Ultra Low Profile Ballast As Thin As Tape
MICROBALLAST BROCHURE
Below is the current marketing and informational brochure for the Microballast, available for viewing or download.
MICROBALLAST VERSUS THE BRIGHT STIK® FROM G.E.
This is the current marketing and informational brochure detailing the advantages of the Microballast when compared to products such as the Bright Stik® from General Electric.
MICROBALLAST: IN-DEPTH
To read even more details about the Microballast and how it functions, select either one of the articles below. The edited version on the left contains all pertinent information. For a more comprehensive overview including background on the invention and how it came to be developed, select the longer version on the right.Enter the name for this tabbed section: MICROBALLAST: ABSTRACT
MICROBALLAST: SIMPLE, EFFICIENT, INEXPENSIVE
Utilizing low cost, lightweight, low volume components that function on ordinary household frequency, the Microballast permits simple, economical, and reliable start and operation of fluorescent lamps.
A fluorescent ballast as thin as a piece of tape? Meet the Microballast.
Developed by a lifelong independent inventor and now in the process of being commercialized, the flexibility and utility of the Microballast should not, pardon the pun, be taken lightly. At the very least, it has the potential to change the concept of the fluorescent fixture as we know it.
All current fluorescent ballasts function with some form of trade-off. They are either heavy and inefficient (pre-heat); avoid heating the electrodes yet deliver a high voltage that degrades lamp life (instant start); consume additional power by both applying voltage and heating the electrodes simultaneously (rapid start); or only subtly improve the vector for lamp degradation by heating the electrodes before applying the voltage (programmed start). The Microballast tape, on the other hand, illuminates by creating a gentle electromagnetic field interaction, exciting electrons along the length of the bulb and regulating current flow – using minimum energy and without the need of any traditional ballast. This method of lamp ignition is exceedingly kind to the bulb components, resulting in significantly increased lamp life.
Instead of a self-contained box filled with circuitry and hidden somewhere in the traditional fixture, imagine the "ballast" integrated into the lamp itself so as to be virtually unseen. Picture a T5 or a T8 bulb with a thin strip of tape bonded to its outer surface and a simple power cord feeding it from only one end. Evolve the concept even further and envision a fine micro-wire bonded to the inner surface of the lamp during the manufacturing process – effectively placing the "ballast" inside the bulb – and you realize a new fluorescent lighting paradigm is in the offing.
Developed by a lifelong independent inventor and now in the process of being commercialized, the flexibility and utility of the Microballast should not, pardon the pun, be taken lightly. At the very least, it has the potential to change the concept of the fluorescent fixture as we know it.
All current fluorescent ballasts function with some form of trade-off. They are either heavy and inefficient (pre-heat); avoid heating the electrodes yet deliver a high voltage that degrades lamp life (instant start); consume additional power by both applying voltage and heating the electrodes simultaneously (rapid start); or only subtly improve the vector for lamp degradation by heating the electrodes before applying the voltage (programmed start). The Microballast tape, on the other hand, illuminates by creating a gentle electromagnetic field interaction, exciting electrons along the length of the bulb and regulating current flow – using minimum energy and without the need of any traditional ballast. This method of lamp ignition is exceedingly kind to the bulb components, resulting in significantly increased lamp life.
Instead of a self-contained box filled with circuitry and hidden somewhere in the traditional fixture, imagine the "ballast" integrated into the lamp itself so as to be virtually unseen. Picture a T5 or a T8 bulb with a thin strip of tape bonded to its outer surface and a simple power cord feeding it from only one end. Evolve the concept even further and envision a fine micro-wire bonded to the inner surface of the lamp during the manufacturing process – effectively placing the "ballast" inside the bulb – and you realize a new fluorescent lighting paradigm is in the offing.
The Microballast illuminates the lamp
by creating a gentle
electromagnetic field interaction
The micro wire (.005") is taped, bonded, or extruded to the bulb – on the outer or inner surface – and in conjunction with the patented circuits is used to drive both T5 lamps and some T8 designs as well. These lamps, including several compact fluorescent designs modified in this way, are the most compact instant-start lights available and can function at a low 120Hz instead of the more typical 40+ KHz ranges customarily seen. As a result, they produce no high gauss readings. They also run more efficiently and emit no electromagnetic interference. Even a Philips F39T5-841 high-output lamp is illuminated in this manner and draws less power than in a conventional configuration. Although the Microballast has no frequency limitations and operation from 1Hz through RF (Radio Frequency) levels is theoretically possible, the ability to operate at these lower frequencies is seen as an advantage.
