JP2000100379A - Fluorescent lamp and light source device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To maximally extract a beam deterioration prevention effect and a consumed mercury amount reduction effect. SOLUTION: This fluorescent lamp has protective layers 8 and 9, made of a metal oxide other than phosphor particles between the inner surface of a translucent airtight vessel 1 and a phosphor film 3, and at two positions on the surface of the phosphor film 3 at the side of an airtight space 2. The two protective layers 8 and 9 are made of the same starting material and composed of metal oxide different in the chemical composition of a final product. As a result, a barrier function can be provided for restraining such various damages to a minimum, which causes the metal oxide to be a cause for adsorbing mercury or beam deterioration. As a whole, the consumed mercury amount reduction effect and beam deterioration prevention effect can be maximally extracted, regarding a mercury consumption within the translucent airtight vessel 1 with the lapse of a lighting time, and beam deterioration.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a phosphor film formed in a light-transmitting hermetically sealed container enclosing a discharge medium, and converts ultraviolet light emitted by discharge of the discharge medium into visible light by the phosphor film. The present invention relates to a fluorescent lamp and a light source device using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Fluorescent lamps are one of the important light sources widely used today. Generally, a fluorescent lamp converts ultraviolet light generated by exciting mercury sealed in a light-transmitting airtight container by discharge into visible light by a phosphor applied on the inner surface of the light-transmitting airtight container, and radiates the fluorescent light. Things.

[0003] In recent years, awareness of global environmental issues has been rising more than ever, and mercury waste used in fluorescent lamps has been increasingly recognized as one of the sources of environmental pollution. Under such circumstances, various approaches for fluorescent lamps have been activated, and for example, many studies have been made on reducing the amount of mercury used in fluorescent lamps and eliminating mercury.

[0004] First, regarding the non-use of mercury, as a harmless ultraviolet radiation source instead of mercury, for example, there is a rare gas fluorescent lamp using ultraviolet light (main wavelength 147 nm) from xenon discharge. This rare gas fluorescent lamp has excellent features, such as no luminous flux fluctuation due to a change in ambient temperature and a good luminous flux rising characteristic after starting, as compared with a conventional fluorescent lamp using mercury. Although practically used in some applications such as equipment, it is far inefficient compared to a fluorescent lamp using mercury, and at present it is difficult to substitute it in fields such as general lighting.

For this reason, at present, reduction of the amount of mercury used is a practical measure. As a specific measure,
Reduction of the amount of mercury enclosed per lamp (optimization to the minimum required amount), reduction of mercury consumption from a long-term perspective by reducing the frequency of lamp disposal due to improvement of lamp life, etc. .

[0006] First, will be described. The mercury sealed in the translucent airtight container is gradually consumed by the inner surface of the glass bulb and the phosphor that constitute the translucent airtight container as the lighting time elapses. In other words, after mercury is adsorbed on these sites, it reacts with components in glass and phosphors and residual impurities in the translucent airtight container, deposits as various compounds, and can contribute to discharge. It will be invalidated. For this reason, in order to avoid depletion of mercury before the lamp life (rated life), excess mercury is sealed. Therefore, in order to reduce the amount of enclosed mercury, it is necessary to reduce the amount of mercury consumed in the translucent airtight container, that is, to reduce the generation of ineffective mercury.

Next, the above will be described. Generally, the life deciding factors of a fluorescent lamp are: 1) a so-called spot life caused by disconnection of an electrode substrate or consumption of a thermionic emitting material (emitter) applied to the electrode substrate; and 2) a glass bulb or a fluorescent lamp. The so-called luminous flux life, which is caused by discoloration or blackening of the body surface or a decrease in luminous efficiency due to deterioration of the phosphor itself with time, is roughly classified into two. That is, the life of the fluorescent lamp is generally defined by the shorter one of the point life due to electrode breakage and the light flux life due to light flux deterioration.

[0008] Of these, regarding 2), the formation and deposition of compounds due to the reaction of mercury with phosphor components, alkali components in glass or residual impurities in a light-tight hermetic container, and mercury and rare gas It is considered that the phosphor is deteriorated by ion bombardment, and that the phosphor is deteriorated by ultraviolet rays. As a countermeasure, improvement of a phosphor and development of a transparent protective film provided on the inner surface of glass have been performed. However, in a general fluorescent lamp having an electrode (filament) in a light-transmitting hermetic container, there is essentially a limit to the improvement of the above 1), which is a hindrance in improving the life.

