DISCHARGE LAMP LIGHTING DEVICE AND LUMINAIRE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a discharge lamp lighting device capable of preventing protective features that will not malfunction at the lifetime end of a lamp, when a dimmer level changes. SOLUTION: A discharge lamp lighting device turns on a discharge lamp FL by the output of an inverter circuit 1 which is supplied through a resonance circuit 2, and filaments f1 and f2 of the discharge lamp FL are always preheated by a preheating circuit 3, having resonance elements. The lighting device comprises a protective means EL, which reduces or stops power supply to the discharge lamp FL by controlling switching of the inverter circuit 1, when a detection unit 7 for detecting the lifetime end of a discharge lamp FL detects the lifetime end of the discharge lamp FL; and an action-inhibiting means SW1 which inhibits action of the protection means for a predetermined time, when the light output of the discharge lamp FL is changed by a dimmer unit 8. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT