Discharge Device Load Patents (Class 315/326)
  • Patent number: 9105461
    Abstract: A flash lamp with a gas fill for suppressing self-starting includes an elongate discharge tube having two electrodes arranged in the discharge tube at opposite ends of the discharge tube. A starting electrode for applying a starting voltage is arranged outside the discharge tube, and the discharge tube has a length of at least 1000 mm and is filled with a gas fill. In order to suppress undesired self-starting, the discharge tube is filled with a gas mixture which contains at least one inert gas and at least one gas suppressing self-starting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: VON ARDENNE GmbH
    Inventor: Harald Gross
  • Patent number: 9030133
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a method for operating high-pressure discharge lamps, in which high-pressure discharge lamps are operated at the same time in a different thermodynamic state, so that one high-pressure discharge lamp having an emission line emits at a spectral position and at the same time a different high-pressure discharge lamp having an absorption line emits light at the same spectral position, wherein at least some of the light emitted by each high-pressure discharge lamp is converged in a local area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Osram GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich Hartwig
  • Publication number: 20150115844
    Abstract: Provided is a short arc discharge lamp that includes: a body including therein a reflection surface and having a front opening; a cathode and an anode opposed to each other in discharge space defined by the reflection surface surrounding the discharge space; a window member provided in front of the body and covering the front opening; and a window supporting member including an inner ring section, an outer ring section, and a coupling section. The inner ring section is configured to allow a circumferential side surface of the window member to be fixed thereto, the outer ring section is larger in diameter than the inner ring section, and the coupling section connects the inner ring section and the outer ring section together. The inner ring section includes, in front of the window member, a front edge section having a shape bent in a radial direction of the window member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Masataka Mamizuka, Atsushi Kato
  • Patent number: 8994288
    Abstract: A pulse-excited mercury-free lamp system, and method of sustaining the emission of light emission from such a lamp, is provided. The system includes a light-transmissive envelope having an inner surface and a phosphor layer coated thereon. A discharge-sustaining gaseous mixture of a noble gas, at a low pressure, and a metal halide, is retained inside the light-transmissive envelope. An electrical system provides a plurality of pulses to the discharge-sustaining gaseous mixture, resulting in a discharge, which causes the lamp system to emit light. The emission of light is maintained by turning the discharge on during a pulse width of each pulse in the plurality of pulses and by turning the discharge off during a remainder of each period in the plurality of pulses. Particularly in systems where the metal halide is indium-based, this maintains an efficient emission of light without the use of mercury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventor: Philip E. Moskowitz
  • Publication number: 20140346976
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a plurality of nanostructures comprising the steps of providing a plurality of protruding base structures (104) arranged on a surface of a first substrate (102), providing a seed layer mixture, comprising a solvent/dispersant and a seed material, in contact with the protruding base structures, providing a second substrate arranged in parallel with the first substrate adjacent to the protruding base structures, thereby enclosing a majority of the seed layer mixture between the first and second substrates, evaporating the solvent, thereby forming a seed layer (110) comprising the seed material on the protruding base structures, removing the second substrate, providing a growth mixture, comprising a growth agent, in contact with the seed layer, and controlling the temperature of the growth mixture so that nanostructures (114) are formed on the seed layer via chemical reaction in presence of the growth agent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Qiu-Hong Hu, Shang-Ray Yang, Kjell Bohlin
  • Patent number: 8878459
    Abstract: A method for identifying a rated power of a HID lamp includes the steps of: outputting a first driving signal and a second driving signal to drive the HID lamp in order, and calculating a first electric characteristic variation of the HID lamp; and identifying the rated power of the HID lamp according to the first electric characteristic variation and a first default value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Wen-Tien Tsai, Ching-Ran Lee
  • Patent number: 8866400
