Balancing transformers for multi-lamp operation
First Claim
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1. A display panel comprising:
- a plurality of lamp loads arranged in an electrically parallel configuration;
a power source configured to provide power to the plurality of lamp loads, wherein the power source is a single AC source or a plurality of synchronized AC sources each comprising an inverter circuit; and
a plurality of balancing transformers, wherein each of the balancing transformers comprises a primary winding and a secondary winding, each of the primary windings is electrically coupled in series with a different lamp load across the power source, and the secondary windings are electrically coupled in series to form a serial closed loop.
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Abstract
A ring balancer comprising a plurality of balancing transformers facilitates current sharing in a multi-lamp backlight system. The balancing transformers have respective primary windings separately coupled in series with designated lamps and have respective secondary windings coupled together in a closed loop. The secondary windings conduct a common current and the respective primary windings conduct proportional currents to balance currents among the lamps. The ring balancer facilitates automatic lamp striking and the lamps can be advantageously driven by a common voltage source.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A display panel comprising:
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a plurality of lamp loads arranged in an electrically parallel configuration; a power source configured to provide power to the plurality of lamp loads, wherein the power source is a single AC source or a plurality of synchronized AC sources each comprising an inverter circuit; and a plurality of balancing transformers, wherein each of the balancing transformers comprises a primary winding and a secondary winding, each of the primary windings is electrically coupled in series with a different lamp load across the power source, and the secondary windings are electrically coupled in series to form a serial closed loop. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for driving multiple lamps, the method comprising the steps of:
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assigning a different balancing transformer to each set of one or more lamps, wherein each set of one or more lamps is electrically coupled in series with a primary winding of the assigned balancing transformer; electrically coupling an AC source to a group of balancing transformers with the corresponding primary windings arranged in an electrically parallel configuration, wherein the AC source is generated by an inverter; and electrically coupling secondary windings for the group of balancing transformers in series to form a serial closed loop, wherein the secondary windings in the serial closed loop conduct a common current. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A multi-lamp display comprising:
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means for generating an AC power source using a switching network and a power transformer; and means for balancing currents among multiple lamps using a plurality of balancing transformers with respective primary windings coupled in series with at least one lamp across the AC power source and respective secondary windings coupled serially in a closed loop. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification