Discharge Device And Transformer Patents (Class 315/57)
  • Patent number: 6734632
    Abstract: An electric discharge lamp device prevents a temperature rise in the circuit device when an electric discharge lamp (30) is operated without the use of a high voltage wire and a high voltage connector. The electric discharge lamp device includes a reflecting member (20) and a circuit device (40) that is directly connected with the electric discharge lamp (30) without using a high voltage wire. The distance between the reflecting member (20) and the circuit device (40) is set at a value not less than 6 mm. In operation, a beam of light emitted from the electric discharge lamp (30) is reflected forward by a concave reflecting face of the reflecting member (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hironao Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6731071
    Abstract: A lamp assembly configured to inductively receive power from a primary coil. The lamp assembly includes a lamp circuit including a secondary and a lamp connected in series. In a first aspect, the lamp circuit includes a capacitor connected in series with the lamp and the secondary to tune the circuit to resonance. The capacitor is preferably selected to have a reactance that is substantially equal to or slightly less than the reactance of the secondary and the impedance of the lamp. In a second aspect, the lamp assembly includes a sealed transparent sleeve that entirely encloses the lamp circuit so that the transparent sleeve is fully closed and unpenetrated. The transparent sleeve is preferably the lamp sleeve itself, with the secondary, capacitor and any desired starter mechanism disposed within its interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC
    Inventor: David W. Baarman
  • Patent number: 6661176
    Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp includes a light-transmissive ceramic discharge vessel with an envelope having a maximum outer diameter D1 and open ends, a metal pipe having one end, i.e., a top end fused in the open end of the light-transmissive ceramic discharge vessel and the other end, i.e., a base end protruding from the light-transmissive ceramic discharge vessel, a pair of electrodes each having one end, i.e., a base end connectively supported on the base end of the metal pipe and the other end, i.e., a top end extending within the light-transmissive ceramic discharge vessel, and a discharge agent which is filled in the light-transmissive ceramic discharge vessel, wherein it is also characterized by that the high pressure discharge lamp has an overall length L1, and the overall length L1 and the maximum outer diameter of D1 satisfies a following equation. 1.5≦L1/D1≦4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Honda, Sadao Sakuguchi, Masazumi Ishida, Seiji Ashida, Shigemi Oku, Takahito Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 6639365
    Abstract: An arc discharge lamp system comprises a third electrode for igniting the arc discharge lamp in addition to first and second electrodes which provide a main discharge current path for sustaining arc discharge after the lamp has been ignited by a high-voltage, high-frequency signal applied to the third electrode. In an embodiment, an igniter circuit is connected to provide the high-voltage, high-frequency signal to the third electrode of the lamp by using a low-voltage DC power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: InFocus Corporation
    Inventor: Henry Frazier Pruett
  • Patent number: 6615810
    Abstract: An apparatus for combustion initiation in an internal combustion engine is provided. A capacitive spark plug boot uses the engine cylinder head as an outer capacitor member. The capacitive spark plug boot contains a transformer, an inner capacitor member and an insulator. The insulator surrounds the inner capacitor member, with an outer surface of the insulator sized to engage a cylinder head cavity surrounding the spark plug. The capacitor stores electrical energy received from the transformer, and delivers it to the spark plug upon formation of a spark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Nology Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Werner Funk, Travis L. Eiler
  • Patent number: 6586891
    Abstract: A high-intensity discharge lamp includes an arc tube including a pair of electrodes opposed to each other therein; and a trigger wire made of a conductive material provided in an outer circumference of the arc tube. The trigger wire is turned to be in a conductive state with one electrode of the pair of electrodes when a start-up voltage is applied across the pair of electrodes, and discharge is started between the pair of electrodes in a state where an electrical field is formed between the trigger wire that is in the conductive state and the other electrode of the pair of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuriko Kaneko, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Ryo Minamihata, Mamoru Takeda, Hideaki Kiryu, Takayuki Murase
