JP2008010152A - Discharge lamp lighting device and lighting control system having dimming signal output function - Google Patents

Abstract

An illumination control system using a dimming controller and a dimming discharge lamp lighting device can be easily realized, and wiring of a dimming signal is simplified.
An AC power supply voltage Vs has an input terminal A, a lamp output terminal B to which a discharge lamp FL is connected, and a dimming signal input terminal C for receiving a dimming signal. In the dimming discharge lamp lighting device 2a for lighting the discharge lamp FL connected to the dimming signal with an output corresponding to the dimming signal, the same dimming signal as the dimming signal input from the dimming signal input terminal C is output. A dimming signal output terminal D is provided, the dimming signal output from the terminal D is supplied to at least one dimming discharge lamp lighting device 1a, 1b,..., And the dimming signal input terminal C of the lighting device 2a is supplied to the dimming signal input terminal C. A dimming signal is input from the dimming controller 3.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a discharge lamp lighting device having a dimming signal output function and an illumination control system using the same.

  There are roughly two types of dimming signals for arbitrarily changing the output of a discharge lamp lighting device that converts an AC power source into a high frequency and lights a discharge lamp. One is a PWM signal composed of a rectangular wave signal having a constant frequency and variable pulse width (duty). This is often used in buildings, stores and offices. The other is a dimming signal of a DC signal in which the DC voltage level and current level are variable. This is widely used in other applications and abroad.

  For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-12797) discloses a dimming signal transmission device that transmits a PWM signal, a PWM signal, and a DC signal corresponding to the duty ratio. A control device that generates a control signal according to the control signal, a high-frequency generator that operates under the control of the control signal and converts low-frequency alternating current to high-frequency power, and a dimmable lamp that is energized by the high-frequency generator A lighting control device is disclosed.

  On the other hand, as a usage mode of the dimming discharge lamp lighting device, considering the light flux decline of the discharge lamp as a load, the light is dimmed at the initial stage of lighting to save power and with the elapse of lighting time (life) There are things that gradually increase the output of the discharge lamp and, as a result, keep the light output from the lighting fixture constant.

For example, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-15276) discloses a lighting time timer that counts a power feeding time to a discharge lamp lighting device as a lighting time of the discharge lamp, and a decrease in luminous flux with the passage of the lighting time of the discharge lamp. Disclosed is an illumination device with an initial illuminance correction function that includes an illuminance correction device that instructs a discharge lamp lighting device to supply power to a discharge lamp in accordance with a lighting time measured by a lighting time timer so as to suppress Has been.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-12797 JP 2001-15276 A

  The illumination system using a dimming controller using a PWM signal in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which a plurality of discharge lamp lighting devices are controlled by one dimming controller that outputs a PWM signal. In this case, when the number of lighting devices increases, the wiring of the PWM signal from the dimming controller to the lighting device becomes long, and the wiring cost increases. In addition, it is necessary to consider signal attenuation and the like.

  In the illuminating device with the initial illuminance correction function of Patent Document 2, a lighting time timer is required for each lighting device or lighting fixture, so that the device is complicated and expensive.

  The present invention has been made in view of such points, and it is possible to easily realize an illumination control system using a dimming controller and a dimming discharge lamp lighting device, and to simplify wiring of a dimming signal. And It is another object of the present invention to realize an illumination control system having an initial illuminance correction function at a lower cost than in the past.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention of claim 1 includes an input terminal A for an AC power supply voltage Vs, a lamp output terminal B connected to a discharge lamp FL, and a dimming signal as shown in FIG. In a dimming discharge lamp lighting device having a dimming signal input terminal C for receiving and lighting a discharge lamp FL connected to the lamp output terminal B with an output corresponding to the dimming signal, the dimming signal input It has a dimming signal output terminal D that outputs the same dimming signal as the dimming signal input from the terminal C.

