| Claims
1. Multi-layers laminates complete full loop form by 2 sets of identical U-U shape; L- L shapes; L-J shapes; I-U shapes; C-C; L-L-U shapes and L-L-L-L for minimum two coils application.
2. Multi-layers laminates complete full loop form by 2 sets of identical E-E shape for minimum of three coils application.
3 The laminates loop of claim 1 has a minimum one air gap on common application or as much as four air gaps that are located at the meeting point of the two to four sets of laminate stacks.
4 The air gap of claim 3 can be hidden within the winding coil(s) or exposed at the bare laminate's position whereby there is no winding coil.
5 Air Gap(s) as being hidden in claim 4 are as denoted Gl and G2 in Fig. 2, G5 in Fig. 4, GI l & G13 in Fig. 7, G14 & G16 in Fig. 8 and G18, G19 & G20 in Fig. 9. 6 Air Gap(s) as being exposed in claim 4 are as denoted G3 and G4 in Fig. 3, G6 in
Fig. 4, G7 & G8 in Fig. 5, G9 & GlO in Fig. 6; G12 in Fig. 7; G15 & G17 in Fig. 8 and G21, G22 & G23 in Fig. 10. 7 Winding coils in claim 4 are an array of multiple winding coils in the quantity of two and above. 8 Arrays of multiple winding coils in claim 7 have wire terminals that can be connected in serial or parallel connection internally depend on designed power selection.
9 Wire Terminals as in claim 8 finally may have only two external metal pin Pl & P2 (as in Fig. 1) for connection to power supply and fluorescent lamp circuit. The terminals may be connected for up to four external connection availability namely
Pl, P2, P3 & P4 as in Fig. 1.
10 Cutting grooves of Cl, C2, C3 & C4 in Fig. 2; C5 in Fig. 3; C6 in Fig 5; C7 & C8 in Fig 6; C9, ClO, Cl 1 & C12 in Fig 7; C13, C14, C15 & C16 in Fig 8 are meant for identification of the laminates orientation. 11 Punch out of thin ridges Rl , R2 and R3 on both side of the cover wall as denoted in Fig. 20; ridges R4, R5 and R6 on both side of the cover wall as denoted in Fig. 21; being Rl or R4 for guiding laminate positioning, ridges R3 or R5 on both sides for crimping laminates of different width and R2 or R6 on both sides for caulking laminates stacks' both ends to firmly holding the laminates assembly. 12 Top Cover and Bottom Plate are being spot welded together and/or crimping flanges R4 & R5 to Hl holes at the two ends of the cover; R6 & R7 flanges to H2 and H3 grooves in Fig. 20.
13 Access area for assembly purpose is included in the design as propose option such as cut out grooves HlO and/or cut out holes H5, H6. 14 Clamping grooves of laminates may have two different sizes such that it does not form a mirror image; therefore allow for orientation identification purpose instead of having round cut groove as in claim 10. |
Multiple Coils Fluorescent Lamp Ballast
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a device for lighting up fluorescent lamp by means of two or more coils in a single unit of ballast choke coil device.
BACK GROUND ART
At present the fluorescent lamp ballast choke coil consists of a single winding coil encapsulated with silicon steel laminates in the shape of butterfly; by means of U-T laminate cores. However, due to the current fluorescent lamp casing design, the size of the coil is restricted and the capacity of the ballast depend solely on the amount of silicon steel laminates that are stuffed into a unit of ballast. Wire length is longer when stuffing in more laminates but number of turn can not be increased due to space constraint and that is a waste of wire material and resulted in waste of energy. Additional copper or aluminium wire length that is not used to increase number of winding turns become a burden to the ballast unit that brings down it performance.
The new design focus is to make any increase of copper or aluminium wire is used to increase the winding turns thereby increases the ballast inductance. The new simple design consist of a round loop of laminates with air gap(s) and coupled with two or more coils (wire that revolves around the laminates). This new design construction would require less laminate materials and more wire winding turns can be added onto the ballast unit compare to the similar size of present ballast available in the market. Larger wire diameter size can be used as more space is available which will improve the ballast performance with lower heat lost.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The new ballast construction consist of two or more sets of multi-layers of laminates being inserted into two or more pre-wound coils; be it an air coils or bobbin coils. The terminals of the coils can be connected together in the manner of serial connections or parallel connections.
The two sets of multi-layer laminates forms a complete loop for magnetic flux to flow; with one or more than one air gap on the laminates looping. The air gap(s) can be located at the center of the coil(s) or external area of the coil(s).
The semi-completed assembly is then inserted into a casing; following by paint application onto the unit before a base plate is attached to it.
The multi-layer laminate cores construction have a few possible shapes combination; as describe in Fig. 2 to Fig 10. The laminate cores are packs of many thin layers of silicon steels that has high permeability. The silicon steel laminate thickness is 0.5 millimeter in normal cases. However, thicker also possible to be used but would probably has poorer result. Thinner laminate is good but increase production cost.