Lamp designs driven by the Microballast also have dimming capabilities. There are 2-way (Nite Glow/Day Brite), 3-way, and even analog dimmable versions utilizing standard rheostats. Daylight harvesting applications are also addressed, with one design consisting of a photoresistor which complements not one but two conductive-resistive coatings (one high impedance and the other low impedance) that work in concert to respond to varying light levels in the local environment.
The increased energy efficiency, extended bulb life, and inexpensive component parts of the Microballast are interesting, but another aspect that should not be overlooked is enhanced design flexibility. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the very idea of what constitutes a fluorescent fixture could be changed by the Microballast. For instance, with a T5 or T8 lamp driven by miniaturized control circuitry and a micro wire located inside the lamp proper, the concurrent reduction in weight and the increased flexibility afforded by such a low-profile configuration would seem to bode well for architects, designers, and building planners, to say nothing of lighting fixture designers.
The patented circuits provide for all manner of increased functionality and problem-solving. The Digital Alternating Circuit (DAC) and Pulse Volt Amplifier (PVA) help to illuminate the T5 and T8 lamps. An ingenious Polarity Reversing Switch and a simple Timer Control Alternator (TCA) work to regulate voltage and prevent mercury migration in the bulbs. All of these designs also meet the criteria of using only inexpensive component parts. They are also incredibly simple and can be miniaturized to the size of a dime if desired.
Effectively, all that's needed in a production unit is a power cord traveling to the lamp.
microballast.com
Lamp designs driven by the Microballast also have dimming capabilities. There are 2-way (Nite Glow/Day Brite), 3-way, and even analog dimmable versions utilizing standard rheostats. Daylight harvesting applications are also addressed, with one design consisting of a photoresistor which complements not one but two conductive-resistive coatings (one high impedance and the other low impedance) that work in concert to respond to varying light levels in the local environment.
The increased energy efficiency, extended bulb life, and inexpensive component parts of the Microballast are interesting, but another aspect that should not be overlooked is enhanced design flexibility. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the very idea of what constitutes a fluorescent fixture could be changed by the Microballast. For instance, with a T5 or T8 lamp driven by miniaturized control circuitry and a micro wire located inside the lamp proper, the concurrent reduction in weight and the increased flexibility afforded by such a low-profile configuration would seem to bode well for architects, designers, and building planners, to say nothing of lighting fixture designers.
The patented circuits provide for all manner of increased functionality and problem-solving. The Digital Alternating Circuit (DAC) and Pulse Volt Amplifier (PVA) help to illuminate the T5 and T8 lamps. An ingenious Polarity Reversing Switch and a simple Timer Control Alternator (TCA) work to regulate voltage and prevent mercury migration in the bulbs. All of these designs also meet the criteria of using only inexpensive component parts. They are also incredibly simple and can be miniaturized to the size of a dime if desired.
Effectively, all that's needed in a production unit is a power cord traveling to the lamp.
microballast.com
Enter the name for this tabbed section: MICROBALLAST: FULL ARTICLE
ULTRA LOW-PROFILE BALLAST AS THIN AS TAPE
Utilizing low cost, lightweight, low volume components that function on ordinary household frequency, the Microballast permits simple, economical, and reliable start and operation of fluorescent lamps.
Imagine a fluorescent ballast as thin as a piece of tape. And as with any traditional electronic ballast, it both ignites and regulates current flow to the fluorescent lamp. Yet its form factor is so small and its constituent components so inexpensive that you wonder why no one had thought of it before.
Such is the case with the Microballast.
Developed by a lifelong independent inventor and now in the process of being commercialized, the flexibility and utility of the Microballast should not – pardon the pun – be taken lightly. At the very least, it has the potential to change the concept of the fluorescent fixture as we know it.
When Walter Lovell was finished developing and perfecting his patented heating breakthroughs in the late 1990s, he turned his attention to the traditional fluorescent fixtures occupying the workspaces of his laboratory. They were expensive, unreliable, and tended to emit interference that could wreak havoc with his equipment. He quickly identified the main culprit in most of these issues: The ballast. By manipulating the constituent elements of his medium- and high-temperature paints and coatings, which operate from ambient up to more than 2000°F, Walter reasoned that the functional characteristics involved in creating and regulating such extreme temperatures could be successfully adapted to the challenge of improving ballast design and functionality.
"The patents covering the Microballast have a direct correlation to the earlier work that my father did on the medium-temperature (MTCRP) and high-temperature (HTCRP) conductive-resistive paints and coatings", says Carol Lovell, one of Walter's daughters and president of Guenther Associates, the marketing firm responsible for bringing the Microballast to the attention of the lighting industry. "That's sort of the way he worked – he could never sit still and one thing always led to another."
All current fluorescent ballasts function with some form of trade-off. They are either heavy and inefficient (pre-heat); avoid heating the electrodes yet deliver a high voltage that degrades lamp life (instant start); consume additional power by both applying voltage and heating the electrodes simultaneously (rapid start); or only subtly improve the vector for lamp degradation by heating the electrodes before applying the voltage (programmed start). The Microballast tape, on the other hand, illuminates by creating a gentle electromagnetic field interaction, exciting electrons along the length of the bulb and regulating current flow – using minimum energy and without the need of any traditional ballast. This method of lamp ignition is exceedingly kind to the bulb components, resulting in significantly increased lamp life.
SIMPLE
As is common with many inventors, Walter Lovell was an admirer of Nikola Tesla. Ever appreciative of and impressed by the simple nature of Tesla's designs and his approach to problem-solving, the products of Walter's imagination and creativity have always shared that trait seemingly so uncommon in the engineering environment: Simplicity. Early in his career he developed a simple solution to the problems with crown seal bottle closures and created the first successful twist-off crown seal bottle cap when he was still in his 20s. His patented design (1966) was licensed to Anheuser-Busch and is still in use today on the millions of twist-seal bottle caps that are manufactured every year. Likewise, when he was developing his aforementioned medium- and high-temperature conductive-resistive coatings and paints for industry, the solution again consisted of the simple – this time in the form of the constituent elements comprising those coatings. One of the primary components is graphite. An allotrope of carbon, graphite is the most stable form of solid carbon ever discovered. It is also an electrical conductor and one of the principal elements of the Microballast.
Such is the case with the Microballast.
Developed by a lifelong independent inventor and now in the process of being commercialized, the flexibility and utility of the Microballast should not – pardon the pun – be taken lightly. At the very least, it has the potential to change the concept of the fluorescent fixture as we know it.
When Walter Lovell was finished developing and perfecting his patented heating breakthroughs in the late 1990s, he turned his attention to the traditional fluorescent fixtures occupying the workspaces of his laboratory. They were expensive, unreliable, and tended to emit interference that could wreak havoc with his equipment. He quickly identified the main culprit in most of these issues: The ballast. By manipulating the constituent elements of his medium- and high-temperature paints and coatings, which operate from ambient up to more than 2000°F, Walter reasoned that the functional characteristics involved in creating and regulating such extreme temperatures could be successfully adapted to the challenge of improving ballast design and functionality.
"The patents covering the Microballast have a direct correlation to the earlier work that my father did on the medium-temperature (MTCRP) and high-temperature (HTCRP) conductive-resistive paints and coatings", says Carol Lovell, one of Walter's daughters and president of Guenther Associates, the marketing firm responsible for bringing the Microballast to the attention of the lighting industry. "That's sort of the way he worked – he could never sit still and one thing always led to another."
All current fluorescent ballasts function with some form of trade-off. They are either heavy and inefficient (pre-heat); avoid heating the electrodes yet deliver a high voltage that degrades lamp life (instant start); consume additional power by both applying voltage and heating the electrodes simultaneously (rapid start); or only subtly improve the vector for lamp degradation by heating the electrodes before applying the voltage (programmed start). The Microballast tape, on the other hand, illuminates by creating a gentle electromagnetic field interaction, exciting electrons along the length of the bulb and regulating current flow – using minimum energy and without the need of any traditional ballast. This method of lamp ignition is exceedingly kind to the bulb components, resulting in significantly increased lamp life.