From such a viewpoint, in recent years, electrodeless fluorescent lamps having no electrodes in a light-transmitting hermetic container have been particularly spotlighted, and some of them have already been put to practical use. This type of electrodeless fluorescent lamp has a light-transmitting property similar to the above-described fluorescent lamp having electrodes in a light-transmitting airtight container (hereinafter, referred to as an electrodeed fluorescent lamp to distinguish it from an electrodeless fluorescent lamp). Mercury and a rare gas are sealed in the hermetic container, but no electrodes are provided in the translucent hermetic container, and the enclosed gas is excited by the energy supply means disposed outside the translucent hermetic container. Thus, a discharge is generated in the hermetic space, and visible light is obtained by exciting the fluorescent film formed on the inner surface of the translucent hermetic container with the ultraviolet light emitted thereby. This type of electrodeless fluorescent lamp has no electrode in the translucent airtight container, and thus does not have the above-mentioned pointless life.
Since the life is determined by the life of the luminous flux, a longer life can be expected in principle than an electroded fluorescent lamp. Therefore,
In this type of electrodeless fluorescent lamp, it is more important to improve the luminous flux maintenance rate than in the electroded fluorescent lamp.

As described above, in the field of a fluorescent lamp (including both an electrode fluorescent lamp and an electrodeless fluorescent lamp) and a light source device using the fluorescent lamp, a future important subject is a translucent airtight container. There are two ways of reducing the amount of mercury consumed and improving the luminous flux maintenance factor, but as can be seen from the above description, these two issues are considered to be very closely related to each other.

Various solutions to such problems have been proposed. One of them is to provide a protective layer made of aluminum oxide (alumina) between a light-transmitting airtight container and a phosphor. At the same time, a protective layer made of alumina is also provided on the surface of the phosphor film on the airtight space side (hereinafter, this surface is referred to as the surface of the phosphor film) so as to sandwich the phosphor film, thereby improving the luminous flux deterioration characteristics of the fluorescent lamp. There is one that can be improved (see JP-A-62-229752).

[0012]

However, in the conventional fluorescent lamp described in the above publication, only alumina is disclosed as a material for forming the protective layer, and the distance between the translucent airtight container and the phosphor is reduced. And the properties of the two protective layers provided on the surface of the phosphor coating are not specified.
Since the material compositions of the two protective layers are the same, there is a problem that the effect of preventing luminous flux deterioration and the effect of reducing the amount of consumed mercury cannot be maximized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a fluorescent lamp capable of maximizing the effect of preventing luminous flux deterioration and reducing the amount of mercury consumption, and a light source device using the same. It is assumed that.

[0014]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light-transmitting airtight container in which a discharge medium containing at least mercury is sealed. A phosphor coating is formed on the inner surface, and metal oxides other than the phosphor particles are used between the inner surface of the translucent airtight container and the phosphor coating, and two portions of the surface of the phosphor coating on the airtight space side. The protective layer is formed, and the metal oxide forming each protective layer is a metal oxide having the same starting material and a different chemical composition of a final product, The metal oxide that forms the two protective layers provided so as to sandwich the phosphor coating in the airtight container exhibits a barrier function that minimizes various damages that cause the adsorption of mercury or the deterioration of the luminous flux. , Overall, lighting time Reduction as well as the luminous flux deterioration prevention effect of consumption amount of mercury mercury consumption and luminous flux deterioration at the light-transmitting airtight container due to excessive can be prevented and it is possible to maximize the.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, either the metal oxide fine particles or the metal compound sol is used as the starting material. To play.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light-transmitting airtight container in which a discharge medium containing at least mercury is sealed, and a phosphor film is coated on an inner surface of the light-transmitting airtight container. A protective layer formed of a metal oxide other than the phosphor particles is formed between the inner surface of the translucent airtight container and the phosphor coating, and at two portions of the phosphor coating on the airtight space side. Wherein the metal oxide forming each protective layer is a metal oxide having a different chemical composition of a starting material and a final product from each other, and sandwiches a phosphor coating in a light-tight hermetic container. Metal oxide forming the two protective layers provided as described above exhibits a barrier function of minimizing various damages that cause the adsorption of mercury or the deterioration of the luminous flux. In a light-tight container Reduction as well as the luminous flux deterioration prevention effect of consumption amount of mercury mercury consumption and luminous flux deterioration is suppressed and it is possible to maximize the.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect of the present invention, one of the two protective layers is formed of a fine metal oxide and the other protective layer is formed of a metal oxide continuous body by a sol-gel method. And has the same effect as the third aspect of the invention.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, a metal oxide other than the phosphor particles is interposed in the phosphor coating. The metal oxide interposed in the metal exhibits a barrier function, and the effect of reducing the amount of mercury consumed and the effect of preventing luminous flux deterioration can be further improved.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the fifth aspect, the metal oxide has the same chemical composition as a metal oxide forming at least one of the protective layers. As a feature, the same operation as the invention of claim 5 is achieved.