The coil design may or may not be of center tapped or multi-center tapped terminals as in Fig. 12 type of winding coil or it could be a simple coil that simply has a Start Wire Terminal (ST) and a End Wire Terminal (ET) as in Fig. 1 1. By having two sets of simple coil on the laminates, the ballast is already capable to function. The center taps are for the purpose of reducing the number of turns that is used to operate the fluorescent lamp during light up period. A device is used to cut of the connection of center tap after light up and uses full capacity of the ballast for optimum current consumption. Alternative ways of not having center taps but getting the same results is by utilizing a few simple coils bundle together as in Fig. 13. Fig. 1 1 and Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 show only the coils of enameled magnetic wire with bobbin. The coil also can be produced without bobbin that is an air coil; by means of using self-bonding wire wound on mandrel and then cure by heat or solvent.
The air gap is important to prevent magnetic saturation of the cores. There may be two air gaps at both meeting point of the two sets of laminates; or one side meeting each other tightly and create only one air gap on the other side of meeting laminates. The air gap size range from 0.1 ~ 0.8 millimeter. However in most cases, a single air gap of size 0.3 ~ 0.5 millimeter is already sufficient to prevent such magnetic saturation. The air gap can can be an empty air space or the laminate stacks being separated by a thin piece of non- ferrous material such plastic.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FOR CARRYING OUT THE DESIGN
Figure 1 illustrates the upside-down view of ballast assembly design; which consist of multi-layer laminates cores with two coils inserted on it and the laminates being held by cover which has multiple clamping flanges (R4, R5, R6 & R7) on bottom plate M2 and caulking ridges on top cover. Ml being the top cover and M2 being the bottom plate .
Fig. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 demonstrate the possible shapes of the laminated cores Fig. 2 is U-U shape; Fig. 3 is L-L shapes; Fig. 4 is L-J shapes; Fig. 5 is I-U shapes; Fig. 6 is C-C; Fig 7 is L-L-U shapes, Fig. 8 is L-L-L-L shapes, Fig. 9 is E-E shape and Fig. 10 is I-E shape. In the case of laminates cores construction in Fig. 9 and Fig.10; three coils will be used for the ballast to operate. The corners of the laminate can be of right angle or cut in curving shape of round edges.
Figure 11 displays a simple bobbin coil. ST being the start terminal of the winding and ET being the end terminal of the wire on the coil. Figure 12 shows the multiple center tapped terminals bobbin coils. The center tapped terminals CT can be of multiple tapped out of 2 or more center tapped terminals;
separated by Wl and W2 webs in the case of 2 center tapped terminals. For simple application, A single center tapped would be sufficient and there may not need to have any web at all. Figure 13 shows 2 coils bundle together to get the same result as Figure 11 of two center tapped terminals case.
Figure 14 shows the assembly of 2 coils with 2 stack of U-U shape multi-layer laminate cores.
Figure 15 shows the assembly of 2 coils with 2 stack of L-J shape multi-layer laminate cores.
Figure 16 shows the assembly of 2 coils with 2 stack of I-U shape multi-layer laminate cores.
Figure 17 shows appearance of semi-finish ballast assembly of Fig. 13, Fig. 14 and Fig. 15. Figure 18 shows the assembly of 2 coils with 2 stack of C-C shape multi-layer laminate cores.
Figure 19 shows the assembly of 3 coils with 2 stack of E-E shape multi-layer laminate cores with one air gap at the center of the middle coil for best performance.
Figure 20 shows the ridges construction of both sides of the cover design to hold the semi-completed ballast assembly. Ridge R3 has longer cut and slightly bent outward. R3 will be bend in after crimping during assembly. Hl holes and H2 & H3 groves are for crimping bottom plate to top cover.
Figure 21 shows another choice of possible casing design whereas in this case the C channel is the base bracket. In this bracket design, alternative ridges design is also demonstrated. Ridges R5 are punched out in the opposite direction than ridges R2 in Figure 20. Ridge R4 is punched downward in the opposite direction to Ridge Rl in Figure 20. Ridges R4 and R5 have identical mirror image features on the opposite side of the wall. Ridges R6 are formed by punching a C shape hole on both side of the bracket walls. Two holes H4 at two ends of the bracket is similar to Hl holes in Figure 20; but the material at the side of the hole is deformed upward into an embossed shape El. Two holes H5 and four holes H6 are formed at the bottom. Four holes H7 are form such that link rod can be attached between the two walls to enhance the holding force of the walls.
Figure 22 shows another choice of possible cover design whereas six Ridges R6 clamp onto base bracket of Figure 21 and two ridges of R7 clamp through H4 holes and hiding the excess part underneath embossed areas El. Two to four terminal wires exit holes can be in the shape of H8 and / or H9. Four cut out grooves HlO on the corners of the bent cover is for assembly access purpose.
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