Discharge lamp operating circuit

• US 4,187,449 A
• Filed: 05/08/1978
• Issued: 02/05/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Knoble, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LaRoche, Eugene R.
• Application Number:
  US05/904,059
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 315/137, 315/141, 315/142, 315/200 R, 315/205, 315/207, 315/208, 315/278, 315/239, 363/45, 363/64, 363/67, 363/153, 363/154, 363/155
• US Class Current: 315/205
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/231 for high-pressure lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/30 in which the lamp is fed by pulses, e.g. flash lamp

Abstract

Circuit for providing low ripple DC power supply from a single-phase AC source without the use of a filter capacitor. The circuit comprises a high leakage reactance transformer with a primary winding and two secondary windings arranged with the secondary windings on opposite sides of the primary winding, a leading current circuit connected to one secondary winding and a lagging current circuit connected to the other secondary winding, and a three-phase full wave rectifier bridge connected to the leading and lagging current circuits to provide a low ripple DC power output. The DC power supply circuit is used with a pulse generating circuit to provide pulsed operation of a gaseous discharge lamp such as a high pressure sodium vapor lamp, and produces desirable relationship of lamp watts to lamp volts for improved lamp life and uniformity of illumination.

Claims

1. A lamp operating circuit comprising, in combination, an AC source, a ballast transformer comprising a primary winding connected to said AC source, first and second secondary windings arranged on opposite sides of said primary winding magnetically coupled thereto, and magnetic shunts separating said primary winding from the respective secondary windings, a capacitor connected to one of said secondary windings forming therewith a leading current circuit, the other secondary winding in combination with the magnetic shunt adjacent thereto forming a lagging current circuit, rectifier bridge means connected to said leading and lagging current circuits, and means for connecting lamp means to the output of said rectifier bridge means, whereby DC current of low ripple content is produced for operation of the lamp means.

2. A circuit as defined in claim 1, said lagging and leading current circuits being interconnected.

3. A circuit as defined in claim 2, wherein the currents in said leading and lagging current circuits are about 120°

out of phase relative to each other.

4. A circuit as defined in claim 2, said rectifier bridge means comprising a three-phase full wave rectifier bridge.

5. A circuit as defined in claim 1, said rectifier bridge means comprising a pair of single-phase full wave rectifier bridges connected respectively to said leading and lagging current circuits.

6. A circuit as defined in claim 5, wherein the currents in said leading and lagging current circuits are approximately 90°

out of phase relative to each other.

7. A circuit as defined in claim 1, and pulse generating circuit means connected between said rectifier bridge means and said lamp connecting means.

8. A circuit as defined in claim 1, and a gaseous discharge lamp connected to said lamp connecting means.

9. A circuit as defined in claim 7, and a high pressure sodium vapor discharge lamp connected to said lamp connecting means.

10. A direct current power supply circuit comprising, in combination, terminal means for connection to an AC source, a transformer comprising a primary winding connected to said terminal means, first and second secondary windings arranged on opposite sides of said primary winding magnetically coupled thereto, and magnetic shunts separating said primary winding from the respective secondary windings, a capacitor connected to one of said secondary windings forming therewith a leading current circuit, the other secondary winding in combination with the magnetic shunt adjacent thereto forming a lagging current circuit, rectifier bridge means connected to said leading and lagging current circuits, and means for connecting load means to the output of said rectifier bridge means, whereby DC current of low ripple content is produced for operation of the load means.

11. A supply circuit as defined in claim 10, said leading and lagging current circuits being interconnected.

12. A supply circuit as defined in claim 11, wherein the currents in said leading and lagging current circuits are approximately 120°

out of phase relative to each other.

13. A supply circuit as defined in claim 11, said rectifier bridge means comprising a three-phase full wave rectifier bridge.

14. A supply current as defined in claim 10, said rectifier bridge means comprising a pair of single-phase full wave rectifier bridges connected respectively to said leading and lagging current circuits.

15. A supply circuit as defined in claim 14, wherein the currents in said leading and lagging current circuits are about 90°

out of phase relative to each other.