JP4943726B2 - Electrodeless discharge lamp device, electrodeless discharge lamp lighting fixture - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrodeless discharge lamp lighting device for lighting a discharge lamp that generates and maintains a discharge by an induction electric field using a high frequency without using an electrode inside the discharge vessel. Moreover, it is related with the lighting fixture which mounts such an electrodeless discharge lamp lighting device.

  In response to the recent social background of energy saving and resource saving, it is desired to develop a lamp having a longer life and higher efficiency. An electrodeless discharge lamp device that does not use electrodes inside the discharge vessel space, especially for facilities that are highly maintenance-free, for outdoor lighting, or for special applications such as UV (ultraviolet) use, as a lamp that meets these requirements. Is being put into practical use.

  At present, in fluorescent lamps and high-intensity high-pressure discharge lamps that are widely used as light sources for general illumination, deterioration of electrodes and filaments with the passage of lighting time is the largest factor that limits the life. In an electrodeless discharge lamp having no electrode inside the discharge vessel space, since there is no such deterioration factor, a long life can be expected.

  In addition, in order to popularize such electrodeless discharge lamps for general illumination, a thin and long linear light source should be used, as is the case with straight tube fluorescent lamps that are most popular as the current illumination light source. Is desired. This is because the existing straight tube lighting fixtures are most frequently used because of uniform light emission (brightness) in the tube axis direction, fixture efficiency (light extraction efficiency from the lighting fixtures), and light distribution. It is because it is excellent in control.

  For this reason, an electrodeless discharge lamp for realizing an elongated light source includes a plurality of induction coils wound around a discharge container, and an induction electromagnetic field generated by supplying a high-frequency current to the coils, Some of these ionizable gases are ionized and discharged to maintain a stable plasma (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 8 shows a conventional electrodeless discharge lamp device described in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 8, discharge containers 901 to 904 are usually made of a light transmissive material such as soda lime glass, borosilicate glass, or quartz glass, and are hermetically sealed. In addition, the material is properly used according to the use of the light source. The discharge vessels 901 to 904 are filled with a rare gas (not shown) such as mercury and krypton. For general lighting applications, a phosphor 902 is applied to the inner walls of the discharge vessels 901 to 904 in order to convert ultraviolet rays emitted by the discharge into visible light. The induction coils 905 to 908 are wound around the discharge vessels 901 to 904, respectively, and are installed in a line in the elongated outer tube 909 with the longitudinal direction as an axis. The induction coils 905 to 908 are connected to a high-frequency power source through a matching circuit for impedance matching with the load side so that power is supplied (none is shown). The high frequency power source is configured by an inverter circuit that converts electric power supplied from a commercial power source into a high frequency of several tens of kHz to several tens of MHz, and supplies high frequency power to the induction coils 905 to 908.

  In addition, with respect to a method of lighting a plurality of such electrodeless discharge lamps with one lighting circuit, there is a specific problem that is not present when lighting a single discharge tube (light-emitting tube). In other words, when lighting a plurality of arc tubes with a single lighting circuit, if any one of the arc tubes is lit first, the other arc tubes (lighting is started after a delay unless special measures are taken). The arc tube) cannot be turned on. This is because the voltage applied to both ends of the induction coil disposed in the previously lit arc tube is greatly reduced after lighting, and is dragged by this voltage drop to be disposed in other arc tubes. This is because a high voltage cannot be applied to the induction coil, and a sufficient voltage necessary for starting the lighting cannot be obtained from the induction coil.

  In order to solve this problem, conventionally, a power supply circuit having a variable frequency and a plurality of resonance circuits corresponding to a plurality of arc tubes are configured to sequentially start lighting by changing the resonance frequencies of the respective resonance circuits. (For example, a configuration disclosed in Patent Document 2).

  FIG. 9 shows the configuration of Patent Document 2. Resonance matching circuits (including induction coils 1002 and 1008 here) 1006 and 1007 are provided for the electrodeless discharge lamps 1004 and 1005, respectively. ing. In this resonance circuit, the element constants of the circuits are set such that the resonance frequencies of the matching circuits 1006 and 1007 are different from each other.

  When the electrodeless discharge lamps 1004 and 1005 are lit, the power supply circuit 1001 is activated, the drive frequency of the power supply circuit 1001 is slid, and the arc tube having a resonance system in which the drive frequency and the resonance frequency match. From this point, lighting is started sequentially. However, in this method, the larger the number of arc tubes to be connected, the larger the range of the variable frequency of the power source must be secured, and special feedback control and drive control of the power source (inverter) must be performed. .

  In the electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus as shown in FIG. 8, the induction coils 905 to 908 generate a high-frequency electromagnetic field by a current supplied from a high-frequency power source (not shown) at the start of discharge, and the induction is performed in the discharge vessel 901. In the vicinity of the winding where the electromagnetic field generated by the coil is strongest, a discharge seed fire is generated. Such discharge is called “E discharge” and is a weak discharge operation with a low plasma density.

  Further, the induction high frequency electromagnetic field induced in the discharge vessel 901 accelerates the ionization of the rare gas and mercury atoms enclosed in the discharge vessel 901, thereby forming a discharge ring plasma 911 concentric with the induction coil, Energy can be efficiently transferred from the induction coil to the plasma. Such a discharge is called “H discharge” and is a discharge operation with a high plasma density.

  In this way, a mode jump is made from the weak E discharge having a low plasma density to the H discharge having a high plasma density of about one digit. In the plasma, mercury atoms are excited to resonance levels by electrons, and when the excited mercury atoms are deexcited to the ground state, ultraviolet rays are mainly emitted. Among the ultraviolet rays, a resonance line mainly having a wavelength of 253.7 nm is irradiated as it is when using UV such as a sterilizing lamp, and in general lighting applications, a phosphor layer (applied to the inner walls of the discharge vessels 901 to 904 ( (Not shown) is converted into visible light.

  In the region of E discharge, generally, since the plasma density is low, the amount of ultraviolet radiation required for light emission is relatively low, and it is not normally used as a discharge form of a lamp. Furthermore, since the voltage applied to the induction coil is high and the current value flowing through the induction coil is also high, the loss in the coil portion is large. Therefore, the heat-resistant life characteristic of the coil is reduced due to heat generation in the coil portion, and the reliability against dielectric breakdown between the coil windings is reduced. Furthermore, since a larger current and voltage must be supplied to the induction coil, the electrical stress applied to the matching circuit is increased. As a result, the life and reliability of the lighting circuit are significantly reduced. Therefore, the region actually used as a lamp is the aforementioned H discharge.