The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 5, the metal oxide is different from each metal oxide forming the two protective layers in a chemical composition of a final product. The same effect as the invention of Item 5 is exerted.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fluorescent lamp according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, and the fluorescent lamp is disposed inside or outside the light-transmitting hermetic container and provided in the discharge medium. An energy supply means for supplying energy, and a lighting device for lighting the fluorescent lamp via the energy supply means, characterized in that the effect of reducing the amount of mercury consumed and the effect of preventing luminous flux deterioration are maximized. A possible light source device can be realized.

By the way, the present inventors have found that, in extracting the solution to the above-mentioned problem, the consumption of mercury in the translucent airtight container does not occur uniformly in all regions in the phosphor coating. Various experimental studies based on the hypothesis that luminous flux degradation has many factors and does not occur uniformly in all regions in the phosphor coating were performed. More specifically, since the phosphor film usually has a thickness of several tens of μm, attention is paid to each part in the film thickness direction, and the adhesion of mercury and the phosphor due to ions such as mercury and rare gas are applied to the phosphor film. Degradation of the phosphor due to ion bombardment or ultraviolet rays is most likely to occur on the discharge plasma side (that is, the surface of the phosphor coating), which is the source of the ion bombardment. It was thought that this was most likely to occur near the boundary between the body coating and the inner surface of the glass bulb. According to this hypothesis, the metal oxide applied to the protective layer is expected to exhibit different effects depending on the portion in the thickness direction in the phosphor film. A comparison was made for each application site in the body coat. As a result, a clear effect difference was found for each application site of various metal oxides. Therefore, based on this result, the present inventors have focused on the fact that various metal oxides do not have the same effect depending on the difference in the application site, and have performed the present invention.

[0023]

(Embodiment 1) In this embodiment,
The fluorescent lamp La is an electrodeless fluorescent lamp as shown in FIG. 2, and a discharge medium made of mercury vapor and a rare gas is sealed in an airtight space 2 inside a spherical translucent airtight container 1 made of glass. ing. A phosphor coating 3 is formed on the inner surface of the translucent airtight container 1. An induction coil 5 is wound outside the translucent airtight container 1 close to the translucent airtight container 1. Here, the induction coil 5 constitutes energy supply means for supplying energy to the discharge medium. The fluorescent lamp La is connected to a power supply 6 via a lighting device 20 in which the induction coil 5 lights the fluorescent lamp La. Here, the fluorescent lamp La, the induction coil 5 and the lighting device 2
0 constitutes the light source device.

In this light source device, a high-frequency current is caused to flow through the induction coil 5 by the lighting device 20, thereby generating a high-frequency electromagnetic field around the induction coil 5 and exciting the discharge medium in the translucent airtight container 1. , And emit light. In the present embodiment, the induction coil 5 is used as the energy supply means. However, instead of the induction coil 5, a conductive foil may be used in proximity to the induction coil.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, fluorescent light is applied to two portions between the inner surface of the translucent airtight container 1 and the phosphor coating 3 and the surface of the phosphor coating 3 on the airtight space 2 side. Protective layers 8 and 9 formed of metal oxides other than body particles are provided. The metal oxides forming the protective layers 8 and 9 have the same starting material and the final product has a chemical composition. It is a different metal oxide.

The phosphor coating 3 is composed of phosphor particles 7 as shown in FIG. In addition, as described above, a protective layer (hereinafter, referred to as a “glass protective layer”) 8 is formed between the translucent airtight container 1 and the phosphor coating 3, and the airtight space 2 of the phosphor coating 3 is formed. A protective layer (hereinafter referred to as “surface protective layer”) 9 is also formed on the surface on the side. The glass protective layer 8 and the surface protective layer 9 are composed of metal oxides having the same starting material and different chemical compositions of final products.

Here, in the manufacturing process of the fluorescent lamp,
The process for forming the phosphor film 3 will be described.
Normally, a phosphor powder as a product is suspended in water or an organic solvent together with an additive such as a suitable binder, and this is used as a coating solution (phosphor slurry) in a translucent airtight container 1.
After flowing or spraying into the inner surface of the glass bulb constituting the above, it is formed through a drying and firing process. Therefore, the phosphor particles 7 are contained in the phosphor coating 3 of the final lamp finished product.
As means (introduction process) for introducing a metal oxide other than the above, there are the following two methods a) and b).

