Abstract: The invention relates to an adapter (1) having an integrated ballast and starting arrangement for annular fluorescent lamps (2) having a pin base (3) for connecting them to conventional incandescent lamp sockets. The adapter (1) has a cuboidal housing and has at each end a holder which partially encloses the pin base (3) of the fluorescent lamp (2) or the discharge vessel (12) of the fluorescent lamp (2). The first holder in this case also contains a socket for accommodating and making electrical contact with the pin base (3) and the other holder contains a sliding apparatus for locking the lamp (2).

Abstract: A method for operating at least one low-pressure discharge lamp having heatable lamp electrodes, in which, during the preheating phase of the lamp electrodes, the type of lamp is identified. In this case, the temperature dependence of the electrical resistance of the lamp electrodes is exploited.

Abstract: Power factor correction circuit includes an input having a first and second connecting terminal, a first switching element with a control electrode coupled to a current source, a reference electrode coupled to a reference potential and a working electrode, an inductive resistor coupled between the working electrode of the first switching element and the first connecting terminal. The circuit also includes an output having a first and second output terminal, a first diode coupled between the working electrode and the first terminal of the output, a second switching element with a control electrode, a reference electrode coupled to the reference potential and a working electrode, a first capacitor coupled between the control electrode of the second switching element and the working electrode of the first switching element, and a first ohmic resistance coupled between the first connecting terminal of the output and the control electrode of the second switching element.

Abstract: A low insertion force seating grommet assembly (10a) has a hollow body (12) arrayed along a longitudinal axis (14). The body (12) has a wide end (16) and a narrow end (18) connected by an intermediate portion (20). The narrow end (18) has a cylindrical aperture (18a) and the wide end (16) has a cup-shaped aperture (16a). A flange (22) surrounds the wide end (16) and is provided with a wall-opening engaging portion (24). Longitudinally extending relief grooves (26) are formed on the internal surface (28) of the cup-shaped aperture (18a). A cable (32) is frictionally engaged in the cylindrical aperture and penetrates the cup-shaped aperture. A cover (30) closes the cup-shaped aperture. The cable enters the cover along the longitudinal axis and exits the cover at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A mounting member (50, 50?, 50?, 50??) for an arc tube/shroud combination comprises an annulus (52). The annulus (52) has at least one mounting tab (54) depending from an outer edge thereof and two spaced apart arc tube-pinch seal-engaging ribs (56, 58) spanning the diameter of the annulus for frictionally engaging the pinch seals. Holding tabs (62) depending from the annulus mount the annulus to a shroud. In a preferred embodiment the ribs (56, 58) have upstanding projections (60) that engage the pinch seals and provide the friction fit necessary for holding the pinch seals.

Abstract: A discharge lamp system and method of operating a discharge lamp system in which vertical segregation of vapor phase species is reduced. Lamp power is modulated with an arc-straightening frequency and with a frequency that excites a combination radial plus longitudinal acoustic mode of the lamp. The combination radial plus longitudinal acoustic mode may be a combination first radial mode and nth longitudinal acoustic mode and may be excited with a single power frequency or a swept power frequency range. The two frequencies may be provided at the same time, or separately where the modulation at the arc-straightening frequency is 2 to 16 times longer than a subsequent modulation at the combination radial plus longitudinal acoustic mode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a compact low-pressure discharge lamp (1) comprising a discharge vessel (3) with electrodes and power supply leads (7), a discharge vessel mount on which the discharge vessel is mounted, and a cap (10), which comprises a housing (11), connecting contacts (12) and a mounting plate (13) with a ballast apparatus (15), with the mounting plate being fitted with the ballast arrangement in the interior of the cap housing, and having connections for electrical connection of the mounting plate to the power supply leads and to the connecting contacts. The discharge vessel mount in this case comprises a plate (5) which is mounted in a further mount, with the further mount in turn being mounted on the housing of the cap. The further mount may be in the form of an enveloping bulb (2) or a reflector for the discharge vessel, or in the form of a closure cap (20) for the cap housing.

Abstract: Method for introducing a limited amount of mercury into a fluorescent lamp during manufacture thereof includes the steps of forming the lamp with an exhaust tubulation therein open at an end thereof, exhausting the interior of the lamp through the exhaust tubulation, placing a body of metal material not reactive with mercury in the exhaust tubulation open end, the body having a coating of metal which amalgams with mercury, over a selected surface area of the body, and having mercury on the coated area of the body, such that a limited amount of the mercury is retained by the metal coating, and sealing the open end of the exhaust tubulation, whereby the amount of mercury retained on the body and introduced into the lamp is limited by the surface area of the metal coating on the body.

Abstract: A ballast resonant inverter with a self-oscillating driver IC powers and dims a gas discharge lamp. A feedback circuit automatically adjusts IC oscillator frequency for safe and stable inverter operation above the resonant frequency following changes in the resonant load. The feedback signal is derived from resonant inverter output voltage, by attenuating, programmed phase shifting and injecting the resulting signal in a timing circuit of the IC. The feedback circuit includes an active inverter circuit or passive RC phase boosting networks coupled in series. Phase control of the feedback signal by variable RC networks is used in transient modes of ballast-lamp operations.

Abstract: Method for introducing a limited amount of mercury into a fluorescent lamp during manufacture thereof includes the steps of forming the lamp with an exhaust tubulation therein open at an end thereof and provided with a ball retention structure, exhausting the interior of the lamp through the tubulation open end, placing a rigid ball of inert material in the tubulation between the ball retention structure and the tubulation open end, the ball having a coating of a selected one of silver, gold, and indium, of a selected mass over a selected surface area of the ball, and mercury on the coated area, and sealing the open end of the tubulation, whereby the amount of mercury retained on the ball and thereby introduced into the lamp is limited by the selected mass of the coating on the ball.

