Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6608451
-
Patent Number
6,608,451
-
Date Filed
Friday, October 26, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, August 19, 200321 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Wong; Don
- Tran; Thuy Vinh
Agents
- Fay, Sharpe, Fagan, Minnich & McKee, LLP
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CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 315 267
- 315 276
- 315 277
- 315 291
- 315 307
- 315 DIG 2
- 315 DIG 5
- 315 DIG 7
- 315 209 CD
- 315 289
- 315 290
- 315 297
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
A ballast circuit with an ignitor circuit for starting serially connected HID lamps is provided. The ballast circuit comprises an electromagnetic ballast arrangement for driving the lamps and an ignitor circuit for starting the lamps. In an embodiment of the invention, the ignitor circuit comprises a voltage-breakover device, a first capacitor, a resistor, a pulse autotransformer, and a second capacitor. A pulse autotransformer is associated with each subsequent lamp after a first lamp of the serially connected lamps.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to ballast circuits for powering high intensity discharge (HID) lamps, and more particularly to a ballast circuit with an ignitor circuit for starting plural HID lamps connected in series.
An HID lamp, such as a metal halide, ceramic metal halide (CMH), high pressure sodium, or mercury lamp, is typically powered by an electromagnetic ballast circuit incorporating an iron core. The ballast transformer receives voltage from a power source, and outputs a ballast voltage for driving the lamp. The ballast circuit, which uses the iron core to achieve the necessary voltage adjustment, represents a major component of ballast cost, as well as bulk. The foregoing type of ballast circuit typically suffers the problem of powering only a single HID lamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,986,412 to Collins provides a ballast circuit for a plurality of serially connected, high-pressure gas discharge lamps. The ballast circuit comprises an electromagnetic ballast arrangement receptive of an input power signal, providing an output ballast voltage for driving the plurality of lamps, and providing an open circuit ballast voltage when the lamps are disconnected from the arrangement. A first ignitor circuit is connected between the ballast arrangement and the first lamp, and produces at least one ignitor pulse of high voltage and high frequency compared to the open circuit ballast voltage, to initiate starting of the first lamp. A second ignitor circuit is connected between the first lamp and a second lamp so as to be supplied with current through the first lamp. The second circuit produces at least one ignitor pulse of high voltage and high frequency compared to the open circuit ballast voltage after the first lamp begins to start and drops substantially in impedance, to initiate starting of the second lamp.
It is desirable to start a plurality (e.g. dual) of HID lamps with an ignitor circuit. If the ignitor circuit can start a plurality of HID lamps, it can eliminate redundant parts and reduces per-lamp ballast/ignitor cost.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The invention overcomes the foregoing problem in several exemplary embodiments that comprise a ballast/ignitor circuit capable of starting a plurality of HID lamps. In one aspect of the invention, a ballast/ignitor circuit is provided for serially connected HID lamps. In an embodiment of the invention, the ballast circuit comprises an electromagnetic ballast arrangement receptive of an input power signal, providing an output ballast voltage for driving the lamps; and an ignitor circuit connected to the ballast arrangement and to each lamp for starting all of the lamps and for producing at least one ignitor pulse to start each lamp.
In another embodiment of the invention, the ballast circuit comprises an electromagnetic ballast arrangement receptive of an input power signal, providing an output ballast voltage for driving the plurality of lamps, and providing an open circuit ballast voltage when the lamps are disconnected from the arrangement; and an ignitor circuit connected to the ballast arrangement and to each lamp for starting all of the lamps and for producing at least one ignitor pulse of high voltage and high frequency compared to the open circuit ballast voltage to start each lamp.
In another aspect of the invention, the ignitor circuit provides for starting each of serially connected, high intensity discharge lamps. In an embodiment of the invention, the ignitor circuit comprises a voltage-breakover device; a first capacitor with a first lead coupled to a first lead of the voltage-breakover device; a resistor with a first lead coupled to the first lead of the voltage-breakover device and first lead of the first capacitor; a pulse autotransformer associated with each subsequent serially connected, high intensity discharge lamp after a first lamp of serially connected lamps, each autotransformer having a winding connected between two serially connected lamps and a tap; and a second capacitor with first and second leads, wherein the first lead is coupled to a second lead of the resistor and the second lead is coupled to the tap of the pulse autotransformer.
