Patents by Inventor Akira Yufuku
Akira Yufuku has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8232746Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 28, 2009Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Akira Yufuku, Hiroyasu Eriguchi, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Jun Kumagai, Naoki Komatsu, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Satoru Nagata, Daisuke Yamahara
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Patent number: 8228006Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 28, 2009Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Naoki Komatsu, Hiroyasu Eriguchi, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Jun Kumagai, Akira Yufuku, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Satoru Nagata, Daisuke Yamahara
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Patent number: 8207690Abstract: An electronic ballast is provided for quickly restarting a high-pressure discharge lamp after shutdown. The ballast includes a power supply circuit for supplying power to the lamp from a commercial power source, a start voltage generation circuit for supplying a starting high voltage to the lamp and a control circuit for controlling the power supply circuit and the start voltage generation circuit. A lighting transition module detects a startup or shutdown of the lamp. A lighting time count module measures a lighting time of the lamp when startup is detected. A comparison module compares the lighting time and a first reference time when shutdown is detected. A delay time setting module sets a predetermined delay time of the start voltage generation circuit based on the comparison result. Operation of the ballast is halted from a startup trigger until lapse of the delay time, and then the high starting voltage is supplied to the lamp.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2009Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Takeshi Kamoi, Akira Yufuku
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Patent number: 8198824Abstract: A high-pressure discharge lamp ballast is provided for igniting and re-igniting a high-pressure discharge lamp in various states of operation. A power supply circuit is coupled to a power source and supplies AC power to the lamp. An ignition voltage generating circuit supplies a high-voltage ignition pulse for igniting the lamp. A pulse control circuit alternatively controls the ignition voltage generating circuit in a first control mode to provide the high-voltage ignition pulses for a first time period and in a second control mode to delay the high-voltage ignition pulses for a second time period. An abnormality detection circuit detects an abnormal lighting state of the lamp wherein a measured condition of the lamp corresponds to a predetermined condition. The pulse control circuit increases a ratio of the second time period relative to the first time period upon detection of an abnormal lighting state of the lamp by the abnormality detection circuit.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2009Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Akira Yufuku, Takeshi Kamoi
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Patent number: 8093837Abstract: A lamp ballast capable of lighting a discharge lamp and an incandescent lamp each at an optimum condition. The lamp ballast has a DC-DC converter, an inverter that converts an output of DC-DC converter into an AC power for applying the same to a lamp load, a starting circuit generating a high voltage pulse from the AC power to provide the same to the lamp load, and a controller that controls the DC-DC converter and the inverter to provide a variable DC voltage and the AC power of variable frequency. The controller has a starting mode of operating the inverter at a starting frequency to generate the high voltage, and a lighting mode of operating the inverter at a lighting frequency lower than the starting frequency.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2008Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Goriki, Akira Yufuku
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Patent number: 8044601Abstract: A high-voltage discharge lamp lighting device provides a starting pulse voltage sufficient to turn on a high-voltage discharge lamp having terminal wire connections of variable length. A power conversion circuit is coupled to a commercial AC power source input and rectifies the AC input into a predetermined DC voltage output. A charging capacitor is coupled to the power conversion circuit. A full bridge circuit is coupled to the power conversion circuit and the charging capacitor and provides a rectangular wave AC output signal to a transformer primary winding circuit of at least a capacitor, a single switching element and a primary winding of a transformer. A low pulse voltage is induced in the primary winding and a transformer secondary winding is connected on one end to the high-voltage discharge lamp, wherein the low pulse voltage is stepped up to a high pulse voltage and applied to the high-voltage discharge lamp.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2009Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Hiroyasu Eriguchi, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Naoki Komatu, Jun Kumagai, Satoru Nagata, Daisuke Yamahara, Akira Yufuku
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Patent number: 8040074Abstract: There is provided a discharge-lamp lighting device that, upon start-up of a high-intensity discharge lamp, alternately outputs a period A during which a starting circuit applies a high voltage to the high-intensity discharge lamp by resonance operation when a DC/AC inverter outputs a high-frequency voltage, and a period B during which the DC/AC inverter applies a low-frequency-square-wave voltage or a DC voltage to the high-intensity discharge lamp via the starting circuit. The period A for applying the high voltage by the resonance operation is set to about a time enough for a high-intensity discharge lamp in an initial aging stage to cause a dielectric breakdown, and a period C for alternately outputting the high-voltage generating period A and the period B for outputting the low-frequency-square-wave voltage or the DC voltage is set to about a time enough for a high-intensity discharge lamp in a life's last stage to cause a dielectric breakdown.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2007Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignees: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd., Ikeda Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Goriki, Akira Yufuku, Jun Konishi
