rectifier and the respective other terminals being connected to the terminals of a capacitor C2. These two terminals of the capacitor C2 form the positive output terminal Vss and the ground output terminal Gnd.
  • a switching stage SS is connected to the positive output terminal Vss and the ground output terminal Gnd.
  • This switching stage SS is formed by a DC/AC converter and a trigger stage TS.
  • the DC/AC converter comprises two N-type power MOSFET transistors Tl, T2.
  • the source terminal S of the first power MOSFET transistor Tl is coupled to the positive output terminal Vss.
  • the drain terminal D of the first power MOSFET transistor Tl is coupled to the source terminal S of the second power MOSFET transistor T2 via a first drain resistor R3, and the drain terminal D of said second power MOSFET transistor T2 is coupled to the ground output terminal Gnd via a second drain resistor R4.
  • the DC/AC converter further comprises a transformer Tr having a first, a second, a third and a fourth coil LI, L2, L3, L4, all wound on a ferrite shell type core.
  • the first and second coils LI, L2 have an opposite winding sense and are control coils to energise the gate terminals G of the two power MOSFET transistors Tl, T2 via two gate resistors Ri, R2, respectively.
  • the other terminals of the first and second coils LI, L2 are connected to the source terminal S of the first power MOSFET transistor Tl and the ground output terminal Gnd, respectively.
  • One terminal of the third coil L3 is connected to the positive output terminal Vss via a capacitor C4.
  • the other terminal of the third coil L3 is connected to the source terminal S of the first power MOSFET transistor Tl.
  • the trigger stage TS is formed by a resistor R7 and a capacitor C3 connected in series between the positive output terminal Vss and the ground output terminal Gnd, and a Diac D5 connected with its one terminal to the resistor R7 and the capacitor C3, and with its other terminal to the gate terminal G of the second power MOSFET transistor T2.
  • the current flowing through the resistor R7 charges the capacitor C3 until the ignition voltage of the Diac D5 is reached and the pulse resulting therefrom is fed into the gate terminal G of the second power MOSFET transistor T2.
  • the two power MOSFET transistors Tl, T2 are operated in an oppositely phased switching mode with a frequency of about 30 kHz to about 180 kHz. This frequency mainly depends on the inductivities of the coils LI, L2, L3 as well as the characteristics of the ferrite core of the transformer Tr.
  • the load of L4, i.e. the gas discharge lamp plays also an important role.
  • the capacitor C4 is of minor relevance with respect to the switching frequency.
  • a presently preferred embodiment of the electronic means connecting device 16 uses the following components:
  • a conventional lighting fixture including a flourescent lamp according to the present invention is shown. More specifically, in such a lighting fixature 28 a flourescent lamp 10 is mounted having an elongate hollow body 12 of a cylindrical shape made of at least partially transparent glass or plastics.
  • a gas discharge lamp 14 is mounted within the elongate hollow body 12.
  • an electronic mains connecting device 16 is mounted in the elongate hollow body 12. This electronic mains connecting device 16 provides a connection between the gas discharge lamp 14 and an AC power line 18.
  • the electronic mains connecting device 16 comprises an AC/AC converter having an input voltage of approximately 100 - 130 VAC or 200 - 250 VAC and an output voltage adapted to operate said gas discharge lamp 14.
  • the electronic mains connecting device 16 can be the structure shown in Fig. 1. It may also be a circuit similar or identical to the circuit shown in European Patent 466 749 Bl.
  • the elongate hollow body 12 of the flourescent lamp 10 comprises connectors 20, 22 at both ends of the body 12 to fit the flourescent lamp 10 into corresponding sockets 24, 26 of the lighting fixture 28.
  • This lighting fixture may be similar or identical to the conventional lighting fixture shown in Fig. 2.
  • the gas discharge lamp 14 mounted in the body 12 comprises a further hollow elongate tube 30 having electrodes 32, 34 at its ends that are connected to the terminals of the fourth coil L4 of the electronic mains connecting device 16 according to Fig. 1 or to corresponding terminals of any other electronic mains connecting devices.
  • the electronic mains connecting device 16 is mounted adjacent to the one end of the body 12.
  • One of the connectors 22 having two pins is connected to 220 V AC mains, while the other of said connectors 20 of the flourescent lamp 10 comprises a short circuit bridge 36 between its two pins.
  • the conventional starter e.g. the starter St in Fig. 2
  • a short circuit device 40 which is mounted in a housing 42 and has two pins 44, 46 to fit into the socket 48 for a conventional starter in a conventional lighting fixture.
  • the electronic mains connecting device 16 has the advantage of causing almost no interferences. Therefore, the filter stage is not a critical or essential part of the electronic mains connecting device.
  • a choke coil which is present in circuits according to the prior art is also not neccessary in the electronic mains connecting device according to the invention. This contributes to a compact and cost effective design.
  • the reactance power consumed by the choke coil (see choke coil L in Fig. 2, 3) is reduced to zero. This results in a further reduced overall power consumption.
  • the time period between the switching on of the flourescent lamp according to the invention is considerably reduced due to the electronic mains connecting device.
  • the emitted light is basically flickerless.
  • a very important advantage of the flourescent lamp according to the invention and the actual light emission is the fact that due to the fact that the other short circuit bridge is provided at the one connector of the flourescent lamp, it is an immediate replacement for conventional flourescent lamps while there are no changes required at the lighting fixture (except for the immediately possible replacement of the starter by the short circuit device) .
  • the choke coil L (see Fig. 2, 3) may be omitted.