In another embodiment of the invention, the ignitor circuit comprises a voltage-breakover device; a first capacitor; a resistor with a first lead coupled to a first lead of the first capacitor; a pulse transformer associated with each subsequent serially connected, high intensity discharge lamp after a first lamp of the plurality of serially connected lamps, each pulse transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein the secondary winding is connected between two serially connected lamps and the primary winding is connected between the voltage-breakover device and the coupled first capacitor and resistor; and a second capacitor with a first lead coupled to a second lead of the resistor and a second lead coupled to a first lead of the secondary winding, said first lead of the secondary winding also being coupled to a preceding serially connected lamp.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a schematic diagram of a ballast/ignitor circuit for powering a plurality of HID lamps in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2
shows the open circuit voltage of the ballast/ignitor circuit of
FIG. 1
with respect to a first serially connected HID lamp.
FIG. 3
shows the open circuit voltage of the ballast/ignitor circuit of
FIG. 1
with respect to a subsequent serially connected HID lamp.
FIG. 4
shows a more detailed view of ignitor pulses from the open circuit voltage of FIG.
3
.
FIG. 5
is a schematic diagram of a ballast/ignitor circuit for powering a plurality HID lamps in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6
shows the open circuit voltage of the ballast/ignitor circuit of
FIG. 5
with respect to a first serially connected HID lamp.
FIG. 7
shows the open circuit voltage of the ballast/ignitor circuit of
FIG. 5
with respect to a subsequent serially connected HID lamp.
FIG. 8
shows a more detailed view of ignitor pulses from the open circuit voltage of FIG.
7
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1
shows a ballast/ignitor circuit
10
for powering two HID lamps
12
,
14
. As shown, the HID lamps
12
,
14
are connected in series. The ballast/ignitor circuit
10
is a constant-wattage autotransformer (CWA) circuit. A primary winding
17
of an electromagnetic (e-m) component
16
receives an AC power signal from a source
20
, and produces, as an output, a, ballast voltage
21
on secondary winding
18
with respect to a reference node
25
, for driving the HID lamps
12
,
14
. The e-m component
16
is part of a regulating ballast; its secondary winding
18
is tapped into primary winding
17
at
26
, and its primary and secondary windings
17
,
18
are shunted as indicated by diagonal lines
19
. A ballast capacitor
27
produces a desired phase angle between current and voltage supplied by source
20
, and, in combination with e-m component
16
, limits current to the HID lamps
12
,
14
.
The specific type of e-m component used, however, is not critical to the invention and other e-m components providing a suitable ballast voltage for driving the HID lamps
12
,
14
may be used, such as a reactor or lag ballast.
For starting HID lamp
12
, ballast/ignitor circuit
10
includes an ignitor pulse circuit
30
for producing one or more ignitor pulses
32
. Of particular interest is the high frequency content of the rapidly rising, leading edge
33
of pulse
32
with respect to ballast voltage
21
. Such high frequency content is referred to herein as a high frequency and high voltage ignitor pulse
32
, although such pulse may comprise only the higher frequency part of the overall ignitor pulse
32
.
Although ignitor pulse
32
is shown as positive, on the next negative excursion of ballast voltage
21
, ignitor pulse
32
would be negative, as shown in FIG.
2
. The particular form of ignitor pulse circuit
30
shown is merely exemplary, and other configurations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art based on this specification.
The ignitor pulse circuit
30
includes a capacitor
34
, which becomes charged from ballast voltage
21
via a resistor
36
. The voltage across capacitor
34
is impressed across the series combination of a voltage-breakover (VBO) device
38
and a number of winding turns
40
, via tap
42
. During HID lamp
12
,
14
starting, the voltage on capacitor
34
continues to rise until the similarly increasing voltage across VBO device
38
reaches the breakover voltage rating of such device. VBO device
38
then rapidly breaks over (i.e., becomes conductive), causing the voltage across capacitor
34
to be impressed directly across the winding turns
40
. This induces a voltage across the remaining winding turns
44
, which adds to the voltage across winding turns
40
and the voltage across ballast capacitor
27
, to create an ignitor pulse
32
that is high relative to ballast voltage
21
. With respect to the specific implementation set forth in
FIG. 1
, ignitor pulse
32
is typically 2,500 volts or higher with respect to reference node
25
as required by the lamp specification.
