JP2002033049A - Method and device for washing translucent tube for discharge lamp, and discharge lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of washing the impure material adhered to the inner surface of a translucent tube for discharge lamp. SOLUTION: This method of washing a translucent tube 100 for discharge lamp having a light emitting part 10 includes a process for leading the washing fluid 50 from one end 100a of the translucent tube 100 and a process for flowing the washing fluid 50 brought in contact with at least the inner surface 10a of the light emitting tube part 10 in the inner surface of the translucent tube 100 so as to eliminate the impure material 30 adhered to the inner surface 10a of the light emitting tube part 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp. The present invention also relates to a discharge lamp manufactured using a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp after cleaning obtained by such a cleaning method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, image projection apparatuses such as liquid crystal projectors and DMD projectors have been widely used as systems for realizing large-screen images. For example, ultra-high pressure mercury lamps and metal halide lamps) are generally widely used. Such a high-pressure discharge lamp is manufactured by inserting an electrode assembly in which a tungsten electrode and a metal foil are connected to each other into a glass tube for a discharge lamp (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-32135).

FIG. 11 schematically shows a cross section of a discharge lamp glass tube 100 which is a light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp used for manufacturing a high-pressure discharge lamp. Glass tube 10
Numeral 0 has a substantially spherical arc tube portion 10 and a side tube portion 20 extending from the arc tube portion 10. The arc tube part 10 is a part which becomes a light emitting tube of the high pressure discharge lamp, and the side tube part 20 is a part which becomes a sealing part (seal part) of the high pressure discharge lamp.
The glass tube 100 is made of quartz glass from which alkali components have been removed as much as possible. The reason is that the glass tube 10
0 (especially the arc tube part 10) contains an alkaline component (for example, N
When a) is present, the alkali component becomes a seed for crystallization of quartz glass, and crystallization (phase transition to cristobalite) of quartz glass proceeds at a high temperature during lamp operation. Is caused.
This clouding is a phenomenon also called devitrification and is one of the causes of shortening the life of the discharge lamp. In order to suppress the occurrence of devitrification and extend the life of the discharge lamp, the concentration of the alkali component contained in the quartz glass constituting the glass tube for the discharge lamp is, for example, 1 ppm or less.

[0004]

Since the discharge lamp glass tube 100 is handled with care so that no impurities adhere thereto, conventionally, for example, almost no alkali components adhere to the glass tube 100 supplied from a manufacturer. Was thought not to be. Also in the measurement by the present inventor, the alkali component adhering to the glass tube 100 was at an undetectable level. Therefore, conventionally, for example, even when cleaning the glass tube 100, as shown in FIG. 12, the glass tube 100 is immersed in a container 170 to which pure water 160 is constantly supplied, and the glass tube 100 is cleaned. I was

However, when the concentration of the alkali component is 1 p
The inventors of the present application have found that even when a discharge lamp is manufactured using a glass tube 100 having a diameter of not more than pm, the influence of an alkali component cannot be avoided. The inventor of the present application handles the glass tube 100 under an inert atmosphere (for example, argon) so that impurities are not mixed as much as possible during the manufacturing process of the discharge lamp. However, the influence of the alkali component cannot be eliminated. Was. For this reason, the inside of the glass tube 100, which was considered to have no alkali component attached, was experimentally washed, and the impurity concentration of the alkali component contained in the cleaning solution was analyzed. The inventor of the present application has found that an alkali component having a concentration exceeding that adheres to the inner surface of the glass tube 100. That is, when the alkali component is contained in the glass tube 1
00, the glass tube 100 is higher than the alkali component level of the original material (quartz glass).
It has been found that the level of the alkali component contained in is high.

In order to remove the alkali component adhering to the glass tube 100 to obtain the alkali level of the original material (for example, an alkali component concentration of 1 ppm or less), it is necessary to simply immerse the tube in flowing pure water. Insufficient and requires special cleaning. However, the glass tube 10
Since 0 is not a simple shape (for example, a disk shape like a semiconductor wafer) but a complicated shape, it is difficult to clean the inner surface of the glass tube 100, especially the inner surface of the arc tube portion 10. . This problem will be further described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 13, when a glass tube 100 is immersed in a container 170 filled with pure water 160, usually,
Bubbles 32 are generated in the glass tube 100. When the glass tube 100 is lying inside the container 170 as shown in FIG. 12, bubbles 32a exist above the inside of the arc tube portion 10 of the glass tube 100. This bubble 32a is used for the glass tube 1
Even if 00 rotates or moves, it continues to remain above the inside of the arc tube part 10 of the glass tube 100. therefore,
Since the bubbles 32a prevent contact between the pure water 160 and the inner surface of the arc tube unit 10, impurities present on the inner surface of the arc tube unit 10 are not removed. In addition, the arc tube section 1
Even if the bubble 32b is other than 0, as long as the bubble 32b is present, the pure water 160 cannot contact the inner surface of the glass tube 100 at that location, so that impurities cannot be removed.

Further, when there is a large bubble 32c that blocks the inside of the glass tube 100,
Even if the inside of the glass tube 100 continues to flow with pure water 160, the glass tube 100
Since the pure water 160 cannot flow through the inside of the glass tube 100, the inner surface of the glass tube 100 cannot be substantially cleaned. The reason is that, when the flow of the pure water 160 in the glass tube 100 stops, even if the impurities existing on the inner surface of the glass tube 100 are dissolved in the pure water 160, the impurities are discharged to the outside of the glass tube 100. Because it does not come out, after cleaning the glass tube 100
This is because, when is dried, the impurities adhere to the inner surface of the glass tube 100 again. Therefore, when the pure water 160 does not flow inside the glass tube 100,
Although the outer surface can be cleaned, the inner surface cannot be cleaned. In addition, even when there is no bubble 32 in the glass tube 100, since the inner diameter of the glass tube 100 is not so large, the pure water 160 in the glass tube 100 is removed.
Does not flow well, but rather flows easily.

This is because pure water 1 is filled in the container 170.
This is not limited to the case where the flow is performed at 60, but also occurs when the glass tube 100 immersed in the container 170 is subjected to ultrasonic cleaning. In other words, even if impurities are easily dissolved in pure water by applying ultrasonic waves, the impurities eventually adhere to the inner surface of the glass tube 100 after drying unless the impurities are outside the glass tube 100. Further, the method of cleaning by inserting a rotating brush into the glass tube 100 is not practical because the inner surface of the glass tube 100 is damaged.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and a main object of the present invention is to provide a method for cleaning impurities adhered to the inner surface of a light transmitting tube for a discharge lamp.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp, the method comprising the steps of: Introducing a cleaning fluid from one end of a transparent tube, and causing the cleaning fluid to flow while contacting the cleaning fluid with at least the inner surface of the arc tube portion among the inner surfaces of the light-transmitting tube, Removing impurities adhering to the inner surface of the arc tube part.

In the removing step, the cleaning fluid is allowed to flow while the cleaning fluid is in contact with the outer surface of the light-transmitting tube in the same step. It is preferable to remove impurities adhering to the substrate.

[0013] In one embodiment, the step of introducing the cleaning fluid includes the step of placing the light-transmissive tube in a container in which the cleaning fluid as the cleaning fluid is placed such that the end of the tube is positioned substantially vertically. Disposing the cleaning liquid into the container and injecting the cleaning liquid into the container, wherein the step of removing the impurities comprises removing the cleaning liquid until the cleaning liquid reaches the upper portion of the arc tube portion of the light-transmitting tube for the discharge lamp. Raising the liquid level of
Lowering the level of the cleaning liquid until the liquid level falls below the lower part of the arc tube part.

It is preferable that a step of raising the level of the cleaning liquid and a step of lowering the level of the cleaning liquid are repeated.

