WO2011032780A1

WO2011032780A1 - Fluorescent lamp

Info

Publication number: WO2011032780A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/061407
Authority: WO
Inventors: Felix Franck; Reinhard Lecheler
Original assignee: Osram Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
Priority date: 2009-09-15
Filing date: 2010-08-05
Publication date: 2011-03-24

Abstract

Fluorescent lamps (10, 10'; 10b; 10c) have coils (14a, 14b; 14'a, 14'b) for electrodes, the connectors (16a, 18a; 16b, 18b) of said coils being interconnected via an inductive element (30, 32), the inductivity of which is chosen such that currents having a network frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz are conducted past the associated coils (14a, 14b; 14'a, 14'b). This prevents the preheating currents of a conventional ballast from heating the coils (14a, 14b; 14'a, 14'b), so that the fluorescent lamp (10, 10'; 10b') cannot be operated by such a conventional ballast, but exclusively by an electronic ballast. This helps save energy. As an alternative to the inductive element (30, 32), a semiconductor circuit (34) can be used, wherein a switch (Q1) is closed or is generally closed, that is to say, is switched on, for currents of the network frequency during, and is only opened for currents that have frequency portions typical for electronic ballasts.

Description

description

Fluorescent Lamp

Technical area

The invention relates to a fluorescent lamp with a structure known per se. Such a phosphor ^¬ lamp has two electrodes having for acting with current in each case two electrode terminals. These connectors are coupled to external terminals of the light-emitting ^¬ fluorescent lamp.

In one aspect, the invention ties in with a more concrete embodiment of a fluorescent lamp. The fluorescent lamp has a glass body filled with gas, on which a sealed pump stalk is formed. Gas is pumped out of the glass body or filled into it via the pump stem before it is closed. The fluorescent lamp has a helical electrode in the interior of the glass body, from the two connection ^¬ lines penetrate the glass body and emerge on the side of the pump stem. In a further aspect of the invention, it is important that the leads of the helical electrode emerge into a receiving space which is closed by a plastic plate, which typically consists of Pertinax. The Anschlussleitun ^¬ conditions are connected to pins that penetrate the plastic plate.

State of the art

Fluorescent lamps with all the features of the aforementioned type are widely used in the market. The invention is concerned with the adaptation of such a fluorescent lamp to ballasts. Conventional ballasts, consisting of an inductive element with starter, have in the past increasingly been replaced by electronic ballasts.

Since conventional ballasts and electronic pre ^¬ switchgear are in use simultaneously, are gegenwär ^¬ term lamps on the market that can be coupled with both types of ballasts. However, fluorescent lamps are much more efficient, especially in terms of their energy consumption, Betrie ^¬ ben, when coupled with an electronic ballast. It is therefore looking for a way to get the consumer to use only electronic ballasts and replace lights with conventional ballasts. It would in principle be possible to produce only such fluorescent lamps whose pins can only be coupled with electronic ballasts, for which there are therefore no conventional ballasts. The problem here would be that there are many lights with electronic ballasts, which presupposes a pin arrangement on the fluorescent lamps, as is also required by conven ^¬ onellen ballasts. It would be unacceptable to completely dispense with the production of fluorescent lamps with this pin arrangement.

Presentation of the invention

The object of the present invention is to show a way how to bring a consumer to it can operate fluorescent lamps only with electronic ballasts, even if their pin arrangement per se would allow operation with a conventional ballast. This object is fluorescent lamp at a light-emitting solved by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1 with the features of the preamble of Patent ^¬ claim 1. Particularly advantageous Ausgestal ^¬ tions can be found in the dependent claims. As part of the solution of the problem, two specific constructions of fluorescent lamps according to claims 11 and 12 are also provided.

The fluorescent lamps according to claim 1, 14 and 15 have in common that they can be designed so that they do not work or not sufficiently reliable when coupled with a conventional ballast and emit light. The discerning consumer will therefore learn that he has to couple these fluorescent lamps with an electronic ballast, so they work properly and emit light optimally. The solution of the problem is therefore in the ^{Stel ¬} tion of means that sabotage the use of a conventional ballast in some respects.

