Abstract: The invention relates to a silent discharge lamp in which support elements for supporting a top plate opposite a base plate are designed as a unipartite component of the top plate and have a tapering contour.

Abstract: The invention relates to the capacitive modulation of the field distribution in a silent discharge lamp 1, by means of a structured, electrically conductive device 2 for definition of preferred locations for discharge structures in the lamp 1.

Abstract: The invention improves an operating method, already described in the prior application 198 39 329.6, for a silent discharge lamp L, in which, using the forward transformer principle, a voltage pulse effecting a forward ignition is impressed from a primary circuit P via a transformer T into a secondary circuit S containing the silent discharge lamp L, and the secondary circuit S thereafter executes a half wave which, as a consequence of the polarization, leads to a back ignition in the discharge lamp L. The improvement consists essentially in that an inductance of the transformer T which governs a transformer current is temporally varied.

Abstract: A flat lighting device (8; 32) having an aperture fluorescent lamp (33), an optical system (10; 34) and an optical conductor plate (11; 35) is provided. The optical system (10: 34) specifically influences the light distribution of the light to be coupled into the optical conductor plate in such a way that seen in a cross-sectional plane of the tubular discharge vessel of the lamp, the light distribution has at least one maximum at an angular spacing &bgr;, measured from the optical axis (A), the angular spacing &bgr; fulfilling the following relationship: &LeftBracketingBar; β &RightBracketingBar; ≥ arctan ⁢   ⁢ ( d L ) L being the longitudinal extent of the optical conductor plate in the direction of the optical axis (A) and d being its thickness.

Abstract: This application relates to a discharge lamp for producing dielectric impediments which has a new electrode configuration with a meandering shape. In this case, either the anode(s) or both the anode(s) and the cathode(s) are of meandering shape.

Abstract: An elongated gas-discharge lamp having a controllable illuminated length may be formed with a dielectric barrier discharge, in which the position of a discharge voltage is dependent, for example, on a discharge gap 6′ which varies over the length of the lamp 1′. The varying discharge gap allows, for example, bar displays or quantitative brake warning lights to be provided.

Abstract: A lighting device equipped with an aperture lamp (1) includes two optical means (8, 9) disposed in series, wherein at least the first means (8) viewed in a sectional plane perpendicular to the lamp's longitudinal axis, is curved. The first means (8) bundles the broad light-ray distribution emitted by each area element in the region of the aperture toward the normal to the respective area element. The second means (9) deflects at least some of the light bundles arriving from the first means by a deflection angle, the deflection angles of at least some of the light bundles having different values. In this way the light emitted by the curved aperture surface can be directed in a specific manner, such as “parallelized”.

Abstract: A method for coating lamp tubes in which a local drying zone tracks a liquid level of the coating material at a constant time interval. The local drying zone may be a heater or air outlet that moves in coordination with the liquid level.

Abstract: A flat lighting device (1) has an optical conductor plate (2) and at least two electric light sources (3, 4) which are suitable for coupling light into an optical conductor plate (2) during operation. A first light source (3) is arranged adjacent to the optical conductor plate (2), and a second light source (4) is arranged downstream of the first light source (3) with reference to the optical conductor plate (2) in such a way that at least a portion of the light emitted by the second light source (4) during operation can pass through the first light source (3) into the optical conductor plate (2). In dimmed operation, the first light source (3), which is closest to the optical conductor plate (2), is switched off and reduces the light flux to be coupled into the optical conductor plate (2) from the second light source (4). Extreme dimming is also possible in this way without there being a change in the electric and/or lighting properties of the light source.

Abstract: Flat radiator with dielectrically impeded discharge with an areally inhomogeneous electrode geometry for local modulation of the surface luminance, primarily for application in the field of indicating devices, for instance in motorized means of transport.

Abstract: A description is given of a method for dimming discharge lamps with dielectrically impeded discharges. A continuous or discontinuous power control can be effected by influencing an electric parameter of a pulsed active-power supply and by means of a suitable electrode structure.