A) Method using existing metal oxide fine particles In this case, the metal oxide fine particles are preliminarily applied to the particle surface of the phosphor powder, and then suspended in water or an organic solvent. There are two methods, a method of applying as a slurry (coating liquid) and a method of simultaneously dispersing and suspending a phosphor powder and metal oxide fine particles at the time of preparing a phosphor slurry.

B) A method using a sol-gel method A solution of an inorganic salt of a metal element constituting a metal oxide to be finally formed or an organic compound (metal alkoxide) of a metal element of a metal oxide to be finally formed After the phosphor particles are dispersed in the sol in advance by using a solution (sol) of the above, a desired metal oxide film is formed on the surface of the phosphor particles by a hydrolysis reaction in a drying / firing step,
This phosphor is converted into a phosphor slurry, or a phosphor coating is formed on the inner surface of a glass bulb constituting the translucent airtight container 1 by a normal method, and the sol is permeated from above the phosphor coating. There is a method of forming a desired metal oxide in the phosphor film by a hydrolysis reaction by the same heat treatment.

Accordingly, the starting materials of the metal oxide (other than the phosphor particles) constituting the glass protective layer 8 and the surface protective layer 9 are the same as those already described in the above a) and b). Or a metal compound sol that is not originally an oxide.

Thus, in the present embodiment, the glass protective layer 8
In addition, since the surface protective layer 9 is made of a metal oxide having the same starting material and a different chemical composition of the final product, the metal oxide forming the two protective layers 8 and 9 absorbs mercury. Alternatively, it exhibits a barrier function of minimizing various types of damage that may cause luminous flux deterioration, and as a whole, the amount of mercury consumed and the amount of mercury consumed in the translucent airtight container 1 as the lighting time elapses and luminous flux deterioration is suppressed. And the effect of preventing luminous flux deterioration can be maximized.

(Embodiment 2) The basic configuration of this embodiment is almost the same as that of Embodiment 1, except that the metal oxide forming the glass protective layer 8 and the surface protective layer 9 is used as a starting material and a final product. Composed of metal oxides with different chemical compositions,
Specifically, metal oxide particles having a primary particle diameter of 1 μm or less are used as they are as the metal oxide constituting the glass protective layer 8, and the metal oxide constituting the surface protective layer 9 contains a metal element. It is characterized in that a continuum of the metal oxide is finally obtained by using a sol-gel method. Here, the term “continuous body” refers to a sol-gel based starting material formed by a sol-gel based starting material, compared to an aggregate or a coating layer having voids between fine particles, which is a case where a fine particle based starting material is used. It means a dense aggregate or coating layer.

In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the metal oxide forming the two protective layers 8 and 9 is
Demonstrates a barrier function that minimizes various damages that cause mercury adsorption or luminous flux deterioration.
It is possible to maximize the effect of reducing the amount of mercury consumed and the effect of preventing luminous flux deterioration, which suppresses mercury consumption and luminous flux deterioration in the translucent airtight container 1 with the passage of the lighting time.

In this embodiment, the glass protective layer 8 is formed of metal oxide fine particles, and the surface protective layer 9 is formed of a metal oxide continuous body. May be formed of metal oxide continuum and the surface protective layer 9 may be formed of metal oxide fine particles. In this case, the same effect can be obtained.

(Embodiment 3) In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, from the viewpoint of more reliably protecting mercury from adsorbing on phosphor particles and various types of damage as already described in the prior art. In addition to the configuration of the first aspect, a feature is that a metal oxide other than the phosphor particles is interposed in the phosphor coating 7, and this metal oxide is used as a protective material 10 of the phosphor coating 7. The metal oxide that forms the protective material 10 is a metal oxide other than the phosphor particles whose chemical composition of the final product is the same as the metal oxide that forms the at least one of the protective layers 8 and 9.

Here, as a mode of providing (intervening) the protective material 10 made of a metal oxide other than the phosphor particles in the phosphor coating 7, the metal oxide directly covers the surface of the phosphor particles. This includes at least one of the case in which the particles are present in a state where they are formed, and the case in which the particles are present in a gap between the phosphor particles.

In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the metal oxide forming the two protective layers 8 and 9 and the protective material 10 provided in the phosphor coating 7 is used for absorbing mercury or luminous flux. Demonstrates a barrier function that minimizes various damages that cause deterioration, and reduces the amount of mercury consumed, which suppresses mercury consumption and luminous flux deterioration in the translucent airtight container 1 as the lighting time elapses as a whole. It is possible to maximize the effect and the luminous flux deterioration prevention effect.

(Embodiment 4) In this embodiment, the basic structure is the same as that of Embodiment 3, and the metal oxide forming the protective material 10 is used for forming the glass protective layer 8 and the surface protective layer 9. A metal oxide other than the phosphor particles having a different chemical composition from the metal oxide and the final product. For example, one or two of the two protective layers 8 and 9 and the protective material 10 are composed of metal oxide fine particles. In addition, the rest is characterized by being composed of a metal oxide continuum formed by a sol-gel method and having different chemical compositions.

In this embodiment, as in the third embodiment, the metal oxide constituting the two protective layers 8 and 9 and the protective material 10 provided in the phosphor coating 7 is composed of a metal oxide adsorbing or a luminous flux. Demonstrates a barrier function that minimizes various damages that cause deterioration, and reduces the amount of mercury consumed, which suppresses mercury consumption and luminous flux deterioration in the translucent airtight container 1 as the lighting time elapses as a whole. It is possible to maximize the effect and the luminous flux deterioration prevention effect.

In the above embodiments, an electrodeless fluorescent lamp has been described as the fluorescent lamp La. However, the fluorescent lamp La may be a straight tube electrode fluorescent lamp as shown in FIG. In this fluorescent lamp La, a discharge medium made of mercury vapor and a rare gas is sealed in a hermetically sealed space 2 inside a translucent airtight container 1 made of glass. Electrodes 4 (which may be either a hot cathode type or a cold cathode type) serving as energy supply means are disposed inside both ends of the translucent airtight container 1, respectively.
Is connected to the power supply 6 via the. Also in this case, the fluorescent lamp La and the lighting device 20 constitute a light source device. Further, although the shape of the translucent airtight container 1 of the electrodeed fluorescent lamp La shown in FIG. 4 is a straight tube shape, the translucent airtight container 1 is not limited to a straight tube shape. Alternatively, it may be of course a bent type.

[0041]

(Examples 1 to 8) In the fluorescent lamp La described in the first and second embodiments corresponding to the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, the phosphor particles constituting the glass protective layer 8 and the surface protective layer 9 are described. As shown in Tables 1 and 2 below, various kinds of metal oxides were prepared and subjected to lighting experiments, and as a result, the two protective layers 8 and 9 were both made of the same metal oxide fine particles. The mercury consumption was reduced and the luminous flux maintenance rate was improved as compared with the example. Here, Examples 1 to 8 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 shown in Tables 1 and 2 are all electrodeless fluorescent lamps, and the phosphor particles 7 are representative rare earth phosphors as phosphors. Y ₂ O ₃ : Eu (trivalent europium inactivated yttrium oxide) is used. In the lighting experiment, the tube wall load at the time of lighting (the value obtained by dividing the lamp input by the light emitting area, that is, the coating area of the phosphor coating) was about 150 mW /
cm ² .

[0042]

[Table 1]

[0043]

[Table 2] In Tables 1 and 2, the types of metal oxides constituting the glass protective layer 8 are described in the upper part of the middle row of Table 1, and the types of metal oxides constituting the surface protective layer 9 are shown in the lower row of Table 1. At the top. Table 1 shows preferred Examples 1 to 4 from the viewpoint of improving the luminous flux maintenance rate with the passage of the lighting time.
Is shown in comparison with Conventional Example 1, and Table 2 shows Preferred Examples 5 to 8 in comparison with Conventional Example 2 from the viewpoint of mercury consumption.

Further, referring to Table 1, the lower part of the middle part of Table 1 shows the lower part of the luminous flux life of the sample in which the glass protective layer 8 is formed of the metal oxide described in the same frame. The relative value (%) with respect to the luminous flux life of the sample in which the glass protective layer 8 is made of the metal oxide described above is described. The middle part of the lower part of Table 1 shows the luminous flux life of the sample in which the surface protective layer 9 was formed of the metal oxide described in the same frame. Value relative to the luminous flux life of the sample composed of (%)
Is described. Here, the luminous flux life is a measure of the luminous flux maintenance rate, and when the luminous flux value is 100% when the lighting time is 100 hours, the time required for the luminous flux value to decrease to 70%. The luminous flux life is measured. The numerical value (%) in Table 1 means that the larger the numerical value, the longer the luminous flux life and the more advantageous.