    Abstract: A plasma supply device generates an output power greater than 500 W at an essentially constant basic frequency greater than 3 MHz and powers a plasma process to which is supplied the generated output power, and from which reflected power is returned to the plasma supply device. The plasma supply device includes at least one inverter connected to a DC power supply, which inverter has at least one switching element, and an output network, wherein the at least one output network includes at least one inductance that has at least one magnetic field strengthening element that is a Perminvar ferrite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: TRUMPF Huettinger GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Kirchmeier, Michael Glueck
  • Patent number: 8860331
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved light-emitting device for an AC power operation. An AC light-emitting device according to the present invention employs a variety of means by which light emission time is prolonged during a ½ cycle in response to a phase change of an AC power source and a flicker effect can be reduced. For example, the means may be switching blocks respectively connected to nodes between the light emitting cells, switching blocks connected to a plurality of arrays, or a delay phosphor. Further, there is provided an AC light-emitting device, wherein a plurality of arrays having the different numbers of light emitting cells are employed to increase light emission time and to reduce a flicker effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Seoul Viosys Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung Hoon Lee, James S. Speck, Hong San Kim, Jae Jo Kim, Sung Han Kim, Jae Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 8853961
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, a discharge lamp lighting device includes a discharge lamp driving section that drives a discharge lamp and a control unit that controls the discharge lamp driving section. The control unit alternately performs a first-interval DC driving process and a first-interval AC driving process in a first interval, alternately performs a second-interval DC driving process and a second-interval AC driving process in a second interval other than the first interval, and changes a length of at least one of a period during which the first-interval DC driving process is performed and a period during which the second-interval DC driving process is performed so as to be shortened in a stepped manner within a predetermined sub-interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuo Terashima
  • Patent number: 8847493
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an electrical module and a method for illuminating a HID lamp on a vehicle, and in particular an off-road recreational vehicle. The electrical module and the method involve a capacitor and a voltage delay mechanism. The capacitor may be charged during the operation of the vehicle or when the operator wishes to illuminate the HID lamp. The voltage delay mechanism comprises a charge-actuated switch and a breakdown voltage means for preventing the supply of current to the HID lamp until the capacitor is charged to a voltage sufficient to illuminate the HID lamp. The voltage delay mechanism also comprises a power-actuated latch relay for maintaining the charge-actuated switch in a position that bypasses the breakdown voltage device, so that the HID lamp remains illuminated even after the voltage has decreased to the operating requirements of the HID lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Inventor: Michael Dentinger
  • Publication number: 20140284325
    Abstract: Solid state flow control devices, solid state heating sources, and plasma actuators are provided. A plasma actuator can include at least one powered electrode separated from at least one grounded electrode by a dielectric material. The dielectric material can be a ferroelectric material or a silica aerogel. Solid state flow control devices and solid state heating sources can include at least one such plasma actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Subarata Roy, Ryan Durscher
  • Patent number: 8816609
    Abstract: A method and circuit for improving the crest factor of the gas discharge lamp. The method includes: the signal of the gas discharge lamp can be sampled to get a status signal; whether the present stage of the gas discharge lamp is at warm up stage or constant power stage can be judged based on the result of comparison between the status signal and a preset value; preset parameters can be selected based on the stage of the gas discharge lamp, the first parameter can be selected when the gas discharge lamp is at a warm up stage, and the second parameter can be selected when the gas discharge lamp is at a constant power stage; a control signal can be outputted during the lamp current commutation based on the selected first or second parameter to improve the crest factor of the gas discharge lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Delta Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Qi Zhang, Weiqiang Zhang, Jianping Ying
  • Patent number: 8810150