Abstract: A description is given of an operating method for a discharge lamp with dielectrically impeded discharges and also a corresponding ballast and illumination system. The invention is directed at withdrawing the external lamp voltage across the discharge lamp in order to produce a back ignition in the lamp by virtue of an internal counterpolarization. The back ignition improves the efficiency of the lamp operation and makes it possible to construct a very small, lightweight ballast.

Abstract: What is described is a flat signal lamp with dielectrically impaired discharge, which is intended in particular for use in traffic signals, above all traffic lights.

Abstract: A discharge lamp (1) including a tubular discharge vessel (2), filled with inert gas and, optionally, a fluorescent layer, having at least three elongated electrodes (3, 4, 5) arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular discharge vessel (2). The electrodes are arranged in such a manner that the relationship s a ≥ 0.1 is satisfied, wherein s is the maximum spacing between an imaginary connecting line of an electrode pair and the most closely neighboring point on the wall of the tubular discharge vessel, and a is the mutual spacing between the electrodes of such electrode pair. A higher luminous density is achieved in this way. The lamp is particularly advantageous for a pulsed, dielectrically impeded discharge.

Abstract: A discharge lamp (1) having an electrically conducting screen (12, 13) which at least partially surrounds the discharge vessel (2). The electrodes (3-5) are separated from the interior of the discharge vessel (2) by a dielectric barrier (6-8). Moreover, this screen (12, 13) is electrically separated from the electrodes (3-5) by a dielectric (2). In order largely to prevent the electric power fed to the lamp electrodes (3-5) during operation from being capacitatively coupled to the electrically conducting screen (12, 13), the thickness dB and the dielectric constant ∈D of the dielectric (2), as well as the thickness dB and the dielectric constant ∈D of the barrier (6-8), which separates the electrodes (3-5) from the gas filling, are specifically mutually coordinated such that the following relationship is fulfilled: d D ϵ D ≥ 1.

Abstract: A flat radiator having dielectrically impeded, strip-like cathodes (12;15) and anodes (8;9a) which are arranged alternately next to one another on the wall of the discharge vessel (14) has in each case an additional anode (9b) between neighbouring cathodes (12;12,15), that is to say an anode pair (9) is arranged in each case between the cathodes (12;12,15). The cathodes (15) have nose-like extensions (28) which face the respectively neighbouring anodes (8) and are arranged more densely in a spatially increasing fashion in the direction of the edges (26,27) of the flat radiator (13). As an alternative or in addition thereto, the two anode strips (9a,9b) of each anode pair (9) are widened in the direction of the edges (26,27) of the flat radiator (13) at one end in the direction of the respective partner strip (9b or 9b). Owing to these measures, the surface luminous density of the flat radiator (13) is largely constant towards the edges (26,27,29,30) in pulsed operation.

Abstract: A description is given of a fluorescent lamp having spacers 6 for supporting a wall 2 of the discharge vessel, the fluorescent layer 3 having (8) a reduced thickness in a surrounding region of the spacer 6.

Abstract: A gas discharge lamp having a discharge vessel (202) which is at least partially transparent and filled with a gas filling, a number of essentially strip-shaped anodes (205, 206) and cathodes (203, 204) which extend on the walls of the discharge vessel and essentially parallel to each other, and a dielectric layer (215) between at least the anodes and the gas filling for a dielectrically impeded discharge in the discharge vessel between neighboring anodes and cathodes, characterized in that at least one anode pair (205) is arranged between two cathodes (203, 204) respectively adjacent to one anode pair.

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.

Abstract: A flat radiator (4), suitable for a dielectrically impeded discharge and with a discharge vessel (5) made from an electrically non-conducting material has strip-like electrodes (6, 7) arranged on the wall of the discharge vessel (5), cathodes (6) and anodes (7a) being arranged alternately next to one another, and at least the anodes being separated from the interior of the discharge vessel (5) by a dielectric material (10). In each case one additional anode (7b) is arranged between neighbouring cathodes (6), that is to say in each case one anode pair (7a, 7b) is arranged between the neighbouring cathodes (6). The result is a uniform discharge structure accompanied by optimum utilization of the discharge vessel. FIG.