Abstract: A full bridge circuit including four switching elements (Q1 to Q4) is alternated with a high switching frequency and a series-connected resonance circuit (5) including an inductor (L2) and a capacitor (C2) is made to resonate at a switching frequency of the full bridge circuit multiplied by an integer (for example, frequency multiplied by three), thereby generating a high voltage pulse for start up. After a high-pressure discharge lamp (DL) is started up, the full bridge circuit is alternated with a low switching frequency so as to operate as a step-down chopper for inverting the output polarity, thereby stably supplying rectangular wave voltage of low frequency to the high-pressure discharge lamp (DL) via a filter circuit including an inductor (L1) and a capacitor (C1).

Abstract: A soldering iron is configured to heat its tip and emit inert gas near the tip. This is accomplished by providing a heater cartridge having a heater pipe with a tip portion and a base portion. The heater pipe has a first hole in the tip portion and a second hole at the base portion. The heater pipe has a passage between the first and second holes so that gas can enter through the second hole and exit through the first hole. The heater cartridge has a grip handle between the tip and base portions of the heater pipe. The soldering iron has a handle base with a cavity adapted to receive the base portion of the heater pipe and at least a portion of the grip handle. The handle base is adapted to provide power and gas to the base portion of the heater pipe. The heater pipe transfers the power and gas from the base portion to the tip portion to heat the tip and emit gas near the tip.

Abstract: A soldering iron heats the tip and emits inert gas near the tip. This is accomplished by providing a heater cartridge having a top or tip end and a base end with a soldering tip at the top end, an input opening closer to the base end and an output opening closer to the top end. The soldering iron also includes a gas injector having a gas chamber adapted to receive the heater cartridge such that the input opening of the heater cartridge is within the gas chamber so that gas is injected into the input opening. At least a portion of the top end and the output opening of the heater cartridge is enclosed with an exhaust pipe to form a gas passage between the outer surface of the heater cartridge and the exhaust pipe. As such, gas injected through the input opening passes through the opening within the heater cartridge and exits through the output opening, then passes through the gas passage and emits through an outlet defined by the space between the top end and the exhaust pipe to provide inert gas near the tip.

Abstract: A full bridge circuit including four switching elements (Q1 to Q4) is alternated with a high switching frequency and a series-connected resonance circuit (5) including an inductor (L2) and a capacitor (C2) is made to resonate at a switching frequency of the full bridge circuit multiplied by an integer (for example, frequency multiplied by three), thereby generating a high voltage pulse for start up. After a high-pressure discharge lamp (DL) is started up, the full bridge circuit is alternated with a low switching frequency so as to operate as a step-down chopper for inverting the output polarity, thereby stably supplying rectangular wave voltage of low frequency to the high-pressure discharge lamp (DL) via a filter circuit including an inductor (L1) and a capacitor (C1).

Abstract: A soldering iron is configured to heat its tip and emit inert gas near the tip. This is accomplished by providing a heater cartridge having a heater pipe with a tip portion and a base portion. The heater pipe has a first hole in the tip portion and a second hole at the base portion. The heater pipe has a passage between the first and second holes so that gas can enter through the second hole and exit through the first hole. The heater cartridge has a grip handle between the tip and base portions of the heater pipe. The soldering iron has a handle base with a cavity adapted to receive the base portion of the heater pipe and at least a portion of the grip handle. The handle base is adapted to provide power and gas to the base portion of the heater pipe. The heater pipe transfers the power and gas from the base portion to the tip portion to heat the tip and emit gas near the tip.

Abstract: An improved ballast for a discharge lamp includes a DC—DC converter which receives an input DC voltage from a voltage source to provide a pre-starting voltage to make the lamp ready for being ignited or started. The DC—DC converter has a switching element which is driven to turn on and off for generating the pre-starting voltage. A start-accelerating means in included in the ballast in order to vary at least one of the switching frequency and the on-period of the switching element based upon the monitored input DC voltage in a direction of accelerating the increase of the output DC voltage to the pre-starting voltage until the output DC voltage reaches the pre-starting voltage.

Abstract: This invention provides a soldering iron that heats the tip and emits inert gas near the tip. This is accomplished by providing a heater cartridge having a top or tip end and a base end with a soldering tip at the top end, an input opening closer to the base end and an output opening closer to the top end. The soldering iron also includes a gas injector having a gas chamber adapted to receive the heater cartridge such that the input opening of the heater cartridge is within the gas chamber so that gas is injected into the input opening. At least a portion of the top end and the output opening of the heater cartridge is enclosed with an exhaust pipe to form a gas passage between the outer surface of the heater cartridge and the exhaust pipe.

Abstract: A ballast for a discharge lamp includes a DC-DC converter which provides a regulated DC output so as to start and keep operating the lamp. A controller is included to give a closed-loop control for regulating the DC output based upon a monitored DC output. The controller also provides an open-loop control which interrupts the closed-loop control for a limited period immediately after the initiation of the lamp discharge in order to supplement a sufficient lamp current which would not expected with the closed-loop control, thereby successfully complementing the lamp start and proceeding to the stable lamp operation.

