| 摘要 |
<p>A generator for the starting and thereafter maintaining energization and operation of a load which has a relatively high impedance during starting and a substantially lower impedance after starting and during operation thereof. The load may be an ionic conduction lamp including a phosphor excitable lamp in the nature of a fluorescent lamp, or electroluminescent lamp, or vapor lamp. The generator includes a mechanism for generating electrical power with a relatively high voltage and impedance so as to match the relatively high impedance of the load before starting and generization of electrical power of a substantially lower voltage and impedance so as to match the lower impedance of the load during the energizing and operation of the load. The mechanism for generating the electrical power may be an inductive member, such as a coil, and a solid state element, such as a transistor, to develop a voltage over the coil. The coil may be coupled to the lamp through some agent developing a capacitance, e.g., a conductor with a capacitor or stray capacitance between the lamp and the coil. Further a tap intermediate the ends of the coil may be coupled to the load. The capacitance which couples the generator to the lamp before starting is effectively electrically inoperable and out of the circuit after starting of the load. The agent developing the capacitance is located such that the full voltage developed across the coil is delivered to the load during starting, but after starting and during operation only a portion of the voltage developed between one terminal and the tap of the coil is used to drive the load. The generator thereby eliminates the need of a conventional ballast and starting mechanism. In this way, energization of the lamp can be maintained with substantial energy savings compared to prior art ballasts used with ionic conduction lamps. Further energy savings are achieved by generating current and voltage pulses for operating the lamp where the voltage pulses have a greater decay rate to a zero level than the current pulses which have a more gradual decay. Thus, the lamps may be driven by an electric signal where the current pulses are driven by a substantially reduced voltage level for a substantial period of time.</p> |
