JP2003208871A - Low-pressure mercury vapor electric discharge lamp and luminaire - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a low-pressure mercury vapor electric discharge lamp improved in light emitting characteristic and workability and possible to securely hinder the movement of a mercury structure sealed in a narrow tube (discharge tube) inside a pinch seal part (sealing) without requiring a special work, and to provide a luminaire having the same. <P>SOLUTION: This low-pressure mercury vapor electric discharge lamp L1 is provided with a glass bulb 1 having the pinch seal part 2 at an end thereof, a glass narrow tube 4 passing through the pinch seal part 2 and extended out of the seal part 2, the granular mercury structure 6 arranged in the narrow tube 4, a movement regulating part 42 for the mercury structure 6 formed by projecting a part of the inner wall at a part of the narrow tube 4 positioned in the pinch seal part 2, an electrode 5 sealed in the bulb 1, and the rare gas. This lamp L1 is used for a luminaire. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp provided with a thin tube inside which a glass bulb is pinch-sealed at its end, and an illuminating device equipped with this discharge lamp.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp, for example, a fluorescent lamp, has a tubular glass bulb filled with a rare gas such as mercury and argon as a discharge medium. It is a light source that plays a major role of light emission by using 185 nm etc. as an excitation source of a phosphor, and there are some lamps in which only rare gas is enclosed, but mercury is indispensable in lamps that achieve high efficiency. is there. It is said that the luminous efficiency of the low-pressure discharge lamp in which mercury is sealed is largely influenced by the vapor pressure of mercury, and is highest when the temperature of the coldest part of the lamp wall is 40 ° C.

When manufacturing this fluorescent lamp, inside the bulb,
Liquid mercury is sent through an exhaust pipe connected to the end of the valve, but because it is liquid, mercury may adhere to the wall of the sealing passage such as the sealing device and the exhaust pipe, or it may evaporate from the inside of the valve during exhaust at high temperature. Therefore, it was difficult to mount a fixed amount because the amount of filling was insufficient or the variation was large. For this reason, it was attempted to supply excess liquid mercury in anticipation of loss, but it is preferable to minimize the amount of mercury required for environmental protection. It was covered with a stable powder and then enclosed.
The problem has not been resolved.

The solution to this problem is as follows.
Enclose mercury and amalgam forming metal such as indium as amalgam (this amalgam is a high load lamp,
It is used to obtain the above optimum mercury vapor pressure in high temperature lamps. ) Method, a method in which mercury and titanium are alloyed and sealed, a method in which mercury is impregnated in a pellet made of alumina or the like, and a method in which mercury is housed in a glass capsule and sealed. Then, according to these methods, quantitative encapsulation can be performed as compared with the method of dropping liquid mercury.

When the above-mentioned amalgam, mercury alloy, etc. are granularly enclosed in the valve, they may be positively fixed to the valve, the stem surface or the like, but generally, the temperature is lowered after heating or preheating. It is attached to the part that happens to be located, such as the valve surface in. However, if it is lightly attached to the valve surface, etc., it will peel off from the valve surface etc. when the valve is subjected to vibration or shock, and it will move inside the valve to make noise, or this movement will cause it to form on the valve inner wall surface. It is considered that the fluorescent film is peeled off and scratches such as streaks and pinholes, or it stops on the inner surface of the bulb and becomes a dark spot and a shadow is seen, and the appearance of the lamp is poor and the quality is deteriorated. was there.

Therefore, in consideration of the relationship with the above-mentioned temperature, the arrangement of a granular amalgam, a mercury alloy, a mercury pellet, or the like, as described in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 5-74416, a valve end is disclosed. It is sealed in a thin pipe (exhaust pipe) in the part, and the diameter of the side of the thin pipe (exhaust pipe) that communicates with the valve is reduced to allow mercury vapor to pass but not to pass solid particles. A movement restriction part having a smaller diameter is provided.

