Driving circuit for piezoelectric transformer, cold-cathode tube light-emitting apparatus, liquid crystal panel and device with built-in liquid crystal panel

• US 7,038,354 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakatsuka, Hiroshi, Takeda, Katsu, Moritoki, Katsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US10/306,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20030102776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 310/316.01, 310/318, 310/319
• US Class Current: 310/316.01
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2822 using specially adapted components in the load circuit, e.g. feed-back transformers, piezoelectric transformers; using specially adapted load circuit configurations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2855 against abnormal lamp operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/392 using semiconductor devices, e.g. thyristor
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/804 for piezoelectric transformers conversion of DC or AC power H02M; for operating discharge lamps H05B41/282

Abstract

A driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer is provided, which ensures lighting of all the cold-cathode tubes connected to the piezoelectric transformer, and reduces the difference in brightness between the cathode tubes during steady lighting, thereby enhancing reliability and performance. A plurality of cold-cathode tubes connected to a secondary side of the piezoelectric transformer, and a cold-cathode tube output detector circuit connected in series to a plurality of cold-cathode tubes, for detecting an output state of the respective cold-cathode tubes are provided, and the driving of the piezoelectric transformer is controlled based on a detection signal from the cold-cathode tube output detector circuit. Because of this, the piezoelectric transformer performs the same operation as that with respect to one cold-cathode tube.

Claims

1. A driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer including two primary side electrodes and two secondary side electrodes formed on a piezoelectric body and converting an AC voltage input from the primary side electrodes to output the convened AC voltages, with a phase difference of substantially 180°

, from the secondary side electrodes, the driving circuit comprising;

a plurality of loads, configured serially, connected to a secondary side of the piezoelectric transformer; and

a load state detector portion connected in series to the plurality of loads, for detecting an output state of each load,

wherein driving of the piezoelectric transformer is controlled based on a detection signal from the load state detector portion.

2. The driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric body has a rectangular shape and the secondary side electrode of the piezoelectric transformer is provided on each end face of the piezoelectric body in a longitudinal direction, and polarization directions of the piezoelectric body in a vicinity of the secondary side electrodes are the same in the longitudinal direction.

3. The driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer according to claim 1, wherein the load is a cold-cathode tube.

4. The driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer according to claim 3, wherein the number of the cold-cathode tubes is 2n (n is an integer of 1 or more).

5. A driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer including a primary side electrode and a secondary side electrode formed on a piezoelectric body and converting an AC voltage input from the primary side electrode to output the convened AC voltage from the secondary side electrode, the driving circuit comprising:

a plurality of loads connected to a secondary side of the piezoelectric transformer; and

a load state detector portion connected in series to the plurality of loads, for electrically separating and detecting an output state of each load,

wherein driving of the piezoelectric transformer is controlled based on a detection signal from the load state detector portion.

6. The driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer according to claim 5, wherein the piezoelectric body has a rectangular shape and the secondary side electrode of the piezoelectric transformer is provided on each end face of the piezoelectric body in a longitudinal direction, and polarization directions of the piezoelectric body in a vicinity of the secondary side electrodes are the same in the longitudinal direction.

7. The driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer according to claim 5, wherein the load is a cold-cathode tube.

8. The driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer according to claim 7, wherein the number of the cold-cathode tubes is 2n (n is an integer of 1 or more).

9. The driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer according to claim 5, wherein the load state detector portion includes an optical isolator composed of a light-emitting diode and a phototransistor.

10. A driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer including two primary side electrodes and two secondary side electrodes formed on a piezoelectric body and converting an AC voltages, with a phase difference of substantially 180°

, input from the primary side electrodes to output the convened AC voltage from the secondary side electrode, the driving circuit comprising;

a plurality of loads, configured serially, connected to a secondary side of the piezoelectric transformer;

a load state detector portion connected in series to the plurality of loads, for detecting an output state of each load; and

a frequency selection portion for selectively outputting only a frequency component in a vicinity of a driving frequency of the piezoelectric transformer in a detection signal from the load state detector portion,

wherein driving of the piezoelectric transformer is controlled based on a signal from the frequency selection portion.

11. The driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer according to claim 10, wherein the piezoelectric body has a rectangular shape and the secondary side electrode of the piezoelectric transformer is provided on each end face of the piezoelectric body in a longitudinal direction, and polarization directions of the piezoelectric body in a vicinity of the secondary side electrodes are the same in the longitudinal direction.

12. The driving circuit for a piezoelectric transformer according to claim 10, wherein the number of the cold-cathode tubes is 2n (n is an integer of 1 or more).