SIMPLE
As is common with many inventors, Walter Lovell was an admirer of Nikola Tesla. Ever appreciative of and impressed by the simple nature of Tesla's designs and his approach to problem-solving, the products of Walter's imagination and creativity have always shared that trait seemingly so uncommon in the engineering environment: Simplicity. Early in his career he developed a simple solution to the problems with crown seal bottle closures and created the first successful twist-off crown seal bottle cap when he was still in his 20s. His patented design (1966) was licensed to Anheuser-Busch and is still in use today on the millions of twist-seal bottle caps that are manufactured every year. Likewise, when he was developing his aforementioned medium- and high-temperature conductive-resistive coatings and paints for industry, the solution again consisted of the simple – this time in the form of the constituent elements comprising those coatings. One of the primary components is graphite. An allotrope of carbon, graphite is the most stable form of solid carbon ever discovered. It is also an electrical conductor and one of the principal elements of the Microballast.
Photo of the crown seal twist-off bottle cap, invented
by Walter Lovell (1966 patent). The "Pop-In-Top"
can closure – designed to replace pull-top
tabs – can be seen in the background (1975).
by Walter Lovell (1966 patent). The "Pop-In-Top"
can closure – designed to replace pull-top
tabs – can be seen in the background (1975).
Instead of a self-contained box filled with circuitry and hidden somewhere in the traditional fixture, imagine the "ballast" integrated into the lamp itself so as to be virtually unseen. Picture a T5 or a T8 bulb with a thin strip of tape bonded to its outer surface and a simple power cord feeding it from only one end. Evolve the concept even further and envision a fine micro wire bonded to the inner surface of the lamp during the manufacturing process – effectively placing the "ballast" inside the bulb – and you realize a new fluorescent lighting paradigm is in the offing.
"When we were at LightFair, that was one of the most common reactions", says Lovell. "Everyone seemed puzzled as to how such a simple treatment could seemingly address so many different issues with regard to igniting and controlling a fluorescent lamp."
INEXPENSIVE
The use of elements such as graphite satisfied another of Walter's multiple design goals when developing the Microballast – make it simple and avoid complexity, but also keep it inexpensive. The Microballast meets both criteria. And many others as well. In addition to extending lamp life dramatically by starting the bulb in such a gentle manner, the designs also function extremely well in low temperatures by transferring ohmic heat from the inductive structure (tape) to the translucent housing of the lamp. And even without this heat transfer component the Microballast functions better than a conventional ballast in low-temp environments. Additionally, the Microballast can be located both on the bulb proper or in close proximity (1"), and in some embodiments can be placed up to 12" away from the lamp.
"When we were at LightFair, that was one of the most common reactions", says Lovell. "Everyone seemed puzzled as to how such a simple treatment could seemingly address so many different issues with regard to igniting and controlling a fluorescent lamp."
INEXPENSIVE
The use of elements such as graphite satisfied another of Walter's multiple design goals when developing the Microballast – make it simple and avoid complexity, but also keep it inexpensive. The Microballast meets both criteria. And many others as well. In addition to extending lamp life dramatically by starting the bulb in such a gentle manner, the designs also function extremely well in low temperatures by transferring ohmic heat from the inductive structure (tape) to the translucent housing of the lamp. And even without this heat transfer component the Microballast functions better than a conventional ballast in low-temp environments. Additionally, the Microballast can be located both on the bulb proper or in close proximity (1"), and in some embodiments can be placed up to 12" away from the lamp.
Sketch detailing construction and consequent drawbacks of
G.E. Bright Stik®. Original drawing by the inventor.
G.E. Bright Stik®. Original drawing by the inventor.
Another iteration of the Microballast substitutes an aforementioned micro wire (.005") in place of the standard embodiment of the graphite and polyvinyl acetate-based tape. The wire is taped, bonded, or extruded to the bulb – on the outer or inner surface – and in conjunction with the patented circuits is used to drive both T5 lamps and some T8 designs as well. These lamps, including several compact fluorescent designs modified in this manner, are the most compact instant-start lights available and can function at a low 120Hz instead of the more typical 40+ KHz ranges customarily seen. As a result, they produce no high gauss readings. They also run more efficiently and emit no electromagnetic interference. Even T5 high-output lamps can be illuminated in this manner and draw less power than in conventional configurations. Although the Microballast has no frequency limitations and operation from 1Hz through RF (Radio Frequency) levels is theoretically possible, the ability to operate at these lower frequencies is seen as an advantage.
