Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Edward Blocker
  • Patent number: 5187414
    Abstract: An electronic controller for fluorescent lamps includes a DC to AC converter which supplies high frequency current to the lamps and a preconditioner stage which includes a switched mode power supply connected to accept line power and produce a DC input for the DC to AC converter. The switched mode power supply and the DC to AC converter are synchronized to operate in a fixed phase relationship and/or at the same frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: North American Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Mark W. Fellows, John M. Wong, Edmond Toy, Robert A. Erhardt, James A. Thomsen
  • Patent number: 5182537
    Abstract: The transformer comprises an annular core (1) of a soft-magnetic material on which there are provided a first winding and a second winding. The second winding comprises n turns more than the first winding. The first winding consisted of a first conductor (3) and a second conductor (5), the second winding consisting of a third conductor (7). The three conductors (3, 5, 7) are twisted over a part of their length so as to form a cable (9) wherefrom a common winding is formed which includes at least a part of the second winding and substantially the entire first winding. Near one end of the common winding there are provided n additional turns of the first conductor (3) and near its other end there are provided n additional turns of the second conductor (5). The corresponding end portions of the first and second conductors (3, 5) are electrically interconnected in order to form terminals (13, 19) of the first winding, and the end portions of the third conductor (7) form terminals (11, 15) of the second winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Robbert C. Thuis
  • Patent number: 5182503
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement suitable for operating a low pressure mercury discharge lamp by means of a high-frequency pulsatory current comprising circuitry for generating a high-frequency pulsatory current from a supply voltage with a modulator for modulating the high-frequency pulsatory current into a substantially square-wave shape voltage with a current amplitude A, with a modulation frequency f and a duty cycle DC together with circuitry for adjusting the duty cycle DC and circuitry for adjusting the amplitude A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Jan W. Denneman, Leonardus U. E. Konings
  • Patent number: 5175469
    Abstract: An arrangement for use with gaseous discharge lamp circuits having a power factor capacitor in which the capacitor can be disconnected from the circuit when the lamp is not drawing current and in which an emergency lamp can be connected across a voltage source when the discharge lamp is not drawing current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: North American Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph S. Droho
  • Patent number: 5172033
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for operating a discharge lamp includes a DC-AC converter provided with a branch A having at least one switching element alternately conductive and non-conductive for generating a current of alternating polarity at a frequency f. A load branch B is coupled to the branch A and is provided with lamp connection terminals and with inductive means. A drive circuit E renders the switching element conducting and non-conducting at a frequency f. The drive circuit is provided with a branch D which includes a series circuit of further inductive means and capacitive means, and with a branch C including a variable impedance. The drive circuit is coupled to the inductive means in the load branch B, the branch D is coupled to the switching element in branch A, and the branch C is coupled to the further inductive means in branch D. Branch C also includes inductive means and the variable impedance is a variable resistor. The lamp thus can be dimmed over a wide range by a simple and inexpensive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1992
    Assignee: U. S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Egbertus H. M. Smits
  • Patent number: 5166581
    Abstract: An ignitor circuit for a gas discharge lamp includes a transformer and means for generating pulsatory voltages across a primary winding of the transformer to generate ignition pulses by means of a secondary winding of the transformer. The ignitor circuit further includes first means for measuring an amplitude of the ignition pulses, and second means for changing the pulsatory voltage across the primary winding, and thus changing the amplitude of the ignition pulses, in dependence on the measured amplitude of the ignition pulses. The ignitor circuit is capable of generating a suitable ignition pulse over a wide range of connection cable lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Hubertus M. J. Chermin, Egbert Van Zanten
  • Patent number: 5166580
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement suitable for operating a low pressure mercury discharge lamp by means of a high-frequency pulsatory current comprising circuitry for generating a high-frequency pulsatory current from a supply voltage with a modulator for modulating the high-frequency pulsatory current into a substantially square-wave shaped voltage with an amplitude A, a modulation frequency f and a duty cycle DC together with circuitry for adjusting the modulation frequency f and circuitry for adjusting the duty cycle DC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Jan W. Denneman, Leonardus U. E. Konings
  • Patent number: 5164638
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement suitable for operating a low pressure mercury discharge lamp by means of a high-frequency pulsatory current comprising circuitry for generating a high-frequency pulsatory current from a supply voltage with a modulator for modulating the high-frequency pulsatory current into a substantially square-wave shape voltage with a current amplitude A, a modulation frequency f and a duty cycle DC together with circuitry for adjusting the modulation frequency f and circuitry for adjusting the amplitude A and circuitry for adjusting the duty cycle DC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Jan W. Denneman, Leonardus U. E. Konings
  • Patent number: 5150014
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement and a method suitable for operating a low-pressure mercury discharge lamp which includes circuitry for adjusting the average amplitude of the current provided to the lamp as well as circuitry for adjusting the modulation of the current provided to the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: U. S. Philips Corporation
    Inventor: Lukas Kastelein
  • Patent number: 5150018
    Abstract: The combination of a fluorescent lamp with a grid between its electrodes and control equipment for operating the lamp in an on condition and an off condition by the application of pulses to the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: North American Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Gert W. Bruning, Leo F. Casey, Paul R. Veldman, Klaus Vegter