JP2006286455A

JP2006286455A - Flash lamp

Info

Publication number: JP2006286455A
Application number: JP2005105996A
Authority: JP
Inventors: Fumio Suzuki; 史生鈴木; Takashi Toyomori; 崇豊森
Original assignee: Iwasaki Denki KK
Current assignee: Iwasaki Denki KK
Priority date: 2005-04-01
Filing date: 2005-04-01
Publication date: 2006-10-19

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flash lamp wherein the inner wall of an arc tube is not much damaged by preventing electrons emitted from an electrode from colliding with the inner wall of the arc tube on the opposite electrode side in the vicinity of the electrode. <P>SOLUTION: A pair of electrodes are disposed face to face in the arc tube and noble gas is filled in it to form this flash lamp. A structural body to partially shield a space in which the electrodes in the arc tube face each other is disposed in this flash lamp. This shielding body is a cylindrical body having an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the light emitting part of the arc tube on the opposite electrode side in the vicinity of the cathode of the arc tube. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

本発明は、光パルスによる紫外線殺菌の光源として利用されるフラッシュランプに関する。 The present invention relates to a flash lamp used as a light source for ultraviolet sterilization by a light pulse.

希ガスとして代表的なキセノンが封入されるフラッシュランプは特徴として紫外域から赤外域まで幅広い発光波長を有することが知られ、様々な応用分野に使用されている。特にその分光エネルギー分布は太陽光の波長と近似しているため、キセノンフラッシュランプは劣化促進試験機や紫外域を利用した樹脂硬化、殺菌・滅菌等に利用されている。キセノンフラッシュランプは上述した特徴よりさらに環境負荷化学物質である水銀が添加されないランプであるため今後の用途は拡大すると考えられている。 A flash lamp in which xenon typical as a rare gas is sealed is known to have a wide emission wavelength from the ultraviolet region to the infrared region, and is used in various application fields. In particular, since the spectral energy distribution is close to the wavelength of sunlight, xenon flash lamps are used for deterioration accelerating test machines, resin curing using the ultraviolet region, sterilization and sterilization, and the like. Since the xenon flash lamp is a lamp to which mercury, which is an environmentally hazardous chemical, is not added in addition to the above-described features, it is considered that the future use will be expanded.

フラッシュランプは円筒形の発光管の両端に電極が配置され発光ガスとしてキセノンが封入されている。該ランプの点灯方式は直流点灯であり、点灯回路内にあるコンデンサに電荷を溜め、その電荷を一気にランプへ供給させる。電極より電子が瞬時に対向する電極に向かって放射され、その電子とキセノンとの衝突によりキセノン原子が励起、発光を繰り返す。これにより瞬時に高照度の断続したパルス点灯を得られる。 In the flash lamp, electrodes are arranged at both ends of a cylindrical arc tube, and xenon is enclosed as a luminescent gas. The lamp is lit by direct current, and charges are accumulated in a capacitor in the lighting circuit, and the charges are supplied to the lamp all at once. Electrons are instantaneously emitted from the electrode toward the opposite electrode, and the xenon atoms are excited and repeatedly emitted by collision of the electrons with xenon. As a result, intermittent high-illumination pulse lighting can be obtained.

フラッシュランプは前記点灯方式の特性上、例えば瞬時に５００Ａから３０００Ａの大電流が流れる。そのため、その電極より放射される電子の初速度は非常に速い。電極より放射される一部の電子軌道は発光管中心軸へ修正がされないまま発光管内壁に近接し衝突してしまい、これにより発光管内壁が削られ、最終的には発光管の破損に至ってしまう問題があった。特に紫外線により滅菌用途に用いるランプの場合、滅菌に使われる波長を多く発光させるため瞬時により大きな電流をランプへ供給しなければならない。 Due to the characteristics of the lighting system, for example, a large current of 500 A to 3000 A flows instantaneously in the flash lamp. Therefore, the initial velocity of electrons emitted from the electrode is very fast. Some electron orbits radiated from the electrode collide close to the inner wall of the arc tube without being corrected to the central axis of the arc tube, which causes the inner wall of the arc tube to be scraped, eventually leading to breakage of the arc tube. There was a problem. In particular, in the case of a lamp used for sterilization by ultraviolet rays, a larger current must be instantaneously supplied to the lamp in order to emit many wavelengths used for sterilization.