The patented circuits provide for all manner of increased functionality and problem-solving. The Digital Alternating Circuit (DAC) and Pulse Volt Amplifier (PVA) help to illuminate the T5 and T8 lamps. An ingenious Polarity Reversing Switch and a simple Timer Control Alternator (TCA) work to regulate voltage and prevent mercury migration in the bulbs. All of these designs also meet the aforementioned criteria of using only inexpensive component parts. They are also incredibly simple (there's that word again) and can be miniaturized to the size of a dime if desired. Effectively, all that would be visible to an end-user in a production unit is a power cord traveling to the lamp.
FLEXIBLE
Lamp designs driven by the Microballast also have dimming capabilities. There are 2-way (Nite Glow/Day Brite), 3-way, and even analog dimmable versions utilizing standard rheostats. Daylight harvesting applications are also addressed, with one design consisting of a photoresistor which complements not one but two conductive-resistive coatings (one high impedance and the other low impedance) that work in concert to respond to varying light levels in the local environment. The Microballast is adaptable to virtually any industry-specific requirement in the same manner as a conventional ballast – it can be scaled-up to drive multiple lamps, and enhanced programmability can be achieved through the integration of additional control circuits.
The increased energy efficiency, extended bulb life, and inexpensive component parts of the Microballast are interesting, but another aspect that should not be overlooked is enhanced design flexibility. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the very idea of what constitutes a fluorescent fixture could be changed by the Microballast. For instance, with a T5 or T8 lamp driven by miniaturized control circuitry and a micro wire located inside the lamp proper, the concurrent reduction in weight and the increased flexibility afforded by such a low-profile configuration would seem to bode well for architects, designers, and building planners, to say nothing of lighting fixture designers.
In a world filled with what often seems to be a constant spiral of ever-increasing complexity, the basic design simplicity of the Microballast could be the answer to some of the shortcomings of conventional ballast installations. Its inventor had a long and successful career by always looking to the simple for his project solutions, and perhaps that approach will soon manifest itself in new and efficient lighting designs. "He was a very gifted and intelligent, tuned-in individual, yet he led a simple life," says Lovell. "It was one of the hallmarks of everything he did."
microballast.com
The patented circuits provide for all manner of increased functionality and problem-solving. The Digital Alternating Circuit (DAC) and Pulse Volt Amplifier (PVA) help to illuminate the T5 and T8 lamps. An ingenious Polarity Reversing Switch and a simple Timer Control Alternator (TCA) work to regulate voltage and prevent mercury migration in the bulbs. All of these designs also meet the aforementioned criteria of using only inexpensive component parts. They are also incredibly simple (there's that word again) and can be miniaturized to the size of a dime if desired. Effectively, all that would be visible to an end-user in a production unit is a power cord traveling to the lamp.
FLEXIBLE
Lamp designs driven by the Microballast also have dimming capabilities. There are 2-way (Nite Glow/Day Brite), 3-way, and even analog dimmable versions utilizing standard rheostats. Daylight harvesting applications are also addressed, with one design consisting of a photoresistor which complements not one but two conductive-resistive coatings (one high impedance and the other low impedance) that work in concert to respond to varying light levels in the local environment. The Microballast is adaptable to virtually any industry-specific requirement in the same manner as a conventional ballast – it can be scaled-up to drive multiple lamps, and enhanced programmability can be achieved through the integration of additional control circuits.
The increased energy efficiency, extended bulb life, and inexpensive component parts of the Microballast are interesting, but another aspect that should not be overlooked is enhanced design flexibility. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the very idea of what constitutes a fluorescent fixture could be changed by the Microballast. For instance, with a T5 or T8 lamp driven by miniaturized control circuitry and a micro wire located inside the lamp proper, the concurrent reduction in weight and the increased flexibility afforded by such a low-profile configuration would seem to bode well for architects, designers, and building planners, to say nothing of lighting fixture designers.
In a world filled with what often seems to be a constant spiral of ever-increasing complexity, the basic design simplicity of the Microballast could be the answer to some of the shortcomings of conventional ballast installations. Its inventor had a long and successful career by always looking to the simple for his project solutions, and perhaps that approach will soon manifest itself in new and efficient lighting designs. "He was a very gifted and intelligent, tuned-in individual, yet he led a simple life," says Lovell. "It was one of the hallmarks of everything he did."
microballast.com