  In the H discharge, the plasma ring formed in the discharge vessel can be regarded as a secondary coil, and can be regarded as a transformer that performs mutual induction with the primary induction coil. In general, the H discharge requires a low voltage applied to the induction coil, and a current value flowing through the induction coil is low, so that the stress on the coil and the circuit element is low and the reliability is high. Therefore, what is commercialized as an electrodeless discharge lamp device having a high output of several tens to several hundreds W uses this H discharge.

  The form of the light source using this H discharge can be roughly classified into the following three types A to C.

  (A). This is a system in which an induction coil is wound around the outer surface of a substantially spherical or cylindrical discharge vessel, which is an arrangement of discharge vessels 901 to 904 and induction coils 905 to 908 shown in FIG.

  (B). In this embodiment, an inner concave portion is provided in a substantially spherical or cylindrical discharge vessel, a coil is wound around a cylindrical (or columnar) magnetic core in the inner concave portion, and an induction coil is inserted.

  (C). An inductive coil (Tokumaku type) that is formed by winding a coil around a magnetic core shaped like a katakana “ro” -shaped or circular tube fluorescent lamp that covers a part of the discharge vessel. Is provided.

  In the electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus having the configuration shown in FIG. 8, induction coils 905 to 908 wound around a plurality of discharge vessels 901 to 904 are connected in parallel. Thereby, the voltage applied to each induction coil is made equal to the output voltage from the circuit side, and there is an effect that the light emission of the discharge due to the induction electric field can be made uniform during steady lighting. At the same time, since the output pulse (voltage) of the lighting circuit only needs to supply a constant voltage regardless of the number of discharge lamps installed, the circuit elements used in the lighting circuit can be configured with low-voltage components.

  However, at the time of starting lighting, it is usually rare that all the arc tubes start lighting at the same time due to variations in manufacturing characteristics of the discharge vessel, the enclosure, the induction coil, and the like.

  At the time of starting the lamp, current passes through the weak plasma in the discharge space when E discharge occurs. That is, since the current path increases, the current flowing through the induction coil is substantially reduced. Therefore, the induced electromotive voltage generated at both ends of the induction coil is reduced accordingly.

  As shown in FIG. 8, when a plurality of induction coils are connected in parallel, another arc tube is dragged by a decrease in the electromotive voltage of the induction coil wound around the arc tube that has started the E discharge. The electromotive voltage of the induction coil disposed in (the arc tube that has not started discharging) also decreases. Furthermore, in the H discharge, the induced electromotive voltage applied to both ends of the induction coil is greatly reduced due to the coupling (mutual inductance) with the generated plasma (usually 1/3 to 1/5 of the E discharge). Therefore, other arc tubes cannot obtain the voltage required for discharge from each induction coil, and the lighting startability (particularly, the transition from E discharge to H discharge) is reduced, or the lighting start ( (Transition to H discharge) is impossible, and extreme stress is applied to the induction coil and the circuit element (reduction in reliability and life).

  As a result of our experimental comparison of the three types of electrodeless discharge lamps A to C, this phenomenon is particularly remarkable in the case of the C type Tokumaku electrodeless discharge lamp. It was difficult to light up. The reason is that since the toroidal core is used, the magnetic flux excited by the induction coil becomes almost a closed magnetic circuit (there may be a small gap in part of the core), and in the loop of the closed magnetic circuit, This is because the entire loop-shaped discharge current formed by the plasma pushed into the closed-loop discharge vessel passes in a completely interlinked manner, so that the energy coupling with the plasma becomes very good. it is conceivable that. Therefore, in the Tokumaku method, the influence of the mutual inductance with the plasma due to H discharge is greater than in the other two methods, and the degree of decrease in the electromotive voltage induced in the induction coil after lighting is increased.

  Since the A and B systems are open magnetic paths, the coupling performance is significantly reduced and the degree of influence is small compared to the Tokumaku type.

  In order to compare the three methods, the present inventors conducted an experiment by lighting a single arc tube with an input power of 30 to 100 W. As a result, in terms of the coupling coefficient of the transformer, in the C method (Tokumak method), | K | = 0.8 to 1.0, and in the A and B systems, about | k | = 0.5 to 0.7 (the arrangement of the induction coil, the shape of the discharge vessel, the electric power supplied to the arc tube It was found that the coefficient slightly changes due to the difference in In other words, in the Tokumaku method, the energy transfer efficiency to the arc tube is extremely high and it is easy to obtain efficiency, but on the contrary, it is easily affected by the mutual inductance due to the inductance component formed by the plasma, before and after the transition to H discharge. This means that the impedance characteristic of the load (induction coil and arc tube) changes greatly.

  For this reason, in the conventional electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus shown in FIG. 8, in the electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus having a high energy coupling, such as the Tokumaku system having a plurality of arc tubes, in particular, a loop-shaped discharge vessel, Special measures need to be taken to get started.

  As a configuration for that, as described in FIG. 9 (Patent Document 2), a resonance matching circuit having a different resonance frequency is arranged in each arc tube, and is matched to the lighting start state of the lamp, There is a means for changing the drive frequency (that is, the lighting frequency) of the inverter to match the resonance point. Although this method can be realized relatively easily, a new problem arises by changing the oscillation frequency from the lower one to the higher one or vice versa. The problem will be described below.

  In FIG. 9, a case where a plurality of arc tubes are sequentially turned on is considered. First, when the first electrodeless discharge lamp 1004 is lit, the drive frequency (oscillation frequency) of the power supply circuit 1001 is adapted to the resonance frequency of the resonance system circuit (corresponding to the matching circuit 1006 in FIG. 9) before starting the lighting. . Thereby, a high voltage can be obtained from the induction coil 1002 by the resonance phenomenon, and the first electrodeless discharge lamp 1004 can be turned on. When the first electrodeless discharge lamp 1004 is lit, it is affected by the inductance component due to the generated discharge plasma, and the resonance frequency of the resonance system is shifted more than the drive frequency of the power supply circuit 1001 (this deviation width is due to the above reason). The Tokumaku method is the largest).

