Drive circuit for illumination unit

• US 7,166,969 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kazuo Kohno
• Original Assignee: Kazuo Kohno
• Inventors: Kohno, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cabucos; Marie Antoinette
• Application Number:
  US10/968,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20050099143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 315/177, 315/178, 315/179, 315/209.T, 315/209.PZ, 315/DIG.5
• US Class Current: 315/209.0PZ
• 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

Abstract

In case of driving a plurality of lamps with the use of a plurality of output transformers, a difference in the bright-ness of each lamp occurs by a dispersion of characteristics of the output transformers, and an object is to prevent such troubles. For this purpose, a primary side of a plurality of output transformers of a one input-plural output type are respectively connected, and illumination units are connected to the secondary side of each output transformer. All of the secondary output terminals of each output transformer are connected to the secondary output terminals of counter phase and are connected by forming a loop circuit with the connection of the output terminals in series in closed loom form. The illumination units are connected between the secondary output terminals of the output transformer and the output terminal of the other output transformer of counter phase with the output terminal.

Claims

1. An illumination unit drive circuit for driving a plurality of illumination units, the illumination unit drive circuit comprising:

a plurality of output transformers,

wherein each of said output transformers is a 1 input-plural output type transformer,

wherein each of said output transformers has a primary side and a secondary side, the primary side of each output transformer having one primary winding, and the secondary side of each output transformer having a plurality of secondary windings,

wherein the primary sides of said plurality of output transformers are connected,

wherein AC signals are inputted to the primary sides of said output transformers,

wherein a high tension output is induced at the secondary side of each of said plurality of output transformers,

wherein the plurality of illumination units are operated by the high tension output,

wherein the plurality of illumination units comprises at least a first illumination unit and a second illumination unit,

wherein each of the plurality of illumination units includes a first electrode and a second electrode,

wherein the secondary side of each of said output transformers includes at least one high tension terminal,

wherein the first electrode of the first illumination unit is connected to a first one of said high tension terminals, and the first electrode of the second illumination unit is connected to a second one of said high tension terminals, and

wherein the first one of said high tension terminals and the second one of said high tension terminals are in a counter phase relation with one another.

2. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 1,

wherein each of the output transformers is a 1 input-2 output type transformer, and

wherein each of the illumination units is a cold cathode fluorescent lamp.

3. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 1,

wherein said plurality of output transformers comprises a first 1 input-2 output type transformer and a second 1 input-2 output type transformer,

wherein the secondary side of said first 1 input-2 output winding transformer includes the first one of said high tension terminals, and

wherein the secondary side of said second 1 input-2 output type transformer includes the second one of said high tension terminals.

4. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 1,

wherein said plurality of output transformers comprises a first 1 input-plural output type transformer and a second 1 input-plural output type transformer,

wherein the secondary side of said first 1 input-plural output type transformer includes the first one of said high tension terminals and a third one of said high tension terminals,

wherein the secondary side of said second 1 input-plural output type transformer includes the second one of said high tension terminals and a fourth one of said high tension terminals,

wherein the first illumination unit and the second illumination unit are connected between the first one of said high tension terminals and the second one of said high tension terminals,

wherein the plurality of illumination units further comprises a third illumination unit and a fourth illumination unit,

wherein the secondary side of each of said first and second 1 input-plural output type transformers includes at least one ground terminal,

wherein the third illumination unit is connected between the third one of the high tension terminals and the ground terminal of said first 1 input-plural output type transformer, and

wherein the fourth illumination unit is connected between the fourth one of the high tension terminals and the ground terminal of said second 1 input-plural output type transformer.

5. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 1,

wherein said plurality of output transformers comprises a first 1 input-multiple output type transformer and a second 1 input-multiple output type transformer,

wherein the secondary side of said first 1 input-plural output type transformer includes the first one of said high tension terminals, a third one of said high tension terminals, a fifth one of said high tension terminals, and a seventh one of said high tension terminals,

wherein the secondary side of said second 1 input-plural output type transformer includes the second one of said high tension terminals, a fourth one of said high tension terminals, a sixth one of said high tension terminals, and an eighth one of said high tension terminals,

wherein the plurality of illumination units further comprises third to eighth illumination units,

wherein the first and second illumination units are connected between the first one of said high tension terminals and the second one of said high tension terminals,

wherein the third and fourth illumination units are connected between the third one of said high tension terminals and the fourth one of said high tension terminals,

wherein the fifth and sixth illumination units are connected between the fifth one of said high tension terminals and the sixth one of said high tension terminals,

wherein the seventh and eighth illumination units are connected between the seventh one of said high tension terminals and the eighth one of said high tension terminals,

wherein the third one of said high tension terminals and the fourth one of said high tension terminals are in a counter phase relation with one another,

wherein the fifth one of said high tension terminals and the sixth one of said high tension terminals are in a counter phase relation with one another,

wherein the seventh one of said high tension terminals and the eighth one of said high tension terminals are in a counter phase relation with one another,

wherein the secondary side of each of said first and second 1 input-plural output type transformer includes at least one secondary side low tension terminal, and

wherein each of the secondary side low tension terminals are earthed.

6. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 1,

wherein said plurality of output transformers comprises a first 1 input-multiple output type wound transformer, a second 1 input-multiple output type wound transformer, and a third 1 input-multiple output type wound transformer,

wherein said high tension terminal of said first 1 input-multiple output wound type transformer is in a counter phase relation with said high tension terminal of one of said second and third 1 input-multiple output wound type transformers,

wherein said high tension terminal of said first 1 input-multiple output wound type transformer and said high tension terminal of one of said second and third 1 input-multiple output wound type transformers are connected by one of the plurality of illumination units or by serially connected ones of the plurality of illumination units, and

wherein each of said high tension terminals of said first, second and third 1 input-multiple output wound type transformers are connected in a loop form.

7. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 1 wherein the secondary windings are formed with a plurality of wires arranged in parallel forms.

8. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 1,

wherein each of said plurality of output transformers is a wound type transformer, and

wherein, for each of said plurality of output transformers, a first secondary winding is wound on a bobbin, and a second secondary winding having an identical number of windings as said first secondary winding is wound on said first secondary winding by means of an insulator.

15. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of illumination units are arranged in parallel on a substrate, and

wherein adjacent terminals of the plurality of illumination units are in a counter phase relation.

9. An illumination unit drive circuit for driving a plurality of illumination units the illumination unit drive circuit comprising:

a plurality of output transformers,

wherein each of said output transformers is a 1 input-plural output type transformer,

wherein each of said output transformers has a primary side and a secondary side, the primary side of each output transformer having one primary winding, and the secondary side of each output transformer having a plurality of secondary windings,

wherein the primary sides of said plurality of output transformers are connected,

wherein the plurality of illumination units are illuminated by a high tension output induced at the secondary side of each of said plurality of output transformers,

wherein a loop circuit is formed by connecting all of the secondary windings of said output transformers in series in a closed loop state type, and

wherein one or more of the illumination units are connected between respective pairs of the secondary windings of said plurality of output transformers.

10. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 9, further comprising a circuit for detecting an abnormal voltage,

wherein said circuit for detecting an abnormal voltage is connected to a connecting point of a first secondary output terminal of said plurality of output transformers, and

wherein the first secondary output terminal of said plurality of output transformers is in counter phase with a second secondary output terminal of said plurality of output transformers.

11. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 9, further comprising a voltage clamp circuit,

wherein said voltage clamp circuit is connected to a connecting point of a first secondary output terminal of said plurality of output transformers and a second secondary output terminal of said plurality of output transformers, and

wherein said first secondary output terminal and said second secondary output terminal are in a counter phase relation.

12. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 9, wherein one side of a plurality of each of said secondary windings of said plurality of output transformers are mutually short-circuited.

13. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 12, further comprising a wire disposed so as to short-circuit one side of each of said secondary windings,

wherein said wire is connected to earth by means of a high resistor element.

14. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 9,

wherein each of said plurality of output transformers comprises four secondary windings on an identical core,

wherein one side of the four secondary windings are all short-circuited, and

wherein a short-circuiting line is connected to earth by means of a high resistor element.

19. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 9,

wherein the plurality of illumination units are arranged in parallel on the substrate, and

wherein adjacent terminals of the plurality of illumination units are in a counter phase relation.

16. An illumination unit drive circuit for driving a plurality of illumination units, the illumination unit drive circuit comprising:

a plurality of output transformers,

wherein each of said output transformers is a 1 input-multiple output type transformer,

wherein each of said output transformers has a primary side and a secondary side, the primary side of each output transformer having one primary winding, and the secondary side of each output transformer having a plurality of secondary windings,

wherein the primary sides of said plurality of output transformers are connected,

wherein the plurality of illumination units are illuminated by a high tension output induced at the secondary side of each of said plurality of output transformers,

wherein a plurality of the secondary windings of said output transformers are connected in series in a closed loop form so as to provide a loop circuit so that secondary output terminals of said output transformers in a counter phase relation are connected, and

wherein the plurality of illumination units are connected to the loop circuit so that a voltage of a counter phase is impressed to electrodes of both terminals of the plurality of illumination units.

17. An illumination unit drive circuit for driving a plurality of illumination units, the illumination drive circuit comprising:

a single output transformer,

wherein said single output transformer is a 1 input-plural output type transformer,

wherein said single output transformer has a primary side and a secondary side, the primary side of said single output transformer having one primary winding, and the secondary side of said single output transformer having a plurality of secondary windings,

wherein the plurality of illumination units are connected to the secondary side of said single output transformer,

wherein the plurality of illumination units are illuminated by a high tension output induced at the secondary side of said single output transformer,

wherein all or a plurality of secondary outputs of said single output transformer are connected in series in a closed loop form so as to form a loop circuit so that the secondary output terminals which are in a counter phase relation are connected, and

wherein a plurality of the illumination units are connected to the loop circuit so that a voltage of a counter phase is impressed to electrodes of both terminals of the plurality of illumination units.

18. An illumination unit drive circuit according to claim 17,

wherein the plurality of illumination units are disposed on a substrate in parallel and side by side, and

wherein adjacent terminals of the plurality of illumination units are in a counter phase relation.