WO2004068532A2 - Fluorescent lamp with a second ballast for dimmed lighting mode - Google Patents

Fluorescent lamp with a second ballast for dimmed lighting mode Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2004068532A2
WO2004068532A2 PCT/IB2004/050025 IB2004050025W WO2004068532A2 WO 2004068532 A2 WO2004068532 A2 WO 2004068532A2 IB 2004050025 W IB2004050025 W IB 2004050025W WO 2004068532 A2 WO2004068532 A2 WO 2004068532A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
discharge
lighting mode
ballast
pair
fluorescent lamp
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2004/050025
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2004068532A3 (en
Inventor
Christianus J. Roozekrans
Original Assignee
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
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 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. filed Critical Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
Publication of WO2004068532A2 publication Critical patent/WO2004068532A2/en
Publication of WO2004068532A3 publication Critical patent/WO2004068532A3/en

Links

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
    • H05B41/14—Circuit arrangements
    • H05B41/36—Controlling
    • H05B41/38—Controlling the intensity of light
    • H05B41/40—Controlling the intensity of light discontinuously
    • H05B41/42—Controlling the intensity of light discontinuously in two steps only
    • 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

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a fluorescent lamp comprising a discharge vessel with two ends defining a discharge path extending between said ends: a pair of discharge electrodes provided at both ends of said discharge vessel for discharging electrons to and from each other; and a ballast circuit for operating the lamp in a normal lighting mode and a dimmed lighting mode.
  • Such a fluorescent lamp is known and has been on the market for some years.
  • the ballast circuit comprises two ballasts, wherein the first ballast is connected to the mains and supplies a normal operating current to said pair of discharge electrodes in the normal lighting mode, and wherein the second ballast is fed by batteries and serves to supply a reduced operating current to said pair of discharge electrodes in the dimmed lighting mode.
  • the dimmed lighting mode is a so-called emergency light mode.
  • said pair of electrodes are not additionally heated in the dimmed lighting mode, so that a normal discharge of electrons in the discharge vessel is not achieved, resulting in a shorter life of the known fluorescent lamp.
  • the known fluorescent uses a so-called cold start for igniting the lamp. That means that in a very short time a high voltage is applied across the fluorescent lamp.
  • the ballast circuit comprises a first ballast for supplying a normal operating current to said pair of discharge electrodes in the normal lighting mode; and a second ballast for supplying a reduced operating current to an auxiliary discharge electrode connected to a discharge electrode of said pair of discharge electrodes in the dimmed lighting mode.
  • the auxiliary electrode is connected by its one end to an electrode of said pair of electrodes.
  • the relatively small auxiliary electrode After a cold start of the fluorescent lamp in the dimmed lighting mode the relatively small auxiliary electrode will warm up first, so that a discharge of electrons (thermal emission) will soon be established. This quick warming up can be enhanced in that the thermal capacity of the auxiliary electrode is kept as low as possible.
  • the diameter of the auxiliary electrode should be small.
  • Fig. 1 is a partially broken-away side view of a fluorescent lamp in a preferred embodiment according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 is a detail of Fig. 1.
  • a fluorescent lamp is shown provided with a discharge vessel 10 defining a discharge path.
  • the inner surface of the discharge vessel 10 is coated with a coating 12 of a fluorescent material.
  • the discharge vessel 10 is hermetically closed at both ends by mounts 14, with a pair 16 of discharge electrodes 20 mounted on each mount 14. Electrons are discharged from one pair 16 of electrodes 20 to the other and vice versa, along the axis of the discharge vessel 10.
  • the electrodes 20 protrude into the discharge vessel 10 from a stem 18 of the mount 14.
  • a filament 22 coated with an electron-emitting material bridges the electrodes 20 of each pair 16.
  • An auxiliary electrode 24 in the form of a coiled wire is connected at one end to an electrode 20 of a pair 16 of electrodes 20 (see Fig. 2).
  • the fluorescent lamp For normal (general) lighting operation, the fluorescent lamp only uses the electrodes 20 of each pair 16, preheated by a first ballast. For dimmed (emergency) lighting operation, only the relatively small auxiliary electrode 24 is used, operated by a second ballast during a cold start.