The sabotaging takes place, in particular, by means for effecting the at least partial conduction of the current of a predetermined frequency with which the fluorescent lamp is acted upon via its outer terminals, being fitted past the respective electrode. If the predetermined frequency chosen so that it is exactly the ei ^¬ nes preheating as produced him switching device a conventional forward, so if it is the power frequency, which is 50 Hz in Europe and 60 Hz in the USA, or if it is close to this line frequency, then the preheating current does not reach the preheated electrode but just flows into a shunt. Then it comes with couplings with a conventional ballast not just to preheat the electrode and usually not to ignite the electrode, at least not to a permanent operation of the fluorescent lamp. The user will notice this immediately after installation in a fluorescent lamp with a conventional ballast and, if appropriate with the appropriate instructions, instead subsequently connect the fluorescent lamp to an electronic ballast.

The means for effecting the at least partial conduction of a preheating current past the respective electrode are simply designed in the simplest embodiment as an inductive element which couples the two electrode ^{terminals to} one another.

If the inductive element has an inductance of between 0.1 mH and 10 mH, preferably between 0.7 mH and 1.5 mH (eg 1 mH exactly), it closes with the usual electrode cold resistances of a few to a few tens of ohms Currents with a mains frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz are particularly effective short. Conversely be ef- fektiver resistance when exposed increases with a few tens of kilohertz to tens to hundreds of times the parallel only ^¬ switched electrodes cold resistance, so that the Vorhei ^¬ wetting of these electrodes is not affected with these higher frequencies. In the embodiment in which a pumping stem of the fluorescent lamp is provided, it is advisable to the inductive element to this couple, z. B. wind on a ring, which preferably consists of soft magnetic material (eg., Ferrite), and to put this ring over the pump stalk, in particular to put on the shaft of the pump stem. For example, a ferrite ring core with 10mm Außendurchmes ^¬ ser and an AL value of 4090nH used satisfy 15 turns of copper wire to produce an inductance of ImH.

Depending on the design of the means for effecting the BY- directing a preheating current to the electrode, it may be before ^¬ geous when such agents for both electrodes are provided simultaneously. Particularly in a com pact ^¬ fluorescent lamp, such an execution ^¬ form offers In such compact fluorescent lamp in which the glass body has at least one bending point, the external terminals are provided on both electrodes on the same side. Then, a simple interconnection is possible, in which the means for effecting the preconditioning of a preheating current for both electrodes are provided in a single component. For example, simply two inductive elements (independently of one another) can be embedded in a material from which the connections then protrude. In particular, two windings which are not galvanically connected to one another can be applied to one and the same core.

Alternatively to the use of an inductive element, the present invention also provides a further From ^¬ guide die, wherein the means for effecting the passage passing a current of predetermined frequency to the electrode comprise a semiconductor circuit. Again, this can create a shunt, by closing ßen a normally open switch. The switch is naturally to be arranged in a compound of the two electrode terminals. It comprises control means which are adapted, at a predetermined frequency of a current, with which it is beauf ^¬ beat on its external terminals, to close the switch. For example, the semiconductor circuit repeatedly or continuously measures the frequency of a current, at least for predetermined Fre ^¬ quenzbereiche. This may, for example, be tracked by sensing zero crossings from a potential applied to a terminal of the control means. The frequency can then be determined via the zero crossings.

Another embodiment is that said Schal ^¬ ter is basically closed, that is low impedance for the current through the outer terminals of the semiconductor circuit, and only then turned off, that is switched high impedance, when the control means the corresponding frequencies measure up.

Such a semiconductor circuit has the advantage that its properties are more selectively adjustable than is the case with an inductive element. Depending on the ^{Ausgestal ¬} tion, the semiconductor circuit may even be cheaper than an inductive element.