In Conventional Example 1, fine particles of Y ₂ O ₃ (yttrium oxide) are used as metal oxides constituting the glass protective layer 8 and the surface protective layer 9.

On the other hand, in Examples 1 to 3, the metal oxide constituting each of the protective layers 8 and 9 is finally formed using the same starting material (both are metal oxide fine particles or metal oxide continuum). It uses a combination of metal oxides having different chemical compositions. Thus, in Example 1, the surface protection layer 9
Although the same Y ₂ O ₃ fine particles as those of Conventional Example 1 are used for the glass protective layer 8, fine particles of Al ₂ O ₃ (aluminum oxide) are used for the glass protective layer 8 so that the luminous flux lifetime as a whole as shown in Table 1 is improved. Improvement can be expected.

In Example 2, the same Y ₂ O ₃ fine particles as in Conventional Example 1 were used for the glass protective layer 8, but the Al ₂ O ₃ fine particles were used for the surface protective layer 9, as shown in Table 1. Thus, improvement in the luminous flux life can be expected as a whole.

In Example 3, A was added to the glass protective layer 8.
using l ₂ O ₃ continuum, by using a Y ₂ O ₃ continuum in the surface protective layer 9, the improvement of the light flux life as a whole as shown in Table 1 it can be expected.

Further, in Example 4, the starting materials are different as the metal oxide constituting each of the protective layers 8 and 9 (one is fine metal oxide particles and the other is a continuous metal oxide), and the final chemical composition is also different. This is a combination of metal oxides. That is, in Example 4, the continuum of Y ₂ O ₃ was used for the surface protective layer 9 and the continuum of Al ₂ O ₃ was used for the glass protective layer 8. Improvement can be expected.

Next, Table 2 will be described. In the lower part of the middle part of Table 2, the glass protective layer was composed of the metal oxide in the middle part of Conventional Example 2 of the mercury consumption of the sample in which the glass protective layer 8 was composed of the metal oxide described in the same frame. The relative value (%) to the mercury consumption of the sample is described.
In the middle part of the lower part of Table 2, the mercury consumption of the sample in which the surface protective layer 9 was composed of the metal oxide described in the same frame is shown. The relative value (%) with respect to the amount of mercury consumption of the sample composed of is described. The amount of mercury consumption is determined based on data obtained by measuring the amount of mercury contained in the phosphor coating 3 of the fluorescent lamp after the lighting test by chemical analysis. Thus, the numerical value (%) in Table 2 means that the smaller the numerical value, the less mercury consumption and the more advantageous.

As shown in Table 2, in Examples 5 to 7, the starting materials are the same as the metal oxides constituting the two protective layers 8 and 9 (both are metal oxide fine particles or metal oxide continuum). Metal oxides having different final chemical compositions are used in combination, and in Example 8, the starting materials are also different (one is metal oxide fine particles and the other is a metal oxide continuum) and the final chemical compositions are different. In any of the embodiments, the effect of improving mercury consumption can be expected as compared with Conventional Example 2.

From these results, it was found that the glass protective layer 8 and the surface protective layer 9 had the same properties and the same composition as those of the conventional examples 1 and 2 in which the metal oxides were the same as in the first to eighth embodiments. As the metal oxides constituting the glass protective layer 8 and the surface protective layer 9, metal oxides having different chemical compositions or metal oxide continuum formed by a sol-gel method and having different chemical compositions are used. By using the right material in the right place, the effect of preventing luminous flux deterioration and the effect of reducing the amount of mercury consumed could be maximized.

(Examples 9 to 14) The fluorescent lamp La described in the third and fourth embodiments corresponding to the inventions of claims 5 to 7
In Table 3, metal oxides other than the phosphor particles constituting the protective material 10 provided in the glass protective layer 8, the surface protective layer 9 and the phosphor coating 7 are variously changed as shown in Tables 3 and 4 below. As a result of a lighting experiment, mercury consumption was reduced as compared with Conventional Examples 3 and 4 in which the glass protective layer 8, the surface protective layer 9 and the protective material 10 were all made of the same metal oxide fine particles. The luminous flux maintenance rate was improved. Here, Examples 9 to 14 shown in Tables 3 and 4 and Conventional Example 3,
Reference numeral 4 denotes an electrodeless fluorescent lamp, and the phosphor particles 7 include Y _2, which is a rare earth phosphor representative of a phosphor.
O ₃ : Eu (trivalent europium inactive yttrium oxide)
Is used. The lighting experiment was performed by setting the tube wall load (value obtained by dividing the lamp input by the light emitting area, that is, the coated area of the phosphor coating) at the time of lighting to about 150 mW / cm ² .

