EP0634884A1 - Glimmstarter - Google Patents

Glimmstarter Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0634884A1
EP0634884A1 EP94201971A EP94201971A EP0634884A1 EP 0634884 A1 EP0634884 A1 EP 0634884A1 EP 94201971 A EP94201971 A EP 94201971A EP 94201971 A EP94201971 A EP 94201971A EP 0634884 A1 EP0634884 A1 EP 0634884A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
switch starter
glow switch
glow
discharge vessel
getter
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Withdrawn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
EP94201971A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Bennie Josephus De Maagt
Anthony Kroes
Aafko Hendrik Tuin
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.)
Koninklijke Philips NV
Original Assignee
Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
Philips Electronics NV
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 Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV, Philips Electronics NV filed Critical Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV
Priority to EP94201971A priority Critical patent/EP0634884A1/de
Publication of EP0634884A1 publication Critical patent/EP0634884A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • H01J61/26—Means for absorbing or adsorbing gas, e.g. by gettering; Means for preventing blackening of the envelope
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
    • H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
    • H01J61/64—Cathode glow lamps
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B41/00—Circuit arrangements or apparatus for igniting or operating discharge lamps
    • H05B41/02—Details
    • H05B41/04—Starting switches
    • H05B41/06—Starting switches thermal only
    • H05B41/08—Starting switches thermal only heated by glow discharge

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a glow switch starter comprising
  • Such a glow switch starter is known from US Patent 5,001,391.
  • the operation of such a glow switch starter is as follows. When used for igniting a discharge lamp, the glow switch starter shunts the discharge lamp and is connected in series with electrodes of the discharge lamp. A voltage present across the discharge lamp generates a glow discharge between the electrical conductors of the glow switch starter. This glow discharge heats the bimetallic element connected to one of the electrical conductors, which element is so deformed under the influence of this heating that it makes contact with the other electrical conductor. The creation of this contact extinguishes the glow discharge, and a current flows through the electrodes of the discharge lamp via the electrical conductors and the bimetallic element of the glow switch starter.
  • This current brings the electrodes of the discharge lamp to a temperature at which emission of electrons takes place to a sufficient degree for enabling the discharge lamp to ignite.
  • the bimetallic element of the glow switch starter cools down and is so deformed thereby that the contact between the two electrical conductors of the glow switch starter is broken. Breaking of the contact also interrupts the current through the electrodes of the lamp and generates an ignition voltage pulse in an inductive element which is connected in series with the lamp. If this ignition voltage pulse generates a discharge between the electrodes of the discharge lamp, the voltage across the discharge lamp, and thus the voltage between the electrical conductors of the glow switch starter, drops so strongly that no further glow discharge occurs. If on the other hand the ignition voltage pulse generates no discharge between the electrodes of the discharge lamp, the process described above will repeat itself.
  • a problem which often arises with glow switch starters is that impurities in the ionizable medium can considerably slow down the creation of the glow discharge. This is especially the case when the glow switch starter has been present in a room with a low luminous intensity during a comparatively long time before use.
  • Possible impurities are, for example, water, nitrogen, oxygen and also hydrogen.
  • hydrogen is the impurity which is present in the greatest quantity.
  • a source of hydrogen in the glow switch starter may be, for example, a metallic emitter layer which is electrolytically provided on the bimetallic element and in which hydrogen is stored during this deposition. This hydrogen is subsequently evolved by diffusion and ageing processes and then mixes itself with the ionizable medium.
  • a second source of hydrogen is formed by water which is released from the wall of the discharge vessel and which is reduced by metals present in the discharge vessel.
  • a second way of counteracting the effect of impurities is to provide a getter in the discharge vessel of the glow switch starter as described, for example, in the US Patent cited above.
  • the getter described therein consists of bismuth or lead. Most of the impurities are removed from the ionizable medium to a certain extent by such a getter so that the creation of the glow discharge in the glow switch starter is accelerated.
  • Such a getter exhibits a comparatively low activity in removing hydrogen from the ionizable medium especially at comparatively low temperatures. This means that the use of the known getter in glow switch starters in which the impurity in the ionizable medium consists for a comparatively large portion of hydrogen is incapable of preventing an often considerable delay in the creation of the glow discharge.
  • the invention has for its object inter alia to provide a glow switch starter in which a glow discharge arises comparatively quickly during use, also when a comparatively large quantity of hydrogen has entered the discharge vessel during manufacture.
  • the getter comprises an alloy containing palladium and zirconium, in which the molar ratio palladium:zirconium lies in the 0.004-0.18 range, while in addition oxygen is chemically bonded to the alloy, the molar ratio of oxygen (O) to zirconium lying in the 0.02 to 1 range.
  • the getter in a glow switch starter according to the invention is comparatively cheap and simple to provide and has a high activity in binding hydrogen even at comparatively low temperatures (approximately 100 °C).
  • hydrogen is removed from the ionizable medium to a comparatively high degree in a glow switch starter according to the invention. It was found that the delay before the glow discharge is generated is considerably shortened by this, also when the glow switch starter has remained in a room of a low luminous intensity for a comparatively long period before use.
  • European Patent EP 291123A1 mentions the use of ( inter alia ) the palladium/zirconium alloy mentioned above in an electric lamp.
  • the alloy in such a lamp mainly acts as a water getter.
  • the activity of the alloy in gettering hydrogen is also mentioned, no experimental results obtained at a temperature below 200 °C are given.
  • Seen against the use of the palladium/zirconium alloy as described in EP 291123A1 it is highly surprising that the alloy when used in a glow switch starter according to the invention at a temperature (depending on the surroundings of the glow switch starter, sometimes no higher than approximately 100 °C) at which the activity in gettering water is negligibly small, should show a comparatively high activity in gettering hydrogen.
  • glow switch starters according to the invention with a comparatively small ignition delay without the use of radioactive material. If it should be desirable, however, to reduce the delay in the creation of the glow discharge still further, it is possible to provide a radioactive material such as, for example, tritium in the form of titanium-tritium in the discharge vessel. It was found that the glow discharge is generated relatively quickly in the presence of only a comparatively small quantity of radioactive material. It was found to be possible in all cases to keep the delay in the generation of the glow discharge within acceptable limits with a quantity of radioactivity of the radioactive material of less than 50 nanoCuries.
  • a radioactive material such as, for example, tritium in the form of titanium-tritium in the discharge vessel. It was found that the glow discharge is generated relatively quickly in the presence of only a comparatively small quantity of radioactive material. It was found to be possible in all cases to keep the delay in the generation of the glow discharge within acceptable limits with a quantity of radioactivity of the radioactive material of less than 50 nanoCuries.
  • An advantageous embodiment of the glow switch starter according to the invention is characterized in that the molar ratio palladium:zirconium lies in the 0.09 to 0.11 range. It was found for a composition of the alloy within this range that a very good activity in gettering hydrogen was obtained.
  • a further advantageous embodiment of a glow switch starter according to the invention is characterized in that a portion of the electrical conductors which is in contact with the wall of the discharge vessel consists of copper. This is the case, for example, when the conductors are made from a core formed from an Ni-Fe alloy surrounded by a copper sheath. The copper at the surface of the portion of the conductor which is in contact with the discharge vessel wall is in the oxidized state. A good gastight connection to the discharge vessel wall is realised by means of this oxidized surface. Since the ionizable medium of the glow switch starter according to the invention contains only a very small quantity of hydrogen, the oxidized surface of the conductor is not reduced during ageing of the glow switch starter.
  • Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic picture of a glow switch starter according to the invention.
  • A denotes a discharge vessel which is sealed in a gastight manner and has a wall of lead-free glass and a volume of approximately 0.7 cm3.
  • the pressure of the ionizable medium is 18 Torr at room temperature.
  • C and D are electrical conductors which are passed through a wall of the discharge vessel.
  • the electrical conductors consist of a core formed from a Ni-Fe alloy and a sheath of Cu.
  • E denotes a bimetallic element which is conductively connected to one of the electrical conductors.
  • the bimetallic element comprises an active side formed from Ni(20%), Fe(74%) and Mn(6%) and a passive side formed from Ni(36%) and Fe(64%). Both sides of the bimetallic element are covered with an electrolytically applied emitter layer consisting of Zn.
  • F denotes a getter provided inside the discharge vessel against the wall thereof.
  • This getter consists of approximately half a milligram of an alloy containing palladium and zirconium in which the molar ratio palladium:zirconium lies in the 0.004-0.18 range, while oxygen is chemically bonded to the alloy, the molar ratio of oxygen (O) to zirconium lying in the 0.02 to 1 range.
  • the glow switch starter shown in Fig. 1 is compared with two glow switch starters serving as references and denoted reference 1 and reference 2.
  • the glow switch starter denoted reference 1 contains no getter but is in all other respects of the same composition and construction as the glow switch starter shown in Fig. 1.
  • the glow switch starter denoted reference 2 contains, instead of a getter, a quantity of radioactive material in the form of titanium-tritium with an activity of approximately 50 nanoCuries.
  • the glow switch starter denoted reference 2 was constructed in all other respects in the same way as the glow switch starter shown in Fig. 1.
  • the Table indicates for these three glow switch starters the average time which elapses between the application of a potential difference between the electrical conductors and the moment the glow discharge is created: t-delay. It is apparent that this duration can be very considerable (reference 1) for a glow switch starter which contains neither radioactive material nor a getter. It is also visible that this duration is negligibly short both for a glow switch starter according to the invention and for a glow switch starter which contains a certain quantity of radioactive material. It is demonstrated thereby that it is possible to avoid the use of radioactive materials in glow switch starters and to replace this material with an effective getter such as in a glow switch starter according to the invention.

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  • Discharge Lamp (AREA)
EP94201971A 1993-07-14 1994-07-08 Glimmstarter Withdrawn EP0634884A1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP94201971A EP0634884A1 (de) 1993-07-14 1994-07-08 Glimmstarter

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP93202165 1993-07-14
EP93202165 1993-07-14
EP94201971A EP0634884A1 (de) 1993-07-14 1994-07-08 Glimmstarter

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0634884A1 true EP0634884A1 (de) 1995-01-18

Family

ID=26133927

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94201971A Withdrawn EP0634884A1 (de) 1993-07-14 1994-07-08 Glimmstarter

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0634884A1 (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1998009317A1 (en) * 1996-08-30 1998-03-05 Philips Electronics N.V. Glowswitch starter
WO2007148273A1 (en) * 2006-06-21 2007-12-27 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Glow starter switch for discharge lamp operation

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0092872A1 (de) * 1982-04-28 1983-11-02 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Vorrichtung mit einer in einer Vakuumröhre angeordneten Gettereinrichtung
EP0291123A1 (de) * 1987-05-13 1988-11-17 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Mit einem Getter versehene elektrische Lampe
US4843282A (en) * 1988-02-16 1989-06-27 Gte Products Corporation Glow discharge starter containing silver

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0092872A1 (de) * 1982-04-28 1983-11-02 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Vorrichtung mit einer in einer Vakuumröhre angeordneten Gettereinrichtung
EP0291123A1 (de) * 1987-05-13 1988-11-17 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Mit einem Getter versehene elektrische Lampe
US4843282A (en) * 1988-02-16 1989-06-27 Gte Products Corporation Glow discharge starter containing silver

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1998009317A1 (en) * 1996-08-30 1998-03-05 Philips Electronics N.V. Glowswitch starter
US5872427A (en) * 1996-08-30 1999-02-16 U.S. Philips Corporation Glowswitch starter with specific glass envelope composition
WO2007148273A1 (en) * 2006-06-21 2007-12-27 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Glow starter switch for discharge lamp operation

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