In one embodiment, the switch of the semiconductor is terschaltung a transistor, and the control means umfas ^¬ sen a microcontroller or microprocessor, referred to as "Control", and which is coupled to a control input of the transistor. Such a microcontroller ler may in operation to sense the frequency of a current, make a sample on its sense terminal and upon detection of the predetermined frequency then give a signal causing the switching of the transistor on the ^¬ sen control input. A transistor is a very inexpensive switch, whereas the microcontroller or microprocessor is specifically programmable. Since its only property is the scanning and the control of the switch, such a microcontroller or microprocessor is in any case inexpensive to provide. Due to the programmability, the switching behavior can be adapted specifically. There are therefore more complex scenarios than simply distinguishing between the preheating of a conventional ballast and the preheating of an electronic ballast conceivable for the fluorescent lamp with the transistor and the microcontroller could be used in the future.

In an alternative embodiment, the control means are implemented by discrete analog electronic components. The control input of the transistor is protected from ^¬ above its reference pole by a protection circuit against overvoltage. A start circuit enables the iniziale turning on the transistor, as well as on ^¬ rather conservation of "basically closed", as long as the external terminals of the semiconductor circuit is voltage. An auxiliary power supply uses high-frequency variations in the voltage across the external connectors off to the voltage of the control input of the transistor further Finally, a measuring circuit switches off the transistor by short-circuiting the voltage at its control input precisely when the measured frequency is clearly above 60 Hz, in particular between 20 kHz and 200 kHz. The semiconductor circuit is preferably mounted on a (Pertinax-) plate, which closes in a conventional manner a receiving space into which the electrode terminals enter, and where z. As solder joints to the outer terminals, typically to copper pins, are located.

Brief description of the drawings

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to several embodiments. Show it:

Fig. 1 a section of a fluorescent lamp according to an ers ^¬ th embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fluorescent lamp of FIG. 1 when opened. FIG.

3 shows in section a fluorescent lamp according to a two ^¬ th embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 4, in section, a fluorescent lamp according to a drit ^¬ th embodiment of the invention,

5 is a perspective view of the fluorescent lamp of FIG. 4, when it is open,

6 shows in section a fluorescent lamp according to a four ^¬ th embodiment of the invention, and

Fig. 7 shows the circuit diagram of a fluorescent lamp

Fig. 6 usable semiconductor circuit, and

8 shows a further circuit diagram of a usable in the fluorescent lamp of Fig. 6 semiconductor circuit. Preferred embodiments of the invention

A fluorescent lamp 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention ^¬ has a hollow glass body 12, which is filled with an ultraviolet radiation emitting in the operating gas, typically mercury vapor. On the inner walls of the glass body 12, a phosphor is arranged, which converts the ultraviolet light into visible light.

Two electrodes 14a and 14b of the fluorescent lamp 10 are provided in the form of helices. These are located in the interior of the glass body 12. In order to be able to supply them with electricity, in each case two electrode connections 16a, 18a or 16b, 18b project into an air-filled space 20a, 20b. This space is completed by a Pertinax plate 22a and 22b, respectively. In the space 20a, 20b, the E- are lektrodenanschlüsse 16a, 20a, and 16b, 18b with at ^¬ circuit pins 24a, 26a, and 24b, 26b, which are made of copper. The pins 24a, 26a, and 24b, 26b, respectively, penetrate the pertinax platelets 22a, 22b. In the interior of the spaces 20a, 20b protrudes a pumping stem 28a, which is used in the manufacture of the fluorescent lamp to bring gas into the fluorescent lamp 10 or to pump out of it. In the operating state of the luminous ^¬ fluorescent lamp 10 is the opening of the pumping stem 28, sealed by fusion 28b. The fluorescent lamp 10 has an inductive element 30, which mitein ^¬ other couples the electrode terminals 16a and 16b. The inductive element 30 includes a ferrite core in the form of a toroid with a Außendurchmes ^¬ ser of 10 mm, an inner diameter of 6 mm and a Height of 4 mm, preferably T38 ferrite is used here. The toroidal core is wound, with one or two windings. The entire assembly is soaked in copper wire enamel for better insulation, which has been allowed to harden. The ring core of ferrite is fixed at its central ^¬ hole with a drop of Sauereisen cement at the exhaust tube 28a. The contact wires of the inductive ele ^¬ ment / the inductive elements thus formed are aligned during assembly parallel to the electrode terminals 16 a, 18 a, in order to be guided in tubes for the pins 24 a, 28 a can.

