Patent ID: 7638952
Filing Date: 2009-12-29
Classification: H05B

Abstract:
1. A multiple discharge lamp lighting apparatus comprising: a step-up transformer to boost a voltage, the step-up transformer defining a primary side and a secondary side having a plurality of discharge lamps connected thereto; and an inverter means to convert a DC voltage into a high-frequency AC voltage, the inverter means driving the primary side of the step-up transformer thereby lighting the plurality of discharge lamps, wherein: a bridge circuit is provided which is configured such that four branch paths each comprising at least one discharge lamp are connected to one another so as to form a quadrangle whose four sides are constituted by the four branch paths; the secondary side of the step-up transformer is provided with first and second outputs connected respectively to two lamp connection points disposed respectively at two corners of the quadrangle diagonally opposing each other, and third and fourth outputs connected respectively to another two lamp connection points disposed respectively at remaining two corners of the quadrangle diagonally opposing each other; and the first and second outputs repeat inversions with their respective voltage polarities reversed from each other, thus constituting a first differential voltage output, and the third and fourth outputs repeat inversions with their respective voltage polarities reversed from each other at every one cycle of polarity inversion at the first differential voltage output, thus constituting a second differential voltage output.