電極より大きな速度を持って飛び出した電子が発光管内壁に衝突しても、発光管内壁が削られないようにサファイア管を使用する構成も考えられるが、サファイア管は非常に高価で単価が高くなってしまう。 A configuration using a sapphire tube to prevent the inner wall of the arc tube from being scraped even if electrons that jump out at a higher speed than the electrode collide with the inner wall of the arc tube can be considered, but the sapphire tube is very expensive and expensive. turn into.

また特開平８−２５００６４には電極を保護スリーブで覆う構成が示されているが、電極のスパッタによる発光管の透過率の低下防止の目的であり、本発明は電極より大きな速度を持って飛び出した電子が発光管内壁に衝突するのを軽減させ発光管へのダメージを防止する事が目的となっており、従来の紫外線ランプや高圧水銀ランプにはない、フラッシュランプ特有の現象といえるため、電極のスパッタを防止するための構成とは大きく異なる。 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-250064 shows a configuration in which the electrode is covered with a protective sleeve, but it is for the purpose of preventing a decrease in the transmissivity of the arc tube due to the sputtering of the electrode. The purpose is to reduce the collision of the electrons with the inner wall of the arc tube and prevent damage to the arc tube, and it is a phenomenon unique to flash lamps, which is not found in conventional ultraviolet lamps or high pressure mercury lamps. This is very different from the configuration for preventing electrode sputtering.

特開平８−２５００６４本発明は、上記問題を解消すべく、電極から放射された電子が電極近傍の対向電極側の発光管内壁に衝突するのを防ぎ、発光管内壁の損傷の少ないフラッシュランプを提供する。In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a flash lamp that prevents electrons emitted from the electrode from colliding with the inner wall of the arc tube on the counter electrode near the electrode, and that causes less damage to the inner wall of the arc tube. provide.

本発明は発光管内に一対の電極が対向して配置され、内部に希ガスが封入されたフラッシュランプにおいて、前記発光管内の電極が対向する空間を、一部遮蔽する構造体を配置することを特徴とする。 According to the present invention, in a flash lamp in which a pair of electrodes are arranged to face each other in an arc tube and a rare gas is sealed therein, a structure that partially shields a space in which the electrodes in the arc tube face each other is arranged. Features.

また、発光管内に一対の電極が対向して配置され、内部に希ガスが封入されたフラッシュランプにおいて、ランプ点灯中前記電極の陰極から陽極側へ放出される電子のうち、陽極に放出されず発光管内壁に衝突する電子を遮蔽する構造体を配置することを特徴とする。 In addition, in a flash lamp in which a pair of electrodes are arranged facing each other in an arc tube and a rare gas is sealed inside, among the electrons emitted from the cathode of the electrode to the anode side during lamp operation, the electrons are not emitted to the anode. A structure for shielding electrons colliding with the inner wall of the arc tube is arranged.

前記遮蔽体は、発光管の陰極近傍の対向電極側に発光管の発光部の内径よりも小さい内径の円筒体である事を特徴とする。
前記遮蔽体は、発光管の陰極近傍の対向電極側を発光管の発光部の内径よりも小さくシュリンクして構成することを特徴とする。
前記遮蔽体は、陰極の全周を被覆する円筒体である事を特徴とする。
前記遮蔽体は、石英、アルミナ、サファイアなどの高融点の無機物質からなることを特徴とする。
ここで示す石英、アルミナ、サファイアの融点はおおよそ以下のようになる。石英は１５００度以上、アルミナは２０５０度、サファイアは２０２０度。 The shield is a cylindrical body having an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the light emitting portion of the arc tube on the counter electrode side near the cathode of the arc tube.
The shield is characterized in that the counter electrode side near the cathode of the arc tube is shrunk smaller than the inner diameter of the light emitting portion of the arc tube.
The shield is a cylindrical body that covers the entire circumference of the cathode.
The shield is made of a high-melting-point inorganic material such as quartz, alumina, or sapphire.
The melting points of quartz, alumina, and sapphire shown here are approximately as follows. Quartz is 1500 degrees or more, alumina is 2050 degrees, and sapphire is 2020 degrees.