    Abstract: A lamp drive device L is provided that can both light a lamp and sustain a discharge by applying a trigger voltage while a direct current voltage is supplied from a power supply circuit to the electrodes of lamp before the start of discharge. The device includes a reference amount-of-change storage unit for storing a threshold value T for the amount of change in the electrode voltage before and after start of discharge, a difference calculation unit for calculating the difference (A?B) between the voltage monitor value B after the start of discharge and the voltage monitor value A before the start of discharge, and a lighting status determination unit for determining the lighting status by comparing the difference (A?B) and the threshold value T and making the determination based on the change in voltage before and after the discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiro Kimura, Hideki Soya, Daijiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8749178
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode system, in particular of a gas discharge device for generating EUV radiation and/or soft X-rays. The electrode system comprises at least two electrodes (1, 2) formed of an electrode material which contains Mo or W or an alloy of Mo or W as a main component. The electrode material has a fine grained structure with fine grains having a mean size of <500 nm. With the proposed electrode system, a high thermo-mechanical and thermo-chemical resistance of the electrodes is achieved. The electrode system can therefore be used in known EUV light sources using liquid Sn and being operated at high temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Christof Metzmacher, Jeroen Jonkers, Rolf Theo Anton Apetz
  • Patent number: 8680777
    Abstract: A power system for a dielectric barrier discharge system, such as used for generating ozone, can include a full bridge inverter stage and parallel resonant tank outputting a signal for powering a dielectric barrier discharge cell stack. The inverter stage is controlled using a combination of pulse width modulation (PWM) and frequency modulation (FM) to enable soft switching through all load conditions—from full load to light load. A current control loop error amplifier compensator can provide a duty cycle adjustment signal to a phase shift PWM controller chip that generates the switching signals for the inverter stage. A feedback signal is also used to adjust a clock frequency time constant of the PWM controller chip to provide the FM. In one embodiment, the feedback signal is an output of an inverting amplifier connected at an output of the current control loop error amplifier compensator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Ken Tran, Xing Chen, Russell L. Newman, Franklin Lee
  • Publication number: 20140077727
    Abstract: A plurality of field emitting conductors placed in various matrix, mesh, grid, lattice patterns, and on board pluralities of autonomous vehicular like on wire or unteathered free ranging micro-robots wherein the field emitters are charged and modulated with a plurality of timing algorithms and electric circuitry which produce a three dimensional electric field shape or a plurality of shapes or plurality of duplicate electric field shapes which are animated or moved through space in a sequence, in unison or in wavelike patterns or evolved to different shapes or quickly changed to a new shape. The field emitter voltage can be raised or lowered to depict, render or facilitate motion in a direction or its opposite charge direction. An alternating current can produce a shape that modulates to a zero voltage cross point for example and then outward or inside out (expansion and contraction with inversion and inverse expansion and contraction).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventor: Robert Dennis Kennedy
  • Patent number: 8664858
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light fixture comprising an electrodeless plasma source, said electrodeless plasma source comprises a resonator and a light bulb, said light bulb is operating inside a cavity of a TIR where the TIR lens comprises a metal grid covering at least a part of said TIR lens, the metal grid grounding electromagnetic radiation generated by said electrodeless plasma source. In another embodiment, the light fixture comprises blowing means sending an air stream into the cavity. A further embodiment also comprises at least one LED, which ELPS bulb and the LED are controlled by a control system, which control system performs dimmer control of at least the ELPS and the LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Martin Professional A/S
    Inventor: Dennis Thykjaer Jørgensen
  • Patent number: 8664894
    Abstract: A method is described for driving a fluorescent lamp (L) with variable light output within a dimming range between a low dimming level and a high dimming level. The lamp power and the lamp current are monitored. At high dimming level the lamp control is based on current control; at low dimming level, the lamp control is based on power control; at intermediary levels the lamp control is based on both current and power control. A first measuring signal (Ilamp) indicating lamp current and a second measuring signal (Plamp) indicating lamp power are obtained. An error signal (Serr) is calculated as a function of the said two measuring signals and as a function of dim level. With increasing dim level, the contribution of the first measuring signal (Ilamp) to the error signal (Serr) increases while the contribution of the second measuring signal (Plamp) to the error signal (Serr) decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventor: Hendrik Jan Zwerver