Preferably, the step of lowering the liquid level of the cleaning liquid is performed so as to lower the liquid level of the cleaning liquid until the liquid level falls below the lower end of the light-transmitting tube.

Preferably, the step of raising the level of the cleaning liquid is performed so as to raise the level of the cleaning liquid until the level of the cleaning liquid exceeds the upper end of the light-transmitting tube.

It is preferable that the method further comprises a step of discharging the cleaning liquid in the container from the container.

In one embodiment, the end point of the cleaning is determined by monitoring the concentration of the impurity contained in the cleaning liquid in the container.

It is preferable that the light-transmissive tube is arranged so that an end of the light-transmissive tube is positioned substantially vertically by using a holder for holding the plurality of light-transmissive tubes.

In one embodiment, the cleaning liquid is ultrapure water (resistance value: for example, about 10 MΩ or more), pure water (resistance value: for example, about 1 MΩ or more), deionized water (resistance value: for example, about 1 MΩ to about 10 MΩ or more). ), A hydrofluoric acid aqueous solution, a hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution, and a combination of any of these and cleaning fine particles.

In one embodiment, a plurality of types of impurities are attached to the inner surface of the arc tube portion as the impurities, and a first cleaning solution is used as the cleaning solution for the first of the plurality of types of impurities. A first step of introducing from the one end of the light-transmissive tube, and a second cleaning liquid other than the first cleaning liquid as the cleaning liquid for a second impurity other than the first impurity among the plurality of types of impurities. And a second step of introducing the washing liquid from the one end of the light-transmitting tube.

In one embodiment, the cleaning fluid comprises:
Discharging the cleaning fluid, which is one of gas, liquid, and fine-particle powder, introduced from one end of the light-transmitting tube for the discharge lamp from the other end of the light-transmitting tube for the discharge lamp. Thereby, a step of removing the impurities attached to the inner surface of the arc tube part is performed.

In one embodiment, the cleaning fluid is an inert gas (eg, argon gas, nitrogen gas, etc.).

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp, wherein a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp having an arc tube portion is disposed and a cleaning liquid is contained therein; An injection pipe or an injection tube for injecting the cleaning liquid, a discharge pipe or an exhaust tube for discharging the cleaning liquid in the container, and impurities adhering to the light-transmitting tube, wherein A concentration monitor for monitoring the concentration of impurities contained in the cleaning liquid.

The concentration monitor uses the electric conductivity of the cleaning liquid injected into the injection pipe or the injection tube as a reference value, and indicates the cleaning liquid in the container or the cleaning liquid discharged from the container. By comparing the electrical conductivity with the reference value,
It is preferable to have a function to determine the end of cleaning.

In one embodiment, the container has a sealed structure such that the cleaning liquid in the container does not come into contact with air outside the container.

A discharge lamp according to the present invention comprises a light emitting tube in which a pair of electrodes are arranged in a tube in which a light emitting substance is sealed, and a sealing portion extending from the light emitting tube. The discharge lamp is a light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp having an arc tube portion serving as an arc tube of the discharge lamp, and a side tube portion extending from the arc tube portion, and is obtained through a cleaning step. Preparing a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp, and an electrode assembly having a metal foil and an electrode connected to the metal foil so that the tip of the electrode is located in the arc tube portion. A discharge lamp manufacturing method including a step of inserting into the side tube portion, and a step of forming the sealing portion by bringing the metal foil of the electrode assembly into close contact with the side tube portion. Discharge lamp, wherein the cleaning step comprises: (A) introducing a cleaning fluid from one end of a light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp having an arc tube portion serving as an arc tube of an electric lamp and a side tube portion extending from the arc tube portion; A step (b) of flowing the cleaning fluid while contacting the cleaning fluid with at least the inner surface of the arc tube portion of the inner surface of the light-transmitting tube, thereby removing impurities adhering to the inner surface of the arc tube portion. The step (a) is performed in such a manner that the light-transmitting tube is positioned so that an end of the light-transmitting tube is located substantially vertically in a container in which a cleaning liquid as the cleaning fluid is placed. (A-1)
And injecting the cleaning solution into the container (a-2)
Wherein the step (b) comprises the steps of: (b-1) raising the level of the cleaning liquid to exceed the upper part of the arc tube part of the translucent tube; (B-2) lowering the level of the cleaning liquid until the cleaning liquid drops below the predetermined level.

In one embodiment, in the discharge lamp, at least mercury, a rare gas, and a halogen as a luminescent substance are sealed in the luminous tube, the luminous tube is substantially made of quartz glass, and the electrode is substantially composed of quartz glass. The halogen lamp is a discharge lamp made of tungsten, and the number of moles of the halogen is a total number of moles of the metal elements (excluding the tungsten element and the mercury element) which are metal elements having the property of binding to the halogen and which are present in the arc tube. And the number of moles of the tungsten that evaporates from the electrode during the lamp operation and is present in the arc tube, and each kind of the metal element (excluding the tungsten element and the mercury element) Where Mi is the number of moles of the metal element Mi and Mi is the stoichiometric coefficient of the metal element Mi. In the above, the total number (Σ (mi × ni)) obtained by adding the number obtained by multiplying the molar number mi of the metal element Mi by the stoichiometric coefficient ni for each type of the metal element Mi, The number of moles of the halogen is greater than the sum with the number of moles.

In one embodiment, the number of moles of halogen sealed in the arc tube is determined by the number of moles of sodium (Na), potassium (K), lithium (L) present in the arc tube.
It is at least 5 times the total number of moles of i), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni).

In one embodiment, the discharge lamp is a mercury lamp having a tube wall load of the arc tube of 80 W / cm ² or more.

According to the present invention, a cleaning fluid is introduced from one end of a light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp (for example, a glass tube or a ceramic tube for a discharge lamp), and the cleaning fluid is brought into contact with at least the inner surface of the arc tube portion. While the cleaning fluid is flowing. For this reason, by constantly introducing a new cleaning fluid to the inner surface of the arc tube portion, impurities attached to the inner surface of the arc tube portion can be satisfactorily removed.

When the cleaning fluid is caused to flow while the cleaning fluid is brought into contact not only with the inner surface of the arc tube portion but also with the outer surface of the translucent tube, the light transmitting property is improved together with the impurities attached to the inner surface. The impurities attached to the outer surface of the tube can also be removed. As a result, impurities (especially fingerprints and oils of an operator) adhering to the outer surface of the light-transmitting tube can also be removed, thereby preventing devitrification of the arc tube caused when the lamp is turned on due to the impurities. it can.

When a cleaning liquid is used as the cleaning fluid, in order to make the cleaning liquid flow while contacting the inner surface of the arc tube,
Transparent tube so that the end of the tube is located in a substantially vertical direction,
After arranging the cleaning liquid in the container, the step of raising the liquid level of the cleaning liquid so as to exceed the upper part of the arc tube part and the step of lowering the liquid level of the cleaning liquid until it is lower than the lower part of the arc tube part may be performed. . In this case, it is preferable to repeat the step of raising the liquid level of the cleaning liquid and the step of lowering the liquid level of the cleaning liquid. If the cleaning liquid is lowered so that it is below the lower end of the light-transmitting tube, the cleaning liquid having a high impurity concentration can be discharged out of the tube. Impurities can be removed more favorably. Further, by performing the cleaning so as to raise the liquid level of the cleaning liquid so as to exceed the upper end of the light-transmissive pipe, the cleaning liquid having a high impurity-containing concentration can be discharged out of the pipe. This is preferable because the cleaning liquid comes into contact with the entire inner surface of the light-transmitting tube. It is more preferable to perform the step of discharging the cleaning liquid in the container from the container, because the cleaning liquid containing impurities can be exchanged for a cleaning liquid that has not been subjected to cleaning. Further, when cleaning is performed while monitoring the concentration of impurities contained in the cleaning liquid, it is possible to easily determine the time point at which the impurities are surely removed (end of cleaning).

When a holder for holding a plurality of light-transmitting tubes for discharge lamps is used, a plurality of light-transmitting tubes can be washed at a time, thereby improving work efficiency. As the cleaning liquid, ultrapure water, pure water, deionized water, an aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid, and an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide can be used, and a combination of these cleaning liquids and cleaning fine particles can also be used. If, for example, ultrapure water is used as the cleaning liquid, the alkaline component can be removed satisfactorily. When a plurality of types of impurities are attached to the inner surface of the arc tube, the first impurity is used for the first cleaning liquid, and the second impurity is used for the second cleaning liquid. Cleaning of the light tube can be performed.

Further, using any one of a gas, a liquid, and a fine particle powder as a cleaning fluid, the cleaning fluid introduced from one end of the light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp is supplied to the light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp. , The impurities adhering to the inner surface of the arc tube part can be removed. For example, an inert gas such as an argon gas or a nitrogen gas can be used as the cleaning fluid.

The apparatus for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp according to the present invention comprises an injection pipe (or injection tube) for injecting a cleaning solution into a container in which the light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp is disposed, and a container. It has a discharge pipe (or discharge tube) for discharging the cleaning liquid inside and a concentration monitor that monitors the concentration of impurities contained in the cleaning liquid in the container, so that the impurity concentration is monitored while performing the cleaning. be able to. As a result, the transparent tube for the discharge lamp can be reliably cleaned. If the concentration monitor has a function of determining the end of the washing, the end point of the washing can be easily determined. When the concentration monitor is used, for example, the time when the electric conductivity of the cleaning liquid in the container or the cleaning liquid discharged from the container becomes approximately equal to the reference value may be set as the cleaning end point. Further, when the container is made to have a sealed structure so that the cleaning liquid in the container does not come into contact with the air outside the container, it is possible to prevent impurities contained in the air outside the container from being mixed into the cleaning liquid inside the container. Become.

In the discharge lamp manufactured using the light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp cleaned by the method for cleaning a light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp according to the present invention, impurities are satisfactorily removed. Thus, a discharge lamp having higher performance (for example, longer life) than the conventional one is realized.

[0038]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, components having substantially the same function are denoted by the same reference numeral for the sake of simplicity.

FIGS. 1A to 1C are process sectional views schematically showing each process of a method for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, a substantially spherical arc tube portion 10 and a side tube portion 20 are formed.
A glass tube 100 for a discharge lamp, which is a light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp, is prepared. The inner diameter and the glass thickness of the arc tube part 10 of the glass tube 100 prepared in this embodiment are 6 mm and 3 mm, respectively, and the inner diameter and the longitudinal length of the side tube part 20 are 3.4 mm and 2 mm, respectively.
50 mm. The glass tube 100 is made of, for example, quartz glass having an alkali component concentration of, for example, 1 to 2 ppm, preferably 1 ppm or less. The inner surface of the prepared glass tube 100 before cleaning (for example, the inner surface 1 of the arc tube portion 10)
0a) has an impurity 30 attached thereto. Examples of the impurities 30 include alkali components (Na, K, etc.), silica powder, organic substances, and the like. In this embodiment, a glass tube for a discharge lamp is used, but a ceramic tube for a discharge lamp may be used instead of the glass tube for a discharge lamp.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1A, a cleaning fluid 50 is introduced from one end 100a of the glass tube 100. The introduced cleaning fluid 50 flows while contacting the inner surface 10a of the arc tube part 10, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1C, at least the impurities 30 attached to the inner surface 10a of the arc tube part 10 are removed. Next, after the cleaning fluid 50 is discharged from the other end 100b of the glass tube 100, a new cleaning fluid 50 'is introduced from one end 100a of the glass tube 100, and the cleaning fluid 50' removes the impurities 30. When the introduction of the cleaning fluid was repeated and the adhered impurities 30 were completely removed, the glass tube 100 was cleaned to the level of impurities contained in the material (quartz glass) constituting the glass tube 100. Become.

According to the cleaning method of this embodiment, since the cleaning fluid 50 flows while contacting the inner surface 10 a, the cleaning fluid 50 can wash away the impurities 30, and the cleaning fluid 50 in the glass tube 100 is removed. By performing the replacement, the impurities 30 can be removed by an infinite dilution method. On the other hand, in the cleaning method shown in FIG. 12, even if the glass tube 100 moves to some extent, the pure water in the glass tube 100 hardly flows, and it is difficult to replace the pure water in the glass tube 100. For this reason, in the cleaning method shown in FIG. 12, impurities are substantially diffused and removed in pure water which is still, and therefore, the cleaning method in the present embodiment more preferably removes impurities 30 from the inside of the tube. Can be removed.

As the cleaning fluid 50 in this embodiment, any of a gas (such as an argon gas), a liquid (a cleaning liquid), or a fine particle powder (quartz beads) can be used. The cleaning fluid introduced from one end 100a of the glass tube 100, as shown in FIG.
When the cleaning fluid is, for example, a cleaning liquid, it may be discharged from one end 100a in addition to the discharge from 0b.

An embodiment in which a cleaning liquid is used as a cleaning fluid and a glass tube for a discharge lamp is used as a translucent tube for a discharge lamp will be described below. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. For example, a ceramic tube for a discharge lamp may be used instead of a glass tube for a discharge lamp. (Embodiment 1) A method for cleaning a glass tube for a discharge lamp when a cleaning liquid is used as a cleaning fluid will be described with reference to FIG. FIGS. 2A and 2B schematically show each step of the cleaning method according to the first embodiment.

First, as shown in FIG.
0 of the cleaning apparatus 70 provided with the container 72 holding
The glass tube 100 for a discharge lamp is arranged in the inside. The glass tube 100 is disposed such that the end of the glass tube 100 is substantially vertical, and one end 100a of the glass tube 100
Is located below the container 72.

Next, the cleaning liquid 60 is injected into the container 72 through an injection pipe (or injection tube) 74 for injecting the cleaning liquid 60 into the container 72. The injection amount of the cleaning liquid 60 can be adjusted by the valve 75. Cleaning liquid 60 is in container 7
2 and the level 60 of the cleaning liquid 60
a rises, one end 100a of the glass tube 100
After the cleaning liquid 60 is introduced from the above, the cleaning liquid 60 in the glass tube 100 flows upward while being in contact with the inner surface of the glass tube 100. The cleaning liquid 60 in the glass tube 100 is allowed to flow while being kept in contact with the inner surface 10a of the arc tube portion 10 to remove impurities (not shown) attached to the inner surface 10a of the arc tube portion 10 by continuing the injection of the cleaning solution 60. I do.

At this time, since the cleaning liquid 60 flows upward while contacting not only the inner surface of the glass tube 100 but also the outer surface of the glass tube 100, the inner surface 10a of the arc tube portion 10
In addition to the impurities attached to the glass tube 100, the impurities attached to the outer surface of the glass tube 100 (particularly, the outer surface of the arc tube portion 10) can be removed together. On the outer surface of the glass tube 100,
Fingerprints and oils and fats of workers containing a large amount of impurities such as sodium tend to adhere, but if these remain in the discharge tube of the discharge lamp, it is not preferable because they cause devitrification of the discharge tube. In other words, when the lamp is turned on, not only the inner surface but also the outer surface of the arc tube becomes hot, so that fingerprints, oils and fats are burned, and the arc tube may be devitrified. In this embodiment, the outer surface as well as the inner surface of the glass tube 100 can be cleaned, so that such devitrification can be effectively prevented. In addition, since the inner surface and the outer surface of the glass tube 100 can be washed at the same time, work efficiency is good.