FIG. 2
depicts a plurality of ignitor pulses
32
on the ballast voltage
21
operating on a 2.00 ms time scale. Also, the ignitor pulses are shown to be approximately 3,000 volts.
Other forms of ignitor pulse circuit
30
may include a conventional two-terminal ignitor circuit. U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,364 to Collins discloses an example of a conventional two-terminal ignitor circuit. Such an ignitor circuit incorporates its own transformer for creating a pulse of current, rather than tapping into secondary winding
18
at 42, as shown.
For starting HID lamp
14
, a pulse autotransformer
60
is used to amplify the ignitor pulse
32
. The pulse autotransformer
60
includes a tap, a start-to-tap winding
61
coupled to a capacitor
50
, and a tap-to-finish winding
62
coupled to lamp
14
.
When capacitor
34
becomes charged sufficiently that VBO device
38
fires creating ignitor pulse
32
, the rapid voltage change across start-to-tap (i.e., primary) winding
61
caused by the ignitor pulse
32
results in an ignitor pulse
63
across tap-to-finish (i.e., secondary) winding
62
, which is coupled to lamp
14
. As with pulse
32
, the leading edge
64
of pulse
63
comprises the higher frequency content of pulse
63
and is referred to herein as a high frequency and high voltage ignitor pulse
63
, although such pulse may comprise only the higher frequency part of the overall pulse
32
.
FIG. 3
depicts an example of the ignitor pulses
63
on the open circuit voltage of HID lamp
14
. Multiple ignitor pulses
63
are shown, each approximately 4,000 volts above the fundamental component of the voltage.
FIG. 4
is a view of a ignitor pulse
63
on the open circuit voltage of HID lamp
14
at a scale of 250 μs as opposed to 5.00 ms scale shown in connection with FIG.
3
. Again, this example of ignitor pulse
63
is approximately 4,000 volts above the fundamental component of the voltage.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, ballast transformer
16
preferably provides a ballast voltage
21
comprising a fundamental component
22
and a peak component
23
. The peak component
23
is substantially higher in frequency and magnitude than the fundamental component
22
. The frequency of peak component
23
is especially high on its upwardly rising slope from the fundamental component
22
. Periodic negative-voltage excursions of ballast voltage
21
are typically symmetrical to its positive-voltage excursions.
In the process of starting lamps
12
and
14
, lamp
12
will begin to start first. Typically, it will enter into a so-called glow mode, in which its impedance substantially drops in value. This allows the necessary current for creating an adequate ignitor pulse for starting the second lamp to be supplied through the first lamp
12
.
In a specific implementation of the ballast/ignitor circuit of
FIG. 1
the following component values may be used for a pair of 135-volt, 320-watt metal halide lamps, wherein polarities of transformer windings are indicated by dots in
FIG. 1
, and the regulating ballast is providing 3.2 amps lamp current: a) Ballast capacitor
27
—20 microfarads, b) Source voltage
20
—277 volts r.m.s., c) Number of winding turns
40
—28 turns, d) Number of winding turns
44
—391 turns, e) Starting capacitor
34
—0.16 microfarads, f) Resistor
36
—20.0 k ohms, g) Capacitor
50
—0.22 microfarads, h) Number of turns of start-to-tap winding
61
—3 turns, and i) Number of turns of tap-to-finish winding
62
—45 turns.
The VBO device
38
may comprise one or more serially connected SIDACs having a total breakover voltage of 225 volts, such as available under Part No. KIV24 from Shidengen Electric Mfg. Co. Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan.
FIG. 5
shows a ballast/ignitor circuit
24
for powering two HID lamps
12
,
14
. As shown, the HID lamps
12
,
14
are connected in series. The ballast/ignitor circuit
24
is a CWA circuit. A primary winding
17
of an electromagnetic (e-m) component
16
receives an AC power signal from a source
20
, and produces, as an output, a ballast voltage
21
on secondary winding
18
with respect to a reference node
25
, for driving the HID lamps
12
,
14
. The e-m component
16
is part of a regulating ballast; its secondary winding
18
is tapped into primary winding
17
at 26, and its primary and secondary windings
17
,
18
are shunted as indicated by diagonal lines
19
. A ballast capacitor
27
produces a desired phase angle between current and voltage supplied by source
20
, and, in combination with e-m component
16
, limits current to the HID lamps
12
,
14
.