  Next, the circuit constants of the resonance system circuit (corresponding to the matching circuit 1007 in this case) disposed in the second electrodeless discharge lamp 1005 in accordance with the resonance frequency changed by lighting the electrodeless discharge lamp 1004. And the drive frequency of the power supply circuit 1001 is shifted (changed). The electrodeless discharge lamp 1005 is turned on when the driving frequency of the power supply circuit 1001 and the resonance frequency of the matching circuit 1007 are matched, and further, the resonance frequency is larger than that at the time of starting (immediately before the first electrodeless discharge lamp 1004 is turned on). Changes. In accordance with this, if the drive frequency of the power supply circuit 1001 is not shifted, the discharge lamp is operated at a position shifted from the resonance point, so that the power factor of the matching circuit 1007 is greatly reduced, and the circuit is extremely reduced. Or the electrodeless discharge lamp 1005 becomes unlit. Therefore, it is necessary to further shift the driving frequency of the power supply circuit 1001 to match the resonance frequency. That is, as the number of connected electrodeless discharge lamps increases, the driving frequency must be changed greatly.

  As shown in FIG. 9, when a resonance circuit is provided for each electrodeless discharge lamp, the first electrodeless electrode is obtained by adjusting the driving frequency of the power supply circuit 1001 to the resonance frequency at which the second electrodeless discharge lamp 1005 is lit. Since the matching circuit 1006 that is a resonance circuit of the discharge lamp 1004 is operated at a position deviated from the resonance point, the power factor in the matching circuit 1006 is greatly reduced, and the efficiency of the circuit is extremely reduced. Or, the electrodeless discharge lamp 1004 is not lit. For this reason, it is not preferable to provide a resonance system for each electrodeless discharge lamp.

  Further, when changing the driving frequency of the power supply circuit 1001 and shifting from the higher frequency side to the lower frequency side, the induced voltage excited by the induction coil and the induced electric field generated in the discharge tube are determined by the law of electromagnetic induction. Since it is proportional to the frequency, the subsequent discharge lamps that are lit up are less likely to start-up than the discharge lamps that are lit earlier. On the contrary, when the drive frequency of the power supply circuit 1001 is shifted from the low side to the high side, the discharge lamp that is initially started and lit becomes difficult to start. Alternatively, if the driving frequency of the power supply circuit 1001 during operation is set to be high in advance in order to facilitate starting, the frequency shift increases as described above, so that noise specified in the EMC international standards and the like is increased. In order to clear the regulations, special noise countermeasures are required (in general, the higher the frequency, the more severe the regulations. In the CISPR15 of the EMC international standard for lighting-related products, the regulations rapidly become severe at 150 kHz or higher). Such a phenomenon is more conspicuous in the start-up of lighting for the above-described reason, as in the Tokumaku type electrodeless discharge lamp.

From these viewpoints, the drive frequency (lighting frequency) of the inverter is kept as constant as possible, and the matching circuit is integrated into one, and the resonance system is optimized for the entire load (discharge lamp and matching circuit) circuit. It is desirable to make it efficient in lighting.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-167739 (see FIG. 8) JP 2003-109785 A (see FIG. 9)

  As described above, the conventional electrodeless discharge lamp has a problem in that the lighting startability of the plurality of loop-shaped arc tubes is poor. In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, the configuration including the resonance circuit for each arc tube has a problem that the circuit configuration becomes complicated and the manufacturing becomes complicated, and the cost increases as the number of parts increases. It was.

  In view of the above problems, the present invention makes it possible to easily turn on a plurality of loop-shaped arc tubes with a single lighting circuit, and to make the starting performance and the efficiency of the lighting circuit easy and inexpensive in terms of manufacturing. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrodeless discharge lamp device with improved characteristics.

In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, an electrodeless discharge lamp device according to the present invention is made of a translucent material, and contains an enclosure made of at least metal vapor and a rare gas, and a plurality of hermetic seals. A loop-shaped discharge vessel, an induction coil disposed in each discharge vessel so as to induce an induction high-frequency electromagnetic field in a discharge space inside the discharge vessel and discharge the enclosure, an inverter circuit is composed of a high frequency power supply for supplying high frequency power to the induction coil, at least one or more capacitors, or is constituted by a combination of a capacitor and an inductor, and said induction coil and said inverter circuit and a matching circuit for impedance matching, inductive coils are respectively disposed in the discharge vessel of several are connected in parallel to each other, said plurality of induction The electrodeless discharge AkariSo location of resonant circuits is composed of a coil and the matching circuit and the inductance component of the inclusion of the plurality of the discharge vessel, detection for detecting the state of starting lighting of the plurality of the discharge vessel The matching circuit matches the resonance frequency of the resonance system circuit with the drive frequency of the inverter circuit, and the resonance frequency of the resonance system circuit is shifted by starting and lighting a part of the plurality of discharge vessels. In this case, the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit is adjusted to the drive frequency of the inverter circuit by switching the circuit constant based on the detection result of the detection unit .

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the lighting start property at the time of lighting a some discharge tube (light-emitting tube) with one lighting circuit can be ensured, and a non-lighting state can be prevented.

  Further, the efficiency can be improved by reducing the current flowing through the lighting circuit.

  In the electrodeless discharge lamp device of the present invention, the matching circuit includes at least two or more capacitors, and the constants of the capacitors of the matching circuit are set in accordance with a state when the plurality of discharge containers are turned on. A switching unit for switching may be provided, and the constant of the capacitor of the matching circuit may be switched in stages.

  The matching circuit includes at least one inductor, and includes a switching unit that switches a constant of the inductor of the matching circuit in accordance with a lighting start state of the plurality of discharge vessels. Further, the constant of the inductor of the matching circuit can be switched.

  In addition, the detection unit determines the lighting start state of the discharge container, the current flowing through the coil, which is the electrical characteristic of the induction coil disposed in each discharge container, the voltage applied to both ends of the coil, or after the power is turned on. It can be set as the structure detected based on elapsed time or the heat_generation | fever and light by lighting of the said discharge vessel.

  Thus, a plurality of arc tubes can be easily lit by a single lighting circuit, and the starting performance and efficiency in the lighting circuit are improved by means that are easy to manufacture and low cost.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows an electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2A to 2D show an induction coil section with respect to the transition of the lighting state of the arc tube in the embodiment of FIG. It is an equivalent circuit diagram of the arc tube portion.

