JP2001015029A - Manufacture of fluorescent lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a manufacturing method of a fluorescent lamp capable of suitably fixing amalgam to a predetermined position, and preventing degradation of lamp efficiency due to amalgam drop in lighting at high temperatures. SOLUTION: Filament coils 3 used as electrodes and fine tubes are respectively mounted to both ends of a bulb having a phosphor applied to its inner surface, amalgam 4 is enclosed in the fine tube mounted to one of the ends of the bulb, the air is evacuated through the fine tube on the other end of the bulb to be replaced with a rare gas, and the fine tube is sealed. Thereafter, glow discharge is generated toward the fine tube filled with the amalgam 4 so as to fix the amalgam 4 to the inner surface of the fine tube, and a fluorescent lamp is completed by mounting a base, a circuit and the like.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a fluorescent lamp in which the vapor pressure of mercury is controlled by amalgam.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a fluorescent lamp using mercury, the vapor pressure of mercury is controlled to an optimum value so as to obtain the maximum ultraviolet luminous efficiency, so that the maximum luminous efficiency is obtained. Since the mercury vapor pressure changes depending on the temperature of the fluorescent lamp, amalgam in which mercury is chemically bonded to another metal is sealed in the fluorescent lamp, and the mercury vapor pressure of the fluorescent lamp is controlled to an appropriate value. This prevents the luminous flux of the fluorescent lamp from being reduced. In addition, as amalgam, B
A combination of i, In, Pb, Sn, Zn, Ag and the like and an alloy with mercury are used.

In such a fluorescent lamp in which the mercury vapor pressure is controlled by amalgam, the amalgam is usually installed in a thin tube in a fluorescent lamp having a low operating temperature. this is,
Since the amalgam is a low melting point alloy, it is to prevent the amalgam from melting due to an excessive rise in temperature during lighting, thereby preventing the mercury vapor pressure from exceeding the optimum mercury vapor pressure and lowering the lamp efficiency.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a straight tube fluorescent lamp. At both ends of the bulb 1 of the fluorescent lamp, filament coils 2a, 2b and thin tubes 3a, 3b as electrodes are provided. The amalgam 4 is sealed in the small tube 3b at one end, and the small tube 3a at the other end is sealed after exhausting the inside of the valve 1 and injecting a rare gas.

Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the amalgam 4 is fixed in the capillary 3b by blowing hot air from a nozzle 5 onto the capillary 3b in which the amalgam 4 is sealed.
Is melted, and then the thin tube 3b is vibrated by the vibrating plate 6 so that the molten amalgam 4 is diffused into the inner surface of the thin tube 3b. That is, the amalgam 4 is melted by heat conduction to the thin tube 3b, and the contact area on the inner surface of the thin tube 3b is increased by applying vibration, and the amalgam 4 is cooled and fixed in the thin tube 3b.

[0006]

However, in the prior art, when the amalgam 4 is fixed in the thin tube 3b, hot air is blown to the thin tube 3b to melt the amalgam 4 by heat conduction to the thin tube 3b. It was necessary to uniformly blow hot air from the nozzle 5 onto the surface of the thin tube 3b. After applying heat, the thin tube 3b containing the amalgam 4 from the outside
Is vibrated, so that the amalgam 4 in the narrow tube 3b also vibrates and moves. For this reason, the fixation to the inner surface of the thin tube 3b was not sufficient.

If the amalgam 4 is not sufficiently fixed, the amalgam 4 may fall into the bulb 1. In such a case, the temperature of the amalgam increases the mercury vapor pressure to an optimum value or more, lowering the lamp efficiency. Would.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a fluorescent lamp in which amalgam can be properly fixed at a predetermined position and a lamp efficiency can be prevented from lowering due to dropping of amalgam during lighting at high temperature.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a fluorescent lamp, comprising: applying a fluorescent material to an inner surface of a straight tubular bulb; and removing the fluorescent material at an end of the bulb. Mounting a filament coil and a thin tube as electrodes on both ends of the valve; enclosing amalgam in a thin tube mounted on one end of the valve; evacuation through a thin tube on the other end of the valve Substituting a gas to seal the thin tube; and generating a glow discharge toward the thin tube in which the amalgam is sealed to fix the amalgam on the inner surface of the thin tube.

In the present invention and each of the following inventions, definitions and technical meanings of terms are as follows unless otherwise specified.

[0011] The straight tubular valve is formed of a cylindrical material having a light transmitting property. For example, it is formed of glass or ceramic, and as the glass, soft glass, semi-hard glass, hard glass, quartz glass, or the like can be used as appropriate.
A phosphor is applied to the entire inner surface of the straight tubular bulb, and the phosphor at both ends of the bulb on which the filament coil and the thin tube are mounted as electrodes is removed.