  • Patent number: 8659231
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide an electronic ballast for operation of at least one discharge lamp, with the electronic ballast having an apparatus for power factor correction with a voltage converter. The voltage converter itself includes an inductance, a diode and a switch. A control apparatus, which produces a square-wave signal as a control signal to the switch of the apparatus for power factor correction, includes an I regulator. This produces a first component of the on time of the control signal. In order to react to short-term power demands in the load circuit for example on ignition of the discharge lamp, an electronic ballast furthermore may include a power determining apparatus, which is coupled to the control apparatus, with the control apparatus being designed to vary the control signal as a function of the power consumed in the discharge lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Osram AG
    Inventors: Olaf Busse, Siegfried Mayer
  • Patent number: 8643279
    Abstract: Determining a high frequency operating parameter in a plasma system including a plasma power supply device coupled to a plasma load using a hybrid coupler having four ports is accomplished by: generating two high frequency source signals of identical frequency, the signals phase shifted by 90° with respect to one another; generating a high frequency output signal by combining the high frequency source signals in the hybrid coupler; transmitting the high frequency output signal to the plasma load; detecting two or more signals, each signal corresponding to a respective port of the hybrid coupler and related to an amplitude of a high frequency signal present at the respective port; and based on an evaluation of the two or more signals, determining the high frequency operating parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: HUETTINGER Elektronik GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Kirchmeier, Gerd Hintz
  • Publication number: 20130342106
    Abstract: A thermionic emission device includes an insulating substrate, a patterned carbon nanotube film structure, a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The insulating substrate includes a surface. The surface includes an edge. The patterned carbon nanotube film structure is partially arranged on the surface of the insulating substrate. The patterned carbon nanotube film structure includes two strip-shaped arms joined at one end to form a tip portion protruded from the edge of the surface of the insulating substrate and suspended. The patterned carbon nanotube film structure includes a number of carbon nanotubes parallel to the surface of the insulating substrate. The patterned carbon nanotube film structure is connected between the positive electrode and the negative electrode in series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: YANG WEI, SHOU-SHAN FAN
  • Patent number: 8581506
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, a discharge lamp driving device includes a discharge lamp lighting unit configured to supply power to a discharge lamp while alternately switching a polarity of a voltage applied across two electrodes of the discharge lamp. A controller performs a modulation control of the power in accordance with a power ratio characterized by the power supplied in a polarity switching period. The controller starts the modulation control at a predetermined time after the power supplied to the discharge lamp reaches a predetermined power value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro Yamauchi, Tetsuo Terashima
  • Publication number: 20130293110
    Abstract: A ballast. The ballast includes a lamp driver and a controller. The lamp driver is configured to power a gas discharge lamp, and the controller, which includes a non-volatile memory, is configured to control the lamp driver and to save one or more parameters related to operation of the gas discharge lamp in the non-volatile memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Scott Averitt, Paul Wickett
  • Publication number: 20130294556
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatus for extracting ions, and further for producing neutrons from the extracted ions. In an aspect, there is provided a method for extracting ions involving the following step: in a vacuum chamber applying voltages to a spark gap between two electrodes comprising coatings of a hydrocarbon, each voltage sufficient to trigger a spark discharge in the gap sufficient to dissociate the hydrocarbon and extract therefrom hydrogen ions, wherein the hydrocarbon is a nonvolatile liquid sufficiently non-viscous to flow and re-coat holes in the coatings between each spark discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: SRI International, Inc.