Arranging the mercury structure in the thin tube (exhaust tube) in this way is carried out by various lamps using mounts such as flare stems and button stems or bead mounts. However, recently, glass bulbs such as compact fluorescent lamps have been made thinner (outer diameter of 25 mm or less), resource saving and cost reduction are required, so the number of parts is small and the structure is simple and easy to manufacture. Many bead mounts have come into wide use.

[0008]

In the case of a lamp using this bead mount or the like, a bead mount and a thin tube (exhaust pipe) formed by fixing a pair of lead wires with bead glass are arranged in the end of the glass bulb. Then, the outer circumference of the bulb end is heated by a burner or the like, and when the glass of the bulb is softened and melted, the bulb is pressed by a pincher (pressing die) to form a seal portion at the end.

In the pinch seal (sealing) type lamp L, the formation of the movement restricting part of the mercury structure when the accommodating part of the mercury structure is inside the thin tube (exhaust pipe) is performed from the seal (sealing) part. A thin tube (exhaust tube) that extends and has its tip closed
This is done by forcibly reducing the diameter of the middle part of the part.

However, as shown in FIG. 9, in order to prevent the movement of the mercury assembly 6 of the prior art described above, the middle portion of the thin tube (exhaust pipe) 4 extending from the seal (sealing) portion 2 is projected inward and contracted. In the case where the diameter is reduced, the reduced diameter portion 45 is the seal portion 2.
If it is too close to, the burner flame may be applied to the seal (sealing) part 2 where the processing strain at the time of diameter reduction remains, and the seal (sealing) part 2 may be destroyed. The reduced diameter portion 45 had to be formed at a slight distance. Therefore, a thin tube (exhaust tube) 4 extending from the seal portion 2
The length of the lamp becomes longer, and when the exhausted lamp is transported to the next process, when the base is attached to the seal (sealing) part 2 or when the base is not attached, other members and this thin tube (exhaust pipe) 4) The extended portion of No. 4 easily collided and sometimes broken.
(Note that if this is a mount lamp that uses a flare stem, the base end of the thin tube (exhaust pipe) is inside the flare, so it is possible to form a reduced diameter part near the flare part. , The extension length of the thin pipe (exhaust pipe) can be made relatively short.)

According to the present invention, the sealing strength of the thin tube (exhaust pipe) sealed in the pinch seal (sealing) portion is improved and the mercury structure enclosed in the thin pipe (exhaust pipe) is surely moved to the bulb side. (EN) Provided are a low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp having improved lamp emission characteristics and workability, and a lighting device having the discharge lamp, which can be easily formed without requiring special work. The purpose is to

[0012]

A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp according to claim 1 comprises a glass bulb having a pinch seal portion at its end; and a glass bulb penetrating the pinch seal portion and extending outside the seal portion. A thin tube; a granular mercury assembly arranged in the thin tube; a movement restricting portion of the mercury assembly formed by reducing the diameter of the thin tube located in the pinch seal portion by pressing when forming the pinch seal portion; And an electrode and a rare gas sealed in the valve.

The granular mercury structure disposed in the thin tube (exhaust pipe) at the end of the valve is smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole of the thin tube (exhaust pipe), but is smaller than the inner diameter of the thin tube portion located in the pinch seal (sealing) portion. Movement of the inner wall is restricted by a movement restricting portion of the mercury structure whose diameter is reduced so as to be smaller than the size of the mercury structure. Therefore, the mercury Hg vapor passes through the inside of the thin tube (exhaust pipe) and is diffused into the communicating valve, but the substrate made of an alloy with mercury Hg is prevented from entering the valve.

The movement restricting portion of the mercury structure may be formed on any portion of the inner wall of the thin tube located inside the pinch seal (sealing) portion, and the thin tube may be pinch seal (sealing).
If the outer edge of the portion can be fusion-sealed, it does not project from the pinch seal (sealing) portion, so there is no risk of breakage.

The term "movement restricting portion" as used herein includes a case in which the entire circumference of the thin tube containing the mercury structure is projected and a case in which a part thereof is projected, and is not limited to a perfect circle but may be an ellipse or a part. It may be a protruding one. Further, the entire pinch seal portion may be used as the movement restricting portion so that the diameter thereof is smaller than that of the mercury structure enclosed in the narrow tube.

