CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENT

Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for supplying a discharge lamp, comprising a converter for generating a high-frequency current with a frequency f from a supply voltage, which converter comprises at least one switching element which is rendered alternately conducting and non-conducting with the frequency f while the discharge lamp is being supplied. According to the invention, the circuit arrangement is in addition provided with a circuit portion (I) for the low-frequency modulation of the power consumed by the discharge lamp through an adjustment of the conduction period of the switching element. It is achieved thereby that instabilities in the discharge lamp plasma, such as striations and moding, are suppressed to a considerable degree.

Description: Circuit arrangement. The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for supplying a discharge lamp, comprising a converter for generating a high-frequency current with a frequency f from a supply voltage, which converter comprises at least one switching element which is rendered alternately conducting and non-conducting with the frequency f while the discharge lamp is being supplied. The invention also relates to a compact fluorescent lamp. Such a circuit arrangement is known from EP 0323676 Al. Such a circuit arrangement is particularly suitable for supplying low-pressure mercury discharge lamps. The frequency f is often chosen to be of the order of 10 kHz in the case of low-pressure mercury discharge lamps. A major advantage of the high-frequency supply of such discharge lamps is, for example, the comparatively high luminous efficacy (lm/W). A disadvantage of the high-frequency operation of low-pressure mercury discharge lamps, however, is that instabilities can arise in the discharge, which may give rise to the occurrence of, for example, striations or moding. The term "moding" is here understood to mean a low-frequency fluctuation of the luminous flux of the discharge lamp. It is an object of the invention to provide a circuit arrangement with which it is possible to supply a discharge lamp with high frequency while instabilities in the discharge such as striations and moding are suppressed to a considerable degree. According to the invention, a circuit arrangement of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph is for this purpose characterized in that the circuit arrangement is provided with a circuit portion I for the low-frequency modulation of the power consumed by the discharge lamp through an adjustment of the conduction period of the switching element. The conduction period of the switching element is here understood to be the time interval during which the switching element conducts current. The low-frequency modulation of the power consumed by the discharge lamp causes a low-frequency modulation of the luminous flux of the discharge lamp. Given a suitable choice of the modulation frequency, the luminous flux of the discharge lamp is perceived by the human eye as being constant at a level which is equal to the average value of the luminous flux over a cycle of the low- frequency modulation. It was found that instabilities in the discharge are suppressed to a considerable degree by the low-frequency modulation of the conduction period of the switching element. The low-frequency modulation is preferably of the square-wave type. In this case the circuit portion I comprises means for alternately and with low frequency setting the power consumed by the discharge lamp for a first value through adjustment of the conduction period of the switching element during a first time interval and setting the power consumed by the discharge lamp for a second value through adjustment of the conduction time of the switching element during a second time interval. Such a low-frequency modulation can be realized with comparatively inexpensive and simple means. If circuit portion I is provided with means for adjusting the duty cycle of the square-wave modulation, it is possible to adjust the luminous flux of the discharge lamp by these means. It is possible to change the conduction period of the switching element while the value of the frequency f remains the same. Often, however, the construction of the circuit arrangement is such that a change in the conduction period of the switching element also leads to a change in the frequency f. It is possible to realize the setting of the power consumed by the discharge lamp during each of the two time intervals in that the conduction period is set for a fixed, predetermined value. This approach is often referred to as feedforward. An improvement in the operation of the circuit arrangement, however, can be achieved through the use of a power control. A comparatively simple and reliable power control can be realized in that the circuit arrangement is provided with a power control mechanism for controlling the power consumed by the discharge lamp at a substantially constant value through the adjustment of the conduction period. This power control controls the first value of the power consumed by the discharge lamp at a first substantially constant value PI through adjustment of the conduction period of the switching element during the first time interval, and controls the second value of the power consumed by the discharge lamp at a second substantially constant value P2 through adjustment of the conduction period during the second time interval. It was found that such a power control provides an important further contribution to the suppression of instabilities in the plasma of the discharge lamp. Good results were obtained with a circuit arrangement according to the invention in which the converter comprises a bridge circuit. The circuit arrangement according to the invention was found to be highly suitable for supplying the comparatively thin low-pressure mercury discharge lamps which are used, for example, in an LCD backlight. A circuit arrangement according to the invention is also highly suitable for supplying a compact fluorescent lamp. In that case the circuit arrangement is preferably incorporated in the space surrounded by a housing which is connected to the discharge vessel and is provided with a lamp cap. The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of a circuit arrangement according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows the conduction period of each of the two switching elements forming part of the circuit arrangement shown in Fig. 1 as a function of time, and Fig. 3 shows part of a compact fluorescent lamp provided with a circuit arrangement according to the invention. In Fig. 1, Kl and K2 are terminals for connection to a supply voltage source. This supply voltage source is a DC voltage source