  The invention of claim 2 is inputted to the discharge lamp lighting device 2a having the dimming signal output function according to claim 1 and the dimming signal input terminal C of the discharge lamp lighting device 2a having the dimming signal output function. A dimming controller 3 for outputting a dimming signal and a dimming signal output from the dimming signal output terminal D of the discharge lamp lighting device 2a having the dimming signal output function are input to the dimming signal input terminal. It is the illumination control system (refer FIG. 1) comprised from the discharge lamp lighting device 1a, 1b, ... for one light control.

  The invention of claim 3 is provided with a plurality of discharge lamp lighting devices 2a, 2b,... Having the dimming signal output function of claim 1, and the dimming signal input terminal C of one discharge lamp lighting device 2b has another It is an illumination control system (see FIG. 1) characterized by receiving a dimming signal output from a dimming signal output terminal D of one discharge lamp lighting device 2a.

  In order to solve the above problem, the invention of claim 4 is, as shown in FIG. 4, an input terminal A of an AC power supply voltage Vs, a lamp output terminal B to which a discharge lamp FL is connected, and a connected discharge lamp. A lamp corresponding to the measured lighting time in a discharge lamp lighting device having a time measuring function for measuring the lighting time of the electric lamp FL and dimming the discharge lamp FL so as to obtain a lamp output corresponding to the measured lighting time A dimming signal output terminal D for outputting a dimming signal for dimming and lighting the discharge lamp FL to the outside so as to be output is provided.

  The invention according to claim 5 is output from the discharge lamp lighting device 4 having the dimming signal output function according to claim 4 and the dimming signal output terminal D of the discharge lamp lighting device 4 having the dimming signal output function. This is an illumination control system (see FIG. 4) that includes at least one dimming discharge lamp lighting device 1a, 1b,..., 2b,.

  According to the first to third aspects of the present invention, the dimming discharge lamp lighting device is provided with the terminal that outputs the dimming signal identical to the dimming signal for dimming control of the discharge lamp. Compared to the case where signal wiring is performed collectively from the controller, the wiring of the dimming signal from the dimming controller to the dimming discharge lamp lighting device far from the dimming controller can be shortened. It becomes small and it becomes possible to build a larger lighting control system.

  According to the invention of claim 4, since the function of outputting the dimming signal for dimming and lighting the discharge lamp so as to have the lamp output corresponding to the time measuring function and the time measured, the other dimming is provided. The discharge lamp lighting device can be equipped with a dimming signal input terminal, and it is not necessary to provide a function for measuring the lighting time or a calculation function for correcting the illuminance according to the measured lighting time. The lighting control system can be configured at low cost.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram showing a configuration of a lighting control system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The dimming controller 3 is connected to the AC power source Vs, and the dimming controller 3 outputs a PWM signal that is a signal corresponding to the dimming state, and this PWM signal is input to the dimming signal input terminal C of the master inverter 2a. Is done. Further, the dimming signal output terminal D of the master inverter 2 is connected to the dimming signal input terminals of at least one slave inverter 1a, 1b,. When the number of lighting devices is large, the PWM signal can be relayed via the sub master inverter 2b as shown in FIG.

  Here, what is connected to the dimming signal line from the dimming controller 3 in the configuration of the lighting control system is called a master inverter, and what is connected to the dimming signal line from the dimming signal output terminal D of the master inverter 2a. Is called a sub-master inverter 2b. As shown in FIG. 3, the slave inverters 1a and 1b have an AC power supply voltage input terminal, a lamp output terminal, and a dimming signal input terminal for receiving a dimming control signal. This refers to a normal dimming discharge lamp lighting device that lights the discharge lamp FL connected to the lamp at an output corresponding to the dimming signal.

  The master inverter 2a and the sub-master inverter 2b are discharge lamp lighting devices having a dimming signal output function. As shown in FIG. 2, an AC power supply voltage input terminal A, a lamp output terminal B, and a dimming control signal A dimming discharge lamp lighting device for lighting a discharge lamp FL connected to the lamp output terminal B with an output corresponding to the dimming signal. It has a dimming signal output terminal D that outputs the same dimming signal as the dimming signal input from the optical signal input terminal C. In FIG. 2, the dimming signal output terminal D is not necessarily provided on the same side as the lamp output terminal B, and it goes without saying that the lamp output terminal B changes depending on the number of loads.