The specific type of e-m component used, however, is not critical to the invention, and other e-m components providing a suitable ballast voltage for driving the HID lamps
12
,
14
may be used, such as a reactor or lag ballast.
For starting the HID lamps
12
,
14
, ballast/ignitor circuit
24
includes an ignitor pulse circuit
65
and a pulse transformer
72
for producing an ignitor pulse
32
for HID lamp
12
and an ignitor pulse
63
for HID lamp
14
. Of particular interest is the high frequency content of the rapidly rising, leading edge
33
of ignitor pulse
32
with respect to ballast voltage
21
. Such high frequency content is referred to herein as a high frequency and high voltage ignitor pulse
32
, although such pulse may comprise only the higher frequency part of the overall ignitor pulse
32
.
Although the ignitor pulse
32
is shown as positive, on the next negative excursion of ballast voltage
21
, the ignitor pulse
32
would be negative, as shown in FIG.
6
. The particular form of ignitor pulse circuit
65
shown is merely exemplary and other configurations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art based on this specification.
Ignitor pulse circuit
65
includes a capacitor
66
, which becomes charged from ballast voltage
21
via a resistor
68
. The voltage across capacitor
66
is impressed across the series combination of a primary winding
74
of the pulse transformer
72
, a VBO device
70
, and a number of winding turns
40
. During HID lamp
12
,
14
starting, the voltage on capacitor
66
continues to rise until the similarly increasing voltage across VBO device
70
reaches the breakover voltage rating of such device. The VBO device
70
then rapidly breaks over (i.e., becomes conductive), causing the voltage across capacitor
66
to be divided between the winding turns
40
of the e-m component
16
and the primary winding
74
of the pulse transformer
72
. This induces a voltage across the remaining winding turns
44
of the e-m component
16
, which adds to the voltage across winding turns
40
and the voltage across ballast capacitor
27
, to create an ignitor pulse
32
that is high relative to ballast voltage
21
. With respect to the specific implementation set forth in
FIG. 5
, ignitor pulse
32
is typically 2,500 volts or higher with respect to reference node
25
as required by the lamp specification.
FIG. 6
depicts a plurality of ignitor pulses
32
on the ballast voltage
27
operating on a 10.0 ms time scale. Also, the ignitor pulses are shown to be approximately 2,140 volts.
Other forms of ignitor pulse circuit
65
may include a conventional two-terminal ignitor circuit. U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,364 to Collins discloses an example of a conventional two-terminal ignitor circuit. Such an ignitor circuit incorporates its own transformer for creating a pulse of current, rather than tapping into secondary winding
18
at 42, as shown.
Returning to starting lamp
14
, the voltage across the primary winding
74
induces a corresponding voltage across the secondary winding
73
of the pulse transformer
72
. The induced voltage creates ignitor pulse
63
that is high relative to ballast voltage
21
. With respect to the specific implementation set forth in
FIG. 5
, ignitor pulse
63
is typically 2,500 volts or higher with respect to reference node
25
as required by the lamp specification. The secondary winding
73
is coupled to lamp
14
. As with pulse
32
, the leading edge
64
of pulse
63
comprises the higher frequency part of pulse
63
and is referred to herein as an ignitor pulse
63
. To assist coupling of ignitor pulse
63
to the HID lamp
14
, a capacitance
75
is employed. At the high frequency of the ignitor pulse
63
, the capacitance
75
appears as a low impedance across which a low voltage drop occurs. Capacitance
75
thus impresses most of the ignitor pulse
63
to appear across the lamp, to facilitate its starting. Capacitance
75
may comprise parasitic capacitance of the conductors supplying lamps
12
and
14
, or it may comprise a discrete capacitor.
FIG. 7
depicts an example of the ignitor pulses
63
on the open circuit voltage of HID lamp
14
. Multiple ignitor pulses
63
are shown, each approximately 2,500 volts above the fundamental component of the voltage.
FIG. 8
is a view of ignitor pulse
63
on the open circuit voltage of HID lamp
14
at a scale of 200 μs as opposed to the 2.00 ms scale shown in connection with FIG.