  In FIG. 1, discharge containers (arc tubes) 101 and 111 are airtight annular containers formed of a light transmissive material such as soda lime glass, borosilicate glass, or quartz. The outer diameter of the container is preferably 15 to 38 mm from the viewpoint of the light distribution design of the luminaire, as is the case with the existing straight tube fluorescent lamp and the compact fluorescent lamp with the shape of the straight tube folded. Among them, the T8 tube (25 mm tube) and the T10 tube (32 mm tube), which have the highest diffusion rate among high-frequency lighting straight tube fluorescent lamps, are useful because the optical system of an existing instrument can be used as it is. Moreover, it is practical that the vessel tube length (total length of one discharge tube) is a discharge tube of 150 mm to 600 mm, and by arranging a plurality of tubes, a straight tube fluorescent lamp of 20 W is approximately 600 mm and a straight tube of 40 W. An instrument optical system corresponding to about 1200 mm of a tube fluorescent lamp can be easily formed. Further, the power consumption of the lamp is practically 20 to 110 W, which is about the same as that of an existing facility or a straight fluorescent lamp or a compact fluorescent lamp used for outdoor lighting. In FIG. 1, inside the arc tubes 101 and 111, mercury and one or more kinds of rare gases such as argon, krypton, and xenon are sealed, and a phosphor is applied to the wall of the discharge vessel (not shown). .

  The induction coils 102 and 112 are formed of litz wire, and are wound around the toroidal ferrite cores 104 and 114 with several to several tens of turns. Further, the Q value (Q = ωL / R ω: angular frequency, L: inductance, inductor of each induction coil (corresponding to a combined inductor of two induction coils arranged in one discharge vessel in FIG. 5 described later) It is desirable from the viewpoint of startability and lighting stability of the arc tube that R: equivalent resistance) be 100 to 250.

  Further, the ferrite cores 104 and 114 are sandwiched so as to cover a part of the annular arc tubes 101 and 111 (Tokumaku method). At this time, in order to prevent the ferrite cores 104 and 114 from being saturated with the magnetic flux excited by the induction coil when the arc tubes 101 and 111 are turned on, the required magnetic flux cannot be obtained and the starting performance is impaired. In addition, in order to absorb variations in electrical characteristics due to poor contact on the fitting surface during manufacture, a spacer such as a resin member may be sandwiched in part of the toroidal core to provide a magnetic gap.

  The induction coils 102 and 112 are connected to a high-frequency power source 105 (not shown) configured by a commercial power source and an inverter circuit and a matching circuit unit 108 for impedance matching between the induction coils 102 and 112. Yes. Normally, the matching circuit uses a resonance phenomenon with the inductor of the induction coil, so it is composed of a combination of capacitors or a combination of a capacitor and an inductor, and resonates at the induction coil inductor and the target drive frequency (lighting frequency). Design circuit constants so that

  The matching circuit unit 108 includes a first matching circuit 106 that is a basic configuration of the resonance circuit, and a second matching circuit 107 that is provided to switch a circuit constant (capacitor or inductor). Switching the circuit constant of the second matching circuit 107 detects the lighting state of the arc tube (the current flowing through the coil, which is the electrical characteristic of the arranged induction coil, the voltage applied to both ends of the coil, or after the power is turned on) This is performed by a control circuit (not shown) for performing switching by detecting elapsed time or heat generation or light change caused by lighting of the discharge vessel.

  The high frequency power source 105 is connected to the first matching circuit 106 and induces an induced high frequency electromagnetic field in the arc tube 101 by a high frequency current supplied from the high frequency power source 105 to generate a discharge. The high frequency power source 105 preferably has a driving frequency between 40 kHz and 3 MHz in consideration of switching loss in the circuit and the core material used, and outputs a rectangular wave or a sine wave.

  In addition, since the induction coils 102 and 112 are applied with a peak-to-peak voltage of 1.5 to 2.5 kV when the arc tube is turned on, a wire with an insulating coating is used. The induction coils 102 and 112 are connected in parallel with each other when viewed from the power source side.

  The reason why the Tokumak type electrodeless discharge lamp is configured is that, due to its shape, the lamp light distribution is similar to that of a straight fluorescent lamp, and two lamps are arranged. In addition, a plurality of arc tubes 101 and 111 are arranged as compared with the case where a long line light source is realized with a single arc tube, and a short arc tube divided into a plurality of This is because the impedance of the discharge plasma can be reduced, and the discharge maintenance performance and efficiency can be improved. A linear light source can be realized by arranging a plurality of the Tokumaku type electrodeless arc tubes in the longitudinal direction. Moreover, if it arrange | positions in matrix form, a thin surface light source is realizable.

  Hereinafter, the operation principle will be described.

  2A to 2D are schematic views of an arc tube including the induction coil portion and the partial equivalent circuit of the arc tube of FIG. FIG. 2A shows the state before the start-up lighting, FIG. 2B shows the state of E discharge immediately after the ignition is ignited in one arc tube, and FIG. 2C shows the state in which one arc tube has shifted to H discharge. FIG. 2D shows a state in which both arc tubes have shifted to H discharge. FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D illustrate a state in which a plurality of arc tubes are sequentially turned on.

  The matching circuit unit 202 in FIG. 2 corresponds to the matching circuit unit 108 in FIG. 1, the induction coils 203 and 204 correspond to the induction coils 104 and 114, and the arc tubes 205 and 206 correspond to the arc tubes 101 and 111. ing.

  About the electrodeless discharge lamp comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the electrodeless discharge lamp, the resonance of the high frequency power source V _in, which is converted by the inverter from the commercial power source, a capacitor of the matching circuit 202 (or capacitor and the inductor), the induction coil 203 and 204 Utilizing the phenomenon, a large voltage and current are supplied to the induction coils 203 and 204. After the power is turned on, a discharge seed is generated by the induction high-frequency electromagnetic field in order from the most easily started of the plurality of arc tubes 205 and 206 (the arc tube 205 in the example in the figure).

Next, FIG. 2B shows an equivalent circuit model of capacitively-coupled plasma (E discharge) formed by the generation of a fire in the arc tube 205. In the E discharge, as shown in the figure, C _pl of the plasma capacitance component 207 and R _{pl of the} resistance component 208 are configured to hang in parallel to the induction coil 203, and a new current flow path is created (strictly, There is also a capacitance component due to the discharge vessel being a dielectric). For this reason, the current flowing through L _{1 of the} induction coil 203 is divided into two, the induction coil side and the plasma side, and the induced voltage applied to both ends of the induction coil L ₁ is lowered accordingly. That is, the impedance is lowered. In addition, in the other arc tube 206 in which no seed fire is generated, the induced voltage of the induction coil L ₂ is slightly lowered due to the decrease of the induced voltage of the induction coil L ₁ .

