Discharge lamp lighting circuit

• US 7,291,990 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2006
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Tomoyuki, Muramatsu, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen; Shih-Chao
• Assistant Examiner(s): A, MINH D
• Application Number:
  US11/484,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20070007913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 315/307, 315/291, 315/209.R, 315/157, 315/159, 315/246, 315/293
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2883 the controlled element being a DC/AC converter in the final stage, e.g. by harmonic mode starting

Abstract

A discharge lamp lighting circuit 1 is provided with a DC-AC conversion circuit 3 having a plurality of switching elements 5H, 5L and a series resonance circuit (8, 9, 7p), and control means 17 for preventing a situation in which the drive frequency of the switching element remains less than its specified minimum frequency. When the discharge lamp is lit, driving control of the switching element is carried out in a frequency range higher than the series resonance frequency. By using a driving situation detection circuit 15, a driving situation of the switching element is monitored based on a relation with a phase of a lamp current which flows through the discharge lamp. If the drive frequency of the switching element becomes less than the specified minimum frequency, the drive frequency is increased, and thereby, a lower limit of the drive frequency is automatically restricted.

Claims

1. A discharge lamp lighting circuit comprising a discharge lamp, a DC-AC conversion circuit having a plurality of switching elements and a series resonance circuit, and a control circuit for preventing continuation of a situation in which a drive frequency of the switching element is less than its specified minimum frequency,

wherein the control circuit comprises a driving situation detection circuit for detecting the phase difference between a signal for driving the switching element, the output of the DC-AC conversion circuit or a signal that corresponds to the voltage of the discharge lamp and a signal that corresponds to the current of the discharge lamp;

wherein when the discharge lamp is lit, the switching element is driven at a frequency in a frequency range which is higher than a resonant frequency of the series resonance circuit, and a driving situation of the switching element is monitored by the driving situation detection circuit, and wherein, upon detection that the phase of the signal that corresponds to the current of the discharge lamp is leading the phase of any of the signal for driving the switching element, the output of the DC-AC conversion circuit or a signal that corresponds to the voltage of the discharge lamp, the drive frequency is increased.

2. The discharge lamp lighting circuit of claim 1, wherein the specified minimum frequency is set at or near the resonant frequency of the series resonance circuit.

3. The discharge lamp lighting circuit of claim 2, wherein, if it is detected that the switching element is driven in a frequency range lower than the specified minimum frequency, polarity of a signal for driving the switching element is inverted.

4. The discharge lamp lighting circuit of claim 2, wherein if it is detected that the switching element is driven in a frequency range lower than the specified minimum frequency, a target value of electric power applied to the discharge lamp is reduced depending on an amount of deviation from the specified minimum frequency.

5. The discharge lamp lighting circuit of claim 2, wherein if it is detected that the switching element is driven in a frequency range lower than the specified minimum frequency, the drive frequency of the switching element is raised in accordance with a predetermined time constant.

6. The discharge lamp lighting circuit of claim 2 wherein the driving situation detection circuit is configured to determine an amount of deviation from resonance.

7. The discharge lamp lighting circuit of claim 1 wherein the driving situation detection circuit is configured to determine an amount of deviation from resonance.

8. The discharge lamp lighting circuit of claim 1, wherein, if it is detected that the switching element is driven in a frequency range lower than the specified minimum frequency, polarity of a signal for driving the switching element is inverted.

9. The discharge lamp lighting circuit of claim 1, wherein if it is detected that the switching element is driven in a frequency range lower than the specified minimum frequency, a target value of electric power applied to the discharge lamp is reduced depending on an amount of deviation from the specified minimum frequency.

10. The discharge lamp lighting circuit of claim 1, wherein if it is detected that the switching element is driven in a frequency range lower than the specified minimum frequency, the drive frequency of the switching element is raised in accordance with a predetermined time constant.