The cleaning solution 6 is moved until it exceeds the upper part of the arc tube portion 10.
0, the inner surface 1 of the arc tube part 10 is raised.
That is, the whole Oa has been cleaned by the cleaning liquid 60.
Thereafter, the injection of the cleaning liquid 60 from the injection pipe 74 may be continued so as to raise the liquid level 60a of the cleaning liquid 60 to a certain height in the container 72, preferably to a level above the upper end of the glass tube 100. When the liquid level 60a is raised above the upper end of the glass tube 100, in addition to being able to contact the entire inner surface of the glass tube 100 with the cleaning liquid 60, the cleaning liquid 60 in the tube is discharged from the upper end of the glass tube 100. The replacement of the cleaning liquid 60 can also be performed. Further, for example, even when dust is present on the liquid surface 60a, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering and remaining on the inner surface of the pipe.

Next, as shown in FIG.
Discharge pipe (discharge tube) for discharging the cleaning liquid 60 in the inside
The cleaning liquid 60 in the container 72 is discharged through 76, and the liquid level 60a of the cleaning liquid 60 is lowered. In this embodiment,
With the valve 75 of the injection pipe 74 and the valve 75 of the discharge pipe 76 both open, the cleaning liquid 60 is injected into the container 72 through the injection pipe 74 so that the cleaning liquid 60 reaches the height of the top 76 h of the discharge pipe 76. The liquid level 60a is raised, and when the liquid level 60a reaches the uppermost portion 76h, the liquid is naturally discharged (drained) by the siphon principle. If the inner diameter of the discharge pipe 76 is made larger than that of the injection pipe 74, the discharge of the cleaning liquid 60 can be completed without stopping the injection of the cleaning liquid 60. Can be. In addition, the upper and lower sides of the liquid surface 60a are located between the valve 75 of the injection pipe 74 and the valve 75 of the discharge pipe 76.
It can also be performed by adjusting. Of course,
A drain pipe (liquid drain pipe) is provided at the lower part of the container 72 or at the bottom of the container 72, and the cleaning liquid 60
May be discharged. In this case, the cleaning liquid 60 may be discharged after the injection of the cleaning liquid 60 is stopped.

The discharge of the cleaning liquid 60 causes the discharge tube section 10
When the liquid level of the cleaning liquid 60 is lowered until it falls below the lower part of
The cleaning solution 60 is brought into contact with the inner surface 10a of the arc tube portion
Will flow. In the present embodiment, the liquid level 60a is lowered until the liquid level falls below the lower end 100a of the glass tube 100, the cleaning liquid 60 in the pipe is drained, and the liquid level 60a is raised again by the new cleaning liquid 60 constantly injected from the injection pipe 74. Like that. By doing so, the cleaning can be performed by replacing all of the cleaning liquid 60 in the glass tube 100.

After the liquid level 60a of the cleaning liquid 60 is lowered to a level lower than the lower part of the arc tube section 10, the liquid level 60
a may be increased. In this way, the glass tube 1
The inner surface of the glass tube 100 can be cleaned while exchanging a part of the cleaning liquid 60 inside the tube 00 and a part of the cleaning liquid 60 outside the tube. In addition, it is also possible to combine the method of partially replacing the cleaning liquid 60 in the tube with the method of completely replacing the cleaning liquid 60 in the tube. In the present embodiment, the cleaning liquid 6
Although the liquid level 60a is raised and lowered by the injection and discharge of 0, the liquid level 60a may be raised and lowered by physically (for example, mechanically or manually) moving the glass tube 100 up and down. It is possible.

The rising and falling of the liquid surface 60a is repeated a plurality of times to clean the glass tube 100. In this embodiment,
For example, cleaning is performed by performing one set of raising and lowering the liquid surface 60a over about 5 minutes, and performing one set of the total of five sets.

It is checked whether or not the cleaning has been completed, and if it is desired to surely clean the glass tube 100 within a minimum necessary time, the concentration of impurities contained in the cleaning liquid 60 in the container 72 is monitored. Thus, the end of the cleaning can be determined. For example, the impurity concentration in the cleaning solution 60 injected into the injection pipe 74 and the cleaning solution 60 in the container 72 are different.
The cleaning may be performed while monitoring with a concentration monitor whether or not the impurity concentration in the medium is within a predetermined range (or substantially equal). The cleaning liquid 6 in the container 72
Instead of the impurity concentration of 0, the impurity concentration of the cleaning liquid 60 discharged from the container 72 may be monitored.

The concentration of impurities contained in the cleaning liquid 60 can be measured by using, for example, an electric conductivity meter. Specifically, as shown in FIGS.
An electric conductivity meter 82 for measuring the electric conductivity indicated by the cleaning liquid 60 therein, and a monitor 8 indicating the indicated value of the electric conductivity meter 82.
4 can be used to determine the end of the wash. First, the glass tube 100 is placed in the container 72.
Before the cleaning liquid (for example, pure water or ultrapure water) 60 to be injected into the injection pipe 74 is placed in, for example, the container 72, the electric conductivity of the cleaning liquid 60 is measured by the electric conductivity meter 82 before being placed in the inside. The reference value obtained by the measurement is used as a reference value. After that, when cleaning the glass tube 100, the end of the cleaning may be determined by comparing the electric conductivity indicated by the cleaning liquid 60 in the container 72 with a reference value. Further, an electric conductivity meter is placed in a cleaning liquid supply tank (not shown) for the cleaning liquid 60 to be injected into the injection pipe, and the indicated value indicated by the electric conductivity meter can be used as a reference value.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, a description will be given of an apparatus and an instrument which can be suitably used in the cleaning method according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 shows the cleaning device 7 shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a holder 90 that holds a plurality of discharge lamp glass tubes 100 in a state of being positioned substantially vertically.

The cleaning device 70 shown in FIG. 3 includes a container 72 in which the cleaning liquid 60 is filled, an injection pipe 74 for injecting the cleaning liquid 60 into the container 72, and a discharge pipe 76 for discharging the cleaning liquid 60 in the container 72. And the cleaning device 70
Although not shown in FIG. 3, a concentration monitor 80 (see FIG. 2) for monitoring the concentration of impurities (impurities attached to the glass tube 100) contained in the cleaning solution 60 in the container 72 is further provided. ing. The container 72, the injection pipe (or the injection tube) 74, and the discharge pipe (or the discharge tube) 76 of the cleaning device 70 are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in order to prevent impurities from entering the cleaning liquid 60 from the constituent materials. (Thickness: about 5 mm, for example). In addition, instead of polyvinyl chloride, PTFE
(For example, Teflon (registered trademark)) or the like.

The upper surface of the container 72 is open, and the glass tube 100 can be placed in the container 72 by inserting the glass tube 100 through the opening on the upper surface. After disposing the glass tube 100 in the container 72, it is desirable to set a lid 78 on the upper surface of the container 72 so that dust and the like do not enter the container 72. The upper and lower surfaces of the container 72
For example, each side is a square having a length of about 310 mm, and the height of the container 72 is, for example, about 505 mm. Note that the shape of the container 72 may be a rectangular parallelepiped having a top surface and a bottom surface that are rectangular, or a cylinder having a top surface and a bottom surface that are circular.

The injection pipe 74 has one end 74a into which the cleaning liquid (for example, pure water) 60 is introduced and the other end 74b for supplying the cleaning liquid 60 to the inside 72 of the container.
a is located outside the container 72, and the other end 74b is located inside the container 72. When the cleaning liquid 60 is injected, for example, one end 74
A hose of polyvinyl chloride may be connected to a. In the present embodiment, the predetermined location 74c of the injection pipe 74 is
Of the injection pipe 74
A valve 75 for adjusting the injection amount of the cleaning liquid 60 is provided between the one end 74a and the other end 74b.