Abstract

A fluorescent lamp (10) comprises an elongate hollow body (12) wherein a gas discharge lamp means (14) is mounted. Said body (12) further comprises an electronic mains connecting device (16) connecting said gas discharge lamp means (14) to a power line (18).

Description

Flourescent lamp and electronic mains connecting device for operating the flourescent lamp
The present invention is related to a flourescent lamp comprising an straight, elongate hollow body wherein a gas discharge lamp means is mounted.
Such flourescent lamps are known in the art and are usually mounted in a lighting fixture having a choke coil, a phase compensation capacitor and a socket for a starter (see Fig. 2) . In such a flourescent lamp a glow discharge in a mixture of mercury vapour and noble gas (argon, crypton, neon) causes mainly invisible ultraviolet light. This invisible ultraviolet light impinges on a flourescent layer on the inside of the elongate hollow (glass) body and causes visible light to be radiated from said lamp. This way of light production is more efficient than using incandescent lamps, since less heat is produced.
In conventional lighting fixture shown in Fig. 2, an optional phase compensation capacitor Cp brigdes the 220 V mains input connectors. A choke coil L is provided between one of the mains input connectors and a first socket SI for a flourescent lamp FL. A starter St is connecting the first socket and a second socket for the flourescent lamp. The starter comprises a glow starter G and an interference suppression capacitor Cs. Usually the starter St is removably mounted in a third socket. The second socket is connected to the other mains input connector.
Heating filaments Fl, F2 at both ends of the flourescent lamp FL are used to ignite the flourescent lamp. During the operation the choke coil L limits the current through the lamp in order to avoid destruction of the lamp. PCI7EP95/03400
-2 -
The current flowing through the above described flourescent lamp is comprised of a reactance current and an active current. It is one object of the invention to reduce the power consumption while maintaining or even increasing the luminous efficiency of the flourescent lamp.
The operation of the starter in the lighting fixture according to the prior art often results in several seconds time between the applying power to the lighting fixture and the actual emmission of luminous flux from the flourescent lamp. It is therefore another object of the invention to provide a flourescent lamp having significantly less or next to no time interval between the applying power to the lighting fixture and the actual emmission of luminous flux from the flourescent lamp.
Moreover, it is still another object of the invention to provide a cost effective and reliable flourescent lamp that can be a direct replacement for existing flourescent lamps without the need of complicated changes in the lighting fixture.
As a solution to these and other objects, said body further comprises an electronic mains connecting device connecting said gas discharge lamp means to a power line. Thus, the gas discharge lamp means and the electronic mains connecting device are integrated into the body.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said electronic mains connecting device comprises an AC/AC converter having an input voltage of approximately 100 - 130 VAC or 200 - 250 VAC and an output voltage adapted to operate said gas discharge lamp means.
It is preferred that at both ends of said body connectors are provided to connect said flourescent lamp to corresponding sockets of a lighting fixture. In a preferred embodiment of the flourescent lamp according to the invention, said gas discharge lamp means comprises a further hollow elongate tube mounted within said first (outer) tube. This further (inner) tube has electrodes at both ends that are connected to said electronic mains connecting device.
In the flourescent lamp according to the invention, said electronic mains connecting device is mounted adjacent to one end of said elongate hollow body and connected to one of said connectors, while the other of said connectors comprises a short circuit bridge.
In the flourescent lamp according to the invention said electronic mains connecting device can be detachably mounted in said hollow elongate tube via connections that allow for a replacement of the electronic mains connecting device or the gas discharge lamp means should either of these ever fail. Moreover, different hollow elongate tubes can be utilized, e.g. a tube having a semicylindrical reflective coating, a tube made of plastic or the like.
