Abstract: A high-pressure discharge lamp has integrated in its base or base housing a circuit arrangement (SCH) which combines a starting device and a power reducing circuit which comprises a phase-gating control (PS). A capacitor (C2) connected in parallel with the lamp (L) provides a transfer voltage which is distinctly higher than the input voltage of the arrangement.

Abstract: A ballast for a gas discharge lamp having an inverter. A DC voltage source feeds the ballast. A bridge circuit is arranged in parallel with the DC voltage source. The bridge circuit has first and second controllable switches. The midpoint of the bridge is connected to a load circuit having the gas discharge lamp. The gas discharge lamp has first and second electrodes. A control circuit controls the pulse duty factor of the first and second switches. The pulse duty factor is not equal to 50%. The control circuit controls the pulse duty factor such that the first and second electrodes are subjected to essentially the same thermal load on average.

Abstract: An integrated control and regulating circuit (IC) controls, via a half-bridge circuit (V2, V3), a load circuit (4) having the at least one fluorescent lamp (FL) by means of a drive circuit (CCO, SEL, HSD, LSD) regulated in a high-frequency manner. In the control and regulating circuit, each time the lamp is started and/or when there is a disturbance, a timer (PST, IT, CT) is started, which thus defines a sequence predetermined periods of time (&Dgr;pt, &Dgr;it, &Dgr;st, &Dgr;ot), inter alia preheating period (&Dgr;pt) and ignition period (&Dgr;it).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for adjusting at least one operating parameter of an operating unit (EVG), equipped with a microcontroller (MC), for electric lamps. The adjusting method according to the invention includes a closed loop which carries out a successive correction of at least one drive parameter, stored in the microcontroller (MC), for the voltage transformer of the operating unit (EVG). There is no need for an adjusting resistor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for operating at least one discharge lamp, which has a half-bridge inverter (T1, T2, A) with a downstream load circuit (LD, CR) and has a half-bridge capacitor (CK) and also a monitoring apparatus for monitoring a change in the voltage drop across the half-bridge capacitor (CK) which is caused by the occurrence of a rectifying action in the at least one discharge lamp LP. According to the invention, the monitoring apparatus has a first RC element (R1, C1) and a second RC element (R2, C2), which are connected to one another by a threshold switch (DC), and means for detecting the switching state of the threshold switch (DC). The first RC element (R1, C1) is connected to the center tap of the half-bridge inverter, and the second RC element (R2, C2) is connected to the half-bridge capacitor (CK).

Abstract: A supply lead (7) for a halogen incandescent lamp is bent in a U-shaped fashion and comprises a base (15) and two limbs (16). The ends of the limbs engage in the end region (6) of the luminous element by means of hook parts (20). A section (11) at the end, on the side of the luminous element, of the associated foil is folded back and forms a fold (12) in which the base (15) is held mechanically.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for operating at least one discharge lamp, the circuit arrangement having a half-bridge inverter (Q10, Q11) with a downstream load circuit (L1, C10, LP1, C11), at least one coupling capacitor (C11) which is connected to the load circuit (L1, C10, LP1, C11) and to the half-bridge inverter (Q10, Q11), and a drive device (A1) of the half-bridge inverter (Q10, Q11). According to the invention, the circuit arrangement has a reference voltage source (R13, R14) and a detector circuit (DE1) which detector circuit compares the voltage drop across the at least one coupling capacitor (C11) or the voltage drop, divided downwards by a voltage divider, across the at least one coupling capacitor (C11) with the reference voltage of the reference voltage source (R13, R14), and generates an output signal for driving the half-bridge inverter (Q10, Q11).