The discharge pipe 76 has one end 76a located inside the container 72 and the other end 76b located outside the container 72. One end 76a of the discharge pipe 76 is provided at a lower portion inside the container 72. It is preferably provided at a position lower than the lower end of the glass tube 100 disposed in the container 72. When the one end 76a of the discharge pipe 76 is provided at a position lower than the lower end of the glass tube 100 to be disposed, when the cleaning liquid 60 is discharged, the liquid surface 60a of the cleaning liquid 60 is lowered until the cleaning liquid 60 drops below the lower end. As a result, all of the cleaning solution 60 in the tube can be removed from the glass tube 100.
You can go outside. When the uppermost part 76h of the discharge pipe 76 is provided at a position higher than the upper part of the arc tube part 10 of the glass tube 100 to be disposed, the cleaning liquid 60 is discharged from the discharge pipe 76 using the siphon principle. It is suitable for. It is more preferable to provide the uppermost portion 76h at a position higher than the upper end of the glass tube 100. Since the discharge pipe 76 is provided with a valve 75, the discharge can be adjusted and controlled by the valve 75. In the present embodiment, a drain pipe 77 having a valve 75 is provided at a lower portion of a side surface of the container 72 for the purpose of draining the cleaning liquid 60, separately from the discharge pipe.
Instead of using the discharge pipe 76, the cleaning method of the present embodiment can be performed by using the liquid drain pipe 77 as a discharge pipe.

Next, a plurality of discharge lamp glass tubes 100
Will be described. The holder 90 of FIG.
A holding plate 94 having an opening 98 that penetrates the side tube portion 20 of the glass tube 100 but does not penetrate the arc tube portion 10;
And a support rod 92 for supporting the holding plate 94. Since the holding plate 94 is attached to the support rod 92 so as to be substantially horizontal, it is possible to position the glass tubes 100 in a substantially vertical direction by inserting the glass tubes 100 into the openings 98 of the holding plate 94. it can. Holding plate 94
Has about 100 openings 98,
By using the holder 90, about 100 glass tubes 100 can be washed at a time.

Below the holding plate (upper plate) 94, the glass tube 1
Middle plate 9 for preventing side tube part 20 of 00 from moving freely
5 and a lower plate 96 provided below the middle plate 95 and placed on the table 97. In addition to the holding plate (upper plate) 94, the middle plate 95 and the lower plate 96 are also supported by the support rods 92. When the glass tube 100 is set on the holder 90, the lower end of the glass tube 100 is connected to the middle plate 95. It is arranged to be located between the lower plate 96. It is not necessary to provide an opening for penetrating the glass tube 100 in the lower plate 96 and the base 97, but the opening 98 is also provided in the lower plate 96 and the base 97 in order to make the cleaning liquid 60 enter and exit well. Is desirably provided. In addition, this is preferable because it is possible to manufacture a device using the same members as the upper plate 94 and the middle plate 95.

The support rod 92 has a grip portion 92a used to lift the holder 90 formed on the upper portion of the support rod 92. The holder 92 is held by the holder 72 of the cleaning device 70 with the grip portion 92a. Can be placed within. Therefore, after setting the plurality of glass tubes 100 on the holding unit 90, the table 97 is arranged on the bottom surface of the container 72, and then the holding unit 9 is set.
If the holder 90 is moved into the container 72 while holding 2a,
Each of the plurality of glass tubes 100 can be disposed in the container 72 while being positioned substantially vertically. Even when the cleaning liquid 60 is put in the container 72, the holder 90 is stabilized in the container 72 by its own weight, so that the glass tube 100 is stably positioned in the container by the holder 90. be able to.

The base 97 supporting the holder 90 is larger than the lower plate 96 of the holder 90, and
When arranging the base 97 on the bottom surface of the base 2, the base 9 is positioned so that the vicinity of one end 76 a of the discharge pipe 76 does not overlap the base 97.
7 is provided with a notch 97a. In addition, table 9
When the holder 90 is disposed on the upper surface 7, the opening of the lower plate 96 of the holder 90 and the opening of the base 97 are aligned with each other, so that the cleaning liquid 60 can enter and exit better. Is preferred.

The members constituting the holder 90 (for example, the holding plate 94 and the support rod 92) are also made of, for example, poly to prevent impurities from being mixed into the cleaning liquid 60, similarly to the members constituting the cleaning device 70. It is composed of vinyl chloride. In the present embodiment, the distance h ₁ between the upper plate 94 and the middle plate 95 is set.
For example about 100 mm, distance h ₂ between the upper plate 94 and lower plate 96 is, for example, about 165mm, the length h ₃ between the upper plate 94 and the gripping portion 92a is, for example, about 200 mm. After setting the plurality of glass tubes 100 in the holder 90, the holder 90 is placed in the container 72, and then the liquid level 6
The raising and lowering of 0a may be repeated a plurality of times to clean the plurality of glass tubes 100. In addition, the end of washing,
What is necessary is just to determine using the density monitor 80.

In order to prevent impurities (eg, alkali components) contained in the air around the cleaning device 70 from being mixed into the container 72 of the cleaning device 70, the container 72 should have a sealed structure as shown in FIG. Can also. Specifically, after the holder 90 on which the glass tube 100 is set is placed in the container 72, an inert gas (for example, Ar) 84 is placed in the container 72.
Then, the lid 78 is attached so that the upper opening of the container 72 is sealed. In order to prevent the surrounding air from entering also from the discharge pipe 76, a drain receiver 86 is provided at the outlet (the other end) 76 b of the discharge pipe 76, and the inert gas 84 is supplied to the drain receiver 86. What is necessary is just to fill it. Since some concentration of alkali components is contained in the air, and this concentration is further increased in the case of a seaside area, cleaning the glass tube 100 by sealing the container 72 and cleaning the glass tube 100 is originally required. Material (quartz glass)
This is a suitable method for making the glass tube 100 in a state where the impurity level is maintained. Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, a method for cleaning a glass tube for a discharge lamp using one type of cleaning liquid (for example, pure water) has been described. It can also be applied to a method of cleaning a glass tube for a discharge lamp for removing impurities. Hereinafter, a cleaning method according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
The same contents as those described in the first embodiment will be omitted or simplified.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining each step of the cleaning method of this embodiment. First, the discharge lamp glass tube 100 is set on the holder 90 shown in FIG. 4 (step S110), and the holder 90 on which the glass tube 100 is set is placed in the container 72 of the first cleaning device 70 (see FIG. 3). To place. A hydrofluoric acid aqueous solution is supplied into the container 72 of the first cleaning device 70 as the cleaning liquid 60, and by raising and lowering a liquid surface 60 a (liquid surface of the hydrofluoric acid aqueous solution) in the container 72 as shown in FIG. The silica powder attached to the inside of the glass tube 100 is removed (Step S120).

Next, after step S120, the glass tube 100
The holding tool 90 in which is set is taken out of the first cleaning device 70, and then placed in the container 72 of the second cleaning device 70 using water as the cleaning liquid 60. Thereafter, the glass tube 100 is cleaned using the second cleaning device 70, and the hydrofluoric acid used in step S120 is removed (step S130).

Next, the holder 90 on which the glass tube 100 is set is taken out from the second cleaning device 70, and the third cleaning device 70 using an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution (hydrogen peroxide solution) as the cleaning liquid 60 is used. In the container 72. Thereafter, the glass tube 100 is cleaned using the third cleaning device 70 to remove organic substances (including carbon dioxide) and metal impurities (step S140).

Thereafter, the holder 90 on which the glass tube 100 is set is taken out of the third cleaning device 70 and placed in the container 72 of the fourth cleaning device 70 using ultrapure water as the cleaning liquid 60. Next, the alkali component (N) attached to the inner surface of the glass tube 100 using the fourth cleaning device 70.
a, K, etc.) (Step S150). Step S1
After 50, vacuum drying is performed with, for example, a vacuum dryer.

