FLUORESCENT LAMP EXCITATION CIRCUIT HAVING A MULTI-LAYER PIEZOELECTRIC ACOUSTIC TRANSFORMER AND METHODS FOR USING THE SAME

摘要

Fluorescent lamp excitation circuits are provided which use a resonating piezoelectric transformer along with complementary circuit components, to efficiently convert a DC first voltage to a transformer-output AC second voltage. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a High Displacement Piezoelectric (HDP) transformer (1) achieves sufficiently high voltage output to 'cold fire' a gas discharge lamp. The disclosed circuit may be modified using conventional electrical sub-circuitry to pre-heat the cathodes of the lamp.