Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems – Condenser in the supply circuit – Condenser in shunt to the load device and the supply
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-20
2001-01-30
Vu, David (Department: 2821)
Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
Condenser in the supply circuit
Condenser in shunt to the load device and the supply
C315S243000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181078
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in a discharge lamp lighting system for lighting a discharge lamp such as a discharge mercury lamp, a sodium vapor lamp, a fluorescent lamp and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Discharge mercury lamps have been used on highways and in factories, sodium vapor lamps have been used in tunnels, and fluorescent lamps have widely been used in homes, offices, factories, hospitals and the like. Various lighting device for such discharge mercury lamp, sodium vapor lamp and fluorescent lamp (referred to generically as “discharge lamp” hereinafter) have been proposed, and all of these devices utilize a choke transformer for exclusively effecting “lighting”.
PROBLEMS IN THE PRIOR ART
1. Since the conventional lighting device utilizes the choke transformer, due to iron loss or copper loss of the transformer, great energy is lost. Thus, brightness of the lamp is insufficient in comparison with great power consumption.
2. Current flowing through the discharge lamp includes disturbed high harmonic wave peak current component (high harmonic noise current), and since such high harmonic noise current flows into a power circuit for the discharge lamp, noise and/or radio-fault is generated in various equipment (for example, electronic life maintaining devices in hospitals, computers or the like) having such a power source as a common power source, which may result in erroneous operation of the equipment. This is a serious problem. Particularly, if the electronic life maintaining device is erroneously operated, serious accident affecting human life will happen Further, electromagnetic wave generated from the discharge lamp affects a bad influence upon other equipment. Nowadays, the above-mentioned drawbacks have not been solved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to realize a discharge lamp lighting system in which a discharge lamp can be lighted by a commercial power source without using a power source transformer, lighting can be continued, energy loss is less, brightness corresponding to power consumption can be obtained efficiently, great electric power saving can be realized, and a high harmonic wave generated by the discharge lamp can be prevented from affecting a bad influence upon other electronic equipment.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a discharge lamp lighting system wherein one end of a discharge lamp is connected to one end of an alternate current (AC) power source through a capacitor and the other end of the discharge lamp is connected to the other end of the AC power source through a choke coil in such a manner that an impedance ratio resonating with a third high harmonic wave component of the power source is established between the capacitor and the choke coil, and a starting lighting circuit which is normally turned OFF and can be temporarily turned ON to light the discharge lamp is connected between filaments disposed at both ends of the discharge lamp.
The present invention further provides a discharge lamp lighting system wherein one end of a discharge lamp is connected to one end of an alternate current (AC) power source and the other end of the discharge lamp is connected to the other end of the AC power source through a capacitor and a choke coil which are interconnected in series in such a manner that an impedance ratio resonating with a third high harmonic wave component of the power source is established between the capacitor and the choke coil, and a starting lighting circuit which is normally turned OFF and can be temporarily turned ON to light the discharge lamp is connected between filaments disposed at both ends of the discharge lamp.
The present invention still further provides a discharge lamp lighting system wherein one end of a discharge lamp is connected to one end of an alternate current (AC) power source through a capacitor and a choke coil which are interconnected in series and the other end of the discharge lamp is connected to the other end of the AC power source through another choke coil in such a manner that an impedance ratio resonating with a third high harmonic wave component of the power source is established between the capacitor and the choke coil and a starting lighting circuit which is normally turned OFF and can be temporarily turned ON to light the discharge lamp is connected between filaments disposed at both ends of the discharge lamp.
According to the present invention, since the impedance ratio resonating with the third high harmonic wave component of the power source is established between the capacitor and the choke coil to facilitate resonance of the third high harmonic wave component, when the starting lighting circuit is temporarily closed, a closed circuit serially interconnecting the AC power source, choke coil, filament, switch, filament, switch, capacitor and AC power source is established. When power source voltage having a wave form (wave form shown in
FIG. 9
) including third high harmonic waves is applied to the closed circuit through a device having an iron core to energize the closed circuit, first of all, the filaments on both ends of the discharge lamp are heated, and, at the same time, a voltage wave form of the choke coil becomes to include third high harmonic wave as shown in
FIG. 10 and a
voltage wave form of the capacitor is also changed as shown in FIG.
11
. In this case, since the filaments on both ends of the discharge lamp were heated to initiate thermal electron emission, when the starting lighting circuit is opened, the fluorescent lamp can easily be lighted by releasing the energy accumulated in the capacitor. When the fluorescent lamp starts to be lighted after the starting lighting circuit is opened, a voltage wave form at the end of the choke coil becomes as shown in FIG.
12
. As apparent from the comparison with the power source wave form shown in
FIG. 9
, this voltage wave form includes the third high harmonic waves and a wave form inherent to discharging. Further, in this case, a discharge voltage wave form at both ends of the discharge lamp becomes a wave form corresponding to a basic wave form of the power source as shown in FIG.
13
. In the discharge lamp lighting system according to the present invention, since an effective resistance value of the entire circuit becomes extremely small as is in a principle of a super-regenerative receiver circuit, the lighting current can continue to be applied efficiently. In this discharge lamp system, regarding power consumption of a tube bulb and fill luminous flux value, formula effect of 100 lm (lumen)/(w or more can be obtained.
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Sekiguchi Masao
Tamura Teruo
Dinh Trinh Vo
Kabushiki Kaisha Tamurariken
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Vu David
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