Patent ID: 6476567
Filing Date: 2002-11-05
Classification: H05B

Abstract:
A control gear for fluorescent lamps and the identification of defective fluorescent lamps, said control gear comprising:two or more lamp circuits for igniting and burning fluorescent lamps, the lamp circuits comprising supply and ignition components specific for each lamp, a supply line which is arranged to supply voltage to the lamp circuits, a switching element connected to the supply line and common to all lamp circuits said switching element being arranged to stop the supply of all lamp circuits, lamp circuit-specific switching elements arranged to control the voltage of the lamps in the lamp circuits, wherein each lamp circuit-specific switching element is arranged to stop the supply voltage to one of the lamp circuits without interrupting the supply voltage to other of the two or more lamp circuits, a control unit arranged to control the switching element and the lamp circuit-specific switching elements, and lamp circuit-specific circuits identifying defective fluorescent lamps, said circuits being arranged to transmit information on defective fluorescent lamps to the control unit.