Next, in FIG. 2C, in the arc tube 205 that started the discharge earlier, a mode jump is made from E discharge to inductively coupled plasma (H discharge) having a very high plasma density and high luminous efficiency. An equivalent circuit model of the state is shown. Although there are various theories regarding the mechanism and requirements for shifting from E discharge to H discharge, the actual situation is not clear. Generally, the plasma filled in the arc tube forms a donut-shaped loop, and the plasma plays a role of the secondary coil of the transformer only when a loop-shaped current flows through the plasma. And is thought to lead to inductive coupling. In this case, it can be regarded as a secondary side of a transformer which is composed of L _p1 which is an inductance component 309 of plasma and a resistance component R _p1 , and the induction coil 203 is a primary side and the plasma inductor L _p1 is a one-turn loop coil. The arc tube is H-discharged by magnetic coupling. The plasma inductor L _p1 is a combination of the plasma shape and the inertia of the movement of electrons in the plasma. Usually, the lighting frequency of the arc tube is several MHz or less, and the plasma frequency (several tens GHz). ), The movement of electrons can sufficiently follow the lighting frequency and is negligible. For this reason, it may be considered that it is almost due to the shape of the plasma.

Also, C _p2 and R _p1 in FIG. 2C are equivalent circuit models representing a capacitance component 307 and a resistance component 308, respectively, of capacitively coupled plasma (E discharge) generated in the arc tube 206 in which the discharge of the discharge was generated late. is there. FIG. 2D shows the state when this mode jumps and shifts to H discharge which is inductively coupled plasma. L _p2 and R _p2 are an inductance component 311 and a resistance component 312 of the plasma, respectively.

  As is generally well known, when H discharge occurs, the voltage applied to both ends of the induction coil is significantly about 1/3 to 1/5 before the start of discharge and the state of E discharge. descend. This is due to the effect of mutual inductance between a primary coil (corresponding to an induction coil) and a secondary coil (corresponding to a discharge current loop formed by plasma and regarded as a one-turn coil) described later. It is.

Due to this mutual inductance, the inductance component of the induction coil apparently decreases, so that the voltage induced at both ends of L ₁ of the induction coil 203 shown in FIG. 2C is greatly reduced. That is, due to the influence of the mutual inductance, induction coil, plasma inductance components, a resonance frequency of the resonance system circuit including matching circuits, because deviate the driving frequency of the high frequency power source V _in (oscillation frequency). At this time, induced for the L ₁ of the coil 203 and L ₂ of the induction coil 204 are connected in parallel, the voltage of L ₁ and L ₂ are equal, the voltage of only L ₂ min the voltage of L ₁ is decreased descend. As a result, the arc tube 206 with the delayed discharge start can obtain a sufficient voltage and induction electric field sufficient to cause a discharge mode jump from the discharge start (ignition generation) to the E discharge and the H discharge. Can not.

Therefore, by the variable circuit unit included in the matching circuit portion 202 (second matching circuit 107 in FIG. 1), due to the influence of the plasma of the mutual inductance due to the arc tube was igniting above, the driving frequency of the high frequency power source V _in The circuit constant is switched to restore the more shifted resonance frequency. Thus, since the resonance frequency matches the drive frequency again the high-frequency power source V _in, the resonance phenomenon, the induction coil across reoccur large induced voltage, even in the light emitting tube 206 starting operation is delayed, easy and reliable Can be turned on.

  Further, even when the arc tube 206 is turned on and the resonance frequency is shifted again, the resonance frequency is adjusted to the drive frequency of the high frequency power source by switching the circuit constant of the resonance system again by the second matching circuit 107. be able to. Therefore, since the high power factor can be maintained even after both arc tubes are lit, the efficiency of the lighting circuit is high.

  Next, the influence of mutual inductance between the induction coil and plasma when this H discharge is reached will be described.

3A shows a general coupling circuit of the transformer, and FIG. 3B shows an equivalent circuit thereof. In FIG. 3, L ₁ is a primary coil 401, the electrodeless discharge lamp device correspond to the induction coil. L ₂ is a secondary coil 402, which corresponds to the plasma inductance component (one turn coil) formed in the arc tube by inductively coupled discharge in the electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus, and mainly the shape of the plasma (plasma density is also Including). M is a mutual inductance (a symbol is included in M) acting between the primary side coil 401 and the secondary side coil 402. By applying a voltage of V _{1 to} the primary side, V is applied to the secondary side. _The state of inducing the voltage of ₂ is shown. As apparent from FIG. 3, the voltage V ₁ of the primary side coil 401 is influenced by the current I ₂ flowing through the secondary side coil 402, and the voltage V ₂ of the secondary side coil 402 is changed to the primary side coil 401. The current I ₁ is affected.

  The relationship between the voltage and current of the coupling circuit shown in FIG. 3 is expressed as follows using the complex voltage and complex current, respectively (Equation 1).

V ₁ = jωL ₁ * I ₁ + jωM * I ₂
V ₂ = jωL ₂ * I ₂ + jωM * I ₁
(V ₁ , V ₂ , I ₁ , and I ₂ are all complex voltage and current, j is an imaginary number, and ω is an angular frequency.) [Equation 1]

  At this time, a code is included in M (in the case of electrodeless discharge, the voltage decreases when the H discharge is reached, so here M <0). M is expressed as (Equation 2), and the coupling coefficient k takes a value of −1 ≦ k ≦ 1, and the closer to | k |, the higher the coupling.

M = k√ (L ₁ * L ₂ ) (Equation 2)

Thus, the primary-side voltage V ₁ decreases in proportion to the magnitude of the mutual inductance M, and the magnitude of M is proportional to the square root of L ₂ (corresponding to the plasma inductance component in the electrodeless discharge lamp). Since it is proportional to the coupling coefficient k, an electrodeless discharge lamp with a high coupling rate, that is, the above-described Tokumak method, or a highly efficient electrodeless discharge lamp with a high plasma density, is induced by shifting to H discharge. That is, the degree of voltage drop of the coil increases. Further, the LC resonance frequency by the capacitor of the matching circuit and the inductor of the induction coil is described as the following Equation 3.

