Patent ID: 6107756
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: H05B,Y10S

Abstract:
In a low-voltage landscape lighting system having a stepdown transformer, said stepdown transformer having a predetermined power rating and primary and secondary windings with said primary winding being adapted for connection to an AC supply source and said secondary winding being adapted for connection to a low-voltage outdoor power distribution cable and a plurality of lamp fixtures electrically connected to said power distribution cable, the improvement comprising:each lamp fixture including a low-voltage, non-thermionic, gas discharge light-producing sub-system, each sub-system comprising:at least one gas discharge lamp device with lamp electrodes spaced in a gaseous medium, a light transmissive envelope confining said gaseous discharge medium at a predetermined pressure between said lamp electrodes, anda high-frequency alternating current square wave voltagedriver circuit,said high-frequency alternating current square wave voltage driver circuit including a rectifier connected to said power distribution cable said rectifier having output terminals constituting a direct current source, a solid state switch circuit connected between said direct current source and said lamp electrodes and means connecting said switch circuit to said lamp electrodes, said switch circuit being operated to generate a substantially square wave alternating current voltage at said lamp electrodes to start and operate said gas discharge lamp device such that the square wave voltage applied to said lamp electrodes reverses polarity more rapidly than the pattern of electron and ion density in the gas can shift and electrons throughout the space between said lamp electrodes are continually accelerated and will, through several cycles of said square wave alternating current voltage create ions in the envelope volume, in steady state operation.