Starter assembly for a gas discharge lamp

• US 20030155869A1
• Filed: 02/18/2003
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baarman, David W., Mollema, Scott A., Kuennen, Roy W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,806,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/225
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/301 Details of removable closures, lids, caps, filter heads
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2201/34 Seals or gaskets for filtering elements for removable closures, lids, caps or filter heads B01D2201/304
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/30 Filter housing constructions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/006 Cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/20 Portable or detachable small-scale multistage treatment devices, e.g. point of use or laboratory water purification systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 5/52 directly applied to or forming part of the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/56 One or more circuit elements structurally associated with the lamp
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/10 magnetic only
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/295 with semiconductor devices and specially adapted for lamps with preheating electrodes, e.g. for fluorescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/36 Controlling

Abstract

The present invention comprises a unique starter assembly for a gas discharge lamp. The starter assembly comprises a main current path with a first leg connected to one electrode of a gas discharge lamp, and a second leg connected to a second electrode of the gas discharge lamp. A starting current path is provided between the first and second electrode, and comprises an magnetic switch. The magnetic switch is actuated by an electromagnet controlled by a control circuit. The control unit may be programmed with the start time required for a particular lamp design. In an alternative embodiment, the starter assembly further comprises a radio frequency identification system. The radio frequency identification system includes a gas discharge lamp transponder. The lamp transponder is used to communicate specific lamp information to the control circuit. The control circuit may then modify the start time for that lamp based on this information.

Claims

1. A starter assembly for a gas discharge lamp, the starter assembly comprising:

at least one switch located in the gas discharge lamp;

a control unit operable for actuating the switch;

wherein the control unit actuates the switch for a predetermined length of time.

2. The starter assembly of claim 1, wherein the switch is a normally open magnetic switch.

3. The starter assembly of claim 1, wherein the control unit is comprised of an electromagnet operable to close the magnetic switch.

4. The starter assembly of claim 3, wherein the control unit further comprises a microprocessor electrically connected to the electromagnet.

5. The starter assembly of claim 4, wherein the control unit is programmable to receive a first preheat time for the gas discharge lamp.

6. The starter assembly of claim 5, wherein the control unit actuates the switch according to a programmed first preheat time.

7. The starter assembly of claim 5, wherein the control unit is programmable to receive a second preheat time.

8. the starter assembly of claim 7, wherein the control unit is operable to actuate the switch according to the second preheat time.

9. A starter assembly for a gas discharge lamp, the starter assembly comprising:

a magnetic switch located in the gas discharge lamp;

an electronics module operable to actuate the magnetic switch, the electronics module further comprising;

an electromagnet;

a control unit operable to control the operation of the electromagnet;

wherein the electronics module actuates the magnetic switch for a pre-determined length of time.

10. The starter assembly of claim 9, wherein the magnetic switch is connected in series between at least two electrodes of the gas discharge lamp.

11. The starter assembly of claim 9, wherein the control unit comprises a programmable microprocessor.

12. The starter assembly of claim 11 wherein the programmable microprocessor is programmed with a first preheat time.

13. The starter assembly of claim 12 wherein the control unit causes the electromagnet to actuate the switch for the first preheat time.

14. The starter assembly of claim 12 wherein the programmable microprocessor is further programmed with a second preheat time.

15. The starter assembly of claim 14 wherein the control unit causes the electromagnet to actuate the switch for the second preheat time.

16. A starter assembly for a gas discharge lamp comprising at least two electrodes, the starter assembly comprising:

a normally open magnetic switch connected in series between the at least two electrodes of the gas discharge lamp

an electromagnet operable to close the normally open magnetic switch;

a programmable microprocessor operable to control the operation of the electromagnet;

wherein the microprocessor is programmed to operate the electromagnet for a first predetermined length of time, thereby closing the magnetic switch for a first predetermined length of time.

17. The starter assembly of claim 16, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to operate the electromagnet for a second predetermined length of time.

18. A starter assembly for a gas discharge lamp assembly, the starter assembly comprising:

at least one switch located in series between at least two electrodes of the gas discharge lamp;

a control unit operable for actuating the switch;

a base station electrically connected to said control unit; and

at least one radio frequency identification transponder located in the gas discharge lamp assembly that is in radio communication with the base station.

wherein the control unit actuates the switch according to information received from the transponder.

19. The starter assembly of claim 18, wherein said radio frequency identification transponder includes a responder antenna and a read/write chip.

20. The starter assembly of claim 18, wherein said radio frequency identification transponder is capable of transmitting a gas discharge lamp serial number to said base station for use by said control unit.

21. The starter assembly of claim 18, wherein said radio frequency identification transponder is capable of transmitting a gas discharge lamp preheat time to said base station for use by said control unit.

22. The starter assembly of claim 18, wherein said radio frequency identification transponder allows said control unit to keep track of gas discharge lamp starts.

23. The starter assembly of claim 18, wherein the switch is a normally open magnetic switch.

24. The starter assembly of claim 23, wherein the control unit further comprises an electromagnet operable to close the magnetic switch.

25. A method of starting a gas discharge lamp comprising the steps of:

connecting a normally open magnetic switch in series with at least two electrodes of gas discharge lamp;

closing said magnetic switch for a predetermined length of time with an electromagnet;

providing electric current through the electrodes and the magnetic switch during the predetermined length of time.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of controlling the amount of time that the magnetic switch is closed with a programmable microprocessor.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising the steps of varying the amount of time that the magnetic switch is closed.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising the steps of retrieving information about the gas discharge lamp from a transponder located in the gas discharge lamp.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising the steps of modifying the duration of time that the magnetic switch is closed based on the information retrieved from the transponder.