[0054]

[Table 3]

[0055]

[Table 4] In addition, Table 3 and Table 4 are common to Tables 1 and 2, and the type of metal oxide used as a material is described in the upper part of each column. Rate, Table 4
Shows the relative value (%) of each mercury consumption.
Table 3 shows preferred examples 9 to 11 from the viewpoint of improving the luminous flux maintenance rate with the passage of the lighting time in comparison with Conventional Example 3, and Table 4 shows the preferred embodiments from the viewpoint of mercury consumption. Examples 12 to 14 are shown in comparison with Conventional Example 4.

In Conventional Example 3, the glass protective layer 8 and the surface protective layer 9 were used.
In addition, fine particles of Y ₂ O ₃ (yttrium oxide) are applied as metal oxides constituting the protective material 10.

On the other hand, in the ninth embodiment, the protective layers 8 and 9
In addition, the metal oxide constituting the protective material 10 is a combination of metal oxides having the same starting material (all of which are fine metal oxide particles) and different final chemical compositions. In Example 10, two protective layers 8 and 9 were used.
And the protective material 10 are different in starting material (one is metal oxide fine particles and the other is a metal oxide continuum), and the final chemical composition of the protective material 10 is at least one of the glass protective layer 8 and the surface protective layer 9. The same metal oxide as one of them is used in combination. Further, in Example 11, the starting materials of the two protective layers 8, 9 and the protective material 10 were all the same (metal oxide continuum), and the final chemical composition of the protective material 10 was the glass protective layer 8 or the surface protective material. At least one of the layers 9 (in this case, the surface protective layer 9) is used in combination with the same metal oxide. In any case, as shown in Table 3, improvement in the luminous flux life can be expected as compared with Conventional Example 3.

On the other hand, as shown in Table 4, in Example 12, the metal oxide constituting each of the protective layers 8 and 9 and the protective material 10 was the same as the starting material (all of which were metal oxide fine particles) and finally formed. In Example 13, the starting materials of the surface protective layer 9 and the protective material 10 were the same (both were continuous metal oxides). In this case, metal oxides having different and final chemical compositions are used in combination.
Further, in Example 14, the two protective layers 8 and 9 and the protective material 10 were used.
Are all the same (metal oxide continuum), and the final chemical composition of the protective material 10 is at least one of the glass protective layer 8 and the surface protective layer 9 (in this case, the surface protective layer 9). The same metal oxide is used in combination. In each case, an improvement in mercury consumption can be expected as shown in Table 4 as compared with Conventional Example 4.

From these results, it can be seen that the protective material 10 provided in the glass protective layer 8, the surface protective layer 9, and the phosphor coating 7.
Of the glass protective layer 8, the surface protective layer 9 and the metal forming the protective material 10 as in Examples 9 to 14 in comparison with the conventional examples 3 and 4 in which the metal oxides are made of metal oxides having the same properties and the same composition. The effect of preventing luminous flux deterioration by using the right material in the right place, such as using metal oxides with different chemical compositions and metal oxide continuum formed by the sol-gel method with different chemical compositions as oxides In addition, the effect of reducing the amount of mercury consumed could be maximized.

In the above-described first to fourteenth embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to an electrodeless fluorescent lamp is exemplified. However, the present invention may be applied to an electrodeed fluorescent lamp (irrespective of a hot cathode type or a cold cathode type). Needless to say.

