摘要 |
<p>A voltage-boosting and current-regulating circuit (52) delivers energy from a high voltage resonant circuit source (38) to a fluorescent lamp (22). A controllable switch (50) is connected in series with the lamp cathodes (36) and is triggered into conduction during a predetermined conductive time interval within each half-cycle of current conducted through the plasma from the resonant circuit (24, 26). A charging current which flows during the conductive time interval stores energy in the resonant circuit (24, 26) which is subsequently released as a boosted voltage and as increased current flow through the plasma. The boosted voltage allows higher efficiency illumination lamps to be used, and regulation of the conductive time interval achieves the optimal current conduction through the lamp.</p> |