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Patent number: 7994733Abstract: When the starting of the discharge lamp has been detected at least once, the control circuit increases the number of repetitions of a period while the high frequency voltage and the square wave voltage are being outputted alternately. In such a way, in the discharge lamp lighting device that alternately generates the high frequency voltage and the square wave voltage at the time of starting, sure startability is ensured.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2007Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignees: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd., Ikeda Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akira Yufuku, Takeshi Goriki, Jun Konishi
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Publication number: 20100327775Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Inventors: Naoki Komatsu, Hiroyasu Eriguchi, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Jun Kumagai, Akira Yufuku, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Satoru Nagata, Daisuke Yamahara
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Publication number: 20100327776Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Inventors: Akira Yufuku, Hiroyasu Eriguchi, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Jun Kumagai, Naoki Komatsu, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Satoru Nagata, Daisuke Yamahara
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Publication number: 20100195297Abstract: An electronic ballast provides a ballast housing including a circuit board electrically and mechanically connected to the ballast housing by an electrically conductive spacer. The circuit board includes a ground electrode surrounding a clearance hole through which an electrically conductive fastener is inserted into a fastener hole located in the spacer. An insulating filler is disposed in the ballast housing between the housing interior surface and the circuit board. A lighting fixture including an electronic ballast is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2010Publication date: August 5, 2010Inventors: Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Akira Yufuku
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Patent number: 7759878Abstract: A lighting device for lighting a high-pressure discharge lamp 2 having an outer tube, an interior of which is substantially under vacuum. The lighting device includes a ballast 3 having at least a current limiting element and a high-voltage pulse generating circuit 4 for generating a high-voltage pulse, and also includes a lighting discriminating means 8 for discriminating between lighting and non-lighting of the discharge lamp 2, a timer circuit 9 for setting a predetermined period of time, and a pulse-stop control means 10 for stopping generation of the high-voltage pulse. When the lighting discriminating means 8 discriminates non-lighting after lighting has been discriminated, generation of the high-voltage pulse is stopped within the predetermined period of time set by the timer circuit 9.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2004Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akira Yufuku, Takeshi Goriki, Noriyuki Fukumori, Nobuo Ukita
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Publication number: 20100156312Abstract: A high-pressure discharge lamp ballast is provided for igniting and re-igniting a high-pressure discharge lamp in various states of operation. A power supply circuit is coupled to a power source and supplies AC power to the lamp. An ignition voltage generating circuit supplies a high-voltage ignition pulse for igniting the lamp. A pulse control circuit alternatively controls the ignition voltage generating circuit in a first control mode to provide the high-voltage ignition pulses for a first time period and in a second control mode to delay the high-voltage ignition pulses for a second time period. An abnormality detection circuit detects an abnormal lighting state of the lamp wherein a measured condition of the lamp corresponds to a predetermined condition. The pulse control circuit increases a ratio of the second time period relative to the first time period upon detection of an abnormal lighting state of the lamp by the abnormality detection circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2009Publication date: June 24, 2010Inventors: Akira Yufuku, Takeshi Kamoi
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Publication number: 20100117547Abstract: A lamp ballast capable of lighting a discharge lamp and an incandescent lamp each at an optimum condition. The lamp ballast has a DC-DC converter, an inverter that converts an output of DC-DC converter into an AC power for applying the same to a lamp load, a starting circuit generating a high voltage pulse from the AC power to provide the same to the lamp load, and a controller that controls the DC-DC converter and the inverter to provide a variable DC voltage and the AC power of variable frequency. The controller has a starting mode of operating the inverter at a starting frequency to generate the high voltage, and a lighting mode of operating the inverter at a lighting frequency lower than the starting frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2008Publication date: May 13, 2010Inventors: Takeshi Goriki, Akira Yufuku
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Publication number: 20100109572Abstract: An electronic ballast is provided for quickly restarting a high-pressure discharge lamp after shutdown. The ballast includes a power supply circuit for supplying power to the lamp from a commercial power source, a start voltage generation circuit for supplying a starting high voltage to the lamp and a control circuit for controlling the power supply circuit and the start voltage generation circuit. A lighting transition module detects a startup or shutdown of the lamp. A lighting time count module measures a lighting time of the lamp when startup is detected. A comparison module compares the lighting time and a first reference time when shutdown is detected. A delay time setting module sets a predetermined delay time of the start voltage generation circuit based on the comparison result. Operation of the ballast is halted from a startup trigger until lapse of the delay time, and then the high starting voltage is supplied to the lamp.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2009Publication date: May 6, 2010Inventors: Takeshi Kamoi, Akira Yufuku
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Publication number: 20100013398Abstract: A high-voltage discharge lamp lighting device provides a starting pulse voltage sufficient to turn on a high-voltage discharge lamp having terminal wire connections of variable length. A power conversion circuit is coupled to a commercial AC power source input and rectifies the AC input into a predetermined DC voltage output. A charging capacitor is coupled to the power conversion circuit. A full bridge circuit is coupled to the power conversion circuit and the charging capacitor and provides a rectangular wave AC output signal to a transformer primary winding circuit of at least a capacitor, a single switching element and a primary winding of a transformer. A low pulse voltage is induced in the primary winding and a transformer secondary winding is connected on one end to the high-voltage discharge lamp, wherein the low pulse voltage is stepped up to a high pulse voltage and applied to the high-voltage discharge lamp.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2009Publication date: January 21, 2010Inventors: Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Hiroyasu Eriguchi, Takeshi Goriki, Takeshi Kamoi, Naoki Komatu, Jun Kumagai, Satoru Nagata, Daisuke Yamahara, Akira Yufuku
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Publication number: 20090236999Abstract: In a discharge lamp lighting device that, at a time of starting a discharge lamp La, alternately repeats periods HF1 and HF2 while high frequency voltages are being outputted, in which a resonant circuit performs resonant operations, and periods FB1 and FB2 while square wave voltages are being outputted, and at a time of lighting the discharge lamp La, applies a low-frequency square wave voltage to the discharge lamp La through a starting circuit 4, there are provided: a starting detection circuit 5 that detects the starting of the discharge lamp La during the periods FB1 and FB2 while the square wave voltages are being outputted; and a control circuit 3C that stops the high frequency voltage or lowers a frequency of the high frequency voltage in the case where the starting of the discharge lamp La is detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2007Publication date: September 24, 2009Applicants: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD., IKEDA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Akira Yufuku, Takeshi Goriki, Jun Konishi
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Publication number: 20090146579Abstract: There is provided a discharge-lamp lighting device that, upon start-up of a high-intensity discharge lamp, alternately outputs a period A during which a starting circuit applies a high voltage to the high-intensity discharge lamp by resonance operation when a DC/AC inverter outputs a high-frequency voltage, and a period B during which the DC/AC inverter applies a low-frequency-square-wave voltage or a DC voltage to the high-intensity discharge lamp via the starting circuit. The period A for applying the high voltage by the resonance operation is set to about a time enough for a high-intensity discharge lamp in an initial aging stage to cause a dielectric breakdown, and a period C for alternately outputting the high-voltage generating period A and the period B for outputting the low-frequency-square-wave voltage or the DC voltage is set to about a time enough for a high-intensity discharge lamp in a life's last stage to cause a dielectric breakdown.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2007Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicants: PANASONIC ELECTRIC WORKS CO., LTD., IKEDA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Takeshi Goriki, Akira Yufuku, Jun Konishi
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Publication number: 20070103100Abstract: A lighting device for lighting a high-pressure discharge lamp 2 having an outer tube, an interior of which is substantially under vacuum. The lighting device includes a ballast 3 having at least a current limiting element and a high-voltage pulse generating circuit 4 for generating a high-voltage pulse, and also includes a lighting discriminating means 8 for discriminating between lighting and non-lighting of the discharge lamp 2, a timer circuit 9 for setting a predetermined period of time, and a pulse-stop control means 10 for stopping generation of the high-voltage pulse. When the lighting discriminating means 8 discriminates non-lighting after lighting has been discriminated, generation of the high-voltage pulse is stopped within the predetermined period of time set by the timer circuit 9.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2004Publication date: May 10, 2007Inventors: Akira Yufuku, Takeshi Goriki, Noriyuki Fukumori, Nobuo Ukita