Abstract: A lamp includes a sealed transparent elongated envelope containing a gas fill, a coil at each of two ends of the elongated envelope, the coils extending widthwise of the envelope, and lead-in wires connected to each of the coils and connectable to an external source of electric current. The lamp further includes a capsule containing mercury and mounted within the envelope at one of the ends of the envelope, the capsule being connected to one of the lead-in wires of one of the coils, the capsule having a base end disposed in a widthwise plane of the envelope in which is disposed the one coil and disposed adjacent to a center portion of the one coil, the capsule having a body portion extending axially in the envelope toward the other of the coils. The other coil is adapted, upon energization by the current, to emit electrons toward the capsule to heat and burst the capsule, to release the mercury into the envelope.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rectifier with midpoint feed, comprising a first and a second input terminal (A,B), which form an input of the rectifier, a first and a second output terminal (P,M), which form a first output of the rectifier, the first output terminal (P) forming the positive pole and the second output terminal (M) forming the negative pole of the first output of the rectifier, where a series circuit comprising a first and a second coupling capacitor (C1, C2) is arranged in parallel with the first output, the midpoint of the series circuit being connected to the second input terminal (B), a storage capacitor (C3) is arranged in parallel with a series circuit comprising a first and a second diode (D1, D2), the midpoint of the series circuit made up of the first and the second diode (D1, D2) being connected to the first input terminal (A), and the first diode (D1) being connected to the first coupling capacitor (C1) via a first inductor, and the second diode (D2) being connected to the second couplin

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit arrangement having a half-bridge arrangement comprising a first and a second switch (T1;T2), each switch (T1;T2) having, between its operating and reference electrodes, an internal diode (DB1;DB2), which is reverse-connected in parallel with the main current flow direction of the respective switch (T1;T2), and also an internal capacitance (COSS1;COSS2), a series diode (DS1;DS2) being arranged in series with the respective switch (T1;T2) in the main current flow direction in such a way that current can flow in the main current flow direction, and a freewheeling diode (DF1;DF2) being connected in parallel with the respective series circuit formed by the switch (T1;T2) and the series diode (DS1;DS2), and having a load circuit (L;RL), which has at least one inductive component (L) and is connected to the midpoint of the half-bridge arrangement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit for power-factor correction having a rectifier (14) which can be connected on the input side to an AC voltage source (10) and which is connected on the output side to at least one series circuit comprising a capacitor (CS1) and a diode (DS1), with the diode (DS1) being arranged such that the capacitor (CS1; CS2) cannot be charged through the diode (DS1; DS2) by the output signal from the rectifier (14), a first and a second electronic switch (T1, T2) connected in series as part of a half bridge or full bridge, each having a freewheeling diode (DF1; DF2) connected in parallel with the switch (T1; T2) and, with the [lacuna] formed by the junction point between the first and second switches (T1, T2) [lacuna] an output connection of the half bridge or full bridge is on the one hand connected via an inductance (L) to a point on the connection of the capacitor (CS1) and diode (DS1) of each series circuit comprising a capacitor (CS1) and a diode (DS1), and on th

Abstract: The invention relates to a half-bridge inverter including a first and a second input terminal (E, N), which form an input of the inverter, a first and a second output terminal (B, A), which form an output of the inverter, a series circuit having a first and a second coupling capacitor (C1, C2), which series circuit is connected in parallel with the input and forms the passive bridge path, the midpoint of the series circuit made up of the first and the second coupling capacitor (C1, C2) being connected to the first output terminal (B), a series circuit having a first and a second switch (S1, S2), which series circuit forms the active bridge path and has its midpoint connected to the second output terminal (A), where a storage capacitor (C3) is arranged in parallel with the active bridge path, and the first coupling capacitor (C1) is connected to the storage capacitor (C3) via a first inductor (L1), and the second coupling capacitor (C2) is connected to the storage capacitor (C3) via a second inductor (L2).

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for operating at least one low-pressure discharge lamp (LP1, LP2) on an inverter (Q1, Q2). The circuit arrangement has a simplified harmonic filter for limiting the harmonic content of the mains current. In the preferred exemplary embodiment, the harmonic filter is formed by the back-up capacitor (C2), the diode (D1), the trapezoidal capacitor (C7) and the resonance capacitor (C6).