    Inventor: SRI International, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8547038
    Abstract: A high-pressure discharge lamp lighting device is used for projector devices that allow controlling the mean electric power at a desired value with a slow processing speed. A color wheel rotates and disperses the beam from lamp into each of the color components, such that the electric power supplied to the lamp is controlled at different levels for each segment of the color wheel and the power feeding device control part finds the mean electric power by sampling the electric power supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kosuke Saka
  • Publication number: 20130223884
    Abstract: A discharge device for generating a corona discharge aimed at an object facing the discharge device, the discharge device comprising: a plate-like main discharge electrode configured to receive an applied direct current voltage and generate the corona discharge aimed at the object; a plate-like auxiliary discharge electrode disposed in parallel with the main discharge electrode and configured to receive an applied direct current voltage which is opposite in polarity to the applied direct current voltage received by the main discharge electrode, thereby causing the corona discharge to occur between the main discharge electrode and the auxiliary discharge electrode; and a plate-like insulating member disposed between the main discharge electrode and the auxiliary discharge electrode, wherein the insulating member is disposed in such a manner that a discharge current from the main discharge electrode flows to both the object and the auxiliary discharge electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventor: Hiroaki UMEMOTO
  • Patent number: 8519643
    Abstract: A ballast for fluorescent tubes and the use thereof for producing fluorescent tube lighting fixtures using a novel gas excitation mode in which light is generated by means of controlled pulses leading to an increased power efficiency, with a data collection and transmission functionality, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Inventors: Gilles Darras, Pascal Maillach
  • Patent number: 8482227
    Abstract: A hot cathode preheating start discharge lamp comprises a lamp tube, a first electrode, a second electrode, a first heating element and a second heating element. The lamp tube has a sealed housing chamber. The first and second electrodes have respectively one end held in the housing chamber and another end connected to a power source. The first and second heating elements are spaced from the first and second electrodes without connecting therewith and have respectively another end connected to a discharge preheating controller or an electronic ballast. Thereby the invention does not need tungsten filaments or electronic powder coated on the tungsten filaments to generate a great amount of electrons like the conventional techniques do. Thus the problems of burnout and fracture of the tungsten filaments or exhaustion of electronic powder can be eliminated, and the lifespan of the lamp tube can be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Inventor: Ching-Hsiang Lu
  • Publication number: 20130169193
    Abstract: A field emission device is configured as a heat engine, and the performance of the device is optimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Tony S. Pan, Lowell L. Wood, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130155567
    Abstract: A discharge electrode includes a surface layer to which a surface treatment that enables solder bonding is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakada, Takafumi Omori, Yusuke Yamada, Kazunobu Nakata, Toshihiro Ito, Takashi Kozai, Shinya Murase
  • Patent number: 8436543
    Abstract: A plasma supply device generates an output power greater than 500 W at an essentially constant basic frequency greater than 3 MHz and powers a plasma process to which is supplied the generated output power, and from which reflected power is returned to the plasma supply device. The plasma supply device includes at least one inverter connected to a DC power supply, which inverter has at least one switching element, and an output network, wherein the at least one output network includes at least one inductance that has at least one magnetic field strengthening element that is a Perminvar ferrite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Huettinger Elektronik GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Kirchmeier, Michael Glueck
  • Patent number: 8421377
    Abstract: In one aspect, protecting high frequency (HF) amplifiers of a plasma supply device configured to deliver >500 W at a substantially constant fundamental frequency >3 MHz is accomplished by: driving two HF amplifiers with two drive signals having a common frequency and a predetermined phase shift with respect to one another; generating two HF source signals using the HF amplifiers, the HF source signals coupled in a coupler to form a HF output signal; transmitting the HF output signal to the plasma load; measuring electrical variables related to the load impedances seen by the two HF amplifiers; determining whether the load impedance seen by one of the HF amplifiers lies outside a predetermined range; and adjusting the phase shift of the two drive signals, wherein neither of the load impedances seen by the HF amplifiers lies outside the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: HUETTINGER Elektronik GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Kirchmeier, Michael Glueck