Another advantage is the possibility to attach different connectors for the 220 V AC mains power to the outer hollow tube, e.g. bayonet holder, snap holder, screwed lamp holder, etc.
The invention is further related to an electronic mains connecting device suitable to be used in the flourescent lamp according to the invention, comprising a rectifier stage for rectifying an AC power input voltage to a DC voltage, and a switching stage for providing a switched output voltage from said DC voltage having a frequency of about 30 kHz to about 180 kHz.
Such electronic mains connecting devices are known in the prior art, but they have a relatively bulky structure due to large inductivities that are neccessary to operate a gas discharge lamp means. According to the present invention, the electronic mains connecting device is built to fit into the elongate tube of a standard flourescent lamp.
In a preferred embodiment of an electronic mains connecting device according to the invention, the operation frequency of the switching stage is about 40 kHz to about 150 kHz. The frequency may vary according to the load, i.e. the characteristics of the gas discharge lamp means.
Preferrably, said rectifier stage comprises a filter stage for removing spikes from said DC output voltage in order to ensure a safe operation of said switching stage.
In a preferred embodiment of an electronic mains connecting device according to the invention said switching stage comprises two (N-type) power MOSFET transistors that are operated in an oppositely phased switching mode. Instead of the MOSFET transistors Bipolar transistors or IGBT transistors can be used.
According to the invention, said switching stage comprises a transformer having a first, a second, a third and a fourth coil. Said first and second coils have an opposite winding sense and are control coils to feed the gates of said two power MOSFET transistors preferably via two gate resistors, respectively.
Said third coil is fed with said DC output voltage, preferably via a capacitor.
Said fourth coil is operated as an output coil to feed said gas discharge lamp means. The two terminals of the fourth coil are connected to the two electrodes at the ends of the gas discharge lamp means. Here, a conventional gas discharge lamp means having heating coils with two terminals at its ends may be utilised. However, only one terminal of each heating coil is connected to a respective one of the two terminals of the fourth coil. Thus, the heating coils are effectively not used. However, in order to increase the life time of the discharge lamp, the free terminals of the two heating coils can be bridged by a capacitor.
In the switching stage of the electronic mains connecting device according to the present invention the source terminal of said first power MOSFET transistor is coupled to the positive output of said rectifier stage, the drain terminal of said first power MOSFET transistor is coupled to the source terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor, and the drain terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor is coupled to the ground output of said rectifier stage.
More specifically, the drain terminal of said first power MOSFET transistor is coupled to the source terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor via a first drain resistor, and the drain terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor is coupled to the ground output of said rectifier stage via a second drain resistor.
In order to initiate the switching operation of electronic main connecting device and hence the gas discharge lamp connected to it, a trigger stage is provided for said switching stage. Upon feeding said electronic mains connecting device with electrical power at said AC power input, an pulse is outputted to said switching stage to cause the switching operation. This pulse is fed into the gate terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor.
Said trigger stage comprises a resistor and a capacitor connected in series between said positive output and said ground output, and a Diac connected to said resistor and said capacitor, and to the gate terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor. Said Diac has an ignition voltage of about 20 V to about 40 V. The current flowing through the resistor charges the capacitor until the ignition voltage of the DIAC is reached and the pulse resulting therefrom is fed into the gate terminal of said second power MOSFET transistor.
The electronic mains connecting device according to the present invention comprises a core, preferably a ferrite shell type core. This core houses the four coils. The shell type core has the advantage that interferences resulting from the switching operation are very well shielded. Alternatively, E I- type, U T- type, or other core constructions can be used.