  • Patent number: 6547417
    Abstract: A convenient replacement composite power saving environmental bulb structure to replace the traditional bulb by diodes allowing easy replacement of the bulb and color change as desired adapting to the environment of the living space comprised of two semi-spherical casings, a caulking groove is provided inside of each semi-spherical casing to snap onto the keyboard and longitudinally arranged retaining rings are provided on external surface of each said semi-spherical casing and a matching hole is bored in each ring for fast insertion in position by the terminal plate sleeve plugged on the keyboard; a tapered channel track by both sides of the matching hole permits the terminal plate to easily slide into the keyboard so that both pins of the diode are directly connected to the sleeve of the terminal plate together with the keyboard, both semi-spherical casings and the voltage variation plate into an integrated assembly in parallel for giving excellent conduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Inventor: Han-Ming Lee
  • Patent number: 6545429
    Abstract: A gas discharge lamp assembly is provided wherein the regulator housing and the ballast housing are placed remote from each other. Further, an ignitor and a capacitor are added to the circuitry of the ballast housing to allow for the regulator's remote placement. Such gas discharge lamps are typically between 1000 Watts and 2000 Watts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventor: Isaac L. Flory, IV
  • Patent number: 6522085
    Abstract: An electrodeless fluorescent lamp comprises a closed-loop (“tokamak”) envelope, two ferrite cores, and an induction coil that is disposed on the envelope walls inside the closed-loop formed by the envelope. The envelope comprises two straight tubes of the same diameter. All coils' turns have essential the same length and are parallel to each other and to the closed-loop axis. Each ferrite core encircles a segment of each the coil's turn and one connecting tube. The lamp can be operated at driving frequencies of 100-600 kHz and lamp powers of 50-250 W. The ferrite core power losses were 6-8 W when the lamp was operated at a frequency of 200-300 kHz and lamp power of 140-150 W. The lamp light output was 12,500 lumen and luminous efficacy was 87 LPW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Research and Development Laboratories Inc
    Inventors: Oleg A. Popov, Jagannathan Ravi, Robert Chandler, Edward Shapiro
  • Patent number: 6462475
    Abstract: A power saving environment protection bulb comprises a cover disk having a plurality of ring portions formed therein; at a lower sides of the holes near the bottom of the cover disk being installed with tapered tracks; edges of the bottom of the cover disk being installed with tenons which are spaced with an equal distance; a circuit disk having holes for positive and negative electrodes; a middle section of the end piece having two lateral plates arranged continuously; each plate having a protrusion for sealing a taper groove on the cover disk, upper ends of the plates being formed with a sleeve which is conformable to the hole of the cover disk; a transformer plate having one side installed with two inserting tubes; a lamp seat being a plastic casing; a casing of the seat being combined with a copper cap; an inner side of the casing being formed with buckling grooves, which are arranged with equal space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Inventor: Han-Ming Lee
  • Patent number: 6445133
    Abstract: An incandescent lamp is designed to operate at lower than the AC line voltage and includes a voltage conversion circuit for lowering the line voltage to the operating voltage of the lamp. The circuit includes an output transformer which is disposed in the screw base of the lamp, the remainder of the circuit, which is high-temperature-intolerant, being disposed outside the base and the envelope of the lamp. In a reflectorized embodiment of the lamp, the high-temperature-intolerant portion of the circuit is disposed adjacent to the mouth of the reflector envelope on the outer surface thereof and, in a non-reflectorized bulb embodiment, the high-temperature-intolerant portion is disposed between the envelope and a skirt which is connected to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Litetronics International, Inc.