in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Terminals Kl and K2 are interconnected by a series arrangement of two switching elements SI and S2. SC is a circuit portion for generating a control signal for rendering the switching elements SI and S2 alternately conducting with a frequency f. A first and a second output of circuit portion SC are for this purpose coupled to a control electrode of switching element SI and a control electrode of switching element S2, respectively. I is a circuit portion for the low-frequency square-wave modulation of the conduction periods of the two switching elements. Preferably, the circuit portion I is also provided with means for adjusting the duty cycle of the low-frequency square- wave modulation. An output of circuit portion I is coupled to an input of circuit portion SC. Switching element S2 is shunted by a series arrangement of an inductive element L, terminals K3 and K4 for connecting a discharge lamp, and capacitor C4. A discharge lamp La is connected to the terminals K3 and K4. The discharge lamp La is shunted by a capacitor C3. The operation of the circuit arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is as follows. When the terminals Kl and K2 are connected to a supply voltage source, the circuit portion SC will render the switching elements SI and S2 alternately conducting and non-conducting in turn with the frequency f. As a result of this, a high-frequency current with frequency f flows through the discharge lamp. Each switching element is rendered conducting by the circuit portion SC, subsequently conducts a current during a time interval Ton, and is rendered non-conducting at the end of the time interval Ton. After a switching element has been rendered non-conducting, the high-frequency current will flow through a diode which forms part of the other switching element. The other switching element is rendered conducting before the current through the diode has become equal to zero. This other switching element will conduct current after the current through the diode has become zero. The conduction periods of the switching elements are modulated into a square- wave shape with low-frequency by the circuit portion I. As a result of this, the power consumed by the discharge lamp alternately has the comparatively high value PI belonging to a conduction period Tonl during a time interval Δtl, and the comparatively low value P2 belonging to a conduction period Ton2 during a time interval Δt2. A signal which is a measure for the power consumed by the discharge lamp is generated by means not shown in Fig. 1 both during the time interval Δtl and during the time interval Δt2. This signal is compared with a signal which is a measure for a desired value of the power consumed by the discharge lamp, and depending on the outcome of this comparison the conduction periods of the switching elements are adjusted such that the power consumed by the discharge lamp is substantially constant in each of the two time intervals. The power control, which is active both during the time interval Δtl and during the time interval Δt2, corresponds to the power control implemented in the Philips HF Regulator ballast, which for this purpose is provided with the UBA 2010 T IC. An improved stability of the discharge in the discharge lamp is realized thanks to this additional power control during both time intervals. The average power Pav consumed by the discharge lamp is in theory: Δtl * PI + Δt2 * P2 Pav = Δtl + Δt2 This average power Pav consumed by the discharge lamp, and accordingly also the luminous flux of the discharge lamp, can be adjusted in that the ratio of Δtl to Δt2, i.e. the duty cycle of the square-wave modulation, is adjusted. Fig. 2 shows time plotted in arbitrary units on the horizontal and the - vertical axis. The square- wave curve shows the conduction periods of the switching elements of the converter in a circuit arrangement as shown in Fig. 1 as a function of time. It is apparent that the conduction period Ton has a value Tonl during a time interval Δtl and a value Ton2 during a time interval Δt2. Fig. 3 shows a portion 8 of a discharge vessel which is sealed in a gastight manner and which transmits radiation. The wall 6 of a housing is connected to the discharge vessel 8 and provided with a lamp cap 3, a circuit arrangement B according to the invention being present in a space 7 surrounded by said housing. The circuit arrangement is diagrammatically represented by the components P and Cl to C4. Connection wires between the circuit arrangement and electrodes (not shown) in the discharge vessel have the reference numeral 9. E indicates connection wires between the circuit arrangement and electrical contacts 1 and 2 placed on the lamp cap. It is possible to adjust the duty cycle of the square- wave modulation of the frequency f of the lamp current by means which are not shown in Fig. 3 and which are accommodated outside the housing.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A circuit arrangement for supplying a discharge lamp, comprising a converter for generating a high-frequency current with a frequency f from a supply voltage, which converter comprises at least one switching element which is rendered alternately conducting and non-conducting with the frequency f while the discharge lamp is being supplied, characterized in that the circuit arrangement is provided with a circuit portion I for the low-frequency modulation of the power consumed by the discharge lamp through an adjustment of the conduction period of the switching element. 2. A circuit arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the low-frequency modulation is of the square-wave type. 3. A circuit arrangement as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the circuit portion I is provided with means for adjusting the duty cycle of the square-wave modulation. 4. A circuit arrangement as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein the circuit arrangement is provided with a power control for controlling the power consumed by the discharge lamp at a substantially constant value through the adjustment of the conduction period. 5. A circuit arrangement as claimed in any one or several of the preceding Claims, wherein the converter comprises a bridge circuit (SI, S2). 6. A compact fluorescent lamp provided with a discharge vessel which is sealed in a gastight manner and transmits radiation and with a housing connected to the discharge vessel and fitted with a lamp cap, wherein a circuit arrangement as claimed in any one or several of the preceding Claims is present in a space enclosed by said housing.

Inventors: WACYK IHOR TARAS, WACYK, IHOR, TARAS
Applicants: KONINKL PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NV, PHILIPS NORDEN AB, KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: H05B41
IPC codes: H05B41