After the cleaning in step S150, in order to protect the glass tube 100 from contamination by impurities contained in the air around the glass tube 100, argon gas is introduced from one end of the glass tube 100, Argon gas is caused to flow while being in contact with the inner surface of the glass tube 100, and is discharged from the other end of the glass tube 100. By introducing such argon, the air in the glass tube 100 and the argon gas can be replaced, and the cleaning state after the step S150 can be maintained.

Further, if the air in the glass tube 100 is replaced with argon in this manner, even if the glass tube 1
Even if 00 is moved, the argon continues to remain in the glass tube 100, and the argon in the glass tube 100 does not replace the surrounding air for a relatively long time (for example, about tens of minutes to several hours). Therefore, replacing the air in the glass tube 100 with argon has an advantage that the glass tube 100 can be easily handled. In addition to the case where the air in the glass tube 100 is replaced with argon, a fine powder (for example, quartz beads) is introduced from one end of the glass tube 100 and the fine powder is brought into contact with the inner surface of the glass tube 100. Glass tube 1
A method of removing impurities or dust adhering to the inner surface of the internal combustion engine 00 (in particular, the inner surface 10a of the arc tube portion 10) can also be performed. (Embodiment 3) The light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp cleaned by the cleaning method of the above-described embodiment is used for manufacturing a discharge lamp. Hereinafter, a discharge lamp manufactured from a light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp cleaned by the cleaning method of the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11. Note that the same contents as those in the above-described embodiment are omitted or simplified.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a process of manufacturing the discharge lamp according to the present embodiment.

First, as a translucent tube for a discharge lamp,
A quartz glass tube for a discharge lamp is prepared (Step S10)
0). The glass tube prepared in the present embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment (see FIGS. 1 and 2). In this embodiment, the discharge lamp glass tube is used.
A ceramic tube for a discharge lamp may be used instead of a glass tube for a discharge lamp.

Next, the glass tube is washed as in the above-described embodiment (step S200). By this process,
The glass tube can be cleaned to the level of impurities contained in the material (quartz glass) constituting the glass tube.

Next, a known lamp manufacturing step (step S300) is performed using the cleaned glass tube to complete the discharge lamp. The lamp manufacturing process mainly includes an electrode insertion process (Step S310) and a sealing portion forming process (Step S32).
0). These steps will be briefly described with reference to FIG.

First, as shown in FIG. 8A, a metal foil (Mo foil) 2 is placed in the side tube portion 20 of the glass tube 100 after cleaning.
4 and the electrode assembly 50 having the electrode 12 connected to the metal foil 24 are inserted (step S310). In this step, the electrode assembly 50 is inserted so that the tip of the electrode 12 is located in the arc tube part 10 and the metal foil 24 is located in the side tube part 20. A coil is wound around the tip of the electrode 12, and the coil has a function of lowering the electrode tip temperature during lamp operation. An external lead 26 is connected to the metal foil 24 of the electrode assembly 50 on the side opposite to the side to which the electrode 12 is connected.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, the inside of the glass tube 100 is evacuated (for example, less than 1 atm), and then the side tube portion 20 of the glass tube 100 is heated and melted by the burner 54. By doing so, both the side tube portion 20 and the metal foil 24 are brought into close contact with each other, thereby forming the sealing portion 22 (sealing portion forming step S320). Thereafter, a rare gas, halogen, and mercury are sealed in the arc tube part 10, and then, the electrode insertion step S310 and the sealing part formation step S320 are also performed on the other side tube part 20, and a pair of When the arc tube 10 is sealed by the sealing portion 22, as shown in FIG.
A discharge lamp 1000 is obtained. The discharge lamp 1000 manufactured in this way has a better removal of impurities than those manufactured from a glass tube that has not been cleaned or a glass tube that has been cleaned by the cleaning method shown in FIG. A discharge lamp exhibiting characteristics (for example, long life) superior to those of the above.

FIG. 9 shows the configuration of the discharge lamp 1000 according to this embodiment. The discharge lamp 1000 shown in FIG.
Is a mercury lamp (for example, a high-pressure mercury lamp or an ultra-high-pressure mercury lamp), which is disposed in an arc tube 10 substantially made of quartz glass and in a tube (discharge space) 15 of the arc tube 10 and is substantially made of tungsten. And a pair of electrodes 12 and 12 ′. At least a mercury 18, a rare gas and a halogen are sealed in the discharge space 15 of the arc tube 10. The mercury 18 is sealed as a luminescent material, the rare gas is sealed as a gas for improving start-up, and the halogen is sealed as a main purpose for performing a halogen cycle.

In the present embodiment, the number of moles of the halogen sealed in the arc tube 10 is a metal element (excluding the tungsten element and the mercury element) having a property of binding to the halogen. It is configured to be larger than the sum of the total number of moles of the existing metal elements and the number of moles of tungsten present in the arc tube 10 by evaporating from the electrodes 12 and 12 ′ during the lamp operation. Representative examples of the metal element having the property of binding to halogen are alkali metal elements (such as Na and K) excluding the tungsten element and the mercury element. The reason why the number of moles of halogen is specified in this way is that the international application number PCT / JP00 / 0
No. 4561 (International filing date; July 6, 2000;
Applicant; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.). Here, International Application No. PCT / JP00 / 04561 is incorporated herein by reference.

The reason why the number of moles of halogen is specified will be briefly described. By specifying the number of moles of halogen as described above, halogen that contributes to the halogen cycle is always secured in the arc tube 10 and the halogen cycle is defined. In order to prevent blackening that occurs in the arc tube 10. By preventing this blackening, high output conditions (the tube wall load of the arc tube is, for example, 80 W / cm ² or more) under which the lamp life comes early in the prior art.
, It is possible to extend the life of the lamp (for example, 5000 hours to 10,000 hours or more).
Inferring the reason why the number of moles of halogen has not been specified in the past, in addition to the fact that the mechanism of blackening based on the phenomenon of actual lamp operation under high power conditions has not been studied, As described above, it is presumed that this is because it has been conventionally thought that the alkali component hardly adheres to the discharge lamp glass tube 100 which is handled with care so that the impurities do not adhere.

In the discharge lamp of the present embodiment, since the impurities present on the inner surface of the arc tube are satisfactorily removed by the cleaning method of the above-described embodiment, the halogen sealing amount is set to a level that does not hinder the lamp operation. Thus, it is possible to easily realize that the number of moles of halogen is larger than the sum of the total number of moles of the metal elements described above and the number of moles of evaporated tungsten. On the other hand, in the case of a discharge lamp manufactured from a glass tube that has not been cleaned or a glass tube that has been cleaned by the cleaning method shown in FIG. The inventor of the present application has confirmed by experiment that it is practically very difficult to satisfy the above-mentioned prescribed condition of the number of moles of halogen at a level of halogen encapsulation that does not cause a problem.

The number of moles of halogen to be enclosed is determined in consideration of the case where one metal atom can bond to a plurality of halogens.
More preferably, the following is performed. That is, when each type of metal element having the property of binding to halogen (excluding the tungsten element and mercury element) is Mi, the number of moles of the metal element Mi is mi, and the metal element Mi is
The metal element M when the stoichiometric coefficient of
The total number obtained by adding the number obtained by multiplying the number of moles mi of i by the stoichiometric coefficient ni for each type of metal element Mi (Σ (mi
× ni)) and the number of moles of tungsten are more preferably greater than the sum of the number of moles of tungsten. For example, the number of moles of halogen enclosed is, for example, sodium (Na), potassium (K), lithium (Li), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni) present in the arc tube 10. This can be realized by making the total number of moles five times or more. Halogen is, for example, bromine. The halogen is not limited to being encapsulated in a simple form, but may be encapsulated in the form of a halogen precursor. In the present embodiment, the halogen is encapsulated in the form of CH ₂ Br ₂ .