  The master inverter 2a receives the PWM signal corresponding to the dimming control state from the dimming controller 3 via the dimming light, and supplies the discharge lamp load FL connected to the lamp output terminal B in the dimming state according to the PWM signal. While the dimming is turned on, the same PWM signal received from the dimming controller 3 is output from the dimming signal output terminal D, and the output PWM signal is adjusted by the slave inverters 1a, 1b,. Input to the optical signal input terminal. “Same” here means that it is sufficient that the dimming state of the master inverter 2a and the slave inverters 1a, 1b,... Is substantially the same by the PWM signal, and does not mean that the signal waveforms are strictly the same. With such a configuration, it is possible to wire a PWM signal line from the master inverter 2a to the inverters 1a, 1b,. Therefore, it is not necessary to wire the PWM signal line from the dimming controller 3 to all the inverters, the wiring length is consequently shortened, and the wiring cost is reduced. Further, since the wiring length is short, the influence of the attenuation of the PWM signal is reduced.

  FIG. 3 shows a configuration example of the slave inverter 1 (corresponding to 1a and 1b in FIG. 1). The PWM signal input to the dimming signal input terminal is depolarized by the rectifier circuit 11, is isolated by the insulating circuit 12, and is input to the signal conversion circuit 13. In the signal conversion circuit 13, a DC voltage corresponding to the duty of the PWM signal is generated as an output control signal. In the control circuit 14, the operation of the high-frequency inverter 15 is controlled according to the DC voltage corresponding to the duty of the PWM signal, and the light output of the discharge lamp load FL is made variable. The high-frequency inverter 15 is supplied with a commercial AC voltage from the AC power source Vs via the power source rectification unit 16, and generates a high-frequency AC voltage by a known high-frequency conversion circuit using a switching element or a resonance circuit. The high frequency output is made variable by means such as changing the oscillation frequency of the high frequency conversion circuit.

  In the configuration of the slave inverter of FIG. 3, a dimming signal output terminal (not shown) is added, and for example, a signal obtained by impedance conversion of the output of the photocoupler PC1 in the insulating circuit 12 by an operational amplifier is output from the dimming signal output terminal. Thus, a master inverter (corresponding to 2a and 2b in FIG. 1) may be used. Alternatively, a DC / PWM conversion circuit that converts a DC voltage output as an output control signal from the signal conversion circuit 13 into a PWM signal may be provided between the dimming signal output terminal (not shown) and the signal conversion circuit 13. good. The DC / PWM conversion circuit here includes, for example, a triangular wave oscillation circuit, a voltage comparison circuit, and an output buffer. The DC voltage output from the signal conversion circuit 13 and the triangular wave voltage output from the triangular wave oscillation circuit are obtained. The voltage is compared by a voltage comparison circuit to be converted into a PWM signal, and the impedance is reduced by an output buffer composed of an operational amplifier or the like and output.

  The PWM signal generation function in the master inverters 2a and 2b is not limited to a hardware circuit. For example, a signal having an appropriate frequency and on-duty is generated by a microcomputer constituting a control circuit of a lighting device, and an operational amplifier is used. The impedance-converted signal may be output from the dimming signal output terminal.