By the inductive element 30, a shunt to the coil 14a is provided. The inductive element is ^so-¬ builds, in that it has an inductance of 1 mH. If the fluorescent lamp 10 is coupled to a conventional ballast, the heating currents generated by this on ^¬ switch device with a mains frequency of 50 Hz (Europe) or 60 Hz (USA) do not flow through the coil 14a, but just on the inductive element 30. This will prevents the fluorescent lamp 10 can be operated with a conventional ballast.

The fluorescent lamp 10 is only suitable for loading ^¬ operating with an electronic ballast: In such the frequencies for the preheating are Ström by a factor of 1000 higher than the network frequency so that the inductance element 30 of this preheat streams ^¬ higher Frequency does not prevent them from flowing over the coil 14a.

In an alternative embodiment, a fluorescent lamp 10 'is constructed like the fluorescent lamp 10, where is arranged not only on one side, namely the side of the coil 14a, an inductive element, but in addition to the inductive element 30 to the coil 14a, an inductive element 32 is provided to the coil 14b. This connects the electrode terminals 16b and 18b for the coil 14b with each other. The structure of the inductive element is described here as above for the inductive element 30, and also its attachment in the fluorescent lamp 10 '. The use of two inductive elements 30, 32 may be advantageous in certain ballasts to effectively prevent the fluorescent lamp 10 'from emitting light.

The fluorescent lamps 10 to 10 'are so-called T8 lamps. Even with a compact or L-fluorescent lamp, the principle can be used that inductive elements 30 ', 32' are connected in parallel to the coils 14 'a, 14'b. As can be seen in FIG. 4, in such a compact fluorescent lamp 10b, a single component 33 is provided, by means of which both inductive elements 30 ', 32' are provided simultaneously. This is made possible that the coils 14 'a and 14'b disposed on the same side of the fluorescent lamp 10b, in particular also the pins 24'a, 26'a one hand and 24'b, 26'b ^¬ other hand, from the protrude the same Pertinax plate 22 ', which terminates a single inner space 20'.

As shown in Fig. 5, in a compact fluorescent ^¬ lamp 10b with at least abknickendem at a point glass body 12 'providing the inductive elements 30', 32 'by an element of the type of the measures described in Fig. 2 the inductive element 30 with provided two windings. Is used as a carrier element for example As a ring made of soft magnetic material used, there is a transformer coupling between the voltages at the two electrodes. The polarity of this coupling affects the type of allowable electrode preheating in addition to the presence of parallel inductors. Instead of being attached to an exhaust tube 28a, may be specifically a pin 28 provided for the purpose of its mountings ^¬ supply of a ferrite toroid with windings separately ', z. B. molded from glass or molded from plastic.

A fluorescent lamp 10c differs from the fluorescent lamp 10 in that instead of inductive ^¬ ven member 30 to a semiconductor circuit 34 is provided, and that this is formed on the Pertinaxplättchen 22a on its the interior to the glass body 12 side facing the. The semiconductor circuit 34 is shown by way of example in FIG. 7. The one terminal 36 is in this case connected to the pin 24a, the other terminal 38 to the pin 26a. The heart of the semiconductor circuit 34 is a transistor Q1 as a switch whose control input is controlled by a microcontroller "control." When the terminals 36 and 38 are acted upon by alternating current, respective half-waves flow via the diode pairs D1, D4 on the one hand and D2 and D3 on the other hand on the other hand, they reach the microcontroller "Control", to which the capacitance C1 is connected in parallel, which together with the auxiliary diode D5 serves for the internal power supply of the "Control" block Ql. The sum of Rl and the on-resistance of the transistor makes the change The latter samples the incoming current to zero, so that it can detect the frequency of the alternating current.) If the microcontroller "Control" senses this frequency is the same is the mains frequency, it closes the switch Q1, so that it comes to a shunt to the coil 18a. Reason is also that with a conven- tional ballast the preheating currents are in coupling of the fluorescent lamp 10c are short-circuited, so that they do not flow through the coil 14a and the fluorescent lamp 10c is not put into operation ^¬ sets.