As the low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp to which the present invention is applied, in addition to fluorescent lamps, other lamps in which mercury is enclosed in a glass bulb such as an ultraviolet radiation lamp with or without a coating formed on the bulb surface are used. It can also be applied to lamps.

Further, the plurality of bent glass bulbs are bent in a U-shape, a straight pipe shape, a W-shape, a double U-shape, an annular shape or a bent shape by connecting a plurality of straight-tube or U-shaped bulbs. It may be a so-called compact type.

Further, the electrode is not limited to a hot cathode such as a filament coil, but may be a cold cathode and may be disposed inside or outside the bulb.

It should be noted that the glass thin tube and the exhaust pipe according to the present invention are the same, and even if the exhaust pipe is used for exhausting the glass bulb or filling rare gas, it does not function as an exhaust pipe and It may contain the mercury structure or may serve as both.

According to the first aspect of the invention, since the movement restricting portion of the thin tube is formed by pressing when forming the pinch seal portion, the sealing work is easy.

A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of glass bulbs, each of which is connected with a bent tube having a pinch seal portion at each end thereof; An electrode and a noble gas sealed in the bulb by a lead wire; a glass thin tube extending through the pinch seal part to the outside of the seal part at the end of the valve where the lead wire is not sealed; A granular mercury structure arranged in the above; and a movement restricting part of the mercury structure formed by reducing the diameter of a thin tube located in the pinch seal part.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the movement restricting portion of the mercury structure is formed in a thin tube provided at a valve end different from the valve end where the electrode is sealed, so that the sealing work can be performed. It's easy.

A lighting device according to a third aspect of the present invention comprises a lighting device main body and the low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp according to the first or second aspect installed in the main body of the lighting device.

According to the invention of claim 3, it is possible to provide an illuminating device provided with a discharge lamp which exhibits the action of the invention of claim 1 or 2.

[0025]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
The description will be made with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a front view of a low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp such as a U-shaped fluorescent lamp L1, FIG.
(A) is an enlarged front sectional view of one end of the lamp L1 of FIG.
2B is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of one end of the lamp L1 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2C is an enlarged lateral cross-sectional view of a portion of the lamp L1 taken along the line AA in FIG. is there.

In the figure, 1 is a U-shaped bulb made of soda lime glass or lead glass, and 2A and 2B are bead mounts 3 formed at the ends of the bulb 1, respectively.
And a pinch seal (sealing) portion with the thin tube 4 which also serves as an exhaust pipe made of soda lime glass or lead glass.
The bead mount 3 is fixed by embedding the middle part of a pair of lead wires 31, 31 made of dumet wire or the like in a glass bead 32, and an electrode made of a filament coil in which a tungsten wire is wound between the tips. 5 is connected. In addition, an emitter mainly composed of at least one oxide selected from barium Ba, calcium Ca, and strontium Sr is coated and filled in the turn of the coil of the electrode 5.

The pinch seal (sealing) portion 2A on one side will be described in more detail. The thin tube 4 is embedded and penetrated substantially at the center, and the inner wall of the intermediate portion of the through hole 41 of the thin tube 4 embedded portion is inward. A movement blocking portion (reduced diameter portion) 42 of the mercury structure, which will be described later, is formed by projecting and reducing the diameter of the thin tube 4, and is formed in the space between the movement blocking portion (reduction diameter portion) 42 and the closed portion 43 at the tip. Granular mercury assembly 6 composed of an alloy of mercury Hg and zinc Zn
Is housed. Further, the lead wires 31, 31 are airtightly attached along both sides of the thin tube 4.

On the inner surface of the bulb 1, there is formed a phosphor film 15 coated with, for example, a three-wavelength rare earth phosphor or a continuous-wavelength emission halophosphate phosphor. Further, in the bulb 1, argon Ar, krypton K are used as a discharge medium.
Noble gases such as r and xenon Xe are used alone or in a mixture of 25
About 0 to 360 Pa (Pascal) is enclosed. Although not shown, if necessary, the seal (sealing) portions 2A and 2B at both ends of the valve 1 are covered and bridged so that the mouthpiece is joined with an adhesive, and the terminal portion of the mouthpiece and the pinch seal (sealing). ) Part 2 is connected to the lead wires 31, 31 to form a fluorescent lamp L1.