(Embodiment 2)
In the first embodiment, the PWM signal is used as the dimming signal. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a DC signal may be used as the dimming signal. Further, a DC signal and a PWM signal may be mixed. For example, a dimming signal from the dimming controller 3 to the master inverter 2a is a DC signal, and a dimming signal from the master inverter 2a to the slave inverters 1a, 1b,. May be a PWM signal. Conversely, the dimming signal from the dimming controller 3 to the master inverter 2a may be a PWM signal, and the dimming signal from the master inverter 2a to the slave inverters 1a, 1b,. The same applies to the third embodiment below.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 4 is a block circuit diagram showing a configuration of a lighting control system having an initial illuminance correction function. An inverter 4 with a timer function is connected to the AC power source Vs, and the inverter 4 with a timer function outputs a PWM signal for sharing the initial illuminance correction function in the entire system, and this PWM signal is at least one slave inverter 1a, Are input to dimming signal input terminals 1b,. When the number of lighting devices is large, the PWM signal can be relayed via the sub master inverter 2b as shown in FIG.

  When replacing the discharge lamps of the lighting fixtures on the floor at the same time, the luminous flux decline of the discharge lamps is almost the same, so the lighting time is measured by one inverter 4 with a timer function, and the dimming state of the entire system is adjusted. By determining and sending a dimming signal to the other inverters 1a, 1b,..., 2b, the lamp illuminance of the lighting fixtures on the entire floor is kept substantially the same. Thereby, compared with the system using a dimming controller, there is an effect that the dimming signal wiring is shortened and the wiring cost is reduced. Further, since a timer function is not required for each inverter, the functions of the inverters 1a, 1b,..., 2b other than the inverter 4 with a timer function are simplified, resulting in a reduction in system configuration cost.

  FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of the inverter 4 with a timer function. The inverter 4 with a timer function has an AC power supply voltage input terminal, a lamp output terminal to which the discharge lamp FL is connected, and a dimming signal output terminal for outputting a PWM signal for initial illumination correction. It has a control function of measuring the lighting time of the discharge lamp FL and dimming and lighting the discharge lamp FL so as to obtain a lamp output corresponding to the lighting time.

  The lighting device employs a circuit that combines a step-up chopper and a half-bridge circuit. That is, a rectifier DB1 made of a diode bridge that rectifies the power supply Vs in full wave is provided, and a switching element Q3 made of a MOSFET is connected between the DC output terminals of the rectifier DB1 via the inductor L1. Further, a series circuit of a diode D1 and a smoothing capacitor C1 is connected between both ends of the switching element Q3, and the inverter circuit is driven by using the smoothing capacitor C1 as a power source.

  The inverter circuit includes a series circuit of a pair of switching elements Q1 and Q2 composed of MOSFETs connected between both ends of the smoothing capacitor C1, and between the both ends of one switching element Q2, a DC cut capacitor C2 and a resonance circuit are provided. A series circuit of an inductor L2 and a discharge lamp FL is connected. Further, a capacitor C3 constituting a resonance circuit is connected with the inductor L2 between the non-power supply side ends of both filaments of the discharge lamp FL. Switching elements Q1-Q3 are turned on / off at high frequency by inverter control unit CN1, and switching elements Q1, Q2 are alternately turned on / off. Further, the dimming signal from the illuminance correction device 5 is input to the inverter control unit CN1, and the power supplied to the discharge lamp FL is controlled by controlling the on / off cycle (that is, the operating frequency) of the switching elements Q1 and Q2. Is to adjust.

  The operation of the lighting device shown in FIG. 5 is well known, and the output voltage from the rectifier DB1 is boosted by a boosting chopper circuit composed of an inductor L1, a switching element Q3, a diode D1, and a smoothing capacitor C1, and the switching element An alternating current is caused to flow through the discharge lamp FL by alternately turning on and off Q1 and Q2. Here, since the inductor L2 and the capacitor C3 exist in the power supply path to the discharge lamp FL, the relationship between the ON / OFF cycle (operating frequency) of the switching elements Q1, Q2 and the resonance frequency by the inductor L2, the capacitor C3, and the like. Thus, the energy supplied to the discharge lamp FL can be adjusted.