Abstract: An overpack carton for packing a primary shipping case includes a packing strap having interconnected side panels and a latching panel, one or more cushion strips secured to the side panels, and latching elements for latching the packing strap around at least a portion of the primary shipping case. A method for packing a primary shipping case includes steps of providing a cushioned packing strap having latching elements, wrapping the packing strap around at least a portion of the primary shipping case and interengaging the latching elements.

Abstract: A self-ballasted fluorescent lamp (10) that comprises a housing (12) formed to contain a ballast. The housing (12) has a top surface (14) with openings (16) leading from the exterior of the housing (12) to the interior. The openings (16) can be in the form of raised bosses having upstanding walls (16a). A restricted portion (18), which can take the form of a flange, is formed with the opening (16) and a safe end-of-life enabling device (20) is positioned in the opening (16) and in contact with the restricted portion (18). The safe end-of-life device (20) is tubular, has low thermal conductivity and in preferred forms of the invention is a glass such as quartz or a ceramic such as aluminum oxide. The ends (22) of a fluorescent lamp (24) penetrate the tubular end-of-life device (20) and extend into the interior of the housing for suitable connection to an enclosed electronic ballast. A retainer (26) is positioned opposite the restricted portion for maintaining the end-of-life device within the opening.

Abstract: An arc discharge lamp has an arc chamber with an amalgam tip attached to and communicating with the arc chamber through a constricted area. An amalgam retainer is positioned in the arc chamber and is abutted against the constricted area. The amalgam retainer is vibration-insensitive, solid and liquid amalgam impervious and mercury vapor pervious. An amalgam is contained within the amalgam tip.

Abstract: A mounting assembly (10) for an electrodeless 1 amp (100). The mounting assembly (10) comprises a fixture housing (14) having an inner surface (16) and an outer surface (18). The fixture housing is preferably made from aluminum. Spaced-apart heat sinks (20, 21) are affixed to the inner surface (16) of the fixture housing (14). A reflector (22), which is preferably concave, as is the fixture housing, is positioned within the fixture housing (14). The reflector (22) contains two apertures (24, 26) that are aligned with the heat sinks (20, 21). Thermal insulators (28, 29) are positioned in the apertures and surround the heat sinks, thus thermally isolating the reflector from the heat sinks. The lamp (100) is mounted in the fixture housing by attaching brackets (40, 42), which surround the ferrite transformer cores of the lamp, directly to the top surfaces of the heat sinks (20, 21).

Abstract: The invention relates to a low-pressure discharge lamp, having a tubular discharge vessel made from glass, the free ends of which are closed off in a gas tight manner, two electrode systems (3) each having a filament (7), two supply conductors (5, 6) and a bead (8) of glass, the ends of the supply conductors (5, 6) being fused into the ends of the discharge vessel which have been closed off in a gas tight manner and, in order to be held in a region between the filament (7) and the discharge vessel fused seal (2), into the bead (8), and a device for switching off the lamp at the end of its service life, comprising a paste (9) which contains a metal hydride and is fitted to the bead (8). According to the invention, the bead (8) consists of a glass material which has a resistivity of greater 108 ?cm at 350° C.

Abstract: A U-shaped compact fluorescent sun-tanning lamp (10) capable of generating and transmitting desired and undesired wavelengths of ultraviolet radiation, for example, the desired wavelength is in the range of 352 nm and the undesired wavelength is in the range of 254 nm. The lamp (10) comprises two lamp tubes (12) that are transparent to the desired wavelength of the ultraviolet radiation and substantially opaque to the undesired wavelength of the ultraviolet radiation. The tubes (12) are connected at the upper portion by a bight (14) that in an unmodified state is transparent to both the desired and the undesired wavelengths of the ultraviolet radiation. A modification (16) on the bight (14) is opaque to at least the undesired wavelength of ultraviolet radiation. In a preferred embodiment the modification is a ceramic paint (18).

Abstract: A self-oscillating ballast inverter circuit for powering a gas discharge lamp. The circuit is used in a ballast inverter to compensate positive resonance frequency shift in the inverter load during lamp starting. The circuit built on low power components and incorporated in a DC to AC inverter, providing transient advance angle for inverter switching transistors (M1, M2). This angle advance is increased in proportion to incremental output inverter voltage that is above a selected threshold voltage. Therefore, the inverter operates above resonance frequency during lamp starting, avoiding transient cross conduction in transistors in the circuit. The feedback circuit limits voltage and current stresses that may destroy some ballast components over time. The circuit also generates a signal for a protection circuit that is activated if the lamp fails to start.

Abstract: An electric arc detection apparatus and method is based on AC current rectification phenomena in air plasma that causes low frequency amplitude modulation of high frequency currents and voltages in the ballast when disconnecting the lamp (Lamp) from the electronic ballast with power applied. A protection circuit shuts off the inverter of the ballast so the duration of the arc is diminished so that the arc becomes almost non-visible. The protection circuit senses the input of the ballast inverter resonant tank, which is free of transients caused by resonance, detecting arc rectification frequency which is about 25-30 times less than the inverter carrier frequency, and turns on a switching device for stopping oscillations in the inverter. When the lamp (Lamp) is reconnected to the ballast, it resets the protection circuit and the ballast inverter restarts automatically.