7
. Again this example of an ignitor pulse
63
is approximately 2,500 volts above the fundamental component of the voltage.
As shown in
FIG. 5
, ballast transformer
16
preferably provides a ballast voltage
21
having a component
22
comprising a fundamental component, and a peak component substantially higher in frequency and magnitude than the fundamental component. The frequency of peak component
23
is especially high on its upwardly rising slope from the fundamental component. Periodic negative-voltage excursions of ballast voltage
21
are typically symmetrical to its positive-voltage excursions.
When starting the HID lamps
12
,
14
using the ballast/ignitor circuit
24
of
FIG. 5
, both lamps
12
,
14
begin to start simultaneously. The ballast/ignitor circuit
24
generates two ignitor pulses
32
,
63
simultaneously by discharging capacitor
66
through winding turns
40
of the e-m component
16
and the primary winding
74
of the pulse transformer
72
.
In a specific example of implementing the ballast/ignitor circuit of
FIG. 5
, the following component values may be used for a pair of 135-volt, 320-watt metal halide lamps, wherein polarities of transformer windings are indicated by dots in
FIG. 5
, and the regulating ballast is providing 3.2 amps lamp current: a) Ballast capacitor
27
—20 microfarads, b) Source voltage
20
—277 volts RMS, c) Number of winding turns
40
—28 turns, d) Number of winding turns
44
—391 turns, e) Starting capacitor
66
—0.1.6 microfarads, f) Resistor
68
—20.0 k ohms, g) Capacitance
75
—200 picofarads, h) Number of turns of secondary winding
73
-45 turns, and i) Number of turns of primary winding
74
—3 turns.
The VBO device
70
may comprise one or more serially connected SIDACs having a total breakover voltage of 225 volts, such as available under Part No. KIV24 from Shidengen Electric Mfg. Co. Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan.
HID lamps other than metal halide lamps as described in both embodiments (
FIGS. 1 and 5
) above can be used. In order to most reliably benefit from the present invention, however, an HID lamp should have a reasonably constant operating voltage over its lifetime. Because the same current flows through all serially connected lamps, the respective wattages of the lamps are strongly dependent on their respective operating voltages. Essentially, such operating voltages should not vary so greatly over the lifetime of the lamps that the respective wattages of the lamps vary into undesired (e.g. outside-of-rated) ranges. It is most preferred that such lamp operating voltage be maintained to within about 15-20 percent of a nominal value, although, depending on ballast capacity, more variation can be tolerated. For high pressure sodium lamps, the lamp voltage is dependent on the lamp current and it is possible to get into a situation where one of the serially connected lamps has a higher voltage and a corresponding higher wattage than the second lamp. The higher power will commonly result in a faster rate of voltage rise with time and this can result in a runaway condition where the higher voltage lamp ends up with a very high voltage and operating wattage. The other lamp can end up with a proportionately low voltage and low wattage. Under these conditions, the high voltage lamp will very likely have a shortened life and a low efficacy. The solution is to operate lamps in series that have “constant” voltage characteristics. In other words, the lamp voltage is relatively independent of the lamp current. Metal halide and mercury lamps fit this description. In addition, a class of high pressure sodium lamps (i.e., limited dose lamps) are less sensitive to voltage variation with current and life. This class of high pressure sodium lamps would also be very suitable for use with a series operation, as in the present invention.
Within the foregoing, general constraint of lamp-operating voltage being reasonably constant, a series of lamps powered in accordance with the invention can be of mixed variety, e.g. a metal halide lamp connected to a mercury lamp. By way of example, limited-dose sodium lamps also typically have a reasonably constant operating voltage.
The principles of the present invention extend to the sequential starting of more than two lamps as described above. This is accomplished for the ballast/ignitor circuit of
FIG. 1
by repeating the pulse autotransformer
60
and coupling capacitor
50
for each additional lamp. Similarly, the ballast/ignitor circuit of
FIG. 5
can extend to sequential starting of more than two lamps by repeating the pulse transformer
72
and capacitance
75
for each additional lamp. In such cases, a third lamp would start after the second lamp enters a glow mode and drops substantially in impedance to allow sufficient current to start the third lamp.
While the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments by way of illustration, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true scope and spirit of the invention.