    Inventors: Lin Lin, Thomas S. Hendrickson
  • Patent number: 6441713
    Abstract: In a discharge lamp apparatus for a vehicle, it is determined that a grounded condition is present when a lamp voltage is less than a predetermined voltage and a lamp current is less than a predetermined current. Electric power supply to the lamp is stopped temporarily in response to the determination of the grounded condition, and then the lighting operation is restarted again. If the grounded condition is determined again, the above operation is repeated. If this repetition continues for a predetermined period, the lighting operation is disabled continuously. In controlling the lamp, a voltage of a battery is boosted by a voltage booster transformer, which is turned on and off by a MOS transistor so that electric power supplied to the lamp is duty-controlled. An upper limit is set to the duty ratio, and the upper limit is increased as the lamp current decreases, so that the lighting characteristics of the lamp is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Okuchi, Yasushi Noyori, Tomoyuki Funayama
  • Patent number: 6429591
    Abstract: A lamp socket and a discharge lamp lighting device are enabled to be dimensionally minimized by forming a socket body of the lamp socket with an integral synthetic resin molding of a case housing therein a starting circuit section and socket and connector sections, disposing a plurality of lead frames in the case, connecting the lead frames to primary and secondary windings of a pulse transformer, thereafter housing in the case electronic parts with their terminals placed in recessed grooves of the lead frames, and connecting the lead frames and terminals to constitute the starting circuit section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Takamatsu, Takaaki Chuzawa, Takao Miyai, Kazuhiko Kinutani
  • Patent number: 6426598
    Abstract: A control gear for a fluorescent lamp, comprising a voltage source and an ignition and supply circuit comprising an inductive component and a capacitance. The control gear also comprises a transformer whose primary coil is connected parallel to the capacitance, and a switching element which is connected to the secondary coil of a transformer for short-circuiting it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Teknoware Oy
    Inventor: Jari Kataja
  • Patent number: 6404142
    Abstract: One of the objectives of the present invention are to provide smaller, lighter and less expensive structure in a starting device for discharge lamp for car use so as to prevent breakage due to vibrations etc . . . And another objective is to attain simultaneous electrical and structural connections between a high voltage electrode and a coil of a starting transformer. The device having the following constitution realizes the above-mentioned objectives. A starting device for a discharge lamp comprises a socket equipped with a high voltage electrode and a grounding electrode, a bobbin with a core-less structure, a starting transformer comprising a primary coil and a secondary coil wound around the bobbin. A screw electrode is arranged at the center of the end face of the bobbin. One end of the screw electrode is connected to an output terminal of the high voltage side of the secondary coil on the starting transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Miyata, Hisao Hirata
  • Patent number: 6388380
    Abstract: An electric discharge lamp lighting device wherein a high voltage generating transformer 10 comprises a secondary coil 13 wound on an outer side of a laminated core 12 disposed in the center of a bobbin 11 and a primary coil 14 wound on an outer side of said secondary coil 13. A high voltage output terminal 13a of said secondary coil 13 is connected to a high voltage terminal of an HID lamp through a terminal 12a of a laminated core 12. A low voltage input terminal 13b of said secondary coil 13 is connected to a primary coil 14. As a result, insulation volume can be reduced and a reduction in the size of the device can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumihiro Minami, Takashi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 6380679
    Abstract: A short-arc discharge lamp (1) is provided with a translucent lamp vessel (10) which is closed in a gas-tight manner and which is provided with an ionizable fill. A first and a second electrode (11a, 11b) are arranged in the lamp vessel (10) which are each connected to its own current conductor (12a, 12b) which extends to outside the lamp vessel. A starting antenna (2) is arranged near to the lamp vessel, which antenna is connected to a further current conductor (24). The starting antenna comprises an antenna container (20) and a further electrode (22) which antenna container (20) is closed in a gas-tight manner and contains an ionizable fill, the further electrode (22) being connected to the further current conductor (24). This makes it possible to realize a shorter reignition time by means of a higher reignition voltage on the starting antenna while spark-over from the starting antenna (2) to the lamp vessel (10) is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Dieter Leers, Klaus Lohn, Martin Ossmann, Johannes M. De Regt, Günther H. Derra, Hubertus C. M. Van Den Nieuwenhuizen
  • Publication number: 20020047530