  • Patent number: 8395332
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved light-emitting device for an AC power operation. An AC light-emitting device according to the present invention employs a variety of means by which light emission time is prolonged during a ½ cycle in response to a phase change of an AC power source and a flicker effect can be reduced. For example, the means may be switching blocks respectively connected to nodes between the light emitting cells, switching blocks connected to a plurality of arrays, or a delay phosphor. Further, there is provided an AC light-emitting device, wherein a plurality of arrays having the different numbers of light emitting cells are employed to increase light emission time and to reduce a flicker effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seoul Opto Device Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung Hoon Lee, James S. Speck, Hong San Kim, Jae Jo Kim, Sung Han Kim, Jae Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 8373352
    Abstract: An electrodeless plasma lamp array structure uses multiple plasma lamps to produce large amounts of electromagnetic radiation (visible, IR, UV, or a combination of visible, IR, and UV). An M by N array configuration is powered by either a single RF power source or multiple RF power sources. The array incorporates controllers to adjust the power delivered from the RF power source to each lamp within the array. By adjusting the delivered RF power, the intensity of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted from each lamp is controlled independently allowing for the creation of an array of lamps that emit electromagnetic radiation of varying intensity levels at different places within the array. Using lamps with different color temperatures as part of the array allows the color temperature and the color rendering index of the illumination to achieve different lighting conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Topanga Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas A. Doughty, Mehran Matloubian, Frederick M. Espiau
  • Patent number: 8358078
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fluorescent lamp dimming circuit includes power factor correction control, dimming control, and switching devices. The power factor correction control may be connected to power factor correction circuitry that produces a regulated DC buss. The dimming control circuit may be connected to the input of the fluorescent lamp dimming circuit for producing a driver signal whose frequency varies depending on the input voltage waveform perhaps as modified by a dimmer. The control circuit may produce a drive signal with a duty cycle profile to drive switching devices. The switching devices invert the DC buss voltage to an AC voltage waveform for driving a resonant tank circuit. The resonant tank circuit may include an inductance, a capacitance, and the impedance of a fluorescent lamp. The AC voltage waveform when applied to the resonant tank circuit may cause the fluorescent lamp to dim based on the dimmer setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Technical Consumer Products, Inc.
    Inventor: David Natarelli
  • Patent number: 8354797
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a circuit arrangement for operating a series circuit of a first and a second low-pressure gas-discharge lamp is provided, which may include an input with a first and a second input connection for application of a supply voltage; an output with a first arrangement, which has a first and a second connection pair for connection of the first lamp, and a second arrangement, which has a first and a second connection pair for connection of the second lamp, wherein a first connection of the second pair of the first arrangement is coupled to a first connection of the first pair of the second arrangement; a resonant circuit; and a capacitive voltage divider, which has a first capacitor, which is coupled in parallel with the first arrangement, and a second capacitor, which is coupled in parallel with the second arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: OSRAM Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventor: Bernd Rudolph
  • Publication number: 20130009570
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes metal halide lamps having a discharge vessel, a discharge space, and at least one electrode extending into the discharge vessel in a sealed fashion so as to be in contact with the discharge space. A fill gas, at least one fill material, and optionally at least one volatile material are present in the discharge space. In some cases, the lamps can exhibit at least one of reduced run-up time, increased initial light output, and long life, while remaining useful for general lighting applications. Also described are methods for operating such metal halide lamps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: OSRAM SYLVANIA INC.
