EP0085969A2 - Procédé pour libérer du mercure á l'intérieur d'une lampe á décharge par arc - Google Patents

Procédé pour libérer du mercure á l'intérieur d'une lampe á décharge par arc Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0085969A2
EP0085969A2 EP83101082A EP83101082A EP0085969A2 EP 0085969 A2 EP0085969 A2 EP 0085969A2 EP 83101082 A EP83101082 A EP 83101082A EP 83101082 A EP83101082 A EP 83101082A EP 0085969 A2 EP0085969 A2 EP 0085969A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
mercury
target
lamp
lead
electrodes
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP83101082A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0085969A3 (en
EP0085969B1 (fr
Inventor
William J. Roche
Ralph P. Parks, Jr.
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Osram Sylvania Inc
Original Assignee
GTE Products Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by GTE Products Corp filed Critical GTE Products Corp
Publication of EP0085969A2 publication Critical patent/EP0085969A2/fr
Publication of EP0085969A3 publication Critical patent/EP0085969A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0085969B1 publication Critical patent/EP0085969B1/fr
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/02—Details
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J9/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture, installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps
    • H01J9/38—Exhausting, degassing, filling, or cleaning vessels
    • H01J9/395—Filling vessels

Definitions

  • This invention relates to arc discharge lamps which include mercury and to a method for dispensing the mercury into the lamp. It has particular application to fluorescent lamps.
  • the antenna took the form of a disintegration shield encircling the lamp coil.
  • This shield contained an intermetallic Ti 3 Hg alloy applied to one side of an oval-shaped ribbon loop made of a base metal such as nickel or stainless steel.
  • the metal ribbon had a width of about 0.25 inches.
  • Another method of mercury dispensing employing the disintegration shield RF antenna principle was to position the mercury target across a gap in the ribbon shield.
  • the mercury was contained in either a glass or metal capsule.
  • a fine wire was either wrapped around the capsule or passed through it. The ends of the wire were then welded to each side of the shield gap to complete the loop current path.
  • the capsule In the case of the metal capsule, the capsule itself is welded across the gap to complete the loop current path.
  • Previous dispensing techniques involving metal ribbon shielos have relied on the heat generated by the RF current to raise the temperature of the metal loop or the wire or capsule across the shield gap to the level required for mercury release.
  • the required temperature varied depending on the type of mercury target.
  • the Ti 3 Hg alloy releases mercury by thermal decomposition within a temperature range of 600°C to 1000°C. The release time will be lower at the higher temperature. A release time of 25 seconds is achieved for a temperature of 900°C.
  • the wire temperature required to crack the glass is about 1000°C, and Hg release times are between 5 and 10 seconds.
  • the mercury release is obtained when the vapor pressure within the capsule increases to the bursting point of the capsule design. This can vary considerably depending on the capsule material as well as the wall thickness. Release times of about 5 seconds have been reported using stainless steel capsule of 2 - 3 mil wall thickness.
  • Yet another object of the invention is the achievement of faster mercury release times at the expenditure of less energy.
  • a mercury release mechanism which includes the direct electron heating of a mercury containing target.
  • the mercury release is accomplished after the exhaust, fill, and tip-off operations have been performed.
  • Lamp mount modifications are employed to position the mercury containing target in an appropriate location to receive the electron stream.
  • FIG. 1 a fluorescent lamp 10 formed of a tubular glass envelope 11 and having ends 12 and 14.
  • Lamp 10 (see FIG. 2) has mounts 16 and 18 sealed within ends 1 2 and 14.
  • Mount 16 comprises a glass stem 20, lead-in conductors 22 and 24 and an electrode 26 connected to the lead-ins and supported thereby.
  • Mount 18 comprises a glass stem 28, lead-in conouctors 30 and 32 and an electrode 34.
  • a mercury containing target 36 such as a disc of Ti 3 Hg, is mounted upon a relatively rigid support 38 which is electrically connected to one of the leao-ins, for example, 32 of mount 18.
  • the target 36 is positioned beyond the plane of electrode 34 : i.e., toward the center of lamp 10.
  • one of the mounts for example, 18a, includes a third lead-in 40 which mounts the target 36.
  • the target 36 is positioned between electrode 34 and stem 28.
  • FIG. 1 The basic circuit arrangement for utilizing electron current to release the mercury is shown in FIG. 1 as comprising a d.c. power supply 42 and a variable resistor 44.
  • the end of the lamp 10 containing the mount to which the mercury target is attached is connected to the positive side of the power supply 42 while the other end of the lamp 10 is connected to the negative side of the power supply 42.
  • the current drawn through fluorescent lamp 10 is essentially electron current.
  • the primary source of electron current in the lamp 10 is the lamp cathode which in the d.c. circuit shown is the electrode 26 connected to the negative side of the power supply 42.
  • the primary electron current generates secondary electrons through an ionization process in the positive column of the evacuated, filled and sealed lamp. These electrons have a random thermal velocity as well as a drift velocity established by the lamp field in the direction from cathode-to-anode. Electrons arriving at the positive end of the lamp will be collected by the electrode 34, the lead-in wires, and the mercury target 36.
  • the electron collection process converts the kinetic energy of the electron current into heat energy.
  • the quantity of heat energy produced will depend on the kinetic energy of the electrons which is directly relatable to the anode sheath voltage.
  • the anode sheath voltage is related to the lamp current and the electron collector surface area by equation (1).
  • the value of the sheath voltage is increased.
  • the power dissipated in the anode will be equal to the product of the sheath voltage and the lamp current.
  • the mercury target 36 be positioned on the mount structure 18 or 18a in a manner which will maximize the value of heating power. This will minimize the required release time which is of critical importance in high speed lamp making equipment.
  • Optimum positioning of the mercury target 36 can be done by two means.
  • the first method involves use of a three-lead-wire-mount structure, 18a.
  • the mercury target 36 is attached to the isolated third lead-in wire 40 which is then connected to the positive side of the d.c. power supply. This arrangement is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This configuration assures that the entire electron current will be collected by the mercury target.
  • This method will result in the fastest mercury release time for a specified activation current since all the current will be drawn to mercury target 36, and the collector surface area A c will be limited to that of the target 36 itself. Both these factors can be seen to increase the heating power in equation (2).
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 Two variations of the three-lead-wire circuit are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • the cathode of the discharge (the electrode 26) is located at the lamp end opposite to the mercury target 36.
  • the cathode is the electrode 34 which is at the same end of the lamp 10 as the mercury target 36.
  • FIG. 2 shows the positioning of the mercury target 36 on a standard two-lead-in mount structure 18.
  • the target 36 is positioned above the plane of the electrode 34 and close to the electrode clamp on a lead-in wire 32. This location will result in a higher percentage of the lamp current being collected by the mercury target at the expense of the electrode 34 and lead-in wires 30 and 32. This is important if the heating power in equation (2) is to be maximized.
  • Activation of the mercury target 36 requires a current of between 500 to 1000 mA, depending on the size of the target 36 and the mercury release time desired.
  • a current of between 500 to 1000 mA depending on the size of the target 36 and the mercury release time desired.
  • cylindrical stainless steel capsules were utilized having a wall thickness of 3 mils, a length of 160 mils, and a diameter of 22 mils. The capsules were flat on the bottom and filled with 20 mg of liquid mercury and then hermetically welded at the top end. At an activation current of 1000 mA, mercury release was accomplished in 3.5 seconds.
  • the target 36 also may consist of a metal capsule containing either liquid mercury, a powdered intermetallic mercury alloy, or a solid form of the mercury alloy.
  • the target 36 might consist of a glass ampule containing either the liquid mercury, or a powdered or solid form of a mercury alloy. The glass ampule would be contained within a cylindrical metal holder loosely crimped at the ends or a wire-type mesh holder fashioned to hold the ampule in place.
  • the mercury target 36 might comprise a piece of metal ribbon onto which a mercury alloy has been applied.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Electron Tubes, Discharge Lamp Vessels, Lead-In Wires, And The Like (AREA)
  • Discharge Lamp (AREA)
EP19830101082 1982-02-10 1983-02-04 Procédé pour libérer du mercure á l'intérieur d'une lampe á décharge par arc Expired EP0085969B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US34760582A 1982-02-10 1982-02-10
US347605 1989-05-04

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0085969A2 true EP0085969A2 (fr) 1983-08-17
EP0085969A3 EP0085969A3 (en) 1984-05-30
EP0085969B1 EP0085969B1 (fr) 1987-09-16

Family

ID=23364439

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19830101082 Expired EP0085969B1 (fr) 1982-02-10 1983-02-04 Procédé pour libérer du mercure á l'intérieur d'une lampe á décharge par arc

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0085969B1 (fr)
CA (1) CA1211150A (fr)
DE (1) DE3373744D1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2009156334A1 (fr) * 2008-06-25 2009-12-30 Saes Getters S.P.A. Lampe fluorescente à cathode chaude contenant un dispositif de libération de mercure et un dégazeur

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2927350A1 (de) * 1978-07-10 1980-01-24 Gte Sylvania Inc Bogenentladungslampe mit einem quecksilber-spender, sowie verfahren zur herstellung einer solchen lampe
GB2063556A (en) * 1979-11-07 1981-06-03 Gte Prod Corp Mercury dispenser for arc discharge lamps
GB2081503A (en) * 1980-07-30 1982-02-17 Badalex Ltd Mercury holder for discharge lamps
EP0081263A2 (fr) * 1981-12-04 1983-06-15 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Procédé de fabrication d'une lampe à décharge dans la vapeur de mercure à basse pression

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2927350A1 (de) * 1978-07-10 1980-01-24 Gte Sylvania Inc Bogenentladungslampe mit einem quecksilber-spender, sowie verfahren zur herstellung einer solchen lampe
GB2063556A (en) * 1979-11-07 1981-06-03 Gte Prod Corp Mercury dispenser for arc discharge lamps
GB2081503A (en) * 1980-07-30 1982-02-17 Badalex Ltd Mercury holder for discharge lamps
EP0081263A2 (fr) * 1981-12-04 1983-06-15 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Procédé de fabrication d'une lampe à décharge dans la vapeur de mercure à basse pression

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2009156334A1 (fr) * 2008-06-25 2009-12-30 Saes Getters S.P.A. Lampe fluorescente à cathode chaude contenant un dispositif de libération de mercure et un dégazeur
US8598773B2 (en) 2008-06-25 2013-12-03 Saes Getters S.P.A. Hot cathode fluorescent lamp containing a device for mercury release and a getter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0085969A3 (en) 1984-05-30
EP0085969B1 (fr) 1987-09-16
DE3373744D1 (en) 1987-10-22
CA1211150A (fr) 1986-09-09

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