    Abstract: A DC power source is connected to a base of a transistor of each of inverter circuits through a resistance in series. A primary winding having an intermediate tap of an inverter transformer, a resonance capacitor and a primary winding of a synchronization transformer are connected together in parallel between collectors of a pair of transistors having grounded emitters. Secondary windings of the synchronization transformers of the inverter circuits are connected together in parallel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Atsushi Heike, Tomohiro Mizoguchi
  • Patent number: 6366023
    Abstract: A starter module for a discharge lamp, especially for a motor vehicle, includes a high tension transformer which has a magnetic circuit component such as an annular core, on which a primary winding (1b) and a secondary winding are wound. The transformer further includes an arrangement for modifying its magnetic characteristics so as to reduce the saturation level of the secondary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventors: René Tran, Jean Marc Nicolaï
  • Publication number: 20020011790
    Abstract: The invention concerns the configuration of a fluorescent lamp, which consists only of a single, straight glass tube as gas discharge vessel, which is modified to a “compact fluorescent lamp” with integrated ballast by one-sided mounting by means of electrical connections applied to the glass tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 1999
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventor: WALTER HOLZER
  • Publication number: 20020011791
    Abstract: A fluorescent lamp lighting apparatus includes a fluorescent light emitting tube; and an electronic lighting circuit for applying an electric current to the fluorescent light emitting tube. The electronic lighting circuit includes a pair of electrode filaments provided in the fluorescent light emitting tube, a pair of capacitors each connected in series to a respective one of the pair of electrode filaments and connected parallel to the fluorescent light emitting tube, and an inductor connected in series to one of the pair of electrode filaments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventors: Hiroki Nakagawa, Tetsuya Tahara
  • Patent number: 6307316
    Abstract: The invention concerns a construction kit system for fluorescent lamps (1) with separate choke unit. Standard low-power modules which are cheap and easy to manufacture can in particular be plugged in any combinations into choke units fitted as compact lights or in lamp housings. A number of examples are given to show the new possibilities for constructing lighting systems. These fluorescent lamps each have a replaceable light element comprising at least one gas discharge vessel (1) with a base at one end as the light element and at least one choke unit (6) in the form of a separate unit fitted in a housing and capable of electrical connection via plug connectors (2) to the light element. The light element is designed as a standard low-power module with a glass tube diameter of the gas discharge vessel of no more than 13 mm, thus allowing it to be plugged into different housings individually or in groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Inventor: Walter Holzer
  • Publication number: 20010026132
    Abstract: The objectives of the present invention is to provide smaller, lighter and less expensive structure in a starting device for discharge lamp for car use so as to prevent breakage due to vibrations etc. The device having the following arrangement realizes the above-mentioned objective. A starting device for a discharge lamp comprises a socket for mounting the discharge lamp and starting members such as a starting transformer etc. where the starting transformer comprises a bobbin having a core-less structure and a primary coil and a secondary coil wound around the bobbin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Inventors: Youichi Yamamoto, Osamu Miyata, Hisao Hirata
  • Publication number: 20010020824
    Abstract: One of the objectives of the present invention are to provide smaller, lighter and less expensive structure in a starting device for discharge lamp for car use so as to prevent breakage due to vibrations etc. And another objective is to attain simultaneous electrical and structural connections between a high voltage electrode and a coil of a starting transformer. The device having the following constitution realizes the above-mentioned objectives. A starting device for a discharge lamp comprises a socket equipped with a high voltage electrode and a grounding electrode, a bobbin with a core-less structure, a starting transformer comprising a primary coil and a secondary coil wound around the bobbin. A screw electrode is arranged at the center of the end face of the bobbin. One end of the screw electrode is connected to an output terminal of the high voltage side of the secondary coil on the starting transformer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2001
    Publication date: September 13, 2001
    Inventors: Osamu Miyata, Hisao Hirata
  • Publication number: 20010020825
    Abstract: One of the objectives of the present invention are to provide smaller, lighter and less expensive structure in a starting device for discharge lamp for car use so as to prevent breakage due to vibrations etc. And another objective is to obtain the high efficient device having a reduced conductor loss. A starting device for discharge lamp comprising; a socket equipped with a high voltage electrode and a grounding electrode for mounting the discharge lamp and a starting parts equipped with a starting transformer, which has a bobbin, a core having a through hole a primary and secondary coils wound around the bobbin where a high voltage leading wire of the secondary coil is connected to a high voltage terminal of the socket via the through hole of the core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Publication date: September 13, 2001