In a preferred embodiment of the electronic mains connecting device according to the present invention the output voltage of said fourth coil has a triangular pulse shape and is approximately 1000 V upon feeding said electronic mains connecting device with electrical power at said AC input during a predetermined period of time and is reduced to the operating voltage of said gas discharge lamp means.
For the operation of the flourescent lamp according to the invention in a conventional lighting fixture a short circuit device is provided that is mounted in a housing and has connectors to fit into the socket of a conventional starter. Thus, in the conventional lighting fixture the conventional starter is replaced by such a short circuit device and the conventional flourescent lamp is replaced by the flourescent lamp according to the invention.
Further advantages, features and characteristics will become appearant to those skilled in the art by the following description of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention in which reference to the accompanying drawings is made.
Fig. 1 is a circuit diagram of a electronic mains connecting device according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic drawing of a conventional lighting fixture including a conventional flourescent lamp.
Fig. 3 is a schematic drawing of a conventional lighting fixture including a flourescent lamp according to the present invention.
In Fig. 1, the circuit diagram of a electronic mains connecting device according to the present invention comprises an 220 V AC mains input. It is understood that the invention is also operable with an 110 V AC mains, provided that various components of he electronic mains connecting device are dimensioned differently. This 220 V AC mains input is connected to a bridge rectifier BR formed by four diodes Dl, D2, D3, D4.
The DC output of the bridge rectifier is further provided with a charge capacitor Cl. Further, an interference suppression filter ISF is connected to the DC output of the bridge rectifier BR.
The interference suppression filter ISF is formed by two resistors R5, R6, each having one terminal thereof connected to the DC output of the bridge rectifier and the respective other terminals being connected to the terminals of a capacitor C2. These two terminals of the capacitor C2 form the positive output terminal Vss and the ground output terminal Gnd.
A switching stage SS is connected to the positive output terminal Vss and the ground output terminal Gnd. This switching stage SS is formed by a DC/AC converter and a trigger stage TS.
The DC/AC converter comprises two N-type power MOSFET transistors Tl, T2. The source terminal S of the first power MOSFET transistor Tl is coupled to the positive output terminal Vss. The drain terminal D of the first power MOSFET transistor Tl is coupled to the source terminal S of the second power MOSFET transistor T2 via a first drain resistor R3, and the drain terminal D of said second power MOSFET transistor T2 is coupled to the ground output terminal Gnd via a second drain resistor R4.
The DC/AC converter further comprises a transformer Tr having a first, a second, a third and a fourth coil LI, L2, L3, L4, all wound on a ferrite shell type core. The first and second coils LI, L2 have an opposite winding sense and are control coils to energise the gate terminals G of the two power MOSFET transistors Tl, T2 via two gate resistors Ri, R2, respectively. The other terminals of the first and second coils LI, L2 are connected to the source terminal S of the first power MOSFET transistor Tl and the ground output terminal Gnd, respectively.
One terminal of the third coil L3 is connected to the positive output terminal Vss via a capacitor C4. The other terminal of the third coil L3 is connected to the source terminal S of the first power MOSFET transistor Tl.
The trigger stage TS is formed by a resistor R7 and a capacitor C3 connected in series between the positive output terminal Vss and the ground output terminal Gnd, and a Diac D5 connected with its one terminal to the resistor R7 and the capacitor C3, and with its other terminal to the gate terminal G of the second power MOSFET transistor T2. Upon switching on the 220V AC power input, the current flowing through the resistor R7 charges the capacitor C3 until the ignition voltage of the Diac D5 is reached and the pulse resulting therefrom is fed into the gate terminal G of the second power MOSFET transistor T2.