  The lighting time detection unit includes a series circuit of resistors R1 and R2 that divides the voltage of the AC power supply Vs, a rectifier DB2 that includes a diode bridge that rectifies the voltage across the resistor R2, and a smoothing capacitor that smoothes the output voltage of the rectifier DB2. C4. That is, the lighting time timer 6 measures the period during which the voltage across the smoothing capacitor C4 is equal to or higher than the specified voltage.

  The illuminance correction device 5 is constituted by a microcomputer together with a lighting time timer 6. This microcomputer is provided with a nonvolatile memory 7 which is an EEPROM that reads and writes the time measured by the lighting time timer 6 and stores a correction table used in the illuminance correction device 5. The correction table is a table in which the usage time of the discharge lamp FL is associated with the dimming ratio for correction, and the usage timed by the lighting time timer 6 in the dimming ratio setting unit 8 provided in the illuminance correction device 5. By reading the dimming ratio from the nonvolatile memory 7 using time, the dimming ratio for keeping the light output of the discharge lamp FL substantially constant can be determined. The dimming ratio determined by the dimming ratio setting unit 8 is given to the dimming signal generation unit 9, and a dimming signal to be given to the inverter control unit CN1 is generated. Here, the power of the lighting time timer 6, the dimming ratio setting unit 8, and the dimming signal generation unit 9 is supplied from a three-terminal regulator IC1 that makes the voltage across the smoothing capacitor C4 constant.

  When the AC power source Vs is turned on and the voltage across the smoothing capacitor C4 reaches the specified voltage, the lighting time timer 6 reads the previous use time of the discharge lamp FL from the nonvolatile memory 7 and then sets the dimming ratio. Part 8 is given this usage time. The dimming ratio setting unit 8 checks the use time against the correction table stored in the nonvolatile memory 7 and reads the dimming ratio corresponding to the use time. The dimming ratio read in this way is given to the dimming signal generation unit 9, and the output of the inverter circuit is controlled. Further, the lighting time timer 6 measures the usage time and stores the time after counting in the nonvolatile memory 7. Thereafter, during the period in which the power source Vs is supplied, the operation from reading the usage time to the nonvolatile memory 7 and writing the new usage time to the nonvolatile memory 7 is repeated, and to the discharge lamp FL according to the usage time. The power supply is adjusted.

  Various forms can be adopted for the dimming signal given from the dimming signal generation unit 9 to the inverter control unit CN1, and in this example, the dimming ratio is determined by the duty ratio of a rectangular wave signal having a frequency of 1 kHz and an amplitude of 5V. Although it is assumed that a PWM signal is used, it is also possible to use a dimming signal that gives a dimming ratio with a DC voltage of 0 to 10 V, for example.

  The relationship between the lighting time t and the dimming ratio of the inverter 4 with the timer function is as shown in FIG. 6, and the dimming ratio X is set at the initial lighting time, and the dimming ratio is gradually increased with the lighting time t. In the rated lamp life T, the dimming ratio is 100%, that is, all lights are turned on. The method of determining the dimming ratio X at the initial time immediately after the lamp replacement is, for example, X = ΦT / Φ0, where Φ0 is the luminous flux at the initial time when all the lamps are lit and ΦT is the luminous flux at the rated lamp life time.

  In a fluorescent lamp generally used for illumination as the discharge lamp FL, it is known that the luminous flux at the end of the lifetime decreases to about 70% when the luminous flux at the beginning of the lifetime (immediately after the replacement of the lamp) is 100%. In other words, if the output of the discharge lamp lighting device is set to about 70% of the rated output at the beginning of the life, and the output is increased to 100% at the end of the life, the light output of the discharge lamp FL is substantially omitted regardless of the usage time. It is possible to keep it constant. Further, if such control is performed, it is not necessary to set the output of the lighting device to 100% or more with respect to the rated output, and power consumption can be suppressed at the initial stage of the life, thereby saving energy.