The conditions of the discharge lamp 1000 of the present embodiment are exemplified as follows. The inner volume (capacity of the discharge space) of the arc tube 10 is about 0.2 cc (about 0.2 cm ³ ). Inside the arc tube 10, about 30 mg of mercury 18 (the amount of mercury per unit arc tube volume) : About 150mg / cc)
And about 20 KPa of argon gas (not shown) and about 60 Pa of CH ₂ Br ₂ (not shown) at room temperature. The outer diameter of the arc tube 10 is about 13 mm, and the glass thickness of the arc tube 10 is about 3 mm. The arc tube has a tube wall load of 80 W / cm ² or more, and is a short arc discharge lamp having a short distance between electrodes.
The distance between the electrodes can be, for example, about 5 mm to about 1 mm. For example, the distance between the electrodes is about 1.5 mm. One end of the electrode 12 arranged in the arc tube 10 is welded to a metal foil (for example, molybdenum foil) 24 in the sealing portion 22, and the electrode 12 and the metal foil 24 are electrically connected to each other. I have. An external lead (Mo bar) 26 made of molybdenum is electrically connected to one end of the metal foil 24. The rated power is 150 W (corresponding to a tube wall load of about 85 W / cm ² ).

The discharge lamp 1000 of the third embodiment is
As shown in FIG. 10, a lamp 1200 with a reflecting mirror can be provided in combination with the reflecting mirror 180. The lamp 1200 with a reflecting mirror can also be used as a lamp unit when combined with a housing (not shown) that supports it. FIG. 10 schematically shows a cross section of a lamp 1200 with a reflecting mirror.

The lamp 1200 with a reflecting mirror is a discharge lamp 10 having a substantially spherical light emitting portion 10 and a pair of sealing portions 22.
00, and a reflecting mirror 180 that reflects light emitted from the discharge lamp 1000.

The reflecting mirror 180 is, for example, a parallel light beam, a condensed light beam converging on a predetermined minute region, or a radiated light from the discharge lamp 1000 so as to become a divergent light beam equivalent to the light beam diverging from the predetermined minute region. Is configured to reflect light. As the reflecting mirror 180, for example, a parabolic mirror or an elliptical mirror can be used. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the base 55 is attached to one sealing portion 22 ′ of the lamp 1000, and the external lead 26 extending from the sealing portion 22 and the base 55 are electrically connected. The sealing portion 22 on the side to which the base 55 is attached and the reflecting mirror 180 are fixed and integrated with, for example, an inorganic adhesive (for example, cement or the like). A lead 185 is electrically connected to the external lead 26 of the sealing portion 22 located on the front opening side of the reflector 180, and the lead 185 is connected to the lead of the reflector 180 from the external lead 26. It extends to the outside of the reflecting mirror 180 through the opening 182. Reflector 1
For example, a front glass can be attached to the front opening of the 80.

Such a lamp unit can be used, for example, as a light source for a projection television or a light source for a liquid crystal projector or a projector using a DMD. In addition to these uses, the discharge lamp and the lamp unit of the above embodiment can also be used as general lighting, a light source for an ultraviolet stepper, a light source for a sports stadium, or a light source for a headlight of an automobile.

In the third embodiment, a case in which 150 mg / cc of mercury is sealed is exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this mercury amount, and may be larger or smaller than this mercury amount. That is, in the third embodiment, the case where the mercury vapor pressure is about 20 MPa (so-called ultra-high pressure mercury lamp) has been described, but the present invention is also applicable to a high pressure mercury lamp whose mercury vapor pressure is about 1 MPa. The interval (arc length) between the pair of electrodes 12 may be a short arc type,
Longer intervals may be used. The high-pressure discharge lamp according to the third embodiment can be used in any of an AC lighting type and a DC lighting type.

A metal halide may be sealed instead of or together with mercury. That is,
In the third embodiment, a mercury lamp using mercury as a light-emitting substance has been described as an example of a high-pressure discharge lamp. However, the present invention can be applied to a high-pressure discharge lamp such as a metal halide lamp in which a metal halide is sealed. However, in the configuration of the discharge lamp of the third embodiment, the amount of enclosed mercury is about 200 m.
g / cc or less. The reason is that if the amount of enclosed mercury is larger than this, the pressure in the arc tube 10 during operation becomes too high, so that the molybdenum foil 24 of the sealing portion 22 cannot maintain airtightness and the lamp is broken. This is because the probability increases. If the airtightness can be maintained, the amount of enclosed mercury may be larger than about 200 mg / cc. When the amount of enclosed mercury exceeds 200 mg / cc, the thermal conductivity of the gas in the arc tube 10 increases.
As a result, the heat of the discharge plasma is
(Quartz glass), the temperature becomes higher, and the exudation of impurities from the glass and electrodes becomes severe. Therefore, when mercury exceeding 200 mg / cc is enclosed, the lamp 1000 of Embodiment 3 manufactured using a glass tube made of a high-purity material that has been well cleaned exhibits a stronger effect. .

In the third embodiment, the tube wall load is about 80
The case of W / cm ² has been described as an example, but the tube wall load is not limited to this. The load may be small, or conversely, the load may be higher. In the case of a higher load, the lamp 1000 of the third embodiment made of a high-purity material exerts a stronger effect because the operation is performed at a higher temperature and the seepage of impurities from the glass and the electrodes becomes severe. . However, in the configuration of the discharge lamp according to the third embodiment, the tube wall load is preferably set to approximately 100 W / cm ² or less. The reason is that if the load exceeds this, the temperature of the arc tube 10 becomes too high, which causes a problem of deformation and deterioration due to heat. In this case, if the problem can be avoided by adding another means for cooling the arc tube 10, the tube wall load may be made larger than 100 W / cm ² .

Further, in the third embodiment, the rated power 150
Although the case of W is illustrated, the rated power is not limited to this,
It may be 150 W or more, or 150 W or less. However, the configuration of the discharge lamp of the third embodiment is particularly suitable for a lamp having a relatively large power of 50 W or more. Since the lamp with a large power operates at a higher temperature, the seepage of impurities from the glass and the electrodes is intense. Therefore, the lamp 1000 according to the third embodiment made of a high-purity material has:
This is because a stronger effect is exhibited in the operation in such a state. The discharge lamp of the third embodiment has been described by taking as an example a lamp in which bromine (Br) is sealed as halogen. However, the halogen may be chlorine (Cl),
It may be iodine (I).

[0092]

According to the present invention, a cleaning fluid is introduced from one end of a light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp (for example, a glass tube for a discharge lamp), and the cleaning fluid is brought into contact with at least the inner surface of the arc tube portion. However, since the cleaning fluid is caused to flow, impurities adhering to the inner surface of the arc tube can be satisfactorily removed. As a result, impurities (for example, alkali components) adhering to the inner surface of the arc tube portion can be washed until the impurity concentration of the material (quartz glass) constituting the glass tube for the discharge lamp becomes the same as that of the material, thereby devitrifying. It is possible to manufacture a long-life discharge lamp in which the occurrence of the like is prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views illustrating a method for cleaning a light-transmitting tube glass tube for a discharge lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining a method of cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a cleaning device 70.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a holder 90.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a modification of the cleaning device 70.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining each step of a cleaning method according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining a manufacturing process of the discharge lamp according to the third embodiment.

FIGS. 8A to 8C show a lamp manufacturing step S300.
FIG. 4 is a process cross-sectional view for explaining FIG.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a configuration of a discharge lamp 1000 according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a configuration of a lamp with a mirror 1200.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a glass tube for a discharge lamp.

FIG. 12 is a view for explaining a method of cleaning a glass tube for a discharge lamp.