Due to the opposite winding sense of the two control coils LI, L2, the two power MOSFET transistors Tl, T2 are operated in an oppositely phased switching mode with a frequency of about 30 kHz to about 180 kHz. This frequency mainly depends on the inductivities of the coils LI, L2, L3 as well as the characteristics of the ferrite core of the transformer Tr. The load of L4, i.e. the gas discharge lamp plays also an important role. The capacitor C4 is of minor relevance with respect to the switching frequency.
A presently preferred embodiment of the electronic means connecting device 16 uses the following components:
Dl - D4 1N4007
D5 Diac ER900
Rl, R2 8,2 Ω
R3, R4 2,2 Ω
R5, R5 8,2 Ω Metal film
R7 3,9 M Ω
Tl, T2 JRF 860 MOSFET
Cl 10 UF 350 V
C2 0,1 UF 250 V
C3 0,1 UF 50V
C4 0,1 UF 250V
LI 5 Wdg
L2 5 Wdg
L3 110 Wdg
L4 400 Wdg
Tr N26 or N27 by Siemens AG
In Fig. 3 a conventional lighting fixture including a flourescent lamp according to the present invention is shown. More specifically, in such a lighting fixature 28 a flourescent lamp 10 is mounted having an elongate hollow body 12 of a cylindrical shape made of at least partially transparent glass or plastics. A gas discharge lamp 14 is mounted within the elongate hollow body 12. In addition to the gas discharge lamp means 14, an electronic mains connecting device 16 is mounted in the elongate hollow body 12. This electronic mains connecting device 16 provides a connection between the gas discharge lamp 14 and an AC power line 18. The electronic mains connecting device 16 comprises an AC/AC converter having an input voltage of approximately 100 - 130 VAC or 200 - 250 VAC and an output voltage adapted to operate said gas discharge lamp 14. The electronic mains connecting device 16 can be the structure shown in Fig. 1. It may also be a circuit similar or identical to the circuit shown in European Patent 466 749 Bl.
The elongate hollow body 12 of the flourescent lamp 10 comprises connectors 20, 22 at both ends of the body 12 to fit the flourescent lamp 10 into corresponding sockets 24, 26 of the lighting fixture 28. This lighting fixture may be similar or identical to the conventional lighting fixture shown in Fig. 2.
The gas discharge lamp 14 mounted in the body 12 comprises a further hollow elongate tube 30 having electrodes 32, 34 at its ends that are connected to the terminals of the fourth coil L4 of the electronic mains connecting device 16 according to Fig. 1 or to corresponding terminals of any other electronic mains connecting devices.
In the flourescent lamp 10 the electronic mains connecting device 16 is mounted adjacent to the one end of the body 12. One of the connectors 22 having two pins is connected to 220 V AC mains, while the other of said connectors 20 of the flourescent lamp 10 comprises a short circuit bridge 36 between its two pins.
When mounting the flourescent lamp 10 according to the invention in a conventional lighting fixture, the conventional starter (e.g. the starter St in Fig. 2) has to be replaced by a short circuit device 40 which is mounted in a housing 42 and has two pins 44, 46 to fit into the socket 48 for a conventional starter in a conventional lighting fixture.
The electronic mains connecting device 16 according to the present invention has the advantage of causing almost no interferences. Therefore, the filter stage is not a critical or essential part of the electronic mains connecting device.
Moreover, a choke coil which is present in circuits according to the prior art is also not neccessary in the electronic mains connecting device according to the invention. This contributes to a compact and cost effective design. During the operation of a flourescent lamp having the above described electronic mains connecting device, the reactance power consumed by the choke coil (see choke coil L in Fig. 2, 3) is reduced to zero. This results in a further reduced overall power consumption. Moreover, the time period between the switching on of the flourescent lamp according to the invention is considerably reduced due to the electronic mains connecting device. Also, during the operation, the emitted light is basically flickerless. A very important advantage of the flourescent lamp according to the invention and the actual light emission is the fact that due to the fact that the other short circuit bridge is provided at the one connector of the flourescent lamp, it is an immediate replacement for conventional flourescent lamps while there are no changes required at the lighting fixture (except for the immediately possible replacement of the starter by the short circuit device) .
In lighting fixtures specifically designed for the fluorescent lamp according to the invention, the choke coil L (see Fig. 2, 3) may be omitted.

