Safety circuit for electro-luminescent lamp ballast

Abstract

A safety circuit is provided for a ballast of an electro-luminescent (EL) lamp. The EL lamp had an electrical ground shield on at least a portion thereof and has a separate ground lead. The ballast is an isolated ballast with a line input being isolated from an output. The ballast is constructed and arranged to be electrically connected with the separate ground lead. The circuit includes a current sensing structure constructed and arranged to connect between the separate ground lead and a potential ground of the ballast. In the event a user contacts the EL lamp to replace the EL lamp or contacts a defective EL lamp, the ballast is shut down based on a value of current sensed by the current sensing structure.

1 . A safety circuit for a ballast of an electro-luminescent (EL) lamp, the EL lamp having an electrical ground shield on at least a portion thereof and a separate ground lead, the ballast isolated ballast with a line input being isolated from an output, the ballast being constructed and arranged to be electrically connected with the separate ground lead, the circuit comprising:
 a current sensing structure constructed and arranged to connect between the separate ground lead and a potential ground of the ballast; and   means for shutting down the ballast based on a value of current sensed by the current sensing structure.   
   
   
       2 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the current sensing structure is a resistor. 
   
   
       3 . The circuit of  claim 1 , further including a filter and an amplifier electrically coupled with the current sensing structure providing an amplified signal to the means for shutting down. 
   
   
       4 . The circuit of  claim 3 , wherein the means for shutting down is a controller. 
   
   
       5 . The circuit of  claim 4 , wherein the controller is a microprocessor, the amplified signal being passed through an analog-to-digital converter prior to being received by the microprocessor. 
   
   
       6 . The circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the means for shutting down is a microprocessor. 
   
   
       7 . The circuit of  claim 1  in combination with the EL lamp, the ground shield being on a rear portion of the EL lamp. 
   
   
       8 . The combination of  claim 7 , wherein the circuit is part of the ballast. 
   
   
       9 . An electro-luminescent (EL) lamp system comprising:
 an EL lamp having an electrical ground shield on at least a portion thereof and a having separate ground lead,   an isolated ballast for powering the EL lamp, the ballast having a line input being isolated from an output, the ballast being electrically connected with the separate ground lead,   a current sensing structure connected between the separate ground lead and a potential ground of the ballast; and   means for shutting down the ballast based on a value of current sensed by the current sensing structure.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the current sensing structure is a resistor. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 , further including a filter and an amplifier electrically coupled with the current sensing structure providing an amplified signal to the means for shutting down. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the means for shutting down is a controller. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is a microprocessor, the amplified signal being passed through an analog-to-digital converter prior to being received by the microprocessor. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the means for shutting down is a microprocessor. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the ground shield is aluminum foil laminated on a rear portion of the EL lamp. 
   
   
       16 . A method of controlling a ballast for powering an electro-luminescent (EL) lamp, the ballast having a line input isolated from an output,
 providing an EL lamp having an electrical ground shield on at least a portion thereof and having a separate ground lead, the ballast being electrically connected with the separate ground lead,   sensing current between the separate ground lead and a potential ground of the ballast; and   shutting down the ballast based on a value of current sensed by the current sensing structure.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of sensing current includes sensing current when a user contacts the EL lamp. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of shutting down the ballast includes employing a controller to compare the value of current sensed to a threshold value of current. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is a microprocessor. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of providing the EL lamp includes ensuring that the EL lamp has aluminum foil laminated on a rear portion of the EL lamp defining the ground shield. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of sensing current includes using a resistor.