David A Kachmarik, Age 45La Grange, IL

6459215, Oct 1, 2002

Aug 11, 2000

09/637768

Louis R. Nerone - Brecksville OH
David J. Kachmarik - Strongsville OH
Joseph C. Oberle - Chagrin Falls OH
Michael S. Idelchik - Mequon WI

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G05F 100

315291, 315 58, 315209 R, 315307

An integrated lamp/lamp electronics unit includes a lamp having a first end with first end electrical terminals, and a second end with second end electrical terminals. An end cap having an interior section is placed into electrical connection with the first end electrical terminals at the first end of the lamp. Lamp electronics are configured to control operation of the lamp and are connected only to the second end electrical terminals. The lamp electronics are carried on a circuit board having a configuration substantially matching the second end of the lamp portion. The circuit board is placed within the interior of a lamp electronics end cap, and the end cap is attached in a permanent relationship to the second end of the lamp.

5914570, Jun 22, 1999

Sep 2, 1997

8/922203

Louis R. Nerone - Brecksville OH
David J. Kachmarik - Strongsville OH

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

H05B 3702

315209R

A gas discharge lamp ballast comprises a load circuit including circuitry for connection to a gas discharge lamp. A circuit supplies d. c. power from an a. c. voltage. A d. c. -to-a. c. converter circuit is coupled to the load circuit for inducing a. c. current therein. The converter circuit comprises first and second converter switches serially connected in the foregoing order between a bus node at a d. c. voltage and a reference node, and being connected together at a common node through which the a. c. load current flows. The first and second converter switches each have a control node and a reference node, the voltage between such nodes determining the conduction state of the associated switch. The respective control nodes of the first and second converter switches are interconnected. The respective reference nodes of the first and second converter switches are connected together at the common node.

5367228, Nov 22, 1994

Nov 5, 1992

7/972036

David J. Kachmarik - North Olmsted OH
Louis R. Nerone - Brecksville OH
Douglas M. Rutan - Cleveland Heights OH

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G05F 100

315307

The present invention is directed to a control circuit for providing a substantially constant current to a high-pressure sodium lamp. The control circuit preferably comprises a circuit for providing a rectified voltage signal, and a ballast having first and second contacts to operatively connect the lamp therebetween. The ballast generates and controls a peak current through the lamp based on the value of a controlled voltage. The control circuit further comprises a current sensor to sense the amount of current through the lamp, and a buck-boost voltage control circuit to control the value of the controlled voltage in order to provide a substantially constant peak current through the lamp based on the amount of current sensed by the current sensor. By controlling the amount of voltage seen by the lamp, the buck-boost voltage control circuit controls the amount of current through the lamp, thereby providing constant color temperature regardless of the fluctuations in lamp impedance.

5807121, Sep 15, 1998

Sep 12, 1996

8/707899

Jozsef Fulop - Budapest,
Ferenc Papp - Budapest,
Jozsef Tokes - Budapest,
Istvan Wursching - Budapest,
Kelvin B. Belle - South Euclid OH
Leon F. Chamberlain - Palm Springs CA
David J. Kachmarik - North Olmsted OH
Brian M. Ronald - Salt Lake City UT

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

H01R 909

439 82

A junction component fixed on a PCB (13) has a slot (4) suitable for accepting the electrical leads (10) protruding from the electrical unit and also has a base part (11) and a connection part (12). The base part (11) is embedded into the PCB (13) and is connected with its corresponding output. The leads of the electrical unit are connected to a connection part (12). At the place of connection, the orientation of the electrical leads is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the PCB (13). The direction in which the electrical leads are connected to the connection part (12) is substantially parallel to the plane of the PCB (13). The base part (11) comprises a base plate (1) and tabs(s) (8a-8c) bending out from it. The tab(s) protrude(s) into openings (17) formed in the PCB (13) and is (are) embedded there in a way also ensuring electrical contact to the PCB (13). The base plate (1) connects the tab(s) (8a-8c) with the connection part (12), and the connection part (12) is made to have an orientation substantially in or parallel to the plane of the base plate (1).