本発明によれば、電極より放射された電子を発光管の内管壁へ衝突するのを軽減させることで発光管の損傷を防止し、更には電極の発光管へのスパッタによる紫外線の透過率低下を軽減させることができるので、結果として長寿命のフラッシュランプを得ることができる。また前記作用により早期の発光管の損傷が無くなることから被照射物、つまり該ランプにより殺菌・滅菌される医療薬品・器具、食品の包装材等にランプ破損時の二次的な損害を軽減することもできる。 According to the present invention, damage to the arc tube is prevented by reducing the collision of electrons emitted from the electrode with the inner tube wall of the arc tube, and further, the transmittance of ultraviolet rays due to sputtering of the electrode to the arc tube. Since the reduction can be reduced, a long-life flash lamp can be obtained as a result. In addition, since the arc tube is not damaged early by the above action, secondary damage when the lamp breaks is reduced on the irradiated object, that is, medical chemicals / equipment sterilized and sterilized by the lamp, food packaging materials, etc. You can also.

次に、本発明について図面を参照して説明する。
本発明の請求項にかかる例として、フラッシュランプの発光管形状及び電極構造を示す。図１は、請求項３にかかるフラッシュランプであり、発光管内において陰極近傍の対向電極側に円筒状の遮蔽体４を設けることで上述の問題点を解決する。図２は請求項４にかかるフラッシュランプであり、発光管の発光部一部をシュリンクさせ、遮蔽の機能を有するくびれ部５を設けることで上述の問題点を解決する。図４は請求項にかかるフラッシュランプであり、陰極の全周を被覆する円筒状の保護筒を設けることで上述の問題点を解決する。上記ランプの遮蔽体物は電子が放出される陰極側のみだけでなく陽極側にも設けてもよい。 Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As an example according to the claims of the present invention, an arc tube shape and an electrode structure of a flash lamp are shown. FIG. 1 shows a flash lamp according to a third aspect, which solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a cylindrical shield 4 on the side of the counter electrode near the cathode in the arc tube. FIG. 2 shows a flash lamp according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems by shrinking a part of the light emitting part of the arc tube and providing a constricted part 5 having a shielding function. FIG. 4 shows a flash lamp according to the claims, which solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a cylindrical protective cylinder covering the entire circumference of the cathode. The shield of the lamp may be provided not only on the cathode side from which electrons are emitted, but also on the anode side.

実施例の代表として請求項３に於けるランプ構造を以下に説明する。
外径φ１０ｍｍ、厚さ１ｍｍ、長さ３００ｍｍの石英製発光管の両端に一対の電極が配置されている。電極には電子放射性物質とタングステン基材とが混合された電極、本実施例ではトリエーテッドタングステン電極を陰極に用いて、陽極には純タングステンからなる電極を用いた。前記陰極および陽極を該発光管の両端に電極芯捧が溶着される。 A lamp structure according to claim 3 will be described below as a representative example.
A pair of electrodes are arranged at both ends of a quartz arc tube having an outer diameter of 10 mm, a thickness of 1 mm, and a length of 300 mm. As an electrode, an electrode in which an electron-emitting substance and a tungsten base material are mixed. In this embodiment, a tritated tungsten electrode is used as a cathode, and an electrode made of pure tungsten is used as an anode. The cathode and anode are welded to both ends of the arc tube.

