Rapid-start fluorescent lamp power reducer

• US 4,661,745 A
• Filed: 04/15/1985
• Issued: 04/28/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
• Inventors: Citino, Richard J., Roche, William J., Bessone, Carlo S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, David K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAZAVI, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US06/723,403
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 315/106, 315/107, 315/101, 315/DIG. 5, 315/88-89, 315/94-95, 315/96-99, 315/227-228, 315/240, 315/250, 315/324, 315/360
• US Class Current: 315/106
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/048 using electromagnetic relays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 315/05 Starting and operating circuit for fluorescent lamp

Abstract

A rapid-start fluorescent lamp system includes a ballast circuit, rapid-start fluorescent lamps and power reducing means for controlling the application of energy to the lamps. The power-reducing means controls the energy to N/O switches from the energy source upon ionization of the rapid-start fluorescent lamps.

Claims

1. A rapid-start fluorescent lamp power-reducing system comprising:

a plurality of rapid-start fluorescent lamps each having a pair of spaced filaments;

a ballast formed for connection to an energizing source and including a plurality of filament windings for energizing said filaments of said lamps; and

a power-reducing means shunting one of said filament windings and including a relay having a plurality of N/O switches each coupled to a respective one of said filament windings, said power-reducing means responsive to energization from said source for operating said relay closing said N/O switches and connecting said filament windings to aid filaments of said lamps for a given period of time sufficient to effect ionization of said lamps and de-energizing said relay, opening said N/O switches and disconnecting said filament windings from said filaments of said lamps after said given period of time required to effect ionization of said lamps.

2. The power-reducing system of claim 1 said plurality of rapid-start fluorescent lamps includes a pair of lamps each having a pair of spaced filaments.

3. The power-reducing system of claim 2 wherein said power-reducing means includes a relay having a N/O switch coupling a filament of each of said pair of lamps to a filament winding of said ballast and a N/O switch coupling a filament of both of said pair of lamps to a filament winding of said ballast.

4. The power-reducing system of claim 2 wherein said power-reducing means including a charging circuit for controlling the time period said filaments are connected to and disconnected from said filaments windings of said ballast.

5. A power-reducing system for rapid-start fluorescent lamps comprising:

a pair of fluorescent lamps each having a pair of spaced filaments;

a ballast connectable to an energizing source and having a plurality of filament windings; and

a power-reducing means shunting one of said plurality of filament windings and including a relay having a plurality of normally-open (N/O) switch contacts each coupled to a respective one of said plurality of filament windings of said ballast, said relay formed for activating said N/O switches contacts to couple said filament windings to said lamp filaments for a period of time sufficient to effect ionization of said lamps and for decoupling said filament windings from said filaments upon ionization of said lamps.

6. The power-reducing system of claim 5 wherein said ballast includes a first and third filament winding each connectable by a N/O switch to a filament of one of said pair of fluorescent lamps and a second filament winding connectable by a N/O switch to a pair of parallel connected filaments of both of said pair of fluorescent lamps.

7. The power-reducing system of claim 5 wherein said power-reducing means includes a charging circuit for controlling said time period of said coupling and decoupling of said filament windings and filaments.