Abstract: A circuit arrangement for increasing the safety of an electronic operating device comprising: mains input terminals (3), a mains input filter (1) with X capacitors (XC1, XC2), which are connected in parallel with the mains input terminals, a rectifier part (2) with a full-wave rectifier (D1-D4) and a smoothing capacitor (C1), which is connected between the output terminals of the full-wave rectifier (D1-D4), and a DC-DC voltage converter (4), which is connected to the output terminals of the rectifier part. When the mains voltage is disconnected from the terminals, a load is switched on for a defined time span, the load and the time span being matched in such a way that the load consumes the residual energy which is stored in the capacitors (XC1, XC2, C1), and thus lowers the voltage across the mains input terminals (3) to a value which is unhazardous for humans within a very short period of time.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for operating a discharge lamp including an inverter, which at its output provides a signal with a preselectable frequency; at least one lamp inductance between the output of the inverter and the discharge lamp; at least one capacitor and, coupled to the lamp inductance, an actuating device for actuating the inverter with the signal; a control device for controlling a control parameter which is dependent on the lamp current, wherein the control device has a first time constant; wherein the discharge lamp has a second smaller time constant; the circuit arrangement has at least one area with a first and a second stable operating point and between these an unstable region of operation, and the actuating device varies the preselectable frequency during the operation of the discharge lamp in such a way that the circuit arrangement is operated in the unstable region of operation.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for increasing the safety of an electronic operating device comprising: mains input terminals (3), a mains input filter (1) with X capacitors (XC1, XC2), which are connected in parallel with the mains input terminals, a rectifier part (2) with a full-wave rectifier (D1-D4) and a smoothing capacitor (C1), which is connected between the output terminals of the full-wave rectifier (D1-D4), and a DC-DC voltage converter (4), which is connected to the output terminals of the rectifier part. When the mains voltage is disconnected from the terminals, a load is switched on for a defined time span, the load and the time span being matched in such a way that the load consumes the residual energy which is stored in the capacitors (XC1, XC2, C1), and thus lowers the voltage across the mains input terminals (3) to a value which is unhazardous for humans within a very short period of time.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for operating a discharge lamp including an inverter, which at its output provides a signal with a preselectable frequency; at least one lamp inductance between the output of the inverter and the discharge lamp; at least one capacitor and, coupled to the lamp inductance, an actuating device for actuating the inverter with the signal; a control device for controlling a control parameter which is dependent on the lamp current, wherein the control device has a first time constant; wherein the discharge lamp has a second smaller time constant; the circuit arrangement has at least one area with a first and a second stable operating point and between these an unstable region of operation, and the actuating device varies the preselectable frequency during the operation of the discharge lamp in such a way that the circuit arrangement is operated in the unstable region of operation.