The pincher 7 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B is used to form the pinch seal (sealing) portion 2A. The pincher 7 is provided with a concave groove portion 71 for escaping the thin tube 4 in the central portion, a flat wing-like portion 72 on both sides of the concave groove portion 71, and a protruding portion 73 protruding from the inside of the concave groove portion 71. It is configured.

Then, the pinch seal (sealing) work is carried out in the end portion of the glass bulb 1 by the bead mount 3 and the thin tube 4.
With the above arrangement, the periphery of the end portion of the valve 1 is heated from outside using a burner. By this heating, the glass of the bulb 1 is softened and melted, and its diameter is reduced, and the bulb 1 is opposed in the vicinity of contact with the glass of the inner thin tube 4, and the pair of lead wires are pressed by the pinchers 7, 7 from two directions. Then, this is crushed to form the pinch seal (sealing) portion 2. Then, the molded pinch seal (sealing) portion 2A has an inner thin tube 4
The surface is also softened by residual heat and fused or fused with the glass of the bulb 1, and pressure is applied by blow to secure the through hole 41 in the thin tube 4, and the pincher 7 is pressed, so that the through hole 41 is formed. The diameter is reduced overall, and the protrusion 7
The depression 23 is formed by the pressing by 3, and movement blocking portions 42, 42 projecting from the entire circumferential direction of the thin tube are formed on the inner wall portion of the thin tube 4 corresponding to the depression 23. Further, on the outer surface portion of the seal portion 2, a bulging portion 21 of the thin tube 4 is provided at the center portion thereof, and flat crushed portions 2 are provided on both sides thereof.
2, 22 are formed.

In the above, the other pinch seal (sealing) portion 2B is a thin tube 4 which also serves as an exhaust pipe as in the conventional case.
The inner wall portion of is not projected. In addition, the other pinch seal (sealing) portion is provided with the above-mentioned pinch seal (sealing) in which movement preventing portions (diameter-reduced portions) 41, 41 in which an inner wall portion of the thin pipe (exhaust pipe) 4 is projected are formed. The configuration may be the same as that of the section 2A. In this case, the mercury structure 6 is not accommodated.

Then, one pinch seal (sealing) portion 2
In the through hole 41 of the thin tube 4 of A, this pinch seal (sealing)
A granular mercury structure 6 having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 41 in the portion 2A is accommodated, and a predetermined length portion of the thin tube 4 is heat-sealed with a burner to form an airtight closed portion 43. Thereafter, the thin tube 4 of the other pinch seal (sealing) portion 2B is used as an exhaust pipe to airtightly connect with the exhaust head of the exhaust device to exhaust the inside of the valve 1, clean with an inert gas or nitrogen, disassemble the emitter, After performing work such as filling rare gas, the exhaust pipe (narrow pipe) 4 is sealed by a burner and hermetically closed to complete the exhausted lamp L1.

The lead wire 3 of this fluorescent lamp L1
When 1, 1 or the base is connected to a lighting circuit device (not shown) and electricity is applied, a discharge occurs between the electrodes 5 and 5, and the lamp L1 is turned on.

In this case, the mercury is discharged from the mercury body 6 when the bulb 1 is heated during the exhaust work or after the exhaust work is completed, the thin tube (exhaust pipe) 4 part is separately burner or high frequency heating or the discharge heat of the lamp L1. Can be carried out by raising the temperature.

The granular mercury structure 6 disposed in the thin tube 4 at the end of the bulb 1 is smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 41 of the thin tube 4, but is located in the pinch seal (sealing) portion 2A. The inner walls of the four parts are formed so as to project so as to have an interval smaller than the size of the mercury structure 6, and movement is blocked by the movement restricting portions 42, 42 of the mercury structure 6.