Abstract: An operating method, in particular a dimming method for a discharge lamp. In order to set the maximum brightness, two outer electrodes (5,6), for example, are used to generate in the discharge lamp a dielectrically impeded discharge which, through the formation of xenon excimers, emits UV radiation which is converted into light with the aid of fluorescent materials (2). In order to permit intense dimming of the discharge lamp, two cold cathodes (3, 4) are used to generate a xenon low-pressure discharge emitting UV beams, and the dielectrically impeded discharge is switched off. Both types of discharge are preferably excited by high-voltage pulses which are generated by an operating unit (7). Dimming is preferably performed by blanking pulse trains.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electric luminaire having a luminaire housing (10, 11) and at least one low-pressure discharge lamp (12) as well as an operating device for operating the at least one low-pressure discharge lamp (12), the operating device having lamp-side (19a) and line-side electric terminals (19e, 19f) for supplying voltage to the at least one low-pressure discharge lamp (12) and to the operating device. The at least one low-pressure discharge lamp (12) is uncapped and has a plurality of supply leads (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) which project from its discharge vessel (12) and are connected in each case to one of the lamp-side electric terminals (19a) of the operating device. Furthermore, the components of the operating device are arranged together with the electric terminals (19a, 19e, 19f) of the operating device on a common mounting plate (18), and the electric terminals (19a, 19e, 19f) are constructed as insulation-piercing contacts.

Abstract: A new starting circuit ALS for a free-running oscillator circuit, in particular for a field-effect transistor half-bridge in an electronic ballast for a low-pressure gas discharge lamp EL is described. By using a starting capacitor C5, it is possible to dispense with a diac.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a compact low-pressure discharge lamp comprising a discharge vessel (14) with electrodes and supply leads (30), and a base (12) assembled from a cap (16), housing (18) and mounting plate (24) with a ballast arrangement. The mounting plate (24) with the ballast arrangement is installed in the interior of the base housing (30) and has terminals (26) for the electric connection of the supply leads (30) to the mounting plate (24). In this case, the supply leads (30) are pressed against the electric terminals (26) of the mounting plate (24) by means of a spring element (28).

Abstract: A line dimmer has a limited maximum firing angle to limit a total harmonic distortion within a powering signal. A dimming ballast generates a pulse width modulated signal based on a firing angle of the powering signal, generates a dimming command signal based on the pulse width modulated signal, and dims a lamp based on the dimming command signal. The maximum firing angle may be limited to 30 degrees, 25 degrees, or 20 degrees, for example, to limit a resulting total harmonic distortion.

Abstract: A method (100) for providing an electrical ground connection between a printed circuit board (700) and a metallic substrate (200) comprises the steps of: (i) providing an aperture (204) in the substrate (200); (ii) forming a ground plug (302) out of a metallic blank (300); (iii) inserting the ground plug (300) into the aperture in the substrate (200); (iv) compressing the ground plug (302) into the aperture (204) in the substrate (200); (v) placing the printed circuit board (700) onto the substrate (200); and (vi) applying solder into the aperture in the printed circuit board (700) and onto the ground plug (302). The steps of forming (104), inserting (106), and compressing (108) are carried out in a single punching operation (120). The method (100) efficiently provides a high quality electrical ground connection and avoids any need for sophisticated machinery.

Abstract: A method for producing pulsed-voltage sequences for the operation of discharge lamps (8) by means of a pulsed discharge which is impeded dielectrically provides for some of the required pulse peak values to be replaced by an offset DC voltage component (UDC(t)). This has, inter alia, the advantage that correspondingly less EMI is generated when the pulsed-voltage sequences (Up(t)) are produced. It is also provided for a portion of the electrical real power injected into the discharge predominantly throughout the duration of the voltage pulses to be injected on the basis of the offset DC voltage (UDC(t)). For this purpose, a circuit arrangement provides a series circuit comprising a pulse circuit (1) and a DC voltage circuit (2), in which case the pulse circuit (1) can be designed for a power level.