Claims
- 1. A ballast circuit for serially connected high intensity discharge lamps comprising:an electromagnetic ballast arrangement receptive of an input power signal, providing an output ballast voltage for driving the lamps, and providing an open circuit ballast voltage when the lamps are disconnected from the arrangement; and an ignitor circuit connected to the ballast arrangement and to each lamp for starting all of the lamps and for producing at least one ignitor pulse of high voltage and high frequency compared to the open circuit ballast voltage to start each lamp, the ignitor circuit comprising: a voltage-breakover device; a first capacitor with a first lead coupled to a first lead of the voltage-breakover device; a resistor with a first lead coupled to the first lead of the voltage-breakover device and the first lead of the first capacitor; a pulse autotransformer associated with each subsequent serially connected high intensity discharge lamp after a first lamp of the plurality of serially connected lamps, the autotransformer having a winding connected between two serially connected lamps and a tap; and a second capacitor with first and second leads, wherein the first lead is coupled to a second lead of the resistor and the second lead is coupled to the tap of the pulse autotransformer.
- 2. The ballast circuit of claim 1, wherein each of the serially connected high intensity discharge lamps comprises one of a group of metal halide lamps, ceramic metal halide lamps, high pressure sodium lamps, and mercury lamps.
- 3. A ballast circuit for serially connected high intensity discharge lamps comprising:an electromagnetic ballast arrangement receptive of an input power signal, providing an output ballast voltage for driving the lamps, and providing an open circuit ballast voltage when the lamps are disconnected from the arrangement; and an ignitor circuit connected between the ballast arrangement and each lamp for starting all of the lamps and for producing at least one ignitor pulse of high voltage and high frequency compared to the open circuit ballast voltage to start each lamp, the ignitor circuit comprising: a voltage-breakover device; a first capacitor; a resistor with a first lead coupled to a first lead of the first capacitor; a pulse transformer associated with each subsequent serially connected high intensity discharge lamp after a first lamp of the serially connected lamps, the pulse transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein the secondary winding is connected between two serially connected lamps and the primary winding is connected between the voltage-breakover device and the coupled first capacitor and resistor; and a second capacitor with a first lead coupled to a second lead of the resistor and a second lead coupled to a first lead of the secondary winding, said first lead of the secondary winding also being coupled to a preceding serially connected lamp.
- 4. The ballast circuit of claim 3, wherein the serially connected high intensity discharge lamps comprise one of metal halide lamps, ceramic metal halide lamps, high pressure sodium lamps, and mercury lamps.
- 5. An ignitor circuit for starting each of serially connected high intensity discharge lamps comprising:a voltage-breakover device; a first capacitor with a first lead coupled to a first lead of the voltage-breakover device; a resistor with a first lead coupled to the first lead of the voltage-breakover device and the first lead of the first capacitor; a pulse autotransformer associated with each subsequent serially connected high intensity discharge lamp after a first lamp of serially connected lamps, the autotransformer having a winding connected between two serially connected lamps and a tap; and a second capacitor with first and second leads, wherein the first lead is coupled to a second lead of the resistor and the second lead is coupled to the tap of the pulse autotransformer.
- 6. The ignitor circuit of claim 5, wherein each of the serially connected high intensity discharge lamps comprise one of metal halide lamps, ceramic metal halide lamps, high pressure sodium lamps, and mercury lamps.
- 7. An ignitor circuit for starting serially connected high intensity discharge lamps comprising:a voltage-breakover device; a first capacitor; a resistor with a first lead coupled to a first lead of the first capacitor; a pulse transformer associated with each subsequent serially connected high intensity discharge lamp after a first lamp of the plurality of serially connected lamps, the pulse transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein the secondary winding is connected between two serially connected lamps and the primary winding is connected between the voltage-breakover device and the coupled first capacitor and resistor; and a second capacitor with a first lead coupled to a second lead of the resistor and a second lead coupled to a first lead of the secondary winding, said first lead of the secondary winding also being coupled to a preceding serially connected lamp.
- 8. The ignitor circuit of claim 7, wherein the serially connected high intensity discharge lamps comprise one of metal halide lamps, ceramic metal halide lamps, high pressure sodium lamps, and mercury lamps.
US Referenced Citations (9)