Therefore, the mercury Hg vapor passes through the inside of the thin tube 4 and diffuses into the communicating valve 1, but the zinc Zn alloyed with the mercury Hg has a protruding movement restricting portion (diameter reduction). The parts 42, 42 prevent entry into the valve 1. Therefore, the mercury structure 6 moves inside the bulb 1 to make an abnormal noise, the movement causes the phosphor coating 15 to be peeled off and scratched, or the inner surface of the bulb 1 is stopped and a shadow is formed to deteriorate the appearance of the lamp L. There is no such thing.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the granular mercury structure 6 is directed to the inside of the bulb 1 in the pinch seal (sealing) portion 2A or the thin tube 4 at the end of the seal (sealing) portion 2A. Are arranged so as to regulate the movement of the lamp, and mercury Hg necessary for the lamp L1 is stably supplied, so that a predetermined light emission characteristic can be obtained. Further, since this mercury structure 6 is a solid, it is easy to handle, especially to quantitatively encapsulate it, to prevent impurities from adhering or adsorbing, to generate less impure gas which adversely affects the characteristics after encapsulating in the bulb 1, and to reduce luminous flux during its life. It is possible to prevent deterioration of characteristics such as increase in lamp voltage and starting voltage, and to prolong life.

Further, since the length of the thin tube 4 extending from the pinch seal (sealing) portion 2A can be shortened as compared with the conventional one, the occurrence of breakage of the thin tube 4 at the time of handling the exhausted lamp L and the attachment of the base and the thin tube can be reduced. By shortening 4, the effective light emission length of the bulb 1 (lamp L) can be increased, and the light emission characteristics can be improved.

For example, a thin tube 4 having an inner diameter d of about 3.5 mm and a pair of lead wires 31 and 31 are arranged in the end portion of the valve 1 having an outer diameter of about 17.5 mm, and a pinch seal (sealing) is provided.
When the seal (sealing) portion 2A is formed by performing the above, the inner diameter of the through hole 41 of the thin tube 4 in the seal (sealing) portion 2A is about 3.0 m.
Movement restricting portions (reduced diameter portions) 42, 42 protruding from the inner wall at m
The distance s between the tip portions of the was about 2 mm, and it was possible to prevent the mercury structure 6 having an outer diameter of about 2.3 mm from entering the bulb 1.

As described above, if the distance s between the distal end portions of the movement restricting portions 42, 42 projecting from the inner wall of the thin tube 4 in the seal portion 2A is about 2 mm, then in the exhaust process of ordinary lamp production. There was no problem of exhaust conductance, and no influence was observed on the emission characteristics of the completed lamp L1.

Further, the pincher 7 forming the pinch seal (sealing) portion 2A may have a structure as shown in FIG. 4 (a). That is, the concave groove portion 71 having the protruding portion 73
And the partition parts 74, 7 protruding from both sides of the concave groove part 71.
4 and wing-shaped parts 72, 72 on both sides. The shape of the pinch seal (sealing) portion 2A after being pressed by the pincher 7 is a bulging portion of the thin tube 4 having a recess 23 at the center of the outer surface, as shown in the cross section of FIG. 4 (b). 21 and thick crushed portions 22 and 22 are formed on both sides thereof. In this case as well, the same operational effects as described above are obtained.

A movement restricting portion (reduced diameter portion) 42 protruding inward from the inner wall of the thin tube 4 in the pinch seal (sealing) portion 2A.
Is not limited to one on each side, but may be one as shown in the cross section of FIG. 4 (c) as a whole. Any protrusion can be used as long as it can prevent entry. In addition, the inner diameter of the through hole 41 of the thin tube 4 in the sealing portion 2A is as large as possible in consideration of the passage of mercury vapor, and the smaller the protrusion, the smaller the shielding and the shorter the mercury emission, the more the lamp can be discharged. The rising characteristic of L1 lighting can be improved.

In this embodiment, the bead mount is sealed at the end of the bulb. However, the mount is not limited to the glass beads and the electrode is formed. it can.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front sectional view showing another pinch seal portion of the present invention.