At both ends of the bulb from which the phosphor has been removed, a filament coil and a thin tube as electrodes are mounted. The thin tube is formed of the same material as the valve. Amalgam is sealed in one of the mounted thin tubes. Amalgam is spherical with a diameter of 2.5 mm, Bi, In, Pb,
It is an alloy with a combination of Sn, Zn, Ag, etc. and mercury, and is sealed to control the mercury vapor pressure in the bulb.

Thereafter, exhaust is performed through the small tube at the other end of the valve. Then, for example, an argon gas is injected as a rare gas, and the thin tube is sealed to form a fluorescent lamp. As the rare gas, xenon, neon, and krypton are allowed.

Next, in order to fix the amalgam on the inner surface of the thin tube, a glow discharge is generated toward the thin tube in which the amalgam is sealed. For example, a glow discharge is generated between the amalgam and the amalgam using a Tesla coil or an induction coil, whereby the amalgam is heated and melted.
Glow discharge has better conductivity to amalgam which is metal than thin tube which is glass, the temperature of amalgam is easier to rise by induction heating effect, the temperature of glass is lower,
The amalgam is easily adhered to the thin tube due to the wettability. At the time of the glow discharge, not only heat but also vibration due to ion impact is generated. Therefore, the contact area of the amalgam melted in the thin tube with the inner surface of the thin tube can be increased.

After the amalgam has been fixed to the inner surface of the thin tube, a fluorescent lamp incorporating a base and a circuit is completed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a fluorescent lamp, wherein a straight tubular bulb is bent in a U-shape at an intermediate portion to form a U-shaped bulb, and a phosphor is formed on the inner surface of the U-shaped bulb. Removing the phosphor at the end of the U-shaped bulb; mounting a filament coil and a thin tube as electrodes at both ends of the U-shaped bulb; and mounting the filament at one end of the U-shaped bulb Encapsulating amalgam in the thin tube; exhausting gas through the thin tube at the other end of the U-shaped valve to replace the rare gas to seal the thin tube; and generating a glow discharge toward the thin tube enclosing the amalgam. Causing the amalgam to adhere to the inner surface of the thin tube.

The present invention is a method for manufacturing a fluorescent lamp of a U-shaped bulb instead of the fluorescent lamp of a straight tubular bulb according to the first aspect of the present invention. In the present invention, a straight tubular valve is bent in a U-shape at an intermediate portion to form a U-shaped valve. Thereafter, a phosphor is applied to the inner surface of the U-shaped bulb. Therefore, peeling of the phosphor can be prevented as compared with the case where the phosphor is bent in a U-shape after the phosphor is applied.

A method of manufacturing a fluorescent lamp according to a third aspect of the present invention includes the step of bending a straight tubular bulb into a U-shape at an intermediate portion to form three U-shaped bulbs; Applying a phosphor on the inner surface of the U-shaped bulb; removing the phosphor at the end of each U-shaped bulb; mounting a filament coil as an electrode at one end of each of the U-shaped bulbs at both ends, and attaching a thin tube at the other end. Mounting the thin tube at one end of the intermediate U-shaped valve and sealing the other end; connecting the U-shaped valve at both ends and the intermediate U-shaped valve via a communication pipe, and connecting both ends. Encapsulating amalgam in a small tube mounted on a U-shaped valve; evacuation through a small tube at the other end of the U-shaped valve at both ends to replace with a rare gas and sealing the small tube; Characterized in that it comprises a; a step of securing said amalgam to generate glow discharge on the inner surface of the capillary towards.

The present invention is a method of manufacturing a fluorescent lamp having three U-shaped bulbs in place of the straight tube fluorescent lamp of the first aspect of the present invention. In the present invention, the straight tube bulb is bent into a U-shape at an intermediate portion to form a U-shaped bulb, and then the phosphor is applied to the inner surface of the U-shaped bulb. Therefore, the separation of the phosphor can be prevented as compared with the case where the phosphor is bent in a U-shape after the application of the phosphor.

A filament coil as an electrode is mounted on one end of two U-shaped valves at both ends of the three U-shaped valves, and a thin tube is mounted on the other end. Then, a thin tube is mounted on one end of one intermediate U-shaped valve among the three U-shaped valves, and the other end is sealed.

The two U-shaped valves at both ends and one U-shaped valve in the middle are connected via a communication pipe. Thus, one light emitting bulb is formed by the three U-shaped bulbs. Further, amalgam is sealed in the thin tubes respectively mounted on the two U-shaped valves at both ends. Thereafter, the air is exhausted through the narrow tube of one U-shaped valve in the middle. Then, a rare gas is injected to seal the thin tube.

