摘要:
A low voltage DC input ballast circuit for a discharge lamp particularly suitable for a central lighting system includes an input filter stage which feeds into a first boost converter circuit controlled by way of a pulse width modulator device. The first boost converter provides warm-up and steady state run signals to the lamp in a voltage fed manner over a coupling circuit using components which are reduced in size relative to conventional discharge ballast circuits. Control circuitry provides various monitoring functions, an example of which is that, in the event of a low input voltage, the lamp will operate in a dimmed or faded manner rather than maintain lumen output by drawing additional current. A second boost converter circuit is associated with a starter circuit arrangement and operates such that starting pulses can be generated and repeated if necessary in a very rapid manner.
摘要:
A light delivery system includes a light source. A first generally tubular, hollow coupling device with an interior light-reflective surface receives light from the source at an inlet and transmits it to an outlet. The coupling device increases in cross sectional area from inlet to outlet in such manner as to reduce the angle of light reflected from the surface as it passes through the device. A thermal-isolating region has an inlet positioned in proximity to an outlet of the coupling device and has an outlet for passing light to an optical member, the thermal-isolating region comprising one or more members. A waterproof container for the light source and coupling device has an aperture allowing light to pass out of the container. The aperture is sealed in part by a portion of a member of the thermal-isolating region. Advantageously, the system can be buried beneath the surface of the ground. This avoids the problem of people or equipment colliding with the system. The components in the sealed container are protected from intrusion by wildlife or deterioration from dirt and dust. In some embodiments, the container may be free of a fan, reducing the complexity and noise of the system.
摘要:
An illumination system for a video-imaging device has a light source and a collector of light from the light source. The collector is formed according to the principles of non-imaging optics and receives a portion of the light from the light source. The collector is configured to reduce the angular distribution of the collected light from the light source to match the requirements of a digital pixelation device.
摘要:
A ballast circuit and method of operating gas discharge lamps are disclosed. The ballast circuit generates a relatively low frequency regulated square-wave current which advantageously provides for operating the gas discharge lamps during their run mode. The square-wave current delivered to the electrodes of the gas discharge lamp reduces or substantially eliminates the cataphoresis effects typically created by D.C. and 60 Hz operation of the gas discharge lamp while also reducing or substantially eliminating the detrimental acoustics resonance effects typically created by operating the gas discharge lamps at relatively high frequency of excitations.
摘要:
Miniature high pressure arc lamps containing a substantial pressure of xenon, in addition to metal halide and mercury, can provide instant light at turn-on and are suitable for automotive headlamps. The high pressure of xenon aggravates convection which causes arc bowing and overheating of the envelope above the arc. By operating the lamp at high frequency within selected bands, acoustic modes are excited in the fill which straighten the arc and make the envelope more isothermal. Frequency modulation of the input can be used to broaden the band selected for acoustic operation and relax the tolerance on arc tube and circuit parameters needed for a match. Acoustic operation may also be used to effect physical displacement of the arc for beam switching.
摘要:
A lamp driver circuit is presented herein for driving a lamp circuit with an AC squarewave voltage at a relatively high frequency. The driver circuit includes a self-oscillating half-bridge circuit having a pair of input terminals connected across a DC voltage supply, which may be obtained from rectifying an AC voltage signal, and a pair of output terminals connected across a lamp circuit including a lamp, either a resistive lamp or a gaseous discharge lamp, to be energized. The circuit also includes a pair of capacitors connected together in series across the input terminals and having a junction therebetween connected to a first one of the output terminals. The bridge circuit also includes first and second switching transistors connected together in series across the input terminals. A transformer is provided having first and second windings thereon respectively connected to the first and second switching transistors for alternately applying forward biasing base drive current to the first and second transistors. A third winding on the transformer is connected in series from the junction of the two transistors to a second one of the output terminals for purposes of supplying a squarewave voltage across the output terminals for driving the lamp circuit. A starter circuit serves to start the half-bridge circuit by initially turning on one of the switching transistors in such a manner that while one transistor is being forward biased into conduction, the other transistor is reverse biased.
摘要:
An electrodeless neon discharge light source having a red color light output is provided for use in automotive applications. The light source has a lamp envelope containing a fill of neon gas which, when excited to a discharge state by introduction of an operating signal over a tuned circuit consisting of a resonant capacitor and a ferrite coil, produces a red color light output. A flash control input to a ballast circuit arrangement provides the ability to control the light output using bursts of high frequency sinusoidal energy. The use of the burst signal approach allows for providing varying levels of light intensity output thereby signifying the distinction between braking conditions and an on condition of the tail light. Furthermore, by controlling the rate of flashing of the light source, an indication of a hard braking or emergency condition, could be conveyed.
摘要:
Miniature high pressure arc lamps containing a substantial pressure of xenon, in addition to metal halide and mercury, can provide instant light at turn-on and are suitable for automotive headlamps. The xenon aggravates convection which causes arc-bowing and overheating of the envelope above the arc. By operating the lamps on unidirectional current upon which a frequency-modulated high frequency ripple has been imposed, acoustic resonance is used to straighten out the arc. The use of unidirectional current permits a reduction in cost and size of the ballast control circuits operated from auto storage battery. Frequency modulation of the ripple broadens the band allowing acoustic straightening of the arc. Additional control of the arc plus reduction of cataphoresis may be achieved through a horizontal magnetic field at the arc, transverse to current flow.
摘要:
A method and a ballast circuit are disclosed for operating a xenon-metal halide lamp particularly suited for automotive applications with a direct curernt (DC) levels having selectable amount of ripple imposed thereon. The ripple provides for acoustically straightening the arc between the electrodes of the xenon-metal halide lamp. The DC acoustic operation has the capability of utilizing cataphoresis effect so as to provide a less distracting forward beam illumination for a vehicle.
摘要:
An elongated LED lighting arrangement comprises an elongated fiberoptic light pipe having an exteriorly facing sidewall between its ends. The light pipe is constructed to promote TIR of light between the ends. A first LED light source is tuned to efficiently provide light within a wavelength range to the pipe. Light-extracting means are applied along the light pipe along the main path of TIR light propagation, and comprise down-converting means tuned to efficiently convert light rays from the LED light source within the wavelength range to lower-energy light rays at respectively longer wavelengths and light-scattering means for extracting from the pipe some light rays within the wavelength range without changing the wavelengths of the foregoing light. The light emitted by the down-converting means and the light-scattering means intermix to produce light, the majority of which has a composite color determined by the foregoing light emitted and the foregoing light extracted.