Claims

Claims
1. A fluorescent lamp (10) comprising an elongate hollow body (12) wherein a gas discharge lamp means (14) is mounted, characterized in that said body (12) further comprises an electronic mains connecting device (16) connecting said gas discharge lamp means (14) to a power line (18) .
2. The fluorescent lamp (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said electronic mains connecting device (16) comprises an AC/AC converter having an input voltage of approximately 100 - 130 V AC or 200 - 250 V AC and an output voltage adapted to operate said gas discharge lamp means (14) .
3. The fluorescent lamp (10) according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that connectors (20, 22) are provided at both ends of said body (12) to fit said fluorescent lamp (10) into corresponding sockets (24, 26) of a lighting fixture (28).
4. The fluorescent lamp (10) according to claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that said gas discharge lamp means (14) comprises a further hollow elongate tube (30) having electrodes (32, 34) at its ends that are connected to said electronic mains connecting device (16) .
5. The fluorescent lamp (10) according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said electronic mains connecting device (16) is mounted adjacent to one end of said elongate hollow body (12) and connected to one of said connectors (22) , while the other of said connectors (20) comprises a short circuit bridge (36).
6. The fluorescent lamp (10) according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said electronic mains connecting device (16) is detachably mounted in said hollow elongate tube (12) .
RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91)
7. An electronic mains connecting device (16) suitable to be used in the fluorescent lamp (10) according to any of the preceeding claims, characterized by a rectifier stage (BR) for rectifying an AC power input voltage to a DC voltage, and a switching stage (SS) for providing a switched output voltage from said DC voltage having a frequency of about 30 kHz to about 180 kHz.
8. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claim 7, characterized in that the frequency of the switching stage (SS) is about 40 kHz to about 150 kHz.
9. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said rectifier stage (BR) comprises a filter stage (ISF) for removing spikes from said DC output voltage.
10. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claims 7 to 9, characterized in that said switching stage (SS) comprises two power MOSFET transistors (Tl, T2) that are operated in an oppositely phased switching mode.
11. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claims 7 to 10, characterized in that said switching stage (SS) comprises a transformer (TR) having a first, a second, a third and a fourth coil (LI, L2, L3, L4) .
12. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claim 11, characterized in that said first and second coils (LI, L2) have an opposite winding sense and are control coils to feed the gates (G) of said two power MOSFET transistors (Tl, T2) , respectively.
13. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claim 12, characterized in that said first and second coils (LI, L2) are coupled to said gates of said two power MOSFET
RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91) transistors (Tl, T2) via two gate resistors (Rl, R2) , respectively.
14. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claim 11, characterized in that said third coil (L3) is fed with said DC output voltage (Vss) .
15. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claim 14, characterized in that said third coil (L3) is fed with said DC output voltage (Vss) via a capacitor (C4) .
16. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claims 7 to 15, characterized in that said fourth coil (L4) is operated as an output coil to feed a gas discharge lamp means (14) .
17. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claims 7 to 16, characterized in that the source (S) of said first power MOSFET transistor (Tl) is coupled to the positive output (Vss) of said rectifier stage (BR) , the drain (D) of said first power MOSFET transistor (Tl) is coupled to the source (S) of said second power MOSFET transistor (T2) , and the drain (D) of said second power MOSFET transistor (T2) is coupled to the ground output (Gnd) of said rectifier stage (BR) .
18. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claim 17, characterized in that the drain (D) of said first power MOSFET transistor (Tl) is coupled to the source (S) of said second power MOSFET transistor (T2) via a first drain resistor (R3) , and the drain (D) of said second power MOSFET transistor (T2) is coupled to the ground output (Gnd) of said rectifier stage (BR) via a second drain resistor (R4) .
19. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claims 7 to 18, characterized by a trigger stage (TS) to initiate the switching operation of said switching stage (SS) upon feeding said electronic mains connecting device (16) with electrical power at said AC power input.
20. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claim 19, characterized in that said trigger stage (TR) comprises a resistor (R7) and a capacitor (C3) connected in series between said positive output (Vss) and said ground output (Gnd) , and a Diac (D5) connected to said resistor (R7) and said capacitor (C3) , and to the gate (G) of said second power MOSFET transistor (T2) , said Diac (D5) having an ignition voltage of about 20 V to about 40 V.
21. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claims 7 to 20, characterized in that said transformer (TR) comprises a core.
22. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claim 21, characterized in that said transformer comprises a ferrite shell type core.
23. The electronic mains connecting device (16) according to claims 7 to 22, characterized in that the output voltage of said fourth coil (L4) preferably having a triangular pulse shape and is approximately 1000 V upon feeding said electronic mains connecting device (16) with electrical power at said AC input during a predetermined period of time and is reduced to the operating voltage of said gas discharge lamp means (14) .
24. A short circuit device (40) suitable to be used in a conventional lighting fixture together with the fluorescent lamp (10) according to claims 1 to 6 characterized in that the short circuit device (40) is mounted in a housing (42) and has connectors (44, 46) to fit into the socket (48) of a conventional starter.
RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91) ISA/EP
PCT/EP1995/003400 1995-04-01 1995-08-29 Fluorescent lamp and electronic mains connecting device for operating the fluorescent lamp WO1996031996A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU34742/95A AU3474295A (en) 1995-04-01 1995-08-29 Fluorescent lamp and electronic mains connecting device for operating the fluorescent lamp