[0061]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light-transmitting airtight container in which a discharge medium containing at least mercury is sealed, and a phosphor film is formed on an inner surface of the light-transmitting airtight container, and the light-transmitting airtight container is formed. A protective layer formed of a metal oxide other than phosphor particles is provided between two portions of a light-tight hermetic container inner surface and the phosphor coating, and two portions of a surface of the phosphor coating on an airtight space side, Since the metal oxide forming the protective layer is a metal oxide having the same starting material and a different chemical composition of the final product, the metal oxide is provided so as to sandwich the phosphor coating in the translucent airtight container. The metal oxide that forms the two protective layers exhibits a barrier function that minimizes various types of damage that cause the adsorption of mercury or the deterioration of the luminous flux. Mercury consumption and luminous flux degradation There is an effect that it is possible to maximize the reduction effect as well as the luminous flux deterioration prevention effect of consumption amount of mercury control.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, either the metal oxide fine particles or the metal compound sol is used as the starting material.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light-transmitting airtight container in which a discharge medium containing at least mercury is sealed, and a phosphor film is formed on an inner surface of the light-transmitting airtight container, and the light-transmitting airtight container is formed. A protective layer formed of a metal oxide other than phosphor particles is provided between the inner surface of the hermetic container and the phosphor coating, and at two sites on the surface of the phosphor coating on the hermetic space side; Is a metal oxide having different chemical compositions of a starting material and a final product from each other, so that two protective layers provided so as to sandwich a phosphor coating in a translucent airtight container are formed. Metal oxide exhibits a barrier function that minimizes various types of damage that cause adsorption of mercury or deterioration of luminous flux, and as a whole, mercury consumption and luminous flux in a light-tight hermetic container as lighting time elapses Consumption where deterioration is suppressed There is an effect that the reduction effect as well as the luminous flux deterioration prevention effect of the silver amount becomes possible to maximize.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, one of the two protective layers is formed of a fine metal oxide and the other protective layer is formed of a metal oxide continuous body by a sol-gel method. The same effect as that of the invention is achieved.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, since a metal oxide other than the phosphor particles is interposed in the phosphor coating, the metal oxide interposed in the phosphor coating exhibits a barrier function, and is thus consumed. There is an effect that the effect of reducing the amount of mercury and the effect of preventing luminous flux deterioration can be further improved.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the metal oxide has the same chemical composition as that of the metal oxide forming at least one of the protective layers. Has the effect of

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the metal oxide has the same effect as that of the fifth aspect of the invention, since each metal oxide forming the two protective layers has a different chemical composition from the final product. .

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the fluorescent lamp according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, and the fluorescent lamp is disposed inside or outside the translucent airtight container and provided in the discharge medium. A light source capable of maximizing the effect of reducing the amount of mercury consumed and the effect of preventing luminous flux deterioration because it includes an energy supply means for supplying energy and a lighting device for lighting the fluorescent lamp via the energy supply means. There is an effect that the device can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a main part of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a light source device using the above.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a main part of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of another light source device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Translucent airtight container 2 Airtight space 3 Phosphor coating 7 Phosphor particle 8 Glass protective layer 9 Surface protective layer 10 Protective material

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Masahiro Higashikawa 1048 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture F-term in Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd. (reference) 5C039 NN04 5C043 CC09 CC16 DD36 EA16

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A light-transmitting airtight container in which a discharge medium containing at least mercury is sealed, a phosphor film is formed on an inner surface of the light-transmitting airtight container, and the light-transmitting airtight container has an inner surface and a light-transmitting airtight container. A protective layer made of a metal oxide other than the phosphor particles is provided between the phosphor coatings and at two portions on the surface of the phosphor coating on the airtight space side, and the metal oxide forming each of the protective layers is provided. The fluorescent lamp, wherein the objects are metal oxides having the same starting material and a different chemical composition of the final product. 2. The fluorescent lamp according to claim 1, wherein one of a metal oxide fine particle and a metal compound sol is used as the starting material. 3. A light-transmitting airtight container in which a discharge medium containing at least mercury is enclosed, a phosphor film is formed on an inner surface of the light-transmitting airtight container, and the light-transmitting airtight container has an inner surface and a light-transmitting airtight container. A protective layer made of a metal oxide other than the phosphor particles is provided between the phosphor coatings and at two portions on the surface of the phosphor coating on the airtight space side, and the metal oxide forming each of the protective layers is provided. The fluorescent lamp is characterized in that the objects are metal oxides whose starting materials and final products have different chemical compositions from each other. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein one of the two protective layers is formed of fine metal oxide and the other protective layer is formed of a metal oxide continuous body by a sol-gel method. Fluorescent lamp. 5. The phosphor film according to claim 1, wherein a metal oxide other than the phosphor particles is interposed in the phosphor film.
5. The fluorescent lamp according to any one of 4. 6. The fluorescent lamp according to claim 5, wherein a chemical composition of the metal oxide is the same as a metal oxide forming at least one of the protective layers. 7. The fluorescent lamp according to claim 5, wherein the metal oxide is different from each metal oxide forming the two protective layers in a chemical composition of a final product. 8. The fluorescent lamp according to claim 1, and energy that is disposed inside or outside the translucent airtight container to supply energy to the discharge medium. A light source device comprising: a supply unit; and a lighting device for lighting the fluorescent lamp via the energy supply unit.