CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENT FOR ALTERNATINGLY ESTABLISHINGCIRCUIT ARRANGEMENT FOR ALTERNATINGLY ESTABLISHING AND EXTINGUISHING A DISCHARGE IN EACH OF A PLURAL AND EXTINGUISHING A DISCHARGE IN EACH OF A PLURALITY OF DISCHARGE PATHS ITY OF DISCHARGE PATHS

摘要

A circuit arrangement for alternatingly, at a frequency f, establishing and extinguishing a discharge in each of a plurality of discharge paths, each of which is associated with a first electrode situated at a first end of the discharge path and with a second electrode situated at a second end of the discharge path. Operating voltages are generated from a supply voltage during operation and are present across respective discharge paths and are periodic at the frequency f. The same operating voltage is present across each discharge path. During operation each discharge path is associated with an auxiliary electrode situated alongside the discharge path and the circuit arrangement further comprises respective switching devices for connecting and disconnecting each of the auxiliary electrodes at the frequency f to a terminal of the circuit arrangement to establish an ignition voltage during a part of each period between one of the electrodes and the auxiliary electrode associated with the same discharge path. As a result, a discharge is only established in the proper discharge path(s).