    Inventors: Nancy H. Chen, James A. Avallon, Edgar G. Estupiñán
  • Patent number: 8344644
    Abstract: An electronic ballast includes a ballast control circuit controlling an inverter circuit to supply a rectangular wave AC power to a high-pressure discharge lamp. The ballast control circuit includes a load voltage detection circuit adapted to detect load voltages of both positive and negative polarities applied to the lamp, a comparison and selection circuit adapted to compare the detected load voltages of the positive and negative polarities and select one of the positive and negative polarities, and a switching control circuit adapted to use the load voltage of the polarity selected by the comparison and selection circuit for controlling load current in one cycle after a period of detecting the load voltages of both the positive and negative polarities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Nobutoshi Matsuzaki
  • Patent number: 8330396
    Abstract: A starting circuit arrangement in which a gas discharge lamp is assigned a supply circuit having at least one inductor arranged in series with the gas discharge lamp, wherein the starting circuit arrangement comprises a starting transformer connected on the primary side to a starting triggering circuit and connected on the secondary side to the lamp for the transmission of a starting pulse, an input energy source for the starting triggering circuit, a first switch means in the starting triggering circuit, an electronic control device which drives the first switch means. The starting circuit arrangement has, on the supply side, an input terminal connected in the supply circuit of the lamp between the inductor and the lamp, and a means provided for reproducing the phase profile of an AC supply variable of the lamp after starting of the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Bag Electronics GmbH
    Inventors: Ferdinand Mertens, Reinhard Schauerte, Tobias Schulte
  • Patent number: 8324828
    Abstract: The frequency of the alternating current to be supplied to the high-pressure discharge lamp is switched among a first frequency, a second frequency greater than the first frequency, and a third frequency smaller than or equal to the first frequency. In the switching, a period A, in which the alternating current of the third frequency is supplied, occurs at the beginning of each of the predetermined time intervals. A remainder of each of the predetermined time intervals includes a period B, in which the alternating current of the first frequency is supplied, and a period C, in which the alternating current of the second frequency is supplied, the periods B and C being alternately repeated, so as to control the period A to be longer than the period B and to have a length corresponding to a predetermined number of cycles, ranging from 5.5 to 50 cycles inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Yamamoto, Syunsuke Ono, Minoru Ozasa, Hiroji Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8319453
    Abstract: An electronic operating device for operating at least one discharge lamp may include an output network having at least one input connection and at least one output connection, wherein the at least one input connection of the output network is coupled to one of a plurality of voltage rails, and wherein the at least one output connection of the output network is coupled to one of a plurality of poles of a supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Osram AG
    Inventor: Horst Werni
  • Patent number: 8294390
    Abstract: In a discharge lamp lighting apparatus, in a starting sequence of a discharge lamp, while a frequency control circuit generates a inverter driving signal corresponding to resonance frequency of a resonant circuit, a power supply circuit outputs non-load open circuit voltage that is sufficient to maintain electric discharge, even when a boosting action accompanying a resonance phenomena disappears, and then a periodic drive circuit generates the inverter driving signal to gradually decrease frequency of the inverter from a frequency corresponding to the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit, until the frequency of the inverter reaches a first threshold frequency, and wherein when the frequency of the inverter reaches the first threshold frequency, while the periodic drive circuit generates the inverter driving signal so that the frequency of the inverter turns into a stable lighting frequency, the power supply circuit outputs current that is sufficient to maintain the electric discharge of the discharge
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takanori Samejima, Masashi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8294383
    Abstract: A driving device for a lamp, in particular an HID lamp, the device including a first circuit to convert a network input voltage into a output direct voltage, a second circuit that receives the direct voltage as an input and converts the direct voltage into an alternating signal for supplying the lamp. The first circuit includes a transformer provided with a secondary winding elements a center tap. The driving device further includes at least two capacitive elements connected to the center tap of the secondary winding of the transformer and coupled with the ends of the secondary winding and with the input of the second circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Rosario Scollo, Giuseppe Catalisano
  • Publication number: 20120223660
    Abstract: A white light emitting device includes a structure for emitting white light having at least four wavelengths by using two or less LEDs, where the LEDs include a blue/green LED emitting blue and green wavelengths of light. The device also includes means for emitting red wavelength of light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: Samsung LED Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Pun Jae Choi, Masayoshi Koike, Sang Yeob Song
  • Publication number: 20120212157
    Abstract: A planar filament comprising two bonding pads and a non-linear filament connected between the two bonding pads. The planar filament may be wider in the center to increase filament life. The planar filament can form a double spiral-serpentine shape. The planar filament may be mounted on a substrate for easier handling and placement. Voltage can be used to create an electrical current through the filament, and can result in the emission of electrons from the filament. The planar filament can be utilized in an x-ray tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Moxtek, Inc.
