Patent ID: 7061190

Claim:
A circuit arrangement for operating lamps having the following features: a SEPIC-type converter having an input (E), which is referred to a ground and which can be connected to a rectified system voltage, an input inductor (L 11 ), which on one side is coupled to the input and on the other side is coupled to a first node (N 1 ), a first electronic switch (S 1 ), which has a first and a second contact, the second contact being coupled to the ground, a load circuit, to which lamps can be coupled, having a load circuit input (N 3 ), characterized in that the circuit arrangement comprises the following features: a first diode (D 1 ) which is connected between the first node (N 1 ) and the first contact of the first electronic switch (S 1 ) such that current can flow from the input inductor (L 11 ) to the first electronic switch (S 1 ), a second diode (D 2 ) which is connected between the first contact of the first electronic switch (S 1 ) and the load circuit input (N 3 ) such that current can flow from the load circuit to the first electronic switch (S 1 ).