Next, in order to fix the amalgam on the inner surface of the thin tube, a glow discharge is generated toward the thin tube in which the amalgam is sealed. Thereby, the amalgam is heated and melted, and the amalgam is fixed to the inner surface of the thin tube. After the amalgam is fixed on the inner surface of the thin tube, the fluorescent lamp is completed by incorporating a base and a circuit.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a fluorescent lamp according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the amalgam is sealed before a glow discharge is generated toward the narrow tube in which the amalgam is sealed. It is characterized by preheating the thin tube.

According to the present invention, a thin tube in which amalgam is sealed is preheated, and thereafter, heating by glow discharge is efficiently performed. The preheating of the thin tube may be performed by blowing hot air from a nozzle, or may be preheated by a heater.
The amalgam can be melted only by glow discharge, but if the thin tube is preheated, the amalgam can be melted in a short time.

[0025]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a process chart of a method for manufacturing a fluorescent lamp according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in FIG.
A straight tubular valve 1 of about 130 mm is prepared, and FIG.
As shown in (b), a phosphor is applied and formed on the inner surface of the bulb 1. Then, as shown in FIG. 1C, the phosphors at both ends (neck portion) of the bulb 1 are removed.

Next, as shown in FIG.
A filament coil 2 and a thin tube 3 as electrodes are respectively mounted on both ends of the substrate, and as shown in FIG.
Amalgam 4 is sealed in a small tube 3b at one end of the valve 1,
Evacuation is performed through the thin tube 3a at the other end of the valve 1 to replace the rare gas with argon gas.
Is sealed.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1 (f), a glow discharge is generated by the induction coil 7 toward the thin tube 3b in which the amalgam 4 is sealed. Thereby, the amalgam 4 is heated and melted. At the time of the glow discharge, not only heat but also vibration due to ion bombardment is generated, so that the contact area of the amalgam 4 melted in the thin tube 3b with the inner surface of the thin tube can be increased, and the amalgam 4 can be appropriately fixed in the thin tube 3b. Then, a fluorescent lamp is completed by incorporating a base, a circuit, and the like.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 is a process chart of a method for manufacturing a fluorescent lamp according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment shows a method of manufacturing a fluorescent lamp having a U-shaped bulb 11 in addition to the straight tubular bulb 1 in the first embodiment shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2A, 110 to 130
A straight tube-shaped valve 1 of about mm is bent in a U-shape at an intermediate portion to form a U-shaped valve 11 as shown in FIG. Next, as shown in FIG.
A phosphor is applied and formed on the inner surface of the U-shaped bulb 11, and the phosphor at the end (neck) of the U-shaped bulb 11 is removed as shown in FIG.

Next, as shown in FIG.
The filament coil 2 and the thin tube 3 as electrodes are respectively mounted on both ends of the.

Next, as shown in FIG.
Amalgam 4 is sealed in a small tube 3b at one end of
Is exhausted through the thin tube 3a at the other end to replace the rare gas with argon gas, and the thin tube 3b of the valve 1 is sealed.

Then, as shown in FIG. 2 (g), a glow discharge is generated by the induction coil 7 toward the thin tube 3b in which the amalgam 4 is sealed. As a result, the amalgam 4 is heated and melted. At this time, not only heat but also vibration is generated. Therefore, the contact area of the melted amalgam 4 in the thin tube 3b with the inner surface of the thin tube can be increased, and the thin tube 3 can be appropriately melted.
Amalgam 4 can be fixed in b. Then, a fluorescent lamp is completed by incorporating a base, a circuit, and the like.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. 3 and 4 are process diagrams of a method for manufacturing a fluorescent lamp according to the third embodiment of the present invention. This third embodiment shows a method of manufacturing a fluorescent lamp having three U-shaped bulbs 11 according to the second embodiment shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3A, 110 to 130
A U-shaped valve 11 is formed by bending a straight tubular valve 1 of about mm in a U-shape at an intermediate portion. Next, FIG.
, Each of the three U-shaped valves 11a, 11b,
A phosphor is applied on the inner surface of 11c, and as shown in FIG. 3C, the phosphor at the ends (neck portions) of the U-shaped bulbs 11a, 11b, 11c is removed. At this time, a hole is also made corresponding to the position of the communication pipe for communicating the U-shaped valves 11a, 11b, 11c.

Next, as shown in FIG.
The filament coils 2a, 2c and the thin tubes 3a, 3c as electrodes are mounted on the V-shaped valves 11a, 11c, respectively. The thin tube 3b is mounted on one end of the intermediate U-shaped valve 11b, and the other end is sealed.

