Direct coupled balancer drive for floating lamp structure

1. A backlighting arrangement comprising:

a driving transformer arrangement exhibiting a first output lead and a second output lead, said first output lead and said second output lead of said driving transformer arrangement exhibiting opposing phases;

a plurality of lamp pairs, each of the constituent lamps of the plurality of lamp pairs exhibiting a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection; and

a plurality of balancing transformers, each comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding magnetically coupled to said primary winding, and each associated with a particular one of said plurality of lamp pairs, the primary winding of each of said plurality of balancing transformers being serially connected between said second electrical connections of the constituent lamps of said associated lamp pair,

wherein the secondary windings of said plurality of balancing transformers are serially connected in phase, with a first end of the serially connected secondary windings of said balancing transformers connected to said first output lead of said driving transformer arrangement, and said first electrical connection of at least one of the constituent lamps of each of said plurality of lamp pairs connected to said second output lead of said driving transformer arrangement.

2. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said driving transformer arrangement comprises a first and a second driving transformer, each exhibiting a primary winding and a secondary winding magnetically coupled thereto, the primary windings of said first and second driving transformers connected in series, with opposing ends of the serially connected primary windings of the driving transformers respectively coupled to opposing phase outputs of a driver.

3. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein said first end of the serially connected secondary windings of said balancing transformers connected to said first output lead of said driving transformer arrangement is connected to a first end of said secondary winding of said first driving transformer, and wherein a second end of the serially connected secondary windings of said balancing transformers is connected to a first end of said secondary winding of said second driving transformer, said first end of said secondary winding of said first driving transformer out of phase with said first end of said secondary winding of said second driving transformer.

4. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 3 , wherein said first electrical connection of a first lamp of each of said lamp pairs is connected to a second end of said secondary winding of said first driving transformer, and said first electrical connection of a second lamp of each of said lamp pairs is connected to a second end of said second secondary winding of said second driving transformer.

5. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said driving transformer arrangement comprises a first and a second driving transformer, each exhibiting a primary winding and a secondary winding magnetically coupled thereto, wherein the primary windings of said first and second driving transformers are connected in parallel to opposing phase outputs of a driver.

6. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein said first end of the serially connected secondary windings of said balancing transformers connected to said first output lead of said driving transformer arrangement is connected to a first end of said secondary winding of said first driving transformer, and wherein a second end of the serially connected secondary windings of said balancing transformers is connected to a first end of said secondary winding of said second driving transformer, said first end of said secondary winding of said first driving transformer out of phase with said first end of said secondary winding of said second driving transformer.

7. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 6 , wherein said first electrical connection of a first lamp of each of said lamp pairs is connected to a second end of said secondary winding of said first driving transformer, and said first electrical connection of a second lamp of each of said lamp pairs is connected to a second end of said second secondary winding of said second driving transformer.

8. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said driving transformer arrangement comprises a primary winding, a first secondary winding and a second secondary winding each magnetically coupled to said primary winding.

9. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein said first end of the serially connected secondary windings of said balancing transformers connected to said first output lead of said driving transformer arrangement is connected to a first end of said first secondary winding of said driving transformer arrangement, and wherein a second end of the serially connected secondary windings of said balancing transformers is connected to a first end of said second secondary winding of said driving transformer arrangement, said first end of said second secondary winding out of phase with said first end of said first secondary winding.

10. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein said first electrical connection of a first lamp of each of said lamp pairs is connected to a second end of said first secondary winding of said driving transformer arrangement, and said first electrical connection of a second lamp of each of said lamp pairs is connected to a second end of said second secondary winding of said driving transformer arrangement.

11. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said driving transformer arrangement is constituted of a primary winding and a single active secondary winding magnetically coupled to said primary winding.

12. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein said first end of the serially connected secondary windings of said balancing transformers connected to said first output lead of said driving transformer arrangement is connected to a first end of said single active secondary winding of the driving transformer arrangement, and wherein a second end of the serially connected secondary windings of said balancing transformers is connected to said first electrical connection of a first lamp of each of said lamp pairs.

13. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 12 , wherein said first electrical connection of a second lamp of each of said lamp pairs is connected to a second end of said secondary winding of said driving transformer arrangement.

14. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a driver connected to a primary winding of said driving transformer arrangement.

15. A backlighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein said constituent lamps of said lamp pairs are constituted of linear lamps arranged in a parallel configuration, and wherein said driving transformer arrangement is physically located associated with said first electrical connections of said constituent linear lamps.

16. A method of driving a plurality of lamp pairs, wherein each of the constituent lamps of the plurality of lamp pairs exhibit a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection, the method comprising:

providing a driving transformer arrangement;

designating a balancing transformer for each lamp pair, each of said designated balancing transformers comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding magnetically coupled thereto;

arranging the primary windings of each of said balancing transformers to be serially connected in phase between said second electrical connections of the constituent lamps of said associated lamp pair;

arranging the secondary windings of each of said balancing transformers to be serially connected in phase; and

connecting a first end of the serially connected secondary windings to one output of said provided driving transformer arrangement.

17. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said provided driving transformer arrangement is constituted of a first and a second driving transformer, each exhibiting a primary winding and a secondary winding, and wherein said first end of the serially connected secondary windings connected to said one output of said provided driving transformer arrangement is connected to a first end of said secondary winding of said first driving transformer, the method further comprising:

coupling the primary windings of said first and second driving transformers in series, and coupling opposing ends of the coupled primary windings to opposing phase outputs of a driver; and

connecting a second end of the serially connected secondary windings to a first end of said secondary winding of said second driving transformer, said first end of said secondary winding of said first driving transformer out of phase with said first end of said secondary winding of said second driving transformer.

18. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said provided driving transformer arrangement is constituted of a first and a second driving transformer, each exhibiting a primary winding and a secondary winding, and wherein said first end of the serially connected secondary windings connected to said one output of said provided driving transformer arrangement is connected to a first end of said secondary winding of said first driving transformer, the method further comprising:

coupling the primary windings of said first and second driving transformers in parallel to opposing phase outputs of a driver; and

connecting a second end of the serially connected secondary windings to a first end of said secondary winding of said second driving transformer, said first end of said secondary winding of said first driving transformer out of phase with said first end of said secondary winding of said second driving transformer.

19. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said provided driving transformer arrangement is constituted of a primary winding, a first secondary winding and a second secondary winding, said first and second secondary windings magnetically coupled to said primary winding, and wherein said first end of the serially connected secondary windings connected to said one output of said provided driving transformer arrangement is connected to a first end of said first secondary winding, the method further comprising:

coupling opposing ends of the primary winding of said driving transformer arrangement to opposing phase outputs of a driver; and

connecting a second end of the serially connected secondary windings to a first end of said second secondary winding, said first end of said second secondary winding out of phase with said first end of said first secondary winding.

20. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said driving transformer arrangement is constituted of a primary winding and a single active secondary winding magnetically coupled to said primary winding, and wherein said first end of the serially connected secondary windings connected to said one output of said provided driving transformer arrangement is connected to a first end of said single active secondary winding, the method further comprising:

coupling opposing ends of the primary winding of said driving transformer arrangement to opposing phase outputs of a driver; and

coupling a second end of the serially connected secondary windings to said first electrical connection of a first lamp of each of said lamp pairs.

21. A method according to claim 20 , further comprising coupling a first electrical connection of a second lamp of each of said lamp pairs to a second end of said secondary winding of said driving transformer arrangement.