5889373, Mar 30, 1999

Dec 30, 1996

8/774544

Rayette Ann Fisher - Schenectady NY
David Joseph Kachmarik - Strongsville OH
William Newell Schultz - Niskayuna NY
Robert James Thomas - Rexford NY

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

H05B 3702

315307

A fluorescent lamp ballast utilizes a single a transformer for providing both tank inductance and current mode feedback to the ballast driver circuitry. The transformer has an "EE" core with inductor windings on the center legs and gate windings on one of the outer legs. The center leg is gapped to avoid magnetic core saturation and to adjust inductance to a desired value. Coupling can be adjusted further by gapping one or the other of the outer legs.

5719472, Feb 17, 1998

May 13, 1996

8/648232

David J. Kachmarik - Strongsville OH
Louis R. Nerone - Brecksville OH

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

H05B 3702

315224

A ballast circuit for a gas discharge lamp includes a resonant load circuit incorporating a gas discharge lamp and including first and second resonant impedances whose values determine the operating frequency of the resonant load circuit. Further included is a d. c. -to-a. c. converter circuit coupled to the resonant load circuit so as to induce an a. c. current in the resonant load circuit. The converter includes first and second switches serially connected between a bus conductor at a d. c. voltage and ground, and has a common node through which the a. c. load current flows. A feedback circuit provides a feedback signal indicating the level of current in the resonant load circuit. A high voltage IC drives the first and second switches at a frequency determined by a timing signal which predominantly comprises the feedback signal during lamp ignition, whereby during lamp ignition the feedback signal causes the high voltage IC to drive the first and second switches towards a switching frequency which promotes resonant operation of the resonant load circuit.

5723953, Mar 3, 1998

Sep 19, 1996

8/718178

Louis R. Nerone - Brecksville OH
David J. Kachmarik - Strongsville OH

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G05F 100

315307

A ballast circuit for a gas discharge lamp of the type including resistively heated cathodes includes a resonant load circuit incorporating a gas discharge lamp and including first and second resonant impedances whose values determine the operating frequency of the resonant load circuit. Further included is a d. c. -to-a. c. converter circuit coupled to the resonant load circuit so as to induce an a. c. current in the resonant load circuit. The converter includes first and second switches serially connected between a bus conductor at a d. c. voltage and ground, and has a common node through which the a. c. load current flows. A feedback circuit provides a feedback signal indicating the level of current in the resonant load circuit. A high voltage IC drives the first and second switches at a frequency determined by a timing signal which predominantly comprises the feedback signal during lamp ignition, whereby during lamp ignition the feedback signal causes the high voltage IC to drive the first and second switches towards a switching frequency which promotes resonant operation of the resonant load circuit. A circuit isolates the feedback signal from the timing signal for a predetermined period of time upon energizing of said converter circuit so as to allow the cathodes to become heated during such period of time, prior to lamp ignition.

5483125, Jan 9, 1996

Dec 6, 1993

8/161844

David J. Kachmarik - North Olmsted OH
Louis R. Nerone - Brecksville OH
Michael M. Secen - Mentor OH
Kurt W. Haas - Chesterland OH

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

H05B 3904

315106

A ballast circuit for a gas discharge lamp, of the type having a pair of resistively heated cathodes that are resistively heated both during a cathode pre-heat period prior to lamp turn-on, and during steady state lamp operation, is disclosed. The ballast circuit includes circuitry for providing, on a bus conductor, a d. c. bus voltage with respect to a ground, and a converter, responsive to the d. c. bus voltage, for supplying bidirectional current to a resonant load circuit. The resonant load circuit includes the gas discharge lamp, a resonant capacitor coupled between the lamp cathodes such that its voltage varies with lamp voltage, and a resonant inductor serially coupled to the resonant capacitor and cooperating therewith to set a magnitude, and resonant frequency, of the bidirectional lamp current. Circuitry is provided for powering the resistively heated lamp cathodes, to thereby heat the cathodes. Further included is a circuit for maintaining the lamp voltage during a cathode pre-heat period below a predetermined level so as to prevent lamp turn-on during such period; such circuit includes circuitry for holding a first cathode of the lamp at a substantially constant voltage, and circuitry for clamping a second cathode of the lamp below the predetermined level.