This pinch seal type lamp is
The diameter of the thin tube (exhaust tube) 4 in the pinch seal (sealing) portion 2A is reduced, and the movement of the mercury assembly 6 is prevented at the boundary portion 44.

It should be noted that the glass forming the individual valves and the thin tubes (exhaust tubes) 4 may vary in diameter and wall thickness,
Further, in the case where the burner flame cannot be completely uniformly adjusted in the heating conditions such as the heating power and its distribution, the blow and the pincher can be adjusted uniformly, the thin tubes (exhaust tubes) in the individual seal (sealing) portions 2A
It becomes difficult to make the inner diameters of the through holes 41 of No. 4 the same.

FIGS. 6 to 8 show another embodiment of the low pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp of the present invention, and FIGS.
(E) is an explanatory view showing in sequence the manufacturing process of a fluorescent lamp L2 in which three U-shaped bulbs 1 are arranged in communication, for example, in an annular shape, and FIG. 7 is a front view of this fluorescent lamp L3.
FIG. 8 shows one end of the arc tube of the fluorescent lamp L2, FIG. 8 (a) is a front sectional view, and FIG. 8 (b) is a side sectional view.

In the figure, the same parts as those in FIGS. 1 to 5 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

An outline of the manufacturing process of the arc tube L2 used in the bulb-type fluorescent lamp L3 shown in FIG. 6 will be described step by step with reference to FIG. First, the glass bulbs 1A, 1B, 1C and the thin tubes 4 which are bent in a U shape and on which an alumina protective film and a phosphor film are formed as shown in FIG.
And 3 bead mounts 3 are prepared.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, the bead mount 3 and the thin tube 4 are separately arranged in the both ends of the two glass bulbs 1A and 1C, and the both ends are heated to soften and melt the glass. Then, it is pressed by a pincher to form pinch seal (sealing) portions 2C and 2D. Further, the thin tube 4 is arranged on one of the remaining one glass bulb 1B to form the pinch seal (sealing) portion 2D as in the above-mentioned embodiment.
Each pinch seal (sealing) portion 2D, ... Has a reduced diameter portion 42 protruding from the inner wall of the thin tube 4 portion.
The minimum spacing (inner diameter) s of the reduced diameter portion 42 is reduced to 30 to 90% of the inner diameter d of the original thin tube 4. Further, the other end portion which remains is provided with a pinch seal (sealing) or another sealing means, here a pinch seal (sealing) portion 2E, without disposing a mount or a thin tube.

The pinch seal (sealing) portion 2
Immediately after the formation of C, 2D, 2E, the pinch seal (sealing) portion 2
The glass portion near D and 2E is locally heated and blown from the thin tube 4 to blow and open the heated and melted glass and form a protrusion 2T in this opening.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3C, the protruding portions 2T and 2T of the glass bulbs 1A and 1B are butted against each other and heated to fuse the two and airtightly connect to each other to form a communication tube 2R. Further, the other protruding portion 2T of the glass bulb 1B and the protruding portion 2T of the glass bulb 1C are butted against each other and heated to fuse both to form a communication pipe 2R in the same manner.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3D, the connecting portion consisting of the connecting pipes 2R, 2R between the glass bulbs 1A, 1B, 1C is softened by heating to make the glass bulbs 1A, 1B, 1C annular. Arrange.

Next, the integrated glass bulb 1
Of the A, 1B and 1C, a granular mercury structure 6 is housed in, for example, a thin tube 4 of a bulb 1B having a reduced diameter portion 42 formed on its inner wall, and the protruding tip of the thin tube 4 is sealed as short as possible. Then, the remaining one to two thin tubes 4 are connected to the exhaust head of the exhaust machine, and the inside of each communicating glass bulb 1A, 1B, 1C is exhausted, and gas cleaning etc. are performed as usual. After that, a predetermined rare gas is sealed at a predetermined pressure to close the thin tube 4 connected to the exhaust head, and the arc tube L
3 is obtained.

Since the evacuation work can be performed by using only one thin tube 4, the remaining thin tube 4 not containing the mercury structure 6 may be sealed off in advance.

