Arrangement for detecting the ignition of a high-pressure gas di

Details Arrangement for detecting the ignition of a high-pressure gas di Arrangement for detecting the ignition of a high-pressure gas di

1997-11-05

1999-10-12

Wong, Don

Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems

Special application

Vehicle

315 82, 315DIG7, 307 106, H05B 3702

Patent

active

059659866

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
STATE OF THE TECHNOLOGY

The invention is based on an arrangement for detecting the ignition of a high-pressure gas discharge lamp, in particular for use in a motor vehicle headlamp, of the type as wherein a circuit for supplying the high-pressure gas discharge lamp with burning energy, a control circuit as well as an ignition circuit are provided, and wherein the ignition circuit is provided with an auxiliary voltage for the ignition.
German published patent application No. 41 36 486 A1 shows that it is known to provide a series reactor for starting and operating alternating current high pressure gas discharge lamps, which reactor is fed from a direct voltage source, e.g., the battery of a motor vehicle. In this case, a stabilized and/or power-controlled direct voltage with a higher voltage value is initially generated from the direct voltage of the direct voltage source by means of a DC/DC converter. The alternating current necessary for the operation is subsequently generated from this voltage with the aid of a controlled full bridge circuit. The full bridge circuit can be operated with direct current as well as alternating current. The full bridge circuit is controlled by a control circuit, and an ignition device is provided for igniting the high-pressure gas discharge lamp.
The bridge circuit for this known series reactor is operated with direct current during the start-up. A signal is generated via a separate status determination device if the high-pressure gas discharge lamp has been ignited successfully. This signal is fed via a delay circuit to the control circuit of the full bridge circuit and ensures that the full bridge circuit is switched from the direct current operation to the alternating current operation, but only after the predetermined delay time has passed. The delay in the switching following ignition of the supply for the high-pressure gas discharge lamp with burning energy can lead to an overload, particularly for a hot or even only warm high-pressure gas discharge lamp.
In commercially available high-pressure gas discharge lamps, in particular for use in motor vehicle headlamps, it is known that the ignition of the high-pressure gas discharge lamp can be detected via its current and voltage measurement. In that case, the current and voltage are interrogated cyclically with the so-called polling method, e.g. by a controller. Lag times develop at specific intervals as a result of this scanning, which lead to delays. Depending on the situation, these can have serious consequences.


SUMMARY AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The drawbacks of the prior art arrangements are generally overcome according to the present invention by an arrangement for detecting the ignition of a high-pressure gas discharge lamp, in particular for use in a motor vehicle headlamp, wherein: a circuit for supplying the high-pressure gas discharge lamp with burning energy, a control circuit as well as an ignition circuit are provided; the ignition circuit is provided with an auxiliary voltage for the ignition; and, the control circuit is designed such that it detects the ignition of the high-pressure gas discharge lamp essentially without delay via the behavior or the status of the auxiliary voltage supplied during the ignition.
In contrast to the prior art, the advantage of the arrangement according to the invention for detecting the ignition of a high-pressure gas discharge lamp as discussed above, is that detection of the ignition of the high-pressure gas discharge lamp is considerably faster, if not essentially immediate or essentially non-delayed. No involved circuit is necessary for detecting the ignition. In addition to the increase in actuality, this also results in advantageous cost savings.
This is primarily achieved in accordance with the invention in that the control circuit is designed such that it detects the ignition of the high-pressure gas discharge lamp essentially without delay via the behavior or the status of the auxiliary voltage supplied during the ignition.
Advantageous modifications and im

REFERENCES:
patent: 4739226 (1988-04-01), Murata
patent: 4803406 (1989-02-01), Yasuda et al.
patent: 5537003 (1996-07-01), Bechtel et al.
patent: 5629588 (1997-05-01), Oda et al.
patent: 5663613 (1997-09-01), Yamashita et al.

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