EP0568317A1 - Introduction d'un liquide dans un article - Google Patents

Introduction d'un liquide dans un article Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0568317A1
EP0568317A1 EP93303280A EP93303280A EP0568317A1 EP 0568317 A1 EP0568317 A1 EP 0568317A1 EP 93303280 A EP93303280 A EP 93303280A EP 93303280 A EP93303280 A EP 93303280A EP 0568317 A1 EP0568317 A1 EP 0568317A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
lamp
mercury
article
ceramic
sphere
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP93303280A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Katherine Louise Mcginnis
Lynne Rhodes Grady
Hans Juergen Kretschmer
Curtis Edward Scott
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.)
General Electric Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
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 General Electric Co filed Critical General Electric Co
Publication of EP0568317A1 publication Critical patent/EP0568317A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • H01J61/24—Means for obtaining or maintaining the desired pressure within the vessel
    • H01J61/28—Means for producing, introducing, or replenishing gas or vapour during operation of the lamp
    • 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 a method and apparatus for dosing liquids. More particularly, this invention relates to a process for introducing mercury into a porous, hollow ceramic article, followed by introducing the mercury-containing article into an arc discharge lamp, such as a fluorescent lamp, and then discharging the mercury from the article inside the lamp and to a lamp containing the mercury and the article.
  • an arc discharge lamp such as a fluorescent lamp
  • a porous, hollow ceramic article such as a sphere having porous walls
  • a liquid such as mercury
  • the liquid or mercury is introduced into the porous, hollow ceramic article by placing the article in a subatmospheric environment to reduce the pressure inside the hollow portion or cavity of the article and then introducing the desired liquid or mercury into the reduced pressure cavity through the porous wall.
  • the mercury-containing ceramic article is then introduced into a lamp and the mercury discharged out of the article inside the lamp by reducing the pressure in the lamp, heating the lamp and/or the article or a combination of heat and reduced pressure.
  • This invention has been found to be particularly useful in dosing mercury into low pressure arc discharge lamps such as the well known fluorescent lamps.
  • Figure 1 schematically illustrates a porous, hollow ceramic microsphere made of alumina useful in the practice of the invention.
  • Figure 2(a) is a partial sectional view of a fluorescent lamp assembly having a porous, hollow mercury-containing ceramic sphere lodged inside the mount stem at one end of the lamp prior to sealing the exhaust tube and Figure 2(b) illustrates the lamp after sealing the exhaust tube and completing the lamp.
  • hollow sphere 10 is shown as comprising cavity 12 surrounded by outer wall 14.
  • Wall 14 is sufficiently porous to allow mercury to be introduced into the interior hollow portion or inner cavity 12 of the sphere under the proper conditions.
  • Hollow ceramic spheres having porous walls useful in the practice of the invention may be obtained from Microcel Technology, Inc., of Edison, New Jersey. These are hollow, thin-shell spheres having strength, low density and extreme resistance to thermal shock and have been made of more than twenty different ceramics including alumina, zirconia, mullite and kaolin They are available in sizes ranging from 1 to 7 mm in diameter with wall thicknesses of from 12-150 microns.
  • these hollow, porous microspheres are made primarily for low mass kiln furniture, radiant burners, high-temperature low-bearing insulation and filters for molten metal, they have been found useful in the practice of the present invention.
  • These hollow ceramic spheres have been filled with mercury by first placing the spheres in a vacuum chamber and subjecting the spheres to vacuum or subatmospheric pressure in order to insure the desired vacuum throughout the hollow pore structure of the wall and inside the hollow cavity 12 of the spheres. After the desired vacuum or subatmospheric pressure has been reached inside the cavity, the spheres are surrounded by liquid mercury either by placing them in a pool of liquid mercury within the vacuum chamber or introducing liquid mercury into the vacuum chamber until it completely surrounds and covers all the spheres, after which time the ambient surrounding the sphere-containing pool of mercury is increased to the desired pressure. Hollow microspheres made.
  • the porosity is too great mercury loss or leakage during storage or the lamp manufacturing process will be a problem. If the porosity is too little, release of the mercury from the sphere into the lamp may take too long. After the mercury has penetrated and filled the hollow interior cavity 12 of the microspheres in the mercury pool, the mercury is drained from the pool, or the spheres removed from the pool, and the mercury-filled spheres placed in storage under suitable conditions until they are used in the lamp making process. Storage of the mercury filled microspheres is done without the need for any special precautions or handling. The vapor pressure of mercury is sufficiently low at ambient conditions and its surface tension sufficiently high to prevent the mercury from leaking or vaporizing out through the porous wall of the spheres.
  • the amount of mercury that a hollow ceramic sphere according to the invention can contain is, of course, dependent on the size of the sphere and the cavity contained within. For example, a 3 mm diameter alumina sphere having a 0.1 mm wall thickness will hold about 80 mg of mercury and a 1.5 mm diameter sphere of the same wall thickness will hold about 20 mg of mercury.
  • fluorescent lamp preassembly 20 comprises glass envelope 22 having a coating of one or more phosphors 24 on the interior surface thereof and enclosing cavity 26.
  • Filament mount structure 28 is shown at one end of lamp 20 as comprising glass mount stem 30 which terminates at one end in flare portion 36 fused to envelope 22 at 38.
  • Mount stem 30 contains a pair of electrically conductive leads 34 hermetically sealed within and extending therethrough to one end of each of which is attached electrode 32 inside the lamp and the other end extends exterior of the lamp for subsequent connection to electrically conductive pins 54.
  • the interior of electrode mount structure 28 contains exhaust tube 40 which terminates inside the mount stem at exhaust hole 42.
  • the assembly 20 Prior to final sealing the lamp, the assembly 20 is heated to about 300°C, exhausted, filled with argon at a pressure of about 2 torr and exhaust tube 40 is then tipped-off by heating to seal the lamp.
  • the low pressure in the lamp assists in collapsing the exhaust tube and sealing it at the point where it is heated by a torch (not shown) to achieve sealing and removal of the excess portion of the exhaust tube after sealing.
  • Heating the lamp assembly prior to exhausting or to applying a vacuum to the interior of the lamp envelope aids in outgassing the interior of the lamp.
  • a mercury-containing ceramic sphere 10 is inserted into the lamp exhaust tube 40.
  • the sphere passes through exhaust hole 42 and into interior cavity 26 wherein the mercury is released into the lamp due to the combination of heat and reduced pressure in the lamp.
  • hole 42 is sufficiently small compared to the diameter of the sphere so as not to permit sphere 10 to pass therethrough into the interior cavity 26 of lamp envelope 22.
  • the lamp assembly 20 is then exhausted through tube 40 and a suitable inert gas, such as argon at a pressure of about 4 torr, is filled into the lamp through exhaust tube 40 and hole 42 either before of after the mercury-containing sphere 10 is inserted into the exhaust tube, after which tube 40 is sealed as shown in Figure 2(b) containing ceramic sphere 10 enclosed either within it inside the interior of mount stem 30 or in the interior cavity 26 of the lamp.
  • a number of 40 watt fluorescent lamps having a coating of a calcium halophosphate phosphor 24 disposed on the inside surface of lamp envelope 22 were made in four foot lengths, being typical F40T12 cool white fluorescent lamps common in both the home and in industry. About ten lamps were made wherein the mercury-containing ceramic sphere was introduced into the interior cavity 26 of the lamp through the exhaust tube 40 and exhaust hole 42. The sphere was 3 mm in diameter, contained 80 mg of mercury and was introduced into the lamp when the lamp had cooled to about 200°C, after which 4 torr of argon was introduced into the lamp and the exhaust tube tipped-off and sealed.
  • Another batch of ten were prepared in a similar manner, but using a 1.5 mm diameter ceramic sphere 10 containing about 20 mg of mercury which was introduced into the lamp cavity 26 after exhaustion and back filling with 4 torr of argon.
  • the lamp was at a temperature of 200°C.
  • Both batches of lamps were assembled with end caps and pins. These lamps were all energized and started immediately and found to be operating satisfactorily with no loss in maintenance or performance after a period of 6000 hours, at which time the lamps were turned off and the test was completed. This thus demonstrates a reduction to practice of the invention and the fact that the practice of the invention produces satisfactory fluorescent lamps.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Vessels And Coating Films For Discharge Lamps (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Electron Tubes, Discharge Lamp Vessels, Lead-In Wires, And The Like (AREA)
EP93303280A 1992-04-28 1993-04-27 Introduction d'un liquide dans un article Withdrawn EP0568317A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US875614 1986-06-18
US87561492A 1992-04-28 1992-04-28

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0568317A1 true EP0568317A1 (fr) 1993-11-03

Family

ID=25366082

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP93303280A Withdrawn EP0568317A1 (fr) 1992-04-28 1993-04-27 Introduction d'un liquide dans un article

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0568317A1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH0620647A (fr)
KR (1) KR930022455A (fr)
CA (1) CA2091470A1 (fr)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0691670A2 (fr) 1994-07-07 1996-01-10 Saes Getters S.P.A. Combinaison de matériaux pour dispositifs dispensateurs de mercure, méthode de préparation et dispositifs ainsi obtenus
EP0809276A1 (fr) * 1996-05-22 1997-11-26 Matsushita Electronics Corporation Lampe à décharge remplie de vapeur de mercure à basse pression
WO1998053479A1 (fr) * 1997-05-22 1998-11-26 Saes Getters S.P.A. Dispositif et procede pour introduire de petites quantites de mercure dans des lampes fluorescentes
US6107737A (en) * 1995-11-23 2000-08-22 Saes Getters, S.P.A. Device for dispensing mercury, sorbing reactive gases, shielding electrodes in fluorescent lamps and a process for making such device
EP1191571A2 (fr) * 2000-09-22 2002-03-27 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Matériau contenant du mercure, procédé pour sa préparation et lampe fluorescente l'utilisant
US6679745B2 (en) 2000-03-06 2004-01-20 Saes Getters S.P.A. Method for the manufacture of mercury dispenser devices to be used in fluorescent lamps
EP2058838A3 (fr) * 2007-11-09 2009-09-09 Osram Sylvania, Inc. Distributeur de mercure, procédé de fabrication du distributeur de mercure et procédé de dosage du mercure dans une lampe de décharge à arc
US8062585B2 (en) 2006-07-11 2011-11-22 Saes Getters S.P.A. Mercury releasing method
WO2012007467A3 (fr) * 2010-07-15 2012-03-22 Osram Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung Tube de pompage pour une lampe à décharge, procédé de fabrication d'un tube de pompage pour une lampe à décharge et procédé de remplissage d'une lampe à décharge avec un gaz
US8378571B2 (en) 2007-11-09 2013-02-19 Osram Sylvania Inc. Precision mercury dispenser using wire

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3688612B2 (ja) * 2000-09-22 2005-08-31 松下電器産業株式会社 水銀封入体、この水銀封入体の製造方法、およびこの水銀封入体を用いた蛍光ランプ

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE8535777U1 (fr) * 1985-12-19 1988-07-21 Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft Fuer Elektrische Gluehlampen Mbh, 8000 Muenchen, De
US4793980A (en) * 1978-09-21 1988-12-27 Torobin Leonard B Hollow porous microspheres as substrates and containers for catalyst
EP0479259A2 (fr) * 1990-10-01 1992-04-08 Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation Lampe à décharge dans la vapeur de mercure

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS54118674A (en) * 1978-03-08 1979-09-14 Toshiba Corp Low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp
JPS5790860A (en) * 1980-11-26 1982-06-05 Toshiba Corp Metal halide lamp
DE3907277A1 (de) * 1989-03-07 1990-09-20 Patent Treuhand Ges Fuer Elektrische Gluehlampen Mbh Quecksilberniederdruckentladungslampe

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4793980A (en) * 1978-09-21 1988-12-27 Torobin Leonard B Hollow porous microspheres as substrates and containers for catalyst
DE8535777U1 (fr) * 1985-12-19 1988-07-21 Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft Fuer Elektrische Gluehlampen Mbh, 8000 Muenchen, De
EP0479259A2 (fr) * 1990-10-01 1992-04-08 Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation Lampe à décharge dans la vapeur de mercure

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0691670A2 (fr) 1994-07-07 1996-01-10 Saes Getters S.P.A. Combinaison de matériaux pour dispositifs dispensateurs de mercure, méthode de préparation et dispositifs ainsi obtenus
US6107737A (en) * 1995-11-23 2000-08-22 Saes Getters, S.P.A. Device for dispensing mercury, sorbing reactive gases, shielding electrodes in fluorescent lamps and a process for making such device
EP0809276A1 (fr) * 1996-05-22 1997-11-26 Matsushita Electronics Corporation Lampe à décharge remplie de vapeur de mercure à basse pression
US5828169A (en) * 1996-05-22 1998-10-27 Matsushita Electronics Corporation Discharge lamp having an amalgam within a barrier means
US6680571B1 (en) 1997-05-22 2004-01-20 Saes Getters S.P.A. Device for introducing small amounts of mercury into fluorescent lamps
WO1998053479A1 (fr) * 1997-05-22 1998-11-26 Saes Getters S.P.A. Dispositif et procede pour introduire de petites quantites de mercure dans des lampes fluorescentes
US6679745B2 (en) 2000-03-06 2004-01-20 Saes Getters S.P.A. Method for the manufacture of mercury dispenser devices to be used in fluorescent lamps
EP1191571A2 (fr) * 2000-09-22 2002-03-27 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Matériau contenant du mercure, procédé pour sa préparation et lampe fluorescente l'utilisant
EP1191571A3 (fr) * 2000-09-22 2005-08-03 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Matériau contenant du mercure, procédé pour sa préparation et lampe fluorescente l'utilisant
US8062585B2 (en) 2006-07-11 2011-11-22 Saes Getters S.P.A. Mercury releasing method
EP2058838A3 (fr) * 2007-11-09 2009-09-09 Osram Sylvania, Inc. Distributeur de mercure, procédé de fabrication du distributeur de mercure et procédé de dosage du mercure dans une lampe de décharge à arc
US7812533B2 (en) 2007-11-09 2010-10-12 Osram Sylvania Inc. Mercury dispenser, method of making mercury dispenser and method of dosing mercury into ARC discharge lamp
US8378571B2 (en) 2007-11-09 2013-02-19 Osram Sylvania Inc. Precision mercury dispenser using wire
WO2012007467A3 (fr) * 2010-07-15 2012-03-22 Osram Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung Tube de pompage pour une lampe à décharge, procédé de fabrication d'un tube de pompage pour une lampe à décharge et procédé de remplissage d'une lampe à décharge avec un gaz
CN103038853A (zh) * 2010-07-15 2013-04-10 欧司朗股份有限公司 用于气体放电灯的抽吸管，具有这样的抽吸管的气体放电灯，和用于用气体填充物来填充气体放电灯的方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
KR930022455A (ko) 1993-11-24
CA2091470A1 (fr) 1993-10-29
JPH0620647A (ja) 1994-01-28

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