Abstract

A fluorescent lamp comprising - a discharge vessel (10) with two ends defining a discharge path extending between - a pair (16) of discharge electrodes (20) provided at both ends of said discharge vessel for discharging electrons to and from each other; and - a ballast circuit for operating the lamp in a normal lighting mode and in a dimmed lighting mode, with the special feature that the ballast circuit comprises - a first ballast for supplying a normal operating current to said pair of discharge electrodes in the normal lighting mode; and - a second ballast for supplying a reduced operating current to an auxiliary discharge electrode (24) connected to a discharge electrode (20) of said pair of discharge electrodes in the dimmed lighting mode.

Description

Fluorescent lamp
The invention relates to a fluorescent lamp comprising a discharge vessel with two ends defining a discharge path extending between said ends: a pair of discharge electrodes provided at both ends of said discharge vessel for discharging electrons to and from each other; and a ballast circuit for operating the lamp in a normal lighting mode and a dimmed lighting mode.
Such a fluorescent lamp is known and has been on the market for some years.
In this known fluorescent lamp, the ballast circuit comprises two ballasts, wherein the first ballast is connected to the mains and supplies a normal operating current to said pair of discharge electrodes in the normal lighting mode, and wherein the second ballast is fed by batteries and serves to supply a reduced operating current to said pair of discharge electrodes in the dimmed lighting mode. The dimmed lighting mode is a so-called emergency light mode. However, in order to use as few batteries as possible, said pair of electrodes are not additionally heated in the dimmed lighting mode, so that a normal discharge of electrons in the discharge vessel is not achieved, resulting in a shorter life of the known fluorescent lamp. Furthermore, the known fluorescent uses a so-called cold start for igniting the lamp. That means that in a very short time a high voltage is applied across the fluorescent lamp.
However, as the electrodes are not preheated and therefore cold, sputtering of the electrode(s) will take place, resulting in a relatively short switching life.
It is the object of the invention to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, i.e. to provide an improved fluorescent lamp with a longer life, and to that end a fluorescent lamp of the type mentioned in the preamble is characterized in that the ballast circuit comprises a first ballast for supplying a normal operating current to said pair of discharge electrodes in the normal lighting mode; and a second ballast for supplying a reduced operating current to an auxiliary discharge electrode connected to a discharge electrode of said pair of discharge electrodes in the dimmed lighting mode.
Preferably, the auxiliary electrode is connected by its one end to an electrode of said pair of electrodes.
After a cold start of the fluorescent lamp in the dimmed lighting mode the relatively small auxiliary electrode will warm up first, so that a discharge of electrons (thermal emission) will soon be established. This quick warming up can be enhanced in that the thermal capacity of the auxiliary electrode is kept as low as possible. To maintain the discharge of electrons in the dimmed lighting mode, the diameter of the auxiliary electrode should be small. After a start in the normal lighting mode the pair of electrodes will first be preheated by the first ballast, after which a normal operating current will cause a discharge of electrons (thermal emission).
The invention will be elucidated further with the help of a drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a partially broken-away side view of a fluorescent lamp in a preferred embodiment according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a detail of Fig. 1.
In Fig. 1, a fluorescent lamp is shown provided with a discharge vessel 10 defining a discharge path. The inner surface of the discharge vessel 10 is coated with a coating 12 of a fluorescent material. The discharge vessel 10 is hermetically closed at both ends by mounts 14, with a pair 16 of discharge electrodes 20 mounted on each mount 14. Electrons are discharged from one pair 16 of electrodes 20 to the other and vice versa, along the axis of the discharge vessel 10. The electrodes 20 protrude into the discharge vessel 10 from a stem 18 of the mount 14. A filament 22 coated with an electron-emitting material bridges the electrodes 20 of each pair 16. An auxiliary electrode 24 in the form of a coiled wire is connected at one end to an electrode 20 of a pair 16 of electrodes 20 (see Fig. 2).
For normal (general) lighting operation, the fluorescent lamp only uses the electrodes 20 of each pair 16, preheated by a first ballast. For dimmed (emergency) lighting operation, only the relatively small auxiliary electrode 24 is used, operated by a second ballast during a cold start.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. A fluorescent lamp comprising a discharge vessel with two ends defining a discharge path extending between said ends; a pair of discharge electrodes provided at both ends of said discharge vessel for discharging electrons to and from each other; and - a ballast circuit for operating the lamp in a normal lighting mode and in a dimmed lighting mode, characterized in that the ballast circuit comprises a first ballast for supplying a normal operating current to said pair of discharge electrodes in the normal lighting mode; and a second ballast for supplying a reduced operating current to an auxiliary discharge electrode connected to a discharge electrode of said pair of discharge electrodes in the dimmed lighting mode.
2. A fluorescent lamp according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary discharge electrode is shaped as a coiled wire.
PCT/IB2004/050025 2003-01-30 2004-01-14 Fluorescent lamp with a second ballast for dimmed lighting mode WO2004068532A2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP03100193 2003-01-30
EP03100193.6 2003-01-30

