Patent ID: 6181075
Filing Date: 2001-01-30
Classification: H05B,Y10S

Abstract:
A power supply for gas discharge tubes and including an oscillator, said oscillator including first gate means and transformer means having primary winding means connected to said first gate means, a secondary winding means connected to said gas discharge tube,said first gate means being operative to conduct current to the primary winding means upon the receipt of a first gate signal,feedback means coupled to the primary winding means and to the first gate means for providing a gate signal upon the occurrence of a first predetermined current condition in the primary winding means,second gate means coupled to the first gate means and being operative upon receipt of a second gate signal to disable said first gate means and terminate current flow to the primary winding means,sensing means coupled to the primary winding means and operative to provide the second gate signal upon the occurrence of a second current condition in the primary winding means,a power source,first energy storage means coupled to said power source for receiving a charge therefrom,safety means coupled to said secondary winding means and to said first gate means for disabling said first gate means if a predetermined unbalanced current is detected in said secondary winding means,time delay circuit means connected to said first energy storage means and to the first gate means for applying a gate signal to the first gate means after a time delay of a plurality of seconds after said first gate means has been disabled by said safety means,and third gate means connected to said first energy storage means and to the feedback means and shunting said first energy storage means and operative to prevent said first energy storage means from charging upon the receipt of the gate signal from the feedback means.