    Inventors: Osamu Miyata, Hisao Hirata
  • Publication number: 20010020826
    Abstract: The objectives of the present invention are to provide a smaller, lighter and less expensive structure in a starting device for discharge lamp for car use so as to prevent breakage due to vibrations etc.. The starting device for discharge lamp comprising; a socket for mounting the discharge lamp, a bobbin and a starting transformer having a core-less structure equipped with a primary and a secondary coils wound around the bobbin; wherein the starting transformer is formed as in a ring or a horseshoe. A bobbin with a straight bar shape which enables the starting transformer to be arranged laterally is other alternative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Publication date: September 13, 2001
    Inventor: Osamu Miyata
  • Patent number: 6239559
    Abstract: A feed device (7), via a set-up transformer (8), applies a high voltage with an essentially periodic waveform to a dielectric barrier discharge lamp (1), and the condition Vy/Vx≦1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Ushiodenki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Okamoto, Kenichi Hirose
  • Patent number: 6236162
    Abstract: A rare gas illumination system and method are configured to provide a sweeping illumination effect. In one embodiment, the rare gas illumination system includes a tube containing a gas and having a first electrode at a first end and a second electrode at a second end. A first boot having a first transformer is coupled to the first end of the tube. A second boot having a second transformer is coupled to the second end of the tube. The system includes a controller having a microcontroller, a memory, and an output power driver. The memory is configured to store a plurality of control codes corresponding to a plurality of illumination patterns. The microcontroller controls the illumination pattern of the tube by executing the corresponding control code to selectively activate the output driver to provide a voltage signal to at least one of the first boot and the second boot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Fluis Light Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Barry Ray Luz, Harry Friedman
  • Patent number: 6218785
    Abstract: The low-tension lighting device is provided with at least one LED (2) having a control circuit (3) which governs functioning thereof and which is connected to a coupling element, for example a screw-type coupling element (4), by means of which the device (1) is insertable in a lamp-holder of known type. The LED (2) is protected by a body (8) also functioning as a uniform diffusor of light emitted by the LED (2). The device (1) can be used to substitute low tension filament lamps for illumination in cemeteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Incerti & Simonini di Incerti Edda & C. S.n.C.
    Inventor: Edda Incerti
  • Patent number: 6201350
    Abstract: In a discharge lamp lighting apparatus for a discharge lamp, each circuit component including a starter transformer is assembled to a bus bar casing, and a high voltage terminal of the starter transformer is connected to one end of a connecting terminal. The bus bar casing is adhesive-cemented to a metal base to which a HIC is attached. Then, a sealing resin fills the bus bar casing to seal the starter transformer and the HIC with the sealing resin. After the sealing resin solidifies, the other end of the connecting terminal and an output cable are connected, and subsequently a resin cover is assembled to the metal base. A shielding sheath covering the output cable is fixed to the bus bar casing by a clip. A ground connection part of the bus bar connectable to the ground side of an electric power source is shaped to protrude from the bus bar casing. The cover, the clip, the ground connection part and the base are ground-connected by a thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Okuchi, Hiromi Hiramatsu, Yasutoshi Horii, Noboru Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6144170
    Abstract: A method and a system for providing electrical power to several gas discharge tubes are disclosed. The system includes a master power module and several high-voltage modules. The master power module is constructed and arranged to provide high-frequency and low-voltage power to the high-voltage modules. Each high-voltage module, in turn, provides high-frequency and high-voltage power to a gas discharge tube. The high-voltage modules include step-up transformers with their primary side connected in series to the output of the master power module and their secondary sides connected to the gas discharge tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Transfotec International, Ltee
    Inventors: Robert Beland, Pascal Kaufmann
  • Patent number: 6140751