An alternative semiconductor circuit 40 is similar to the circuit 34, only "control", D5 and Cl are implemented by other electronic components.

The control input of the transistor is opposite its reference pole by a protective circuit 42, comprising one and in the present case consisting of a Zener diode ZI, protected against overvoltage. A start-up circuit 44 comprises and consists in the present case of a series circuit of a pull-up resistor R6 and a discharge prevention diode 6 whose cathode is connected to the control input of Ql; this start-up circuit 44 allows the inizi- ale turning on the transistor, as well as the maintenance preserver ^¬ processing of "basically closed", as long as at the terminals 36 and 38 applied voltage.

A measuring circuit 46 turns off the transistor by short-circuiting the voltage at its control input if and only if the measured frequency is well above 60 Hz, in particular above the natural resonance of the series resonant circuit of a capacitor C3 and an inductance L3 is. The heart of this measuring circuit has a second transistor Q2, here embodied as an NPN bipolar transistor whose collector is connected via a diode D12 to the reference pole of Ql, the short-circuit path for the voltage of the control terminal of Ql vervoll ^¬ ständigt, wherein the anode of D12 with connected to the collector of Q2. Its base-collector path is bridged by the series connection of two measuring diodes D13 and D14, whose cathodes are respectively oriented in the direction of the base of Q2. The base of Q2 is connected via a turn-off resistor R12 with the reference pole of Ql verbun ^¬ . Said resonant circuit of C3 and L3 is connected between the cathodes of Dl and D2 on the one hand and the center ^¬ point between the two measuring diodes D13 and D14 on the other hand. L3 can also be replaced by an ohmic resistor. Capacitor C14 limits the frequency at which Q2 is turned on and thus Q1 is turned off, upwards.

An auxiliary power supply 48 is designed for example as a cascade Spannungsvervierfacher without output filter, and uses high-frequency variations in the voltage at the terminals 36 and 38 to the voltage of the control input of the transistor further raised stabili ^¬ hen. Its current limiting resistor R15 is optional and can also be replaced by a short circuit.

The fluorescent lamp 10c may also be configured with the fluorescent lamp 10 so ^¬ alternatively that a semiconductor circuit on the type of semiconductor circuit 34 or 40 respectively to the two coils 14a, 14b is provided.

Claims

claims

Fluorescent lamp (10, 10 ';10b; 10c) with two Elect ^¬ roden (14a, 14b) for acting on with current in each case two electrode terminals (16a, 18a; 16b, 18b), which (with external connections 24a, 26a; 24b, 26b; 24'a, 26'a;24'b,26'b) of the light ^¬ fluorescent lamp (10, 10 ';10b; 10c) are coupled, characterized in that

the fluorescent lamp (10, 10 ';10b; 10c) to at least one electrode (14a, 14b; 14'a, 14'b) comprises: With ^¬ tel (30, 32, 34) for causing said at least teilwei ^¬ sen directing a current of a predetermined Fre ^acid sequence to which the fluorescent lamp (10, 10 ';10b; 10c) through the outside terminals (24a, 26a; 24b, 26b; 24'a, 26'a;24'b,26'b) is acted upon, the respective ^¬ respective electrode (14a, 14b, 14'a, 14'b) over.

Fluorescent lamp (10, 10 ', 10b), in which the means for effecting an inductive element (30, 32) aufwei ^¬ sen, the two electrode terminals (16a, 18a, 16b, 18b, 16'a, 18'a, 16 'b, 18'b) kop ^¬ pelt together.