FIG. 13 is a view for explaining a problem of a method of cleaning a glass tube for a discharge lamp.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Arc tube part 20 Side tube part 30 Impurity 32 Bubbles 50 Cleaning fluid 60 Cleaning fluid 70 Cleaning device 72 Container 74 Injection pipe 75 Valve 76 Discharge pipe 77 Drainage pipe 78 Lid 80 Concentration monitor 82 Electric conductivity meter 84 Inactive gas (Ar) 86 Drainage receiving part 90 Holder 92 Support rod 94 Holding plate (upper plate) 95 Middle plate 96 Lower plate 97 units 98 Opening 100 Glass tube for discharge lamp 160 Pure water 170 Container 1000 Discharge lamp 1200 Lamp with mirror

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Makoto Kai, 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. 72) Inventor Mamoru Takeda 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan Inside Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5C012 AA08 BD04 5C015 QQ02 QQ03 QQ04 QQ43 QQ45 QQ49 5C039 HH06

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. A method for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp having an arc tube portion, comprising: introducing a cleaning fluid from one end of the light-transmissive tube; Causing the cleaning fluid to flow while the cleaning fluid is in contact with at least the inner surface of the arc tube portion of the inner surface, thereby removing impurities adhered to the inner surface of the arc tube portion. Method for cleaning translucent tubes. 2. The step of removing impurities in the same step, wherein the cleaning fluid is caused to flow while the cleaning fluid is brought into contact with the outer surface of the light-transmitting tube, whereby the light-transmitting tube is To remove impurities adhering to the outer surface of the
A method for cleaning a translucent tube for a discharge lamp according to claim 1. 3. The step of introducing the cleaning fluid, wherein the step of arranging the light-transmissive tube so that an end of the tube is positioned substantially vertically in a container in which a cleaning liquid as the cleaning fluid is placed. And a step of injecting the cleaning liquid into the container, wherein the step of removing the impurities comprises: a liquid surface of the cleaning liquid until the liquid level of the cleaning liquid exceeds the upper part of the arc tube part of the light-transmitting tube for the discharge lamp. The method for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp according to claim 1, comprising: a step of raising the height of the cleaning liquid; and a step of lowering the level of the cleaning liquid until the liquid level falls below a lower portion of the arc tube part. 4. a step of raising the level of the cleaning liquid;
The method of claim 3, wherein the step of lowering the level of the cleaning liquid is repeated. 5. The step of lowering the level of the cleaning liquid,
The method for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the method is performed such that the liquid level of the cleaning liquid is lowered until the liquid level falls below a lower end of the light-transmissive tube. 6. The step of raising the level of the cleaning liquid,
The method for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the method is performed so as to raise the liquid level of the cleaning solution to a level higher than an upper end of the light-transmissive tube. 7. The method for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp according to claim 3, further comprising a step of discharging the cleaning liquid in the container from the container. 8. The discharge lamp according to claim 3, wherein an end point of the cleaning is determined by monitoring a concentration of the impurity contained in the cleaning liquid in the container. How to wash translucent tubes. 9. The light-transmissive tube is arranged such that ends of the light-transmissive tubes are positioned substantially vertically by using a holder for holding the plurality of light-transmissive tubes. 9. The method for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp according to any one of items 1 to 8. 10. The cleaning liquid is one selected from the group consisting of ultrapure water, pure water, deionized water, a hydrofluoric acid aqueous solution, and a hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution, and a combination of any of these and cleaning fine particles. The method for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp according to any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein: 11. A plurality of types of impurities are attached to the inner surface of the arc tube portion as the impurities, and a first cleaning solution as the cleaning solution is provided for the first impurity of the plurality of types of impurities. A first step of introducing from the one end of the light-transmissive tube, and a second cleaning liquid other than the first cleaning liquid as the cleaning liquid for the second impurity other than the first impurity of the plurality of types of impurities. 11. A method for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp according to any one of claims 3 to 10, which comprises at least a second step of introducing from the one end of the light-transmissive tube. 12. The cleaning fluid is one of a gas, a liquid, and a fine particle powder, and the cleaning fluid introduced from one end of the light-transmissive tube for the discharge lamp transmits the cleaning fluid for the discharge lamp. The method for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp according to claim 1, wherein the step of removing the impurities attached to the inner surface of the arc tube portion is performed by discharging the impurities from the other end of the tube. . 13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the cleaning fluid is an inert gas. 14. A container in which a light-transmissive tube having an arc tube portion for a discharge lamp is disposed and in which a cleaning liquid is put, an injection pipe or an injection tube for injecting the cleaning liquid into the container, and the container. A discharge pipe or a discharge tube for discharging the cleaning liquid in the container; and a concentration monitor for monitoring the concentration of impurities contained in the cleaning liquid in the container, the impurities being attached to the light-transmitting tube. A cleaning device for a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp, comprising: 15. The cleaning liquid in the container or the cleaning liquid discharged from the container, wherein the concentration monitor uses the electric conductivity of the cleaning liquid injected into the injection pipe or the injection tube as a reference value. 15. The apparatus for cleaning a light-transmissive tube for a discharge lamp according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus has a function of determining the end of cleaning by comparing the electric conductivity indicated by the reference value with the reference value. 16. The translucent light for a discharge lamp according to claim 14, wherein the container has a sealed structure such that the cleaning liquid in the container does not come into contact with air outside the container. Pipe washing equipment. 17. A discharge lamp comprising: a light emitting tube in which a pair of electrodes are arranged to face each other in a tube in which a light emitting substance is sealed; and a sealing portion extending from the light emitting tube. A light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp having an arc tube portion serving as an arc tube of the discharge lamp, and a side tube portion extending from the arc tube portion, for a discharge lamp obtained through a cleaning step. Preparing a light-transmissive tube; and mounting the electrode assembly having a metal foil and an electrode connected to the metal foil on the side tube so that the tip of the electrode is located in the arc tube portion. A discharge lamp manufactured by a method for manufacturing a discharge lamp, the method including: a step of inserting the metal foil of the electrode assembly and the side tube portion into close contact with each other to form the sealing portion. And wherein the cleaning step comprises: (A) introducing a cleaning fluid from one end of a light-transmitting tube for a discharge lamp having a light-emitting tube portion and a side tube portion extending from the light-emitting tube portion; (B) causing the cleaning fluid to flow while the cleaning fluid is in contact with at least the inner surface of the arc tube portion of the inner surface, thereby removing impurities attached to the inner surface of the arc tube portion. The step (a) is a step of arranging the light-transmissive tube such that an end of the light-transmissive tube is positioned substantially vertically in a container in which a cleaning liquid as the cleaning fluid is placed. −
1) and a step of injecting the cleaning liquid into the container (a-
The step (b) of raising the liquid level of the cleaning liquid until the level of the cleaning liquid exceeds the upper part of the arc tube part of the light-transmitting tube.
-1) and a step (b-2) of lowering the level of the cleaning liquid until the liquid level falls below the lower portion of the arc tube part. 18. The discharge lamp, wherein at least mercury, a rare gas, and a halogen as the luminescent substance are sealed in the luminous tube, the luminous tube is substantially made of quartz glass, and the electrode is substantially tungsten. Wherein the number of moles of the halogen is the total number of moles of metal elements (excluding the tungsten element and the mercury element) that are metal elements having the property of binding to the halogen and that are present in the arc tube. 18. The discharge lamp according to claim 17, wherein the sum is greater than the sum of the number of moles of the tungsten present in the arc tube by evaporating from the electrode during lamp operation. 19. The number of moles of halogen sealed in the arc tube is determined by the number of moles of sodium (N
a), potassium (K), lithium (Li), chromium (C
The discharge lamp according to claim 18, wherein the total number of moles of r), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni) is 5 times or more. 20. The discharge lamp according to claim 17, wherein the discharge lamp is a mercury lamp having a tube wall load of the arc tube of 80 W / cm ² or more.