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE19512307.7 1995-04-01
DE19512307A DE19512307A1 (en) 1995-04-01 1995-04-01 Straight fluorescent tube with built-in electronic ballast

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1996031996A1 true WO1996031996A1 (en) 1996-10-10

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP1995/003400 WO1996031996A1 (en) 1995-04-01 1995-08-29 Fluorescent lamp and electronic mains connecting device for operating the fluorescent lamp

Country Status (4)

Country Link
AU (1) AU3474295A (en)
DE (1) DE19512307A1 (en)
WO (1) WO1996031996A1 (en)
ZA (1) ZA957415B (en)

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GB2359659A (en) * 2000-02-28 2001-08-29 William Alan Glasson Separate enclosure fluorescent lighting fitting
US6459215B1 (en) 2000-08-11 2002-10-01 General Electric Company Integral lamp
US6475521B1 (en) 1998-03-19 2002-11-05 Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. Biphasic controlled release delivery system for high solubility pharmaceuticals and method
US6552491B1 (en) 2000-12-13 2003-04-22 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Fluorescent lamp with integral circuitry
US6555974B1 (en) 2000-11-21 2003-04-29 General Electric Company Wiring geometry for multiple integral lamps
US7083309B2 (en) 2002-08-23 2006-08-01 Kam Kwan Chan Fluorescent lamp tube having integrated electronic ballast

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DE19900889B4 (en) * 1999-01-12 2004-04-15 Suresh Hiralal Shah Kit for converting luminaires with straight fluorescent lamps with a base on both sides, from inductive to electronic operation
DE19900870A1 (en) 1999-01-12 2000-08-03 Walter Holzer Straight line fluorescent lamp as compact lamp with integral ballast using electrical connection to base on one side
DE19955072B4 (en) * 1999-01-31 2004-08-26 Holzer, Walter, Prof. Dr.h.c. Ing. Adapter for converting lights with inductive ballasts to electronic operation
US6376991B1 (en) * 2001-01-10 2002-04-23 Philips Electronics North America Corporation Circuit assembly for inclusion within fluorescent lamp
US6443769B1 (en) * 2001-02-15 2002-09-03 General Electric Company Lamp electronic end cap for integral lamp
CN1494731A (en) * 2001-02-20 2004-05-05 尼奥萨夫有限责任公司 Device for operating fluorescent tube
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DE202004005172U1 (en) * 2004-03-30 2004-07-22 Ruppel, Stefan Lamp for installation in or attachment to storage furniture
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US6475521B1 (en) 1998-03-19 2002-11-05 Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. Biphasic controlled release delivery system for high solubility pharmaceuticals and method
GB2359659A (en) * 2000-02-28 2001-08-29 William Alan Glasson Separate enclosure fluorescent lighting fitting
US6459215B1 (en) 2000-08-11 2002-10-01 General Electric Company Integral lamp
US7102298B2 (en) 2000-08-11 2006-09-05 General Electric Company Integral lamp
US6555974B1 (en) 2000-11-21 2003-04-29 General Electric Company Wiring geometry for multiple integral lamps
US6552491B1 (en) 2000-12-13 2003-04-22 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Fluorescent lamp with integral circuitry
US7083309B2 (en) 2002-08-23 2006-08-01 Kam Kwan Chan Fluorescent lamp tube having integrated electronic ballast

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ZA957415B (en) 1996-04-15
DE19512307A1 (en) 1996-10-02
AU3474295A (en) 1996-10-23

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