遮蔽体としては外径６ｍｍ、穴径３ｍｍ、長さ１０ｍｍの円筒形状のサファイアを使用する。この円筒形状のサファイアを陰極近傍の対向電極側に設置する。この時、該サファイアは陰極先端から８ｍｍの距離に配置する。さらに真空に引いた発光管の外周から該サファイア部周辺をバーナーで加熱し、発光管を溶融収縮させ発光管と該サファイアを溶着する。
その後、発光管内をキセノンガスで置換し本発明を成し得るものとする。この実施の形態を本発明Ａとする。 As the shield, cylindrical sapphire having an outer diameter of 6 mm, a hole diameter of 3 mm, and a length of 10 mm is used. This cylindrical sapphire is placed on the counter electrode side near the cathode. At this time, the sapphire is placed at a distance of 8 mm from the cathode tip. Further, the periphery of the sapphire portion is heated by a burner from the outer periphery of the arc tube which is evacuated, and the arc tube is melted and contracted to weld the arc tube and the sapphire.
Thereafter, the inside of the arc tube can be replaced with xenon gas to achieve the present invention. This embodiment is referred to as the present invention A.

上記フラッシュランプを以下の点灯方式で点灯させ、寿命実験を行った。電源内のコンデンサに蓄電された２０００ジュールの供給エネルギーを０．５秒の間隔でパルス状にランプへ供給し点灯させた。結果を図５に示す。図５には本発明Ａの比較例として従来の構成のフラッシュランプを上記点灯方法で測定を行ったものを従来例１、従来例２として示す。 The flash lamp was turned on by the following lighting method, and a life test was conducted. The supply energy of 2000 joules stored in the capacitor in the power supply was supplied to the lamp in a pulsed manner at intervals of 0.5 seconds to light it. The results are shown in FIG. FIG. 5 shows, as a comparative example of the present invention A, a conventional example 1 and a conventional example 2 in which a flash lamp having a conventional configuration was measured by the above lighting method.

図５より、従来の構成では点滅回数が３０万回から６０万回で破損してしまい、その時の積算光量維持率が３０％から４０％まで落ち込んでしまった。一方、本発明の構成では点灯回数が１００万回を超えても破損せず、積算光量維持率も７０％を超えることができた。更に被照射物、つまり該ランプにより殺菌・滅菌される医療薬品・器具、食品の包装材等にランプ破損時の二次的な損害を軽減することもできる。また本発明は電極のスパッタによる発光管黒化をも防止する事が出来るので、発光管の透過率の低下も防止する事が出来、高維持率の発光が可能になった。 As shown in FIG. 5, in the conventional configuration, the number of blinks was broken from 300,000 times to 600,000 times, and the integrated light quantity maintenance rate at that time dropped from 30% to 40%. On the other hand, the configuration of the present invention did not break even when the number of lighting exceeded 1 million, and the integrated light quantity maintenance rate could exceed 70%. Further, secondary damage caused when the lamp is broken can be reduced in the irradiated object, that is, medical chemicals / equipment sterilized and sterilized by the lamp, food packaging materials, and the like. In addition, since the present invention can prevent arc tube blackening due to electrode sputtering, it is also possible to prevent a decrease in the transmittance of the arc tube, and to emit light with a high maintenance rate.

その他の構成として請求項４及び請求項５に示す実験を行った。
請求項４は該ビーズを用いずに石英製発光管を収縮させるのみとする。前記発光管の陰極近傍の対向電極側を発光管の外周からバーナーで加熱し、発光管のガラスを内部へ収縮させる。この実施の形態を本発明Ｂとする。またこの時、図３に示すように、発光管のガラスで肉溜り６を形成することにより強度をもたせるようにしても良い。
請求項５は電極芯捧にカップ形状のサファイアを設ける。この時、カップ状のサファイアが陰極の先端部を被覆し、更にこの被覆したカップ状のサファイアが陰極近傍の対向電極側に延長する。この実施の形態を本発明Ｃとする。 As other configurations, experiments shown in claims 4 and 5 were performed.
The fourth aspect of the present invention only shrinks the quartz arc tube without using the beads. The counter electrode side near the cathode of the arc tube is heated from the outer periphery of the arc tube with a burner, and the glass of the arc tube is shrunk to the inside. This embodiment is referred to as the present invention B. Further, at this time, as shown in FIG. 3, strength may be provided by forming the reservoir 6 with the glass of the arc tube.
In the fifth aspect, cup-shaped sapphire is provided for the electrode core. At this time, the cup-shaped sapphire covers the tip of the cathode, and the coated cup-shaped sapphire extends toward the counter electrode near the cathode. This embodiment is referred to as the present invention C.