F = 1 / (2π√ (L * C)) [Equation 3]
(F is the resonance frequency, F = ω / 2π)

  Here, L is a combined inductance of a plurality of arranged induction coils, and C is a combined capacitance of all capacitors included in the matching circuit. After the transition to H discharge, the inductance component of the plasma determined depending on the shape of the plasma and the input power (again, the inductance is overwhelmingly large because the current loop of the Tokumak method becomes large) is added, so that L to L ′ In addition, the resonance frequency changes from F to F ′. In other words, the transition (change) of the resonance frequency increases as the plasma inductance component increases.

  For this reason, as in the Tokumaku method, an electrodeless discharge lamp having a high coupling between the induction coil and the discharge plasma and a large plasma inductance component has a difference between the resonance frequency in the resonance circuit and the drive frequency of the high-frequency power supply. Therefore, the problem of non-lighting and a reduction in circuit efficiency becomes more prominent unless measures are taken to correct this.

  As described above, according to the electrodeless discharge lamp device of the present invention, the matching circuit unit 105 includes the first matching circuit 106 as a basic configuration and the second matching circuit 107 for switching circuit constants, and the arc tube By detecting the lighting start states of 101 and 111, the circuit constants in the second matching circuit 107 can be switched in multiple stages. As a result, the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit and the drive frequency of the high-frequency power source can always be matched, and the following two significant effects can be obtained.

  The first is that the start of lighting when lighting the plurality of arc tubes 101 and 111 can be made good and reliable. Second, it is possible to achieve both lighting startability and lighting circuit efficiency.

  These effects are due to the relatively high electromagnetic induction coupling rate between the primary side induction coil and the secondary side plasma coil in the form of the electrodeless discharge lamp, and the efficiency of the discharge lamp (for example, In other words, the Tokumak type electrodeless discharge lamp having a closed-loop arc tube shape) appears more conspicuously. Furthermore, the superiority of the two features becomes more remarkable as the discharge lamp has a higher input power for high output (higher plasma density).

  Thereby, before and after the transition of the H discharge, a plurality of Tokumaku type electrodeless discharge lamps having a characteristic that the impedance fluctuation of the load (the arc tube and the excitation coil) is large can be turned on. In addition, it has high efficiency and has the convenience that it can be developed into a line light source or a surface light source depending on the arrangement of the light sources. In addition, a plurality of Tokumaku electrodeless discharge lamps that are easy to design can be reliably turned on.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which two arc tubes are arranged is shown, but the same effect can be obtained when there are three or more arc tubes.

  In addition, although the arc tube has been shown with a katakana “b” shape, it is not limited to this, but the shape of the discharge plasma, such as the alphabet “O” type (annular) or “H” type. The discharge vessel may be formed in a loop shape.

  The configuration of the matching circuit is the simplest L-type example in which two capacitors are connected in series and parallel in the present embodiment. However, the configuration is not limited to this configuration. A type circuit configuration may be used. Furthermore, a composite combination of a capacitor and an inductor may be used.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus includes a high-frequency power source 501, a matching circuit unit 502 for resonating with induction coils 505 to 508, two arc tubes 503 and 504, and respective arc tubes 503. And induction coils 505 to 508 arranged in 504.

  The matching circuit unit 502 includes a first matching circuit 511 designed so that the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit before the arc tubes 503 and 504 are started and lit substantially matches the drive frequency of the high frequency power source, and the lighting state of the arc tube And a second matching circuit 510 for switching the circuit constant of the resonance system. In the second matching circuit 510, the circuit constants are switched step by step in accordance with the sequential starting and lighting state of the arc tube.

  The arc tube 503 is provided with two induction coils 505 and 507, and the arc tube 504 is provided with two induction coils 506 and 508. When arranging a plurality of induction coils on the same arc tube, it is necessary to pay attention to the installation direction of the coils for the connection between the induction coils, and the direction of the induction electric field generated in the arc tube by the induction coil is It must be aligned in the same direction along the loop in the tube shape (phased). This is because if the direction of the induced electric field is not the same circumferential direction along the loop in the tube shape, the generated induced electric fields cancel each other, a discharge current loop is not formed, and it is not possible to shift to H discharge.

  In order to shift to the H-discharge of steady lighting, the arc tube must be filled with plasma by E discharge to form a loop current path in the tube. When the density of the plasma formed in this loop shape increases and a discharge current flows along this loop, a current bus formed by E discharge (a current path that flows only in a part of the arc tube adjacent to the induction coil) ), The current path that goes around the arc tube in a loop shape shifts to the main body, that is, this is the transition operation to H discharge.

  As a result of an experimental study on the mechanism of the transition of the discharge mode (from E discharge to H discharge) and image analysis by high-speed camera photographing of the light emitting part (plasma) of the discharge in the transient state at the start of lighting, I came to the conclusion. Since the E discharge is a discharge of only a part of the arc tube adjacent to the induction coil, this is further diffused in the tube by increasing the density of the plasma, and since the plasma is a conductor, the induction coil generated in the plasma Experimentally found that the process of moving charged particles in the plasma in an in-tube loop shape (ie, forming a discharge current loop) with an induced electric field due to an electric field can be easily transferred to H discharge. It was. For this reason, in order to shift from the E discharge to the H discharge, a part of the induced electric field in the arc tube is not partially extremely strong, but forms a moderately strong induced electric field that is wide throughout the tube. It has become clear that it plays a major role in the transition of H discharge.

  The strength of the induced electric field decreases as the distance from the induction coil increases in inverse proportion to the square of the distance according to Bio-Savart's law. Therefore, how to increase the induction electric field at the position farthest from the induction coil in the tube is an important requirement for improving startability (mode jump to H discharge).

  The distance from the induction coil to the portion inside the arc tube farthest from the induction coil, that is, the arc tube on the side facing the induction coils 104 and 114 in the example of the induction coil arrangement shown in FIG. When comparing the end portions 103 and 113 with the vicinity of the arc tube center 509 having the same distance from both opposing induction coils in the example of arrangement of the induction coil shown in FIG. 4, the case of FIG. 4 is the same as that of FIG. The distance is about half (1/2). FIG. 4 shows a configuration in which one induction coil is divided into two induction coils.