Next, as shown in FIG.
-Shaped valves 11a and 11c and an intermediate U-shaped valve 11b
Are connected via communication tubes 8a and 8b, and amalgam 4 is sealed in the small tubes 3a and 3c of the U-shaped valves 11a and 11c at both ends. Also, an intermediate U-shaped valve 1
Is exhausted through the narrow tube 3b to replace the rare gas with argon gas, and the thin tube 3b of the intermediate U-shaped valve 11b is exhausted.
Is sealed.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4 (f), a glow discharge is generated by the induction coil 7 toward the thin tubes 3a, 3c in which the amalgam 4 is sealed. As a result, the amalgam 4 is heated and melted. At this time, not only heat but also vibration is generated, so that the contact area of the melted amalgam 4 in the narrow tubes 3a and 3c with the inner surface of the narrow tube can be increased.
The amalgam 4 can be properly fixed in the thin tubes 3a and 3c.
Then, a fluorescent lamp is completed by incorporating a base, a circuit, and the like.

In the above description, the amalgam 4 is connected to the thin tube 3
a and fixed to the inner surface of 3c, the thin tube 3a,
Although the glow discharge is directly generated toward 3c, the thin tubes 3a and 3c in which amalgam is sealed may be preheated before that.

That is, the capillary 3 containing amalgam
Hot air is blown from nozzles to a and 3b to preheat, and then heating by glow discharge is performed. Thereby, the amalgam 4 can be efficiently melted. Thin tubes 3a, 3
The preheating of c may be performed by a heater instead of the hot air from the nozzle.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the amalgam can be firmly fixed at a predetermined position, it is possible to prevent the amalgam from coming off in a heating step such as baking of a die cement,
Problems such as a decrease in luminous flux due to the drop of amalgam during lighting at high temperatures can also be solved.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the amalgam is heated and melted by glow discharge, and not only heat but also vibration is generated at the time of glow discharge. The contact area can be increased. Therefore, the amalgam can be securely fixed in the thin tube.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the same effect as that of the fluorescent lamp according to the first aspect having the straight tubular bulb can be obtained in the case of the fluorescent lamp having the U-shaped bulb.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the same effect as in the case of the fluorescent lamp of the first aspect having a straight tubular bulb can be obtained in the case of a fluorescent lamp having three U-shaped bulbs.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the heating of the amalgam is performed in a short time since the heating by the glow discharge is performed after preheating the narrow tube in which the amalgam is sealed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a process chart of a method for manufacturing a fluorescent lamp according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a process chart of a method for manufacturing a fluorescent lamp according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a process diagram (part 1) of a method for manufacturing a fluorescent lamp according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a process diagram (part 2) of the method for manufacturing a fluorescent lamp according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a straight tubular fluorescent lamp.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of fixing of amalgam sealed in a thin tube of a conventional fluorescent lamp.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Valve 2 Filament coil 3 Thin tube 4 Amalgam 5 Nozzle 6 Diaphragm 7 Induction coil 8 Communication tube 11 U-shaped valve

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A step of applying and forming a phosphor on an inner surface of a straight tubular bulb; a step of removing a phosphor at an end of the bulb; and mounting a filament coil and a thin tube as electrodes on both ends of the bulb, respectively. Encapsulating amalgam in a capillary mounted at one end of the valve; exhausting through a capillary at the other end of the valve to replace with a rare gas and sealing the capillary; and encapsulating the amalgam Generating a glow discharge toward the thin tube to fix the amalgam on the inner surface of the thin tube. 2. A step of bending a straight tubular valve into a U-shape at an intermediate portion to form a U-shaped bulb and applying a phosphor on an inner surface of the U-shaped bulb; and an end of the U-shaped bulb. Removing the phosphor of the above; mounting a filament coil and a thin tube as electrodes at both ends of the U-shaped bulb; enclosing amalgam in a thin tube mounted at one end of the U-shaped bulb;
Evacuation through a small tube at the other end of the U-shaped valve to replace the rare gas and seal the small tube; and generating a glow discharge toward the small tube enclosing the amalgam to fix the amalgam on the inner surface of the small tube. A method of manufacturing a fluorescent lamp. A step of bending a straight tubular bulb into a U-shape at an intermediate portion to form three U-shaped bulbs; and a step of applying and forming a phosphor on an inner surface of each of the three U-shaped bulbs. Removing a phosphor at the end of each U-shaped bulb; mounting a filament coil as an electrode at one end of the U-shaped bulb at both ends and mounting a thin tube at the other end; Mounting a thin tube at one end and sealing the other end; connecting the U-shaped valve at both ends and an intermediate U-shaped valve via a communication tube, and enclosing amalgam in the thin tube mounted at the U-shaped valve at both ends. Evacuation through a small tube at the other end of the U-shaped valve at both ends to replace the rare gas and seal the small tube; and to generate glow discharge toward the small tube in which the amalgam is sealed to generate the gas. Fixing rugum to the inner surface of the thin tube. 4. The fluorescent lamp according to claim 1, wherein the thin tube enclosing the amalgam is preheated before a glow discharge is generated toward the thin tube enclosing the amalgam. Manufacturing method.