Abstract: A ballast for a discharge lamp includes a DC-DC converter which provides a regulated DC output so as to start and keep operating the lamp. A controller is included to give a closed-loop control for regulating the DC output based upon a monitored DC output. The controller also provides an open-loop control which interrupts the closed-loop control for a limited period immediately after the initiation of the lamp discharge in order to supplement a sufficient lamp current which would not expected with the closed-loop control, thereby successfully complementing the lamp start and proceeding to the stable lamp operation.

Abstract: An improved ballast for a discharge lamp includes a DC-DC converter which receives an input DC voltage from a voltage source to provide a pre-starting voltage to make the lamp ready for being ignited or started. The DC-DC converter has a switching element which is driven to turn on and off for generating the pre-starting voltage. A start-accelerating means in included in the ballast in order to vary at least one of the switching frequency and the on-period of the switching element based upon the monitored input DC voltage in a direction of accelerating the increase of the output DC voltage to the pre-starting voltage until the output DC voltage reaches the pre-starting voltage.

Abstract: A ballast includes a voltage converter providing a DC power from a DC source voltage. The converter includes a switching element and an energy storing element having an inductance. The switching element is controlled to operate for repetitively switching the DC source voltage in order to store energy into the energy storing element. A power converter is included in the ballast to receive the energy and convert it into an operating power for driving the discharge lamp. A controller provides a command value and turns on and off the switching element for variable periods, respectively in accordance with the command value for generating a necessary power to the lamp. The controller gives a variable OFF-period and a variable ON-period to the switching element. The controller gives a minimum OFF-end limit and a forced maximum OFF-end limit for terminating the OFF-period, and also gives a minimum ON-end limit and a forced maximum ON-end limit for terminating the variable ON-period.

Abstract: A ballast for a discharge lamp capable of reliably and successfully detecting the end of the lamp life and ceasing the ballast immediately upon detection of the lamp's life end. The ballast includes a power supply providing from a power source a variable power to the lamp, and a power controller controlling the power supply to apply a high voltage for igniting the lamp and subsequently apply a predetermined power for operating the lamp. A lamp life detector is included in the ballast to detect whether or not the lamp comes to a lamp's life end. Also included in the ballast is a supervisor which issues, upon detection of the lamp's life end, a disable signal prohibiting the power supply from lighting the discharge lamp.

Abstract: A method and a ballast for starting a discharge lamp capable of making a rapid start while restraining the overshoot of the light output. The ballast can separately give the initial start time period of applying a maximum power rating to the lamp and the subsequent curve along which the power decreases to a normal power rating of the lamp. A power is varied along a particular run-up curve so as to apply the maximum power rating and subsequently apply the power decreasing to the normal power rating. The run-up curve is derived from a reference curve having a power level decreasing with time. The reference curve has a maximum value above the maximum power rating, and has an inflection point near the maximum power rating to define first and second reference curves above and below the inflection point, respectively. The first reference curve has a first average slope for a first time period from a point of the maximum value to the inflection point.

Abstract: A current source circuit is contained in an output control IC and amplifies a feedback current produced by a photocoupler by 7 to 10 times. The current amplifier has an adequate current amplification factor and is composed of an IC. A capacitor connected to the oscillator is charged by a current amplified at the current amplifier and a period of the output of the oscillator is controlled by the charging current. A conductive period of the switching device connected to the oscillator through a driver is also controlled. Accordingly, the amount of energy supplied to the secondary side of the switching transformer is also controlled and a stable secondary dc output voltage is produced. A stable voltage control is obtained over a wide range of loads, from a light load to a heavy load.

Abstract: A device for protecting a power supply which is preferable for television receivers, etc. is disclosed. A diode is connected between a secondary anode of a power supply voltage feedback control photocoupler and a load of the power supply. When a voltage on the load is lowered due to an abnormality such as short-circuiting of the load, a control current for said power supply voltage feedback control photocoupler is caused to flow to the load via said diode to interrupt the control current for stopping the operation of the power supply. Overheating and/or breaking of components due to eddy current can be prevented on occurrence of an abnormality such as short-circuiting.

Abstract: A wireless transmission system includes a plurality of terminal units, a specific one of which is provided with a transmission/receiving circuit that transmits a reference signal of a local oscillation frequency, while all others of which are provided respectively with a transmission/receiving circuit that prepares, on the basis of the reference signal received, a local oscillation frequency signal for frequency conversion of transmitting/receiving frequency signal and intermediate frequency signal, to thereby realize the system at lower costs even when a high local oscillation frequency is employed.

Abstract: In a BS (direct broadcast by satellite) timer recording mode, a constant voltage diode for controlling 18 V is directly inserted in a power circuit. Alternatively, a delay circuit is inserted at the input of a switching circuit for switching the constant voltage diode, thus absorbing the switching time difference between 140-V control and 18-V control. Therefore, the secondary side output voltages can be prevented from being increased, and the output voltages can be stabilized both in the BS timer recording mode (light load powering) and in the television mode (maximum load powering).