  For example, when the induction coil is equally divided, the induced voltage generated at both ends of the induction coil is halved, and the induced electric field inside the arc tube near the induction coil is also approximately ½ (because of a slight distance from the coil). Slightly smaller than 1/2). As described above, the strength of induction electrolysis is inversely proportional to the square of the distance (proportional to the inverse square). Therefore, in FIG. 4, at the position 509 farthest from the induction coils 505 to 508 inside the arc tube, 1 is approximately half the distance from the positions 103 and 113 shown in FIG. 1, so if the configuration of FIG. 1 and the configuration of FIG. 4 are configured by the same induction coil, the induction electrolysis in the configuration of FIG. This is about four times the induced electric field in the configuration of FIG.

  That is, as a result, when the performance factor of the induction coil is multiplied by the distance factor, the position 509 is approximately twice the induction electric field at the positions 103 and 113. Further, since the electromagnetic phenomenon is superposed, when the number of induction coils is two as shown in FIG. 4, the induction electric field strength is four times the total. That is, since the induction electric field in the farthest part from the induction coil, which has become a bottleneck for shifting to H discharge, can be effectively increased, lighting startability (mode jump from E discharge to H discharge) Can be significantly improved. Therefore, the startability is further improved by dividing a plurality of induction coils and arranging them on the path of the H discharge current loop.

  In the configuration shown in FIG. 4, two induction coils are arranged facing each other on one arc tube, but the same effect can be obtained even if divided into three or more. The same effect can be obtained even if the arrangement intervals are uneven.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the deviation of the drive frequency and the resonance frequency of the inverter is corrected by switching the circuit constant of the matching circuit, thereby correcting the resonance frequency of the resonance system circuit (including the matching circuit). The drive frequency can be matched (the drive frequency of the inverter is constant).

  The configuration of the second matching circuit for switching the circuit constants of the matching circuit will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 5A to 6B.

  FIG. 5A shows an example of the matching circuit unit according to the embodiment of the present invention. The matching circuit unit 602 includes an input terminal 601 and an output terminal 606 connected to the induction coil and the arc tube side. The matching circuit unit 602 includes a first matching circuit and a second matching circuit. The first matching circuit includes a capacitor 603 and a capacitor 604 as a basic configuration. The second matching circuit includes a variable capacitor 605 and is connected to the capacitor 604 in parallel.

  In such a configuration, when the discharge mode of the arc tube shifts to H discharge, the combined inductance on the load side of the inductance component of the induction coil and the plasma is reduced by the inductance component of the discharge plasma. Therefore, as shown in Equation 3 described above, the resonance frequency shifts higher as the inductance component becomes smaller.

  In order to make this resonance frequency and the drive frequency of the inverter coincide before and after the H discharge, the decrease in the inductance component is compensated by increasing the capacitor component in the second matching circuit. The resonance frequency at can be made constant. That is, the variable capacitor 605 included in the matching circuit unit 602 is for performing this correction, and the resonance frequency can be matched with the drive frequency of the inverter by the variable capacitor 605 before and after the transition to H discharge. The capacity (constant) of the variable capacitor 605 to be switched stepwise may be designed in advance according to the change in inductance component due to the plasma of the arc tube to be lit.

The specific configuration of the variable capacitor 605, as shown in FIG 5B, the switch SW1 and the capacitor C _1, a switch SW2 and a capacitor C _2, the variable capacitor circuit is configured by parallel connection. The switches SW1 and SW2 are controlled so that one of the switches is turned on by a separately provided switching control circuit. The capacitors C ₁ and C ₂ have different capacitances.

  When each arc tube is turned on in sequence, the inductance component formed by the discharge plasma is determined by the arc tube shape (plasma shape) and input power (rated power consumption). If it is decided, it will be decided by itself. Therefore, each time the arc tube shifts to H discharge, the lighting state is detected, and the capacitor circuit included in the variable capacitor 607 is sequentially switched to adjust the resonance frequency to the drive frequency of the inverter. That is, based on the detection result of the lighting state of the arc tube, either the switch SW1 or SW2 is turned on to switch the resonance frequency of the matching circuit unit 602.

  When the arc tube is switched to H discharge, the voltage and current of the induction coil disposed in the arc tube are greatly reduced. This may be detected, or the arc tube is switched to H discharge. Then, the light output increases extremely, and this may be detected by a light detection element such as a photodiode. Further, it may be configured by a timer element for detecting the amount of heat (temperature) of the arc tube or the induction coil or switching the circuit when a certain time elapses in advance.

  Examples of switching elements for switching include a relay circuit that switches using a detected signal as a trigger, a PTC thermistor (a thermistor whose resistance increases as the temperature rises), and an NTC (a thermistor whose resistance decreases as the temperature rises). Thermistor elements may be used.

  In the present embodiment, as the simplest example, a variable capacitor 605 is connected in parallel to one capacitor 604 of an L-type matching circuit in which capacitors are connected in series and parallel as shown in FIG. 5A. The configuration is not limited to this, and any configuration may be used as long as the capacitor component of the matching circuit unit is variable by being connected in series or in parallel to the capacitor 603 or the capacitor 604. However, in the case of inserting in series and in the case of inserting in parallel, the switching state of the switch before and after the transition to the H discharge is reversed, and in either case, switching is performed so as to increase the capacitor component in the matching circuit unit 602. There must be.

  Next, FIG. 6A substitutes the variable inductor 703 for the role of the variable capacitor 605 of FIGS. 5A and 5B. In such a configuration, the load-side inductance component that changes before and after the H-discharge transition of the arc tube is supplemented by the variable inductor 703 included in the matching circuit unit 702, and is inserted in series. As a result, the drive frequency of the inverter can be matched with the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit constituted by the matching circuit, the induction coil, and the arc tube (plasma).

FIG. 6B is a more specific example of the variable inductor 703 of FIG. 6A, and the lighting state detection means (detection unit) for performing the switching control is the same as in the case of FIGS. 5A and 5B. The variable inductor 705 includes switches SW3 to SW6 and inductors l ₁ and l ₂ having different inductances. Based on the detection result of the lighting state detection means, SW3 to SW6 are switched, the inductance in the variable inductor 705 is determined, and the resonance frequency of the matching circuit unit is switched. Specifically, a _first state in which the switches SW3 and SW6 are turned on to make the inductor l ₁ conductive, and a second state in which the switches SW4 and SW5 are turned on to make the inductor l ₂ conductive. have.