    Inventors: Sterling W. Cornaby, Erik C. Bard
  • Publication number: 20120212158
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode system, in particular of a gas discharge device for generating EUV radiation and/or soft X-rays. The electrode system comprises at least two electrodes (1, 2) formed of an electrode material which contains Mo or W or an alloy of Mo or W as a main component. The electrode material has a fine grained structure with fine grains having a mean size of <500 nm. With the proposed electrode system, a high thermo-mechanical and thermo-chemical resistance of the electrodes is achieved. The electrode system can therefore be used in known EUV light sources using liquid Sn and being operated at high temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Christof Metzmacher, Jeroen Jonkers, Rolf Theo Anton Apetz
  • Patent number: 8247980
    Abstract: There is provided an LED driving circuit. The LED driving circuit according to an aspect of the invention may include: at least one ladder circuit including: (n?1) number (here, n is a positive integer satisfying n?2) of first branches provided between first and second junction points, and connected in-line with each other by n number of first middle junction points, (n?1) number of second branches arranged in parallel with the first branches, and connected in-line with each other by n number of second middle junction points between the first and second junction points, and n number of middle branches connecting m-th first and second middle junction points to each other, wherein at least one LED device is disposed on each of the first, second, and middle branches. Here, the number of LED devices included in each of the first and second branches is greater than the number of LED devices included in each of the middle branches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung LED Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Jin Lee, Joong Kon Son, Hyung Kun Kim, Jung Ja Yang, Grigory Onushkin
  • Patent number: 8232746
    Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp lighting device in this invention comprises a converter, an inverter, an igniter, a controller, and a pulse voltage detection circuit. The converter outputs the direct current voltage. The inverter converts the direct current voltage into the lighting voltage which is alternating current voltage, and applies the lighting voltage to the high pressure discharge lamp through an output terminal. The igniter is configured to output the pulse voltage superimposed on the lighting voltage, whereby the starting voltage is applied to the high pressure discharge lamp. The controller is configured to control the igniter to allow the igniter to superimpose the pulse voltage on the lighting voltage. The pulse voltage detection circuit detects the starting voltage to output the detection signal. The starting voltage regulation circuit regulates the starting voltage to the desired voltage value of the voltage on the basis of the detection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Yufuku, Hiroyasu Eriguchi, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Jun Kumagai, Naoki Komatsu, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Satoru Nagata, Daisuke Yamahara
  • Publication number: 20120187871
    Abstract: A low-pressure discharge lamp includes a discharge vessel, a gas discharge medium including nitrogen contained in the discharge vessel at low pressure, wherein the discharge lamp is configured such that light may be generated by a high-current discharge process of the gas discharge medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: OSRAM AG
    Inventors: Ursel Fantz, Roland Friedl, Holger Hein, Achim Hilscher, Patrick Starke
  • Patent number: 8228006
    Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp lighting device comprising an inverter, an igniter, a controller, a pulse voltage detection circuit, and the starting pulse voltage regulation circuit. The inverter applies a lighting voltage to a high pressure discharge lamp. The controller applies the starting pulse voltage generated by the igniter to the high pressure discharge lamp. The pulse voltage detection circuit is configured to detect a voltage indicative of the starting pulse voltage to output a detection signal. The starting pulse voltage regulation circuit is configured to regulate the starting pulse voltage to a desired value of the starting pulse voltage on the basis of the detection signal. The pulse voltage detection circuit is configured to detect either one of the voltage developed in the specified circuit component of the igniter and the starting pulse voltage as the voltage indicative of the voltage indicative of the starting pulse voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Komatsu, Hiroyasu Eriguchi, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Jun Kumagai, Akira Yufuku, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Satoru Nagata, Daisuke Yamahara