    Abstract: A light source system includes a heat sink. A base connector receives electrical power. A housing is secured to the base connector. A ballast unit is secured within the housing and electrically connected to the base connector. At least one electrical component is both mechanically and electrically connected to the ballast unit. The at least one electrical component is driven by the electrical power received by the base connector. A lamp unit is secured to the housing and electrically connected to the ballast unit. An additional electrical component includes a portion which contacts an inside wall of the housing. The additional electrical component is electrically connected to the ballast unit and has a life span which decreases as an operating temperature of the additional electrical component increases. The inside wall of the housing acts as the heat sink for the additional electrical component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Edward E. Hammer, Alvin A. Bush
  • Patent number: 6124673
    Abstract: Provided herein is a system which permits refitting of lamp sockets which utilize incandescent lamps with fluorescent lamps. The present system provides for a ballast which is remote from the lamp itself, thus being non-restrictive in regards to the size or wattage of the lamps used. The system is universal in that any existing incandescent lamp may be replaced with a fluorescent lamp, including compact fluorescent lamps, of any wattage desired by the user. The systems herein provide an increased degree of safety, as the socket profile can be matched to the ballast connector to preclude the use of an incorrect ballast with a given fluorescent lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Inventor: James G. Bishop
  • Patent number: 6119667
    Abstract: An ignition coil, spark plug, and pressure sensor for an internal combustion engine are integrated into a single assembly and mounted directly on a plug hole of an internal combustion engine. A hard spark plug shell serves as a magnetostrictive section for pressure detection. A radially polarized biasing magnet is disposed adjacent the spark plug shell thereby generating an initial flux through a sensing winding. The sensing winding is wound about the lower end of the coil case to sense changes in the induction characteristics of the spark plug shell as a result of pressure changes in the cylinder. A first passive method of sensing pressure whereby the flux change due to the permeability change generates a signal voltage in the sensed coil. This voltage is proportional to the time rate of change of pressure which is integrated to produce a cylinder pressure waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James Alva Boyer, Jeffrey Dan Ogden, James Tordt Wright
  • Patent number: 6084354
    Abstract: In the vehicle-lamp lighting-on device, a body case has a connection opening formed in the front end thereof. A lighting-on transformer is disposed within the body case. The transformer includes a core housing with an iron core and a coil bobbin with a secondary coil wound thereon. The connection opening of the body case is shielded at the front end of the lighting-on transformer. A socket for receiving a vehicle discharge lamp includes a high-voltage terminal and low-voltage terminals. When the socket is inserted into the connection opening of the body case, the high-voltage terminal of the socket is connected to the high-voltage side terminal of the lighting-on transformer, and the low-voltage terminals are connected to the low-voltage side terminals. The connection opening of the body case is shielded by the front surface (made of insulating material) of the lighting-on transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Kohmura, Takafumi Oshima, Toshiharu Ito, Noriyasu Sugimoto, Minoru Yasuda
  • Patent number: 6057649
    Abstract: An illumination unit including an electrodeless low-pressure discharge lamp (20) and a supply device (50). The lamp has a discharge vessel (30) which encloses in a gastight manner a discharge space (31) which is provided with an ionizable filling. The lamp (20) further has a coil (40) provided with a winding (42) around a sintered core (41) of polycrystalline ferrite material, which winding (42) is connected to the supply device (50). The coil (40) is capable of inducing a high-frequency magnetic field which maintains a discharge in the discharge space (31). The losses in the core (41), when measured at room temperature in a magnetic field with a frequency of 3 MHz and a magnetic flux density of 10 mT, amount to at most 150 mW/cm.sup.3. This has the advantage that the lamp (20) ignites comparatively quickly and loads the supply device (50) comparatively weakly during ignition. The supply device (50) as a result can have a comparatively long useful life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Pieter J. Van Der Zaag, Klaas Vegter, Petrus H. Antonis, Pieter J. Van Der Valk
  • Patent number: 6049163
    Abstract: A discharge lamp unit has a housing provided with a lamp socket fitted thereon and accommodating a printed circuit board with a lamp lighting circuit and a high voltage generating transformer assembly mounted thereon. The transformer assembly consists of a primary coil being a plate conductor spirally wound around a coil case containing a secondary coil-wound bobbin with a core inserted in a hollow center thereof. The discharge lamp unit is formed as a single solid device by potting all of the components in the housing with insulating resin poured in a melted state and solidified therein. This unit is easy to mount with no need for laying a high-voltage between the circuitry and the lamp socket, and includes a very compact and light transformer having an increased conversion efficiency of the primary and secondary coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Masuda, Tutomu Hasegawa, Fuminori Teramoto
  • Patent number: 6040659