Then, the above three glass bulbs 1A, 1
As shown in FIG. 7E, the arc tube L2 in which B and 1C are integrated is supported by bonding the glass bulbs 1A, 1B and 1C to a disc-shaped fixing plate 81 made of PBT resin with an adhesive 82. To be done. A lighting circuit device 83 is attached to the fixing plate 81, and further, a cover body 84, a base 85,
A translucent globe 86 is covered if necessary, and the bulb-type fluorescent lamp L3 shown in FIG. 7 is completed.

The pinch seal (sealing) portion 2D at the end portion of the glass bulb 1B of the arc tube L2 has the structure shown in an enlarged scale in FIG.

In the fluorescent lamp L3 using the arc tube L2 having such a structure, the granular mercury structure 6 arranged in the thin tube 4 at the end of the bulb 1 is smaller than the inner diameter of the through hole 41 of the thin tube 4. The movement of the mercury structure 6 is performed by reducing the diameter of a part of the inner wall of the thin tube 4 located in the pinch seal (sealing) part 2D and projecting the reduced diameter part 42 to have a space smaller than the size of the mercury structure 6. The restriction portion prevents the movement.

Therefore, the lamp L1 of the above embodiment
Similarly, the mercury Hg vapor passes through the inside of the thin tube 4 and diffuses into the communicating valve 1, but the mercury structure 6 itself is prevented from entering the inside of the valve 1 by the reduced diameter portion 42. , The mercury structure 6 moves inside the bulb 1 to make an abnormal sound, the movement causes the phosphor coating 15 to be peeled off and scratched, or the inner surface of the bulb 1 is stopped and a shadow is formed to form an arc tube L.
3 does not deteriorate the appearance.

Incidentally, a bead mount 3 having a pair of lead wires in one end of the valve 1 having an outer diameter of about 10.1 mm and an inner diameter of about 8.5 mm, and an outer diameter of about 3.
8 mm Inner diameter d is about 2.7 mm, and the thin tube 4 is placed and pinch seal (sealing) is performed. Sealing parts 2C to 2F
When the inner diameter of the thin tube 4 in the seal portion 2E is about 2.4 mm, the reduced diameter portion 4 protruding from the inner wall
2, the distance s between the tip portions is about 1.5 mm, and the outer diameter is about 2.
It was possible to prevent the 2 mm mercury structure 6 from entering the bulb 1 and to improve the root strength of the thin tube.

Further, the reduced diameter portion 4 in the seal portion 2D.
If the inner diameter of 2 is in the range of 0.8 mm or more in absolute value, a predetermined degree of vacuum and rare gas can be filled in the exhaust process of ordinary fluorescent lamp production, and there is no problem of exhaust conductance, and the reduced diameter portion 42 There is no distortion due to the accumulation of flesh and the root strength of the thin tube is not weakened, and the mercury structure 6 having an existing particle diameter can be used, and the completed arc tube L3 has a small increase in the starting voltage and the lamp voltage. It is possible to provide a long-life fluorescent lamp L2 with little reduction in luminous flux during the life.

The lamp L2 shown in the above embodiment is used.
Although the mercury structure 6 is housed in the thin tube 4, a lamp in which the mercury structure 6 is not housed in the thin tube 4 and mercury is arranged in the bulb or the mount may be used.

Further, leakage is prevented due to insufficient sealing of the root portion of the thin tube 4 in the pinch seal (sealing) portion 2D, and the thin tube 4 is prevented.
The strength of the root portion can be improved, and there are effects such that defects caused by the thin tube 4 can be reduced when the arc tube L2 or the lamp L3 is handled or when the base is attached.

The U-shaped fluorescent lamp L1 of the present embodiment is attached to a lighting device (not shown) and is turned on. This lighting device is a lighting fixture, and a lighting device such as a fixture to a building, a power supply connection mechanism and a ballast is stored on the upper side of the lighting fixture body, and a glove, a shade, etc. are stored on the lower side of the body. The light suppressor, lamp holder, socket, etc. are attached. The fluorescent lamp is supported by the lamp holder, the base portion is connected to the socket, and power is supplied through the power supply connection mechanism and the ballast to enable stable lighting. Also, the light bulb-shaped fluorescent lamp L2 is mounted in an ordinary E-shaped socket to obtain high efficiency and long life as an alternative to a light bulb.