  With the configuration of the second matching circuit as shown in FIGS. 5A to 6B, the resonance frequency of the resonance system composed of the matching circuit, the induction coil, and the plasma inductance component and the drive frequency of the inverter are set before and after the lighting start. Since the time can be adjusted in a timely manner, lighting can be started easily without reducing the oscillation voltage, oscillation current, and power factor in the resonance circuit before and after starting lighting. Further, the efficiency of the lighting circuit can be increased because the power factor in the resonance circuit is not lowered even after the transition to the H discharge in steady lighting.

  In the present embodiment, the case of two arc tubes as multi-lamp lighting is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the same effect can be obtained even if the number and position of induction coils are different. be able to.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the induction coil is wound around the toroidal core. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7F, induction using the toroidal core is performed. A configuration in which a part of the coil 802 is arranged along the wall surface of the loop-shaped arc tube 801 may be used. FIG. 7A shows an example in which the induction coil 802 is arranged at the end of the arc tube 801 far from the matching circuit. FIG. 7B shows an example in which induction coils 803 and 804 are arranged at opposite ends of the arc tube 801, and the induction coils 803 and 804 are connected in series. FIG. 7C is an example in which induction coils 803 and 804 are connected in parallel with the same arrangement as in FIG. 7B. FIG. 7D shows an example in which the induction coil 810 is wound in a loop shape along the arc tube 801 and arranged at the end with a magnet 807. FIG. 7E shows an example in which the induction coil 810 is fixed by magnets 807 at both ends of the arc tube 801. FIG. 7F shows an example in which the coil is wound up in a loop along the arc tube 801 and the induction coil 810 is not fixed by a magnetic core.

  The specification of the discharge vessel is not limited to this embodiment, and may be a single gas or a mixed gas of not only a mixed gas of argon and krypton but also other rare gases (neon, argon, krypton, xenon, etc.). Further, instead of mercury, other metal vapor may be used, or only a rare gas may be used.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the configuration of the first matching circuit is an example in which two capacitors are combined in series and parallel in an L shape. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and this is inverted. In addition, an inverted L type or a configuration of π type using three or more may be used, and the same effect can be obtained even with a configuration including an inductor.

  The electrodeless discharge lamp of the present invention is useful for general facilities, indoor / outdoor lighting, and the like because it is easy to manufacture and can improve the discharge start and circuit efficiency of the lamp with low-cost means.

The figure which shows the outline of the electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus in Embodiment 1. Schematic diagram of equivalent circuit of induction coil portion and arc tube in embodiment 1 (before starting lighting) Schematic diagram of equivalent circuit of induction coil portion and arc tube in embodiment 1 (state of E discharge immediately after ignition of first arc tube in one arc tube) Schematic diagram of an equivalent circuit of the induction coil portion and arc tube in the first embodiment (a state where one arc tube has shifted to H discharge) Schematic diagram of equivalent circuit of induction coil portion and arc tube in embodiment 1 (both arc tubes are in H-discharge state) (A) Schematic diagram of inductive coupling circuit (b) Equivalent circuit of inductive coupling circuit The figure which shows the outline of the electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus in Embodiment 2. Circuit diagram of second matching circuit having function of switching capacitor constant in second embodiment Circuit diagram of second matching circuit having function of switching capacitor constant in second embodiment Circuit diagram of second matching circuit having function of switching inductor constant in embodiment 2 Circuit diagram of second matching circuit having function of switching inductor constant in embodiment 2 Schematic showing an example in which a part of the induction coil is wound along the wall of the arc tube Schematic diagram showing an example in which two induction coils are arranged in series Schematic diagram showing an example of arranging two induction coils in parallel Schematic diagram showing an example of winding an induction coil along the wall of the arc tube Schematic diagram showing an example with two magnetic cores Schematic diagram showing an example of using no magnetic core (air core) The figure which shows the outline of the conventional electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus (patent document 1 description) The figure which shows the outline of the conventional electrodeless discharge lamp apparatus (patent document 2 description)

Explanation of symbols

101 arc tube 102, 103, 505, 506, 507, 508 induction coil 104 ferrite core 105 high frequency power source 106 first matching circuit 107 second matching circuit 108 matching circuit unit 501 high frequency power source 502, 602 matching circuit unit 503, 504 Arc tube 603, 604, 605, 606 Capacitor 703 Variable inductor

Claims (5)

It is composed of a light-transmitting material, and an enclosure composed of at least a metal vapor and a rare gas is enclosed therein, and a plurality of hermetic loop discharge containers,
An induction coil disposed in each discharge vessel so as to induce an induction high frequency electromagnetic field in a discharge space inside the discharge vessel and discharge the inclusion;
An inverter circuit composed of a high-frequency power source for supplying high-frequency power to the induction coil;
At least one or more capacitors, or is constituted by a combination of a capacitor and an inductor, and a matching circuit for impedance matching between the said induction coil inverter circuit,
Each induction coil are arranged connected in parallel to the discharge vessel of multiple resonant circuits are constituted by the inductance component of the plurality of induction coils and the enclosure of the plurality of the discharge vessel and the matching circuit the electrodeless discharge AkariSo location,
A detection unit for detecting a start-up lighting state of the plurality of discharge containers,
The matching circuit matches the resonance frequency of the resonance system circuit with the drive frequency of the inverter circuit, and when the resonance frequency of the resonance system circuit is shifted by starting and lighting a part of the plurality of discharge vessels, The electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1, wherein the resonance frequency of the resonance circuit is adjusted to the drive frequency of the inverter circuit by switching circuit constants based on a detection result of the detection unit. The matching circuit includes at least two capacitors,
In accordance with the lighting start state of the plurality of discharge containers, comprising a switching unit for switching the constant of the capacitor of the matching circuit,
The electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1, wherein the constant of the capacitor of the matching circuit is switched step by step. The matching circuit is configured to include at least one or more inductors,
In accordance with the lighting start state of the plurality of discharge containers, comprising a switching unit for switching the constant of the inductor of the matching circuit,
The electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1, wherein the constant of the inductor of the matching circuit is switched step by step. The detection unit is configured to start lighting the discharge vessel.
Based on the current flowing through the coil, which is the electrical characteristic of the induction coil disposed in each discharge vessel, the voltage applied to both ends of the coil, the elapsed time after turning on the power, or the heat generation and light due to lighting of the discharge vessel The electrodeless discharge lamp device according to claim 1 to be detected. An electrodeless discharge lamp illuminator using the electrodeless discharge lamp device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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