    Abstract: A discharge-lamp lighting device has a housing with a power supply socket formed therein and accommodating a printed circuit board with a coil case having a primary coil formed by plural parallel plate-conductors insert-molded around the body thereof and a discharge lamp socket integrally fitted thereon and including a secondary coil therein. A lamp lighting circuit is formed by mounting the coil case on the printed circuit board. The discharge lamp lighting device is formed as a single solid device by potting all the components in the housing with insulating resin poured in a melted state and solidified therein, thus eliminating the need of providing a high-voltage cable between the circuitry and the lamp socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Toyo Denso Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Masuda, Tsutomu Hasegawa, Fuminori Teramoto
  • Patent number: 6034477
    Abstract: A high-pressure discharge lamp provided with an outer bulb enclosing a discharge tube accommodates a transformer having primary winding which forms part of a current conductor to one of the main electrodes of the discharge tube. The secondary winding is coupled to an ignition electrode of the discharge tube. Higher ignition voltages can be achieved without increasing the voltage pulse on the outside contacts of the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation
    Inventors: Eric E. Peeters, Stefan A. Verlee
  • Patent number: 5959407
    Abstract: A socket portion is provided to project from one side surface of a transformer receiving portion to thereby form a body case, and a lighting transformer is received in the transformer receiving portion so that a high voltage side output end of a secondary coil of the lighting transformer is electrically connected to a terminal provided in the socket portion and a primary coil of the lighting transformer is connected to an external electric path directly or through a circuit portion. Accordingly, the transformer receiving portion and the socket portion are integrally formed with each other to thereby form a unit structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Ito, Takafumi Oshima, Yoshihiko Komura, Minoru Yasuda, Noriyasu Sugimoto, Toshinori Iida
  • Patent number: 5905343
    Abstract: An incandescent bulb having a looped filament within an evacuated bulb containing a gas mixture including a halogen employs magnetic means external to the bulb to provide inductive heating of the filament so that there are no connections passing through the bulb envelope. Alternative embodiments include a toroidal bulb wherein a second arm of a magnetic circuit passes normally through the center of the bulb toroid, alternating voltage excitation being supplied to a first arm of the magnetic circuit; and an elliptical bulb that is disposed between oppositely facing ends of a two-part second magnetic arm that is similarly excited. In a further embodiment, an additional arm of the magnetic circuit serves to form a non-uniform field in the vicinity of the filament, thereby to provide a lift force against the force of gravity so as to minimize filament sagging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Inventor: Angus J. McCamant
  • Patent number: 5889370
    Abstract: A structure for eliminating the noise in a light source device for an electronic endoscope safely eliminates the high-frequency noise produced from the lighting circuit, the xenon lamp and the like in the light source device. A capacitor for eliminating noise having a predetermined withstand voltage is connected between the support of the lighting circuit and the box body of the light source device so as to introduce the noise current produced by the switching operation of the lighting circuit to the ground. EMI springs are disposed between the outer peripheral surface of the conductive case of the lighting circuit and the xenon lamp and the inter peripheral surface of the box body of the light source device. A ferrite core for eliminating noise is provided on a conductive wire connecting the lighting circuit and the xenon lamp, thereby safely eliminating noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Arai, Shigeo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5760547
    Abstract: For a given lamp size and lumen power, an electrodeless fluorescent lamp is configured with a split excitation coil and a baffle structure to provide multiple discharges, resulting in a higher light output and higher luminous efficacy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Joseph Christopher Borowiec
  • Patent number: 5654609
    Abstract: Fluorescent type lamps are arranged to have high frequency power derived from standard, commercial A.C. sources either directly or from power levels distributed from a master ballast. When the master ballast is employed, it functions as an interface between the primary power source and a distribution network to one or more modules so as to relieve the modules of operations such as initial power form conversions, filtering and power factor correcting which require large components. The module or modules driven by the master ballast output are contained within the lamp envelope or attached as an extension of the lamp envelope. The module is formed of elements mounted as a miniaturized unit configured to fit within the lamp envelope or to attach to the end of the envelope. The module includes oscillator components mounted on an elongated board so as to form an assembly with a cross-section compatible with the perimeter of the envelope itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Logic Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Charles Smallwood, Michael Paul Zarich