上記フラッシュランプを実施例１と同様の点灯方式で点灯させ寿命実験を行った。結果を図６に示す。なお、図６は図５に実施例２のデータをプロットしたものである。
図６より、本発明Ｂ及びＣの構成では点灯回数が１００万回を超えても破損せず、積算光量維持率も６０％を超えることができた。よって電子の方向成分を発光管中心軸に集める事により、発光管の損傷を軽減し、かつ積算光量維持率の高い長寿命のランプを得ることが出来た。 The flash lamp was turned on by the same lighting method as in Example 1, and a life test was conducted. The results are shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a plot of the data of Example 2 in FIG.
From FIG. 6, the configurations of the present inventions B and C were not damaged even when the number of lighting exceeded 1 million times, and the integrated light quantity maintenance rate could exceed 60%. Therefore, by collecting the directional component of electrons on the central axis of the arc tube, damage to the arc tube can be reduced and a long-life lamp with a high integrated light quantity maintenance rate can be obtained.

本発明の実施の形態Ａのフラッシュランプを表す図The figure showing the flash lamp of Embodiment A of this invention 本発明の実施の形態Ｂのフラッシュランプを表す図The figure showing the flash lamp of Embodiment B of this invention 本発明の実施の形態Ｂの変形例の一つとして、くびれ部分に肉黙りを構成している様子を表す図The figure showing a mode that silence is comprised in the constriction part as one of the modifications of Embodiment B of this invention 本発明の実施の形態Ｃのフラッシュランプを表す図The figure showing the flash lamp of Embodiment C of this invention 本発明の実施の形態Ａの寿命実験のデータを表す図The figure showing the data of the lifetime experiment of Embodiment A of this invention 本発明の実施の形態Ｂ及びＣの寿命実験データを表す図The figure showing the lifetime experiment data of Embodiment B and C of this invention 従来のフラッシュランプを表す図A diagram representing a conventional flash lamp

Explanation of symbols

１発光管
２陰極
３陽極
４ビーズ
５くびれ部分
６肉溜部分
７電極を覆う円筒形状の遮蔽体
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Arc tube 2 Cathode 3 Anode 4 Bead 5 Neck part 6 Meat reservoir part 7 Cylindrical shield which covers an electrode

Claims

In a flash lamp in which a pair of electrodes are arranged to face each other in an arc tube and a rare gas is sealed therein, a structure that partially shields a space in which the electrodes in the arc tube face each other is arranged. Flash lamp.

In a flash lamp in which a pair of electrodes are arranged opposite to each other in an arc tube and a rare gas is sealed therein, among the electrons emitted from the cathode of the electrode to the anode side during lamp operation, the electrons are not emitted to the anode but in the arc tube A flash lamp with a structure that shields electrons that collide with walls.

3. The flash lamp according to claim 1, wherein the shield is a cylindrical body having an inner diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the light emitting portion of the arc tube on the side of the counter electrode near the cathode of the arc tube.

3. The flash lamp according to claim 1, wherein the shield is formed by shrinking the counter electrode near the cathode of the arc tube smaller than the inner diameter of the light emitting portion of the arc tube.

3. The flash lamp according to claim 1, wherein the shield has a configuration in which the tip of the cathode is covered with a cylinder, and the covered cylinder extends to the counter electrode near the cathode.

6. The flash lamp according to claim 1, wherein the shield is made of a high melting point inorganic material such as quartz, alumina, or sapphire.