  In this example, the lighting time can be reset by a mechanically operated reset switch SW3. That is, the reset switch SW3 is connected to the reset control unit 10 so that the lighting time can be reset when the lamp is replaced. A voltage of, for example, 5V is applied to both ends of the reset switch SW3 by the reset control unit 10, and a resistor R3 is connected in series to the reset switch SW3. When the reset switch SW3 is turned on, The input voltage is lowered, and the lighting time of the lighting time timer 6 and the nonvolatile memory 7 is reset. The reset switch SW3 may be manually operated, or may be operated in conjunction with the attachment / detachment of the discharge lamp FL.

  Further, in the inverter 4 with a timer function shown in FIG. 5, the dimming discharge lamp lighting devices (slave inverters 1 a, 1 b,. It has an optical signal output function. The configuration of the slave inverters 1a, 1b,... And the sub master inverter 2b is the same as that of the first embodiment, and instead of the dimming signal from the master inverter 2a in FIG. In response to the dimming signal, the discharge lamp FL is turned on in a predetermined dimming state.

  Such a form is most suitable for an application in which, for example, the discharge lamps of lighting fixtures on the same floor in an office are replaced and used at the same time.

  As shown in the system configuration diagram of FIG. 4, the AC power supply Vs and the dimming signal line are connected, and the discharge lamps FL of the lighting fixtures on the same floor are replaced simultaneously. When the discharge lamp FL is replaced, the lighting switch is reset to the initial state by operating the reset switch SW3 of the inverter 4 with a timer function. After that, the inverter 4 with a timer function keeps the lighting time, turns on the discharge lamp FL in a dimming state corresponding to the lighting time, and with respect to the other dimming inverters 1a, 1b,. The dimming signal is output so that the same dimming state is obtained.

It is a block circuit diagram which shows the structure of the illumination control system which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a front view which shows the example of external terminal arrangement | positioning of the master inverter used for Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a circuit diagram which shows the example of an internal structure of the slave inverter used for Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block circuit diagram which shows the structure of the illumination control system which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a circuit diagram which shows the internal structural example of the inverter with a timer function used for Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the initial stage illumination intensity correction function of Embodiment 3 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

FL discharge lamp Vs AC power supply 1a Slave inverter 1b Slave inverter 2a Master inverter 3 Dimming controller 4 Inverter with timer function

Claims (5)

An AC power supply voltage input terminal, a lamp output terminal connected to the discharge lamp, and a dimming signal input terminal for receiving a dimming signal, and the dimming signal for the discharge lamp connected to the lamp output terminal A dimming discharge lamp lighting device that is lit at an output corresponding to a dimming signal output terminal that outputs a dimming signal that is the same as the dimming signal input from the dimming signal input terminal. A discharge lamp lighting device having an optical signal output function. A discharge lamp lighting device having a dimming signal output function according to claim 1, and a dimming controller for outputting a dimming signal input to a dimming signal input terminal of the discharge lamp lighting device having the dimming signal output function; A dimming signal output from the dimming signal output terminal of the discharge lamp lighting device having the dimming signal output function, and at least one dimming discharge lamp lighting device input to the dimming signal input terminal. Lighting control system. A plurality of discharge lamp lighting devices having a dimming signal output function according to claim 1 are provided and output from a dimming signal output terminal of another discharge lamp lighting device to a dimming signal input terminal of one discharge lamp lighting device. A lighting control system, wherein a dimming signal is input. It has an AC power supply voltage input terminal, a lamp output terminal to which the discharge lamp is connected, and a time measuring function for measuring the lighting time of the connected discharge lamp so that the lamp output corresponds to the measured lighting time. A discharge lamp lighting device for dimming a discharge lamp is provided with a dimming signal output terminal for outputting a dimming signal for dimming and lighting the discharge lamp so that the lamp output corresponds to the measured lighting time. A discharge lamp lighting device having a dimming signal output function. A discharge lamp lighting device having a dimming signal output function according to claim 4, and a dimming signal output from a dimming signal output terminal of the discharge lamp lighting device having the dimming signal output function as a dimming signal input terminal An illumination control system comprising at least one input dimming discharge lamp lighting device.

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