  • Patent number: 5629581
    Abstract: A lamp cathode-to-ballast interconnect is provided in combination with a lamp having elongated cathodes and ballast circuitry for supplying power to the cathodes. The lamp cathode-to-ballast interconnect comprises a plurality of conductive clips connected to the ballast circuitry. Each clip has a generally flat portion connected at a first end to ballast circuitry and has a pinching groove formed through the flat portion and extending to a cathode-receiving opening at a second end. The interconnect further comprises a loom for holding the lamp cathodes. The loom comprises, for each cathode, a pair of cathode-receiving support grooves separated by a space in which a second end of an associated conductive clip is to be received. Walls of each of the pair of cathode-receiving support grooves grip therein-received portions of the cathode with sufficient force to enable a gas-tight contact to be made with its associated conductive clip when the cathode is received within the pinching groove of the clip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kelvin B. Belle, Jozsef Fulop, David J. Kachmarik, Robert S. McFeely, Ferenc Papp, Brian M. Ronald, Istvan Wursching
  • Patent number: 5608289
    Abstract: A shell form ballast has rounded corners for positioning inside a ballast housing for use with a fluorescent light bulb adapter. The ballast has rounded outer corners to meet both long-term life and power requirements, and spatial design constraints of a fluorescent lamp adapter assembly for use in an incandescent lighting fixture, and particularly for use in a recessed incandescent lighting fixture. The rounded outer corners of the ballast provide the ability for the shell form ballast to fit into a hollow housing for use in the recessed lighting fixture while simultaneously providing the shell form ballast a snug fit in the hollow housing, thereby minimizing gap growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 4, 1997
    Assignee: Lumatech Corporation
    Inventors: James G. O'Carroll, Bruce A. Pelton
  • Patent number: 5600208
    Abstract: A discharge lamp unit which does not require enlargement of the discharge lamp and can still prevent application of a high voltage to a cap holder when the lamp is not connected includes a core of a high-voltage transformer inside a cap of the discharge lamp. Both a primary coil and a secondary coil of the high-voltage transformer are provided around a cap holder of the discharge lamp power supply. The cap of discharge lamp is inserted into the cap holder of the discharge lamp power supply to provide an electromagnetic link between the primary coil and the secondary coil of the high-voltage transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Katou, Koichi Toyama, Kenji Aida
  • Patent number: 5590637
    Abstract: An ignition coil device has a plug cap engaging a spark plug; a secondary coil surrounding the plug cap; a primary coil coaxially surrounding the secondary coil; a cylindrical case with a bottom surrounding the plug cap, the secondary coil and the primary coil; and a sealing member for sealing an opening of the case. Furthermore, the coil ends of the primary coil extend close to a bottom of the case and are individually connected to terminals which extend substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the spark plug. The coil ends and the external wiring are not passed through the sealing member, thereby improving the sealability of the ignition coil. Further, because the coil ends and the external wiring do not interfere with the sealing member, they are not worn by vibrations, thereby improving the durability of the external wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shoji Motodate
  • Patent number: 5552673
    Abstract: A fluorescent lighting system is disclosed which provides for selective lighting of several fluorescent lamps of differing power ratings so as to provide several stages of fluorescent illumination. The ballast transformers of the fluorescent lighting system are supported in at least one ballast transformer support case which is maintained in a spaced apart relationship to at least one fluorescent lamp support case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Inventor: Michael Kenwood
  • Patent number: 5535726
    Abstract: A coil and spark plug assembly includes a substantially cylindrical tube housing the coil. The tube includes an element at a first end to transmit a low voltage power source to the coil, and an attachment device at a second end for attaching the tube to an engine. The tube further includes an internal device to house a terminal end of the spark plug and a high voltage connection for connecting the coil to the spark plug. The spark plug includes a firing end, a tower shaped insulator at the terminal end opposite the firing end, and a high voltage terminal recessed within the insulator. The terminal is constructed and arranged to make an electrical connection with the high voltage connector when the terminal end of the spark plug is inserted into the second end of the tube. The spark plug further includes a first surface formed around the spark plug, wherein the surface is constructed and arranged to match a mating surface formed on the engine, and a second surface formed around the spark plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore S. Wilmot, Michael J. Huston, Stephen W. Straus