Needless to say, the form of this illuminating device (lighting fixture) can be changed according to the shape of various fluorescent lamps, purpose and application.

[0066]

According to the first aspect of the invention, since the movement restricting portion of the thin tube is formed by pressing when forming the pinch seal portion, the sealing operation is easy.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the movement restricting portion of the mercury structure is formed in a thin tube provided at a valve end different from the valve end where the electrode is sealed, so that the sealing work can be performed. It's easy.

According to the invention of claim 3, it is possible to provide an illuminating device equipped with a discharge lamp which exhibits the action of the invention of claim 1 or 2.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a U-shaped fluorescent lamp according to the present invention.

2 (a) to (c) are enlarged views showing one end of the lamp of FIG. 1, FIG. 2 (a) is a front sectional view, FIG. 2 (b) is a side sectional view, and FIG. It is an expanded transverse cross-sectional view of the portion cut along the line AA.

3 (a) and 3 (b) show an embodiment of a pincher forming a pinch seal (sealing) portion of the lamp of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 (a) is a top view, and FIG. 3 (b) is one 2 is a front view of the pincher of FIG.

4 (a) and (b) show another embodiment of the pincher, FIG. 4 (a) is a plan view, and FIG. 4 (b) is a pinch seal formed by the pincher of FIG. 4 (a). (Sealing)
FIG. 6C is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the pinch seal (sealing) portion.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front sectional view showing another pinch seal portion of the present invention.

6 (a) to 6 (e) are explanatory views sequentially showing an outline of a manufacturing process of a fluorescent lamp L2 in which three U-shaped bulbs are arranged in communication, for example, in an annular shape.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a fluorescent lamp according to another embodiment of the present invention completed by FIG.

8 shows one end of the arc tube of the fluorescent lamp of FIG. 7, FIG. 8 (a) is a front sectional view, and FIG. 8 (b) is a side sectional view.

FIG. 9 is a front cross-sectional view showing an enlarged one end portion of a conventional lamp.

[Explanation of symbols]

L1 ... Low-pressure mercury discharge lamp (U-shaped fluorescent lamp), L2
・ ・ ・ Low-pressure mercury discharge lamp, L3 ・ ・ ・ Light bulb type fluorescent lamp 1A,
1B, 1C ... glass bulb, 2A, 2D ... pinch seal (sealing) part (reduced diameter part (mercury movement restricting part)) 2B,
2C, 2E ... pinch seal (sealing) part, 3 ... bead mount, 4 ... thin tube (exhaust pipe), 42 ... reduced diameter part (movement restriction part), 5 ... electrode, 6 ... mercury structure

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Toshiyuki Ikeda             4-3-1, Higashishinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Toshiba             Inside Litec Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hirokazu Hoshii             4-3-1, Higashishinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Toshiba             Inside Litec Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A glass bulb having a pinch seal portion at its end; a glass thin tube penetrating the pinch seal portion and extending to the outside of the seal portion; and a granular mercury assembly disposed in the thin tube. A movement restricting portion of the mercury structure, which is formed by reducing the diameter of a thin tube located in the pinch seal portion by pressing when forming the pinch seal portion; and an electrode and a rare gas sealed in the valve. A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp characterized in that 2. A plurality of glass bulbs formed by connecting individual bent pipes each having a pinch seal portion at each end; and an electrode sealed in the bulb by a lead wire sealed at the end of the bulb. And a rare gas; a glass thin tube that penetrates the pinch seal portion and extends outside the seal portion at the end of the valve where the lead wire is not sealed; and a granular mercury assembly that is disposed inside this thin tube. A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp, comprising: a movement restricting portion for the mercury structure, which is formed by reducing the diameter of a thin tube located in the pinch seal portion. 3. A lighting device body; a low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp according to claim 1, which is installed in the device body.
An illuminating device comprising: