EP1001451B1 - Arc discharge lamp containing barium and having an arc tube of yttrium, gadolinium or terbium oxide - Google Patents
Arc discharge lamp containing barium and having an arc tube of yttrium, gadolinium or terbium oxide Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1001451B1 EP1001451B1 EP99121066A EP99121066A EP1001451B1 EP 1001451 B1 EP1001451 B1 EP 1001451B1 EP 99121066 A EP99121066 A EP 99121066A EP 99121066 A EP99121066 A EP 99121066A EP 1001451 B1 EP1001451 B1 EP 1001451B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- arc tube
- arc
- discharge lamp
- accordance
- arc discharge
- 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.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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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
- H01J61/12—Selection of substances for gas fillings; Specified operating pressure or temperature
- H01J61/18—Selection of substances for gas fillings; Specified operating pressure or temperature having a metallic vapour as the principal constituent
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01J—ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS
- H01J61/00—Gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps
- H01J61/02—Details
- H01J61/30—Vessels; Containers
- H01J61/302—Vessels; Containers characterised by the material of the vessel
Definitions
- This invention relates to arc discharge lamps, and is directed more particularly to a mercury-free fluorescent lamp.
- Arc discharge lamps such as fluorescent lamps, are well known in the art and customarily include an arc tube filled with a rare gas and mercury. While such lamps are extensively used and in general perform quite well, the presence of mercury in the lamp may generate environmental and safety problems. Mercury is a toxic heavy metal and lamp disposal may be hazardous. The cost of safe disposal adds to the cost of the lamp. Accordingly, it is deemed advantageous to the environment, to safety in manufacture of such devices, and to reduction of costs, to provide an arc discharge lamp which includes no mercury but which performs at least as well as the traditional mercury lamp.
- an object of the invention to provide an arc discharge lamp in which the contents of the arc tube are substantially devoid of mercury.
- an arc discharge lamp comprising an arc tube of a material selected from a group of materials consisting of yttria, gadolinium oxide, and terbium oxide, the arc tube containing a fill comprising a rare gas, and containing metallic barium.
- An arc tube mount supports the arc tube at either end of the arc tube.
- the arc tube and the arc tube mount are disposed in an outer glass jacket, and a base member closes the outer glass jacket.
- an illustrative lamp includes an arc tube 10 for containing a fill gas.
- the arc tube 10 preferably is of yttria (Y 2 O 3 ), but may, alternatively, be of gadolinium oxide or terbium oxide, all of which have proven resistant to reaction with barium.
- the former is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,166,831, issued September 4, 1979 to William H. Rhodes, et al. Doping of the arc tube materials, for example with alumina or lanthana, improves the sinterability.
- the arc tubes may be brought to high density (about 95% or greater of theoretical density) and high translucency (at least 85% total transmission) by sintering at around 2100°C in an atmosphere of low oxygen partial pressure. Typical total transmission values for the arc tubes are around 95%. While sizes and shapes of such tubes may conform to the desired use, a particular configuration found acceptable is of a cylindrical shape and about 51.9 mm in length, end-to-end, and about 6.4 mm in diameter.
- the arc tube 10 contains a fill gas which includes a rare gas, and also contains 5 to 20 milligrams of metallic barium.
- the rare gas may be neon or xenon, or the like and may be in the pressure range of 133.3-13332,2 Pa (1-100 Torr).
- the arc tube 10 may further include additions, such as metallic sodium and/or calcium and/or strontium, to balance color.
- the barium has been found to radiate in such a manner as to produce white light, discussed further hereinbelow.
- An electrically conductive arc tube mount 12 supports the arc tube 10 in known fashion.
- the arc tube mount 12 is of a rigid material, such as stainless steel, nickel, molybdenum, or the like.
- the arc tube mount 12 includes an upper crossbar 14 and a lower crossbar 16.
- a plurality of spring-like members 18 are affixed to the arc tube mount 12 for contact with a glass jacket 20.
- the glass jacket 20 is fixed to a base member 22, typically a screw-type base member of nickel plated brass, for insertion into a threaded electrical receptacle (not shown).
- a glass stem member 24 is sealed to the jacket 20 and projects thereinto. Electrical connectors 26, 28 are sealed into, and pass through the stem member 24, to provide electrical connections from the exterior to the interior of the glass jacket 20.
- the arc tube mount 12 is affixed to one of the electrical connectors 26.
- a pair of getters 30, 32 are attached to the arc tube mount 12 and serve to insure the integrity of the evacuated jacket 20 by absorbing from the interior of the jacket any oxygen present.
- the arc tube 10 includes an electrode 34, 36 at either end thereof.
- One electrode 34 is affixed to and is supported by the crossbar 14 of arc tube mount 12, while the other electrode 36 is insulatedly supported by the other crossbar 16, but is electrically connected to the electrical connector 28 passing through the stem member 24.
- the electrodes 34, 36 preferably are of tungsten coated with an emitter compound for reducing the electrode operating temperature.
- the emitter is a barium-calcium-tungsten composition of the type used in high pressure sodium lamps.
- Heat conserving end seals, or bands, 38 preferably are wrapped around the arc tube 10 at each end thereof proximate the electrodes 34, 36, in order to reduce heat differential between the ends of the arc tube 10 and the center of the arc tube 10.
- the bands 38 may be of an axial length (i.e., width of band) of about 6.0 mm.
- the glass jacket 20 is evacuated and may be provided with a interior coating 40 of phosphor.
- a voltage is applied across the electrical connectors 26, 28, and thence to either end of the arc tube 10 by the electrode 36 and the arc tube mount 12 and electrode 34, ionizing the rare gas in the arc tube 10, which quickly heats the arc tube 10.
- the lamp's color is initially dominated by rare gas spectral emission, but as the tube heats, the barium begins to radiate.
- the lamp assumes its' white color from barium atomic and ionic spectral emission at 455, 493, 553, 614, 650 nanometers.
- FIG. 3 A typical spectrum for a lamp made with an alumina doped yttria arc tube filled with 10 milligrams of barium and 4400 Pa (33 Torr) Xenon at a current of 2.5 A and arc tube center temperature of 900°C is shown in FIG. 3.
- the near ultraviolet emissions from the neutral barium atom could excite the phosphor layer 40 on the inside surface of the outer jacket, which would improve the color of the lamp emission.
- the lamp Inasmuch as there is a saturated vapor in the arc tube 10, the lamp must be operated on alternating current to avoid cataphoresis, that is, migration of all active ions to one end or the other of the arc tube.
- An alternating voltage source and ballast impedance assembly is required. Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that a switched direct current may be used to drive the lamp.
- An output of a current limited D.C. supply 50 is routed to an "H-Bridge" switching circuit 52 via a ballast impedance 54.
- the switching circuit 52 includes a switcher 56, the switching frequency being driven by a clock 58.
- the small voltage maintained across the impedance 54 protects the switching circuitry from transients.
Abstract
Description
- This invention relates to arc discharge lamps, and is directed more particularly to a mercury-free fluorescent lamp.
- Arc discharge lamps, such as fluorescent lamps, are well known in the art and customarily include an arc tube filled with a rare gas and mercury. While such lamps are extensively used and in general perform quite well, the presence of mercury in the lamp may generate environmental and safety problems. Mercury is a toxic heavy metal and lamp disposal may be hazardous. The cost of safe disposal adds to the cost of the lamp. Accordingly, it is deemed advantageous to the environment, to safety in manufacture of such devices, and to reduction of costs, to provide an arc discharge lamp which includes no mercury but which performs at least as well as the traditional mercury lamp.
- It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an arc discharge lamp in which the contents of the arc tube are substantially devoid of mercury.
- With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, a feature of the invention is the provision of an arc discharge lamp comprising an arc tube of a material selected from a group of materials consisting of yttria, gadolinium oxide, and terbium oxide, the arc tube containing a fill comprising a rare gas, and containing metallic barium. An arc tube mount supports the arc tube at either end of the arc tube. The arc tube and the arc tube mount are disposed in an outer glass jacket, and a base member closes the outer glass jacket.
- The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular device embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.
- Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention, from which its novel features and advantages will be apparent.
- In the drawings:
- FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of one form of an arc discharge lamp illustrative of an embodiment of the invention;
- FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a lamp driving electrical circuit; and
- FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating the intensity of barium emission at various wavelengths in a barium discharge lamp.
-
- Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that an illustrative lamp includes an
arc tube 10 for containing a fill gas. Thearc tube 10 preferably is of yttria (Y2O3), but may, alternatively, be of gadolinium oxide or terbium oxide, all of which have proven resistant to reaction with barium. The former is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,166,831, issued September 4, 1979 to William H. Rhodes, et al. Doping of the arc tube materials, for example with alumina or lanthana, improves the sinterability. During processing, the arc tubes may be brought to high density (about 95% or greater of theoretical density) and high translucency (at least 85% total transmission) by sintering at around 2100°C in an atmosphere of low oxygen partial pressure. Typical total transmission values for the arc tubes are around 95%. While sizes and shapes of such tubes may conform to the desired use, a particular configuration found acceptable is of a cylindrical shape and about 51.9 mm in length, end-to-end, and about 6.4 mm in diameter. - The
arc tube 10 contains a fill gas which includes a rare gas, and also contains 5 to 20 milligrams of metallic barium. The rare gas may be neon or xenon, or the like and may be in the pressure range of 133.3-13332,2 Pa (1-100 Torr). Thearc tube 10 may further include additions, such as metallic sodium and/or calcium and/or strontium, to balance color. The barium has been found to radiate in such a manner as to produce white light, discussed further hereinbelow. - An electrically conductive
arc tube mount 12 supports thearc tube 10 in known fashion. Thearc tube mount 12 is of a rigid material, such as stainless steel, nickel, molybdenum, or the like. Thearc tube mount 12 includes anupper crossbar 14 and alower crossbar 16. A plurality of spring-like members 18 are affixed to thearc tube mount 12 for contact with aglass jacket 20. - The
glass jacket 20 is fixed to abase member 22, typically a screw-type base member of nickel plated brass, for insertion into a threaded electrical receptacle (not shown). Aglass stem member 24 is sealed to thejacket 20 and projects thereinto.Electrical connectors stem member 24, to provide electrical connections from the exterior to the interior of theglass jacket 20. - The
arc tube mount 12 is affixed to one of theelectrical connectors 26. A pair ofgetters arc tube mount 12 and serve to insure the integrity of the evacuatedjacket 20 by absorbing from the interior of the jacket any oxygen present. - The
arc tube 10 includes anelectrode electrode 34 is affixed to and is supported by thecrossbar 14 ofarc tube mount 12, while theother electrode 36 is insulatedly supported by theother crossbar 16, but is electrically connected to theelectrical connector 28 passing through thestem member 24. Theelectrodes - Heat conserving end seals, or bands, 38 preferably are wrapped around the
arc tube 10 at each end thereof proximate theelectrodes arc tube 10 and the center of thearc tube 10. Thebands 38 may be of an axial length (i.e., width of band) of about 6.0 mm. - The
glass jacket 20 is evacuated and may be provided with ainterior coating 40 of phosphor. - In operation, a voltage is applied across the
electrical connectors arc tube 10 by theelectrode 36 and thearc tube mount 12 andelectrode 34, ionizing the rare gas in thearc tube 10, which quickly heats thearc tube 10. The lamp's color is initially dominated by rare gas spectral emission, but as the tube heats, the barium begins to radiate. The lamp assumes its' white color from barium atomic and ionic spectral emission at 455, 493, 553, 614, 650 nanometers. A typical spectrum for a lamp made with an alumina doped yttria arc tube filled with 10 milligrams of barium and 4400 Pa (33 Torr) Xenon at a current of 2.5 A and arc tube center temperature of 900°C is shown in FIG. 3. In an alternative embodiment, it appears that the near ultraviolet emissions from the neutral barium atom could excite thephosphor layer 40 on the inside surface of the outer jacket, which would improve the color of the lamp emission. - Inasmuch as there is a saturated vapor in the
arc tube 10, the lamp must be operated on alternating current to avoid cataphoresis, that is, migration of all active ions to one end or the other of the arc tube. An alternating voltage source and ballast impedance assembly is required. Referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that a switched direct current may be used to drive the lamp. An output of a current limited D.C. supply 50 is routed to an "H-Bridge"switching circuit 52 via a ballast impedance 54. Theswitching circuit 52 includes a switcher 56, the switching frequency being driven by a clock 58. The small voltage maintained across the impedance 54 protects the switching circuitry from transients. - It is to be understood that the present invention is by no means limited to the particular construction herein disclosed and/or shown in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications or equivalents within the scope of the claims. For example, while a screw-type base member has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other types of base members are in use and readily can be used in the instant lamp.
Claims (11)
- An arc discharge lamp comprising:an arc tube (10) of a material selected from a group of materials, said group of materials consisting of yttria, gadolinium oxide, and terbium oxide;a fill gas disposed in said arc tube, said fill gas including a rare gas;metallic barium disposed in said arc tube;an arc tube mount (12) supporting said arc tube at either end of said arc tube;an outer glass jacket (20) in which said arc tube and said arc tube mount are disposed, said outer glass jacket being evacuated; anda base member (22) closing said outer glass jacket.
- The arc discharge lamp in accordance with claim 1 wherein said rare gas is a gas selected from a group of gases consisting of neon and xenon.
- The arc discharge lamp in accordance with claim 1 wherein an additive is disposed in said arc tube, said additive comprising at least one of sodium, calcium, and strontium.
- The arc discharge lamp in accordance with claim 1 wherein said outer glass jacket is coated with a layer of phosphor.
- The arc discharge lamp in accordance with claim 1 wherein said arc tube material comprises yttria.
- The arc discharge lamp in accordance with claim 5 wherein said yttria of said arc tube is alumina doped yttria.
- The arc discharge lamp in accordance with claim 5 wherein said yttria of said arc tube is lanthana doped yttria.
- The arc discharge lamp in accordance with claim 5 wherein said arc tube is of high density and high translucency.
- The arc discharge lamp in accordance with claim 8 wherein said high density is at least about 95% of theoretical density.
- The arc discharge lamp in accordance with claim 8 wherein said high translucency is at least about 80% of theoretical translucency.
- The arc discharge lamp in accordance with claim 1 wherein said arc tube includes a pair of electrodes coated with an emitter compound having a barium-calcium-tungsten composition.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US18969698A | 1998-11-10 | 1998-11-10 | |
US189696 | 1998-11-10 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1001451A1 EP1001451A1 (en) | 2000-05-17 |
EP1001451B1 true EP1001451B1 (en) | 2003-08-13 |
Family
ID=22698403
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP99121066A Expired - Lifetime EP1001451B1 (en) | 1998-11-10 | 1999-10-21 | Arc discharge lamp containing barium and having an arc tube of yttrium, gadolinium or terbium oxide |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1001451B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2000149867A (en) |
AT (1) | ATE247331T1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2274199A1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE69910329T2 (en) |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3622217A (en) * | 1969-06-30 | 1971-11-23 | Xerox Corp | Light producing system |
DE2422411A1 (en) * | 1974-05-09 | 1975-12-11 | Philips Patentverwaltung | HIGH PRESSURE MERCURY VAPOR DISCHARGE LAMP |
US4166831A (en) * | 1977-07-11 | 1979-09-04 | Gte Laboratories Incorporated | Transparent yttria ceramics and method for producing same |
EP0341750A3 (en) * | 1988-05-13 | 1991-04-17 | Gte Products Corporation | Arc tube and high pressure discharge lamp including same |
-
1999
- 1999-06-09 CA CA002274199A patent/CA2274199A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1999-10-21 AT AT99121066T patent/ATE247331T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1999-10-21 EP EP99121066A patent/EP1001451B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1999-10-21 DE DE69910329T patent/DE69910329T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1999-11-08 JP JP11316906A patent/JP2000149867A/en active Pending
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE69910329T2 (en) | 2004-02-26 |
DE69910329D1 (en) | 2003-09-18 |
EP1001451A1 (en) | 2000-05-17 |
JP2000149867A (en) | 2000-05-30 |
ATE247331T1 (en) | 2003-08-15 |
CA2274199A1 (en) | 2000-05-10 |
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