The present invention refers to a new igniter for igniting sodium vapor lamps, metal halide lamps and the like, which igniter has been designed and structured to considerably aid in the wiring among all the possible elements intervening in the ignition, feed, regulation and control of a sodium vapor lamp, metal halide lamp and the like, said igniter integrating a printed circuit with the majority of the necessary wiring.

For igniting, feeding, regulating and controlling a sodium vapor lamp, a metal halide lamp and the like, different combinations of elements normally intervene, starting from the simplest, such as the case of the igniter, ballast, lamp, network and earth, to more complex cases in which the igniter, ballast, lamp, network, earth, one or more capacitors, one or more timers, a connection strip, etc., can intervene, the suitable wiring among all these elements being necessary for suitably interconnecting them.

Said wiring is a complex, cumbersome, expensive and relatively reliable task, in the case in which it is carried out by the luminary manufacturer or by the installer, which increases said drawbacks.

The document EP 0855851 disclosed discharge lamp unit which has a housing provided with a lamp socket fitted thereon and accommodating therein a printed circuit board implemented with a lamp lighting circuit and a high-voltage generating transformer assembly consisting of a coil case containing a secondary-coil-wound bobbin with an core inserted in a hollow center thereof and having a primary coil being a conducting plate spirally wound around the coil case and is formed as a single solid device by potting the inner components in the housing with insulating resin poured in a melted state and solidified therein, also the document US 4527098 shows a discrete type starter for HID lamps uses a ferrite core pulse transformer whose secondary is connected in series with the lamp across a ballast output winding. The primary is formed by mounting one or more sidacs and a resistor astride the core loop and interconnecting them by dadding on the board to make two or three turns around the core. The primary is connected across a capacitor which is connected in series with an impedance across the ballast output winding, this documents does not discloses the interconnections for complementary devices that connects said igniter with the remaining complementary ignition, feed, regulation and control elements, a circuit in which there are at least a pair of connectors suitably coupled and connected to the printed circuit and which project from the wall of resin or the like, normally intended for connecting a ballast.

The igniter proposed by the invention fully and satisfactorily solves the aforementioned drawback.

To do so and more specifically, the invention consists of housing the igniter components in the cavity of a casing, of a plastic material or not, which incorporates, in the igniter's printed circuit, the necessary interconnections (tracks) replacing the majority of the wiring (connection) interconnecting all the elements necessary for igniting, feeding, regulating and controlling a sodium vapor lamp, a metal halide lamp and the like, at practically no cost and significantly simplifying the luminary manufacturing or installation works.

On the other hand, it permits replacing any of the elements individually integrating the assembly, preventing that the replacement of one of the elements implies that of two or more elements of the assembly, thereby optimizing maintenance costs.

Although, as previously mentioned, there are numerous possible elements to take into account for igniting, feeding, regulating and controlling a sodium vapor lamp, a metal halide lamp and the like, with two or three practical embodiment examples of the invention, practically all the most conventional possibilities would be covered.

Complementarily, the igniter incorporates at least two connectors, projecting from it through an insulating wall of resin mass or the like, which act as electric connection means between the igniter and, normally, the ballast.

According to another feature of the invention, a connection strip normally provided with seven connectors is arranged on the upper part of the casing, in which strip a pair of lamp connectors, a pair of capacitor connectors, a pair of network connectors and an earthing terminal are normally arranged.

As previously mentioned, the igniter of the invention incorporates at least two connectors projecting from it through an insulating wall of a resin mass or the like, but which can be more, according to the features and the number of elements to be interconnected, that possible expansion being enabled, during the manufacturing process, because that side is closed and insulated with resin, which permits that the remaining igniter elements, such as the casing, can remain the same. Furthermore, those possible connectors can be placed on that side in the position considered the most suitable, as there are no restrictions by any rigid element, like the casing.

The aforementioned resin mass, or other electro-insulating material, is intended for closing and insulating the igniter elements assembly, with regard to the outside, as well as the printed circuit incorporating the elements' connection, from heat, electricity, dust, etc.

As previously mentioned, if the igniter is to have more connectors, these additional connectors will normally be coupled in the area of the insulating wall with resin mass or the like, however, for various reasons, such as in some assembly types, it may be convenient to place them on the upper part of the casing, after the seven aforementioned connectors, in this case being necessary to modify the elements such as the casing.

To complement the description being made and for the purpose of helping to better understand the features of the invention according to a preferred practical embodiment example thereof, a set of drawings accompanies said description as an integral part thereof, showing, with an illustrative and non-limiting character, the following:

• Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an igniter for starting up sodium vapor lamps, metal halide lamps and the like, carried out according to the object of the present invention.
• Figure 2 shows the same part as in the previous figure according to a perspective opposite that of said figure.

In view of the indicated figures, it can be seen how the igniter proposed by the invention is provided with a casing (1), housing in its cavity the conventional elements of an igniter, whose printed circuit (not shown) incorporates the necessary connections (tracks) replacing the majority of the wiring (connection) interconnecting the elements to be used, according to the case, for igniting, feeding, regulating and controlling a sodium vapor lamp, a metal halide lamp and the like; arranging the suitable connections on said printed circuit so that a plurality of outer connectors allow for a simple, quick, reliable and economical connection of the remaining elements that are to intervene, namely the ballast, the lamp, the network, earth and, optionally, the capacitor or capacitors, one or more timers, etc.

More specifically, the rear side of the casing (1) has at least a pair of connectors (2), suitably coupled and connected to said printed circuit, which emerge from the resin mass (3) or other electro-insulating material, and which will normally be connected to a ballast.

Obviously from that explained above, the casing (1) housing the igniter in its cavity must have a rear wall initially open and subsequently sealed by means of a resin mass (3) or other electro-insulating material, in order to suitably protect the igniter elements assembly as well as the printed circuit incorporating the elements' connection, from heat, electricity, dust, etc.

The connectors (2) and other connectors which can exist on this same side, are complemented with a battery normally having seven connectors (4), also arranged on the casing (1) and suitably coupled and connected to the printed circuit, from which connectors, normally two of them, those corresponding to the reference (4) itself, are intended for connecting the sodium vapor lamp, metal halide lamp or the like, the next two connectors (4') are intended for connecting the capacitor, and from the remaining connectors (4"), two connectors for connecting the power feed and one to earth, this battery being able to incorporate a larger number of connectors (4), as needed.

The igniter can be placed at any point of the luminary, thus being possible to distance it from other elements that may generate negative influences on it, or vice versa, requiring a minimum space for its assembly.

As a practical embodiment variant to be pointed out, the igniter of the invention will have three connectors on the side with the resin mass (3) or other electro-insulating material, these connectors normally being intended for connecting a complementary device.

As another possible practical embodiment to be pointed out, the igniter of the invention will have nine connectors arranged on the casing (1), seven of them being normally intended for the connections of the aforementioned elements and the remaining two connectors for connecting an optional element, such as a second capacitor, a timer, etc.

The different connectors mentioned throughout the description can obviously be replaced by any other conventional connection element, such as cables, pins or the like, with these alternatives in no way affecting the scope of the invention.