Patent ID: 6906462

Claim:
A gas discharge lamp, especially for headlights for vehicles, comprising a burner ( 12 ) including a discharge vessel ( 14 ) with a void ( 15 ), in which a filling of gas and other substances is disposed and into which at least two main electrodes ( 16 , 18 ) protrude, between which electrodes an electric arc forms in operation of the gas discharge lamp, and having at least one auxiliary electrode to improve the ignition performance of the gas discharge lamp, said at least one auxiliary electrode being disposed on the outside of the discharge vessel ( 14 ) in the region of the void ( 15 ), and at least one counterelectrode, and means for applying a high-frequency electrical voltage to said at least one auxiliary electrode and to said at least one counterelectrode at least prior to and/or during the ignition of the gas discharge lamp wherein said discharge vessel ( 14 ) is at least partly surrounded by a guard tube ( 26 ), and wherein the at least one auxiliary electrode is disposed between the outside of the discharge vessel ( 14 ) and the guard tube ( 26 ), said means for applying high-frequency electrical voltage to said at least one auxiliary electrode and to said at least one counterelectrode being controlled such that it does not generate an arc between said auxiliary electrode and said at least one counterelectrode.