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2004068532A2 true WO2004068532A2 (en) 2004-08-12
WO2004068532A3 WO2004068532A3 (en) 2004-09-16

Family

ID=32798997

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2004/050025 WO2004068532A2 (en) 2003-01-30 2004-01-14 Fluorescent lamp with a second ballast for dimmed lighting mode

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2004068532A2 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005074007A1 (en) * 2004-01-29 2005-08-11 Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft für elektrische Glühlampen mbH Low-pressure discharge lamp
US7312441B2 (en) 2004-07-02 2007-12-25 Thermo Finnigan Llc Method and apparatus for controlling the ion population in a mass spectrometer

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2135701A (en) * 1936-09-01 1938-11-08 Gen Electric Electric gaseous discharge device
EP0488002A1 (en) * 1990-11-29 1992-06-03 Holzer, Walter, Senator h.c. Dr.h.c.Ing. Process and device for operating discharge lamps through electronic ballasts
EP0550047A2 (en) * 1991-12-30 1993-07-07 Mark D. Winsor A planar fluorescent and electroluminescent lamp having one or more chambers
EP0653903A2 (en) * 1993-11-15 1995-05-17 Meggitt (U.K.) Limited Fluorescent tube assembly and method
DE19515592A1 (en) * 1995-05-02 1996-11-07 Walter Holzer Soft-start gas-discharge lamp

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH11307296A (en) * 1998-04-23 1999-11-05 Matsushita Electric Works Ltd Low-pressure discharge lamp lighting device

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2135701A (en) * 1936-09-01 1938-11-08 Gen Electric Electric gaseous discharge device
EP0488002A1 (en) * 1990-11-29 1992-06-03 Holzer, Walter, Senator h.c. Dr.h.c.Ing. Process and device for operating discharge lamps through electronic ballasts
EP0550047A2 (en) * 1991-12-30 1993-07-07 Mark D. Winsor A planar fluorescent and electroluminescent lamp having one or more chambers
EP0653903A2 (en) * 1993-11-15 1995-05-17 Meggitt (U.K.) Limited Fluorescent tube assembly and method
DE19515592A1 (en) * 1995-05-02 1996-11-07 Walter Holzer Soft-start gas-discharge lamp

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2000, no. 02, 29 February 2000 (2000-02-29) -& JP 11 307296 A (MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC WORKS LTD), 5 November 1999 (1999-11-05) *

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2005074007A1 (en) * 2004-01-29 2005-08-11 Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft für elektrische Glühlampen mbH Low-pressure discharge lamp
US7385353B2 (en) 2004-01-29 2008-06-10 Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft Für Elektrische Glëhlampen mbH Low-pressure discharge lamp
US7312441B2 (en) 2004-07-02 2007-12-25 Thermo Finnigan Llc Method and apparatus for controlling the ion population in a mass spectrometer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2004068532A3 (en) 2004-09-16

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