Ballast arrangement for gas-discharge lamps and a light unit having a ballast and at least one high-pressure gas-discharge lamp

摘要

The invention relates to a ballast arrangement for gas-discharge lamps, especially for high-pressure gas-discharge lamps which contain a discharge vessel in a hermetically sealed outer light-permeable glass bulb which is filled with a vacuum or gas filling. The ballast is provided at least with an element which limits the operating current of the gas-discharge lamp or with a similar unit but in some cases may contain for example a structural element, for example a detection and/or circuit element which provides for example the starting pulse, or another structural element which favours the use of the lamp. Its character is that the ballast is constructed as a rotating body which is essentially ring-shaped, cup-shaped or has a different shape and is provided with an inner opening, the inner jacket of the opening enclosing the neck part of the outer glass bulb of the gas-discharge lamp and being matched to the shape of the latter. The ballast may also form an undividable part of the gas-discharge lamp and hence highly favourable compact light sources or electrical lighting units can be constructed, especially with the use of high-pressure gas-discharge lamps which can replace the generally widespread incandescent lamps with a power of 40 to 100 W to save energy, without having to replace the fitting or the socket. <IMAGE>