Fluorescent lamp (10, 10 ';10b; 10c) according to claim 2, wherein the inductive element (30, 32) has a Indukti ^¬ tivity of between 0.1 mH and 10 mH, and preferably between 0,

7 mH to 1.5 mH. 4. fluorescent lamp (10, 10 ') according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the inductive element comprises a wound on a ring on ^¬ wire, wherein the ring is a pumping Stem (28a, 28b) of the fluorescent lamp (10, 10 ') to ^¬ gives.

A fluorescent lamp (10 ', 10b) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein respective means (30, 32; 30', 32 ') are provided for effecting both electrodes (14a, 14b; 14'a, 14'b).

Fluorescent lamp (10b) according to claim 5, which is designed as a com pact ^¬ fluorescent lamp, wherein the externa ^¬ ßeren terminals (24'a, 26'a;24'b,26'b) (to both electrodes 14 'a, 14' b) ^¬ represents bereitge on the same side, and wherein the means for causing to two electrodes (14 "a, 14'b) are provided in a single component (33).

A fluorescent lamp (10c) according to claim 1, wherein said means for causing comprises a semiconductor circuit (34) having a switch (Q1) in a junction of said two electrode terminals (24a, 26a) and having control means (46; ^¬ sets are, at a predetermined frequency of a current with which the fluorescent lamp (10c) via the outer terminals (24a, 26a) is acted upon to close the switch (Ql).

8. fluorescent lamp (10c) according to claim 7 wherein the switch is a main transistor (Ql) is 9. The fluorescent lamp according to claim 8, wherein the STEU ^¬ ermittel a microcontroller (control) or micro- Processor, which is coupled to a control input of the main transistor (Ql), and in Be ^{¬ operation} for determining the frequency of the current performs a scan at one of its two terminals and upon detection of the predetermined frequency on

By switching the main transistor (1) causing signal to this control input are.

The fluorescent lamp according to claim 8, wherein the control ^¬ means (46) comprise a further transistor as auxiliary scarf ^¬ ter (Q2) coupled to the control input of the main transistor (Ql) is coupled, and wherein the control input of the auxiliary switch via a bandpass ^¬ filter coupled to the electrode terminals.

A fluorescent lamp according to any one of claims 8 to 10, including circuitry (48) for effecting an increase in the potential at the control input of the main transistor beyond that predetermined by the control means (control, 46) alone.

A fluorescent lamp (10c) according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the semiconductor circuit (34) is mounted on a chip (32a) from which the external terminals (24a, 26a) emerge.

A fluorescent lamp (10, 10 ', 10b, 10c) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the predetermined frequency is a line frequency. - IS

Fluorescent lamp (10, 10 ') with a gas filled ^¬ glass body (12) on which a sealed pump stems (28a, 28b) is formed, and with a helical electrode (14a, 14b) in the interior of the glass body, of the two connection lines (16a, 18a; 16b, 18b) penetrate the glass body (12) and on the side of the pump stem (28a, 28b), exit characterized by a seated on a shaft of the pump ^¬ stem (28a) and the exhaust tube (28a ) surrounding ring of soft magnetic material, around which a wire is wound as a winding, which is coupled with its two ends in each case with one of the glass body emerging from the connecting lines (16a, 16b, 18a, 18b), in particular connected.

Fluorescent lamp (10c) with a gas-filled glass body (12) with a helical electrode (14a) inside the glass body from which two at ^¬ connection lines (16a, 16b) penetrate the glass body (12) and from this (in a receiving space 20a), which is closed by a small plate (22a), wherein the exiting Anschlußlei ^¬ lines (16a, 18a) with connection pins (24a, 26a) are connected, which penetrate the plate (22a), characterized by

a semiconductor circuit (34) on the wafer (22a) on its side facing the receiving space (20a), the one provided in a compound of the two pins (24a, 26a) semiconductor switch (Ql) and a